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Stephen Burch's Birding & Dragonfly Website |
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Home | Trip Reports | Gallery | UK index | Oxon pics | UK pics | Dragonflies | Other Nature | Contact | Links |
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Stephen Burch's Birding & Dragonfly Website |
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Home | Trip Reports | Gallery | UK index | Oxon pics | UK pics | Dragonflies | Other Nature | Contact | Links |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 28 July 2023 Two birds suddenly flew towards and then past me, then abruptly turned round and came very close. Difficult to get onto but this is hardly a crop of the original image. Click to enlarge |
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Mute Swans, Barton Field, Abingdon, Oxon 8 June 2023 While trying unsuccessfully to photo dragonflies, this lovely Mute Swan family swam into view. So I couldn't resist the temptation to change modes and photo the whole family. It was however very difficult to get a shot with all in focus and with reasonable poses. This was the best I got, Click to enlarge |
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Lapwing, West Oxon 6 June 2023 At one point, I suddenly noticed this bird, and another, had made a quiet close approach. So an unusually productive morning, given the GWE close encounters below! Click to enlarge |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 6 June 2023 Something of an GWE bonanza this morning, with two different birds, neither of which was the same as the bird seen on 2 June! This bird is nearing full breeding plumage but still has a small amount of yellow at the base of the bill and dark legs. Click to enlarge |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 6 June 2023 This bird is not showing any breeding plumage with a fully yellow bill and dark legs. This photo catches the bird unusually flying in quite close. Click to enlarge |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 6 June 2023 Here is a crop of the bird above that came even closer at one point! Click to enlarge |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 6 June 2023 The whole bird quite close - had to zoom the lens out! Click to enlarge |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 2 June 2023 This elegant bird came moderately close to me. It is in full breeding plumage with a black bill and green in front of the eye. The bill colour had me puzzled for when it was more distant. Click to enlarge |
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Cuckoo, West Oxon 2 June 2023 After a few weeks in Scotland (more of which later!), it was back to my usual site today. There was plenty of Cuckoo activity early on, with much calling and bubbling from a female, which is shown here. Not the best photo, but it is first ever photo of a female. It is also quite possibly my first confirmed view of a female. Click to enlarge |
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Firecrest, Southern Oxon 1 May 2023 Many thanks to Leo Bateman for the heads up on this tiny beauty! Fortunately he was still present when I arrived at the local site, as I can hardly hear them anymore. Click to enlarge |
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Firecrest, Southern Oxon 1 May 2023 The same bird singing Click to enlarge |
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Firecrest, Southern Oxon 1 May 2023 Momentarily facing me. Click to enlarge |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Extraordinary close flying display late morning/early afternoon - coming almost within touching distance! Very difficult to get onto, but the amazing AF on the Canon R5 at least made it possible. I would have really struggled with my 7D! Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here. |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Getting closer Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here. |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Almost frame filling! Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here. |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Crop of the shot above! Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here. |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Head on. Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Heading out over the water. Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here |
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Hobby, West Oxon 28 April 2023 Homing in on an insect! Click to enlarge For a gallery of my Hobby photos, click here |
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Whimbrel, Standlake Pit 60 28 April 2023 This bird spent most of its time asleep and occasionally flying between the two islands. Just once it flew quite close. Click to enlarge |
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Garganey, West Oxon 25 April 2023 A real treat this morning, with the male coming quite close. Click to enlarge |
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Garganey, West Oxon 25 April 2023 Closer still... Click to enlarge |
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Garganey, West Oxon 25 April 2023 Nice fly past Click to enlarge |
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Common Sandpiper, West Oxon 25 April 2023 A reflection shot in nice light. Click to enlarge |
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PURPLE HERON, Standlake Pit 60 25 April 2023 An amazing find today - my first self found Oxon rarity only the 4th this century! Unfortunately only seen distantly, initially in flight as shown here. |
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PURPLE HERON, Standlake Pit 60 25 April 2023 After I saw it in flight (see above), it circled back and landed distantly on the north shore, in front of some reeds. It then quickly walked into a channel to feed, thereafter giving only partial views before disappearing completely. Surprisingly it was then seen again on 29 April. |
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Common Canes, Standlake Pit 60 20 April 2023 A surprise fly over on a quiet morning. They circled and came back providing this photo opportunity. Two adults and a juvenile all with no sign of any rings, so their origin is unclear to me. Click to enlarge |
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Common Canes, Standlake Pit 60 20 April 2023 Crop of the photo above, showing only the upper bird. Click to enlarge |
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Great White Egret, West Oxon 14 April 2023 This bird suddenly decided to fly towards me. I missed the closest approach unfortunately but this shot shows the remarkably large prey item it has caught. Thanks to Mark Bradfield for confirming it is most likely to be a large earthworm! Click to enlarge |
© All pictures copyright Stephen Burch |
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