What's Buzzing or Flying near you today......2016

More Wheatears, on the coast feeding up ready for the long journey.




Around Worth Matravers village and farm (west of Swanage) and surrounding fields were thousands of Swallows and House Martins and dropping by for a quick drink as there were now puddles after yesterday's rain.


Back home there was a real surprise, I went to pick some tomatoes in the greenhouse and small bird was fluttering somewhere in the corner, Robin? Dunnock?
No, a young Redstart! I caught it took a couple of pics and released it where it sat on our back fence for a while and then flew off.

 

Another thought: they may be moulting

 

Hmmm! The whole area is like a cat sanctuary. I will discount that theory for now but thanks for the suggestion. Sparrow Hawk, I don't think so as I'm sure I would spot it, but again, thank you. Moulting, ah ha! Maybe?!
It just seems really weird though although I did spot 2 great tits on the feeders a few days ago. Looking forward to thir return as I miss having the camera out in the garden.
Thanks everyone. All the best, Russ.

 

Osprey (again) in the Middlebere channel in Poole. harbour.

Great White Egret turned up today in the channel as well.

 

Needed to be quick for this.......blackbird leaving her nest after a feeding visit.

 

Yes all the birds are moulting at the moment and are looking rather tatty especially the male and female pheasants that have lost their tail feathers so look quiet comical as they're strut about.Also while moulting the birds are more vunerable to predation as they can't fly very well.
This little male Chaffinch visits every day and as you can see he has the cauliflower feet due to bacteria attacking them.He allows me to get close to him as he eats the seeds I throw down for him

 

Greenshank at Brownsea Island this morning. The lighting was awful for photos, white cloud and water.






Turnstones, just a few yards away.




There are still a few Common Terns hanging around.


A very poor shot of a distant Curlew Sandpiper.

 

Sonic just came whizzing by..

 

Blackcap.

 

A Common Darter which was buzzing around in my garden this afternoon. I first spotted it perched on the tip of the gnomon on the sundial.



Not some apocalyptic vision of the future where giant insects roam a devastated Earth. Just the Darter sitting on an old toy lorry which I dug up a while ago and left sitting on the sundial.

 

I've seen hundreds of woodpeckers in the countryside but this morning I was so excited to finally see one in the garden

Male Greater Spotted Woodpecker

 

Sparrowhawk in the garden a couple of weeks ago , finally got a photo after years of trying

 

Great pictures Bilbo!