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Oxon Bird Pics Spring/Summer 2010

  Ruff, Farmoor

21 August 2010

The complete opposite of the Kittiwake - very wary indeed; one of two. This was the best I could do, with all my stalking efforts failing miserably!

 Kittiwake Kittiwake (juv), Farmoor

21 August 2010

Very tame, and probably not too well?

Click on pic to enlarge.

  Kestrel Kestrel, Berkshire Downs

8 August 2010

I managed to get quite close to this bird, by using the lie of the land to good effect.

Click on pic to enlarge.

  Dunlin, Farmoor

7 August 2010

Taken in between heavy showers.

The male Redstart would have been a more exciting subject, was not obliging at all.

  Mallard in the garden

19 July 2010

To our amazement, this duck nested in our garden, which is almost a mile from the nearest water. After about a month on the eggs, 11 ducklings hatched. This photo was taken a day or so later, by which time they had been reduced to 10.

After a few days, she led them under the back gate, and away... It could have been interesting to have followed them, but we weren't around when the left.

Mallard in the garden

19 July 2010

The family enjoyed the bird bath, which we moved round for their convenience! Also later the childrens' old paddling pool proved equally popular and somewhat more spacious.

  Yellow Wagtail, Downs

16 May 2010

A very yellow picture of a Yellow Wagtail in a field of oil seed rape!

Another pic taken out on a walk, with my 'reserve' gear - EOS350D & 400mmf5.6.

 Reed Bunting Reed Bunting, Otmoor

15 May 2010

A very approachable bird singing by the path to the first blind. I suspect it has become reasonably used to the constant stream of people passing close by!

Click pic to enlarge.

 Sparrowhawk Sparrowhawk, Home.

27 April 2010

This splendid male is unfortunately decimating the bird population in our garden, with three kills in just the last few days. We think this was an unfortunate juv Blackbird, as was the previous corpse!

Taken at dusk with a shutter time of 1/40sec - handheld but resting the lens on the window frame.

Click pic to enlarge.

Sparrowhawk, Home.

27 April 2010

Nature in the raw!

  Whitethroat, Berkshire Downs

25 April 2010

My first of the year - taken with the 'reserve' gear - the more portable EOS350D & 400mmf5.6.

  Grasshopper Warbler, Pinkhill, Farmoor

24 April 2010

The word soon got around that there was a showy Gropper round the back of Pinkhill this morning. Not easy to get unobstructed photos, though.

Grasshopper Warbler, Pinkhill, Farmoor

24 April 2010

Out in the open, but less contrast and not as sharp.

  Little Gull, Farmoor

24 April 2010

From the causeway, early on. This one even settled on the causeway briefly. Later there was the splendid sight of 14-15 all together over F1.

 White Wagtail White Wagtail, Farmoor

24 April 2010

More obliging than usual. Only one on the causeway today, and I saw no Yellow Wags.

Click on pic to enlarge.

  Coot, Pinkhill, Farmoor

17 April 2010

A very quiet day at the reservoir today - the weather was too good. I was reduced to photographing this Coot! Note the intent expression - it is about the pick the tiny fly off the side of the post!

  Barn Owl, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor

10 April 2010

Hunting in broad daylight, well into the morning.

Barn Owl Barn Owl, Shrike Meadow, Farmoor

10 April 2010

More hunting.

Click pic to enlarge.

Barn Owl, Pinkhill, Farmoor

10 April 2010

Somewhat later from the hide at Pinkhill... Success at last!

Oystercatcher, Farmoor

27 March 2010

A wary bird on the causeway early on today.


© All pictures copyright Stephen Burch

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