St Albans Herons

I have visited St Albans most years from 2012 to watch the Herons and friends busy courting, mating and building nests around the second week in March. After a very sparse year in 2023, this year is encouraging as we located 5 nests and maybe a couple of unpaired youngsters. The early light with low sunshine was ideal but it clouded over later so a different approach in processing at the end. My favourite is the second image - sheer 'Joie de Vivre' which is how they made me feel. The grumpy one giving the evil eye to the Coot is probably more representative of their behaviour.

Season is Changing at Paxton

There are definite signs that Spring is on its way at Paxton with the Cormorants in breeding plumage and busy nest building, and the Great Crested Grebes are showing their breeding ruffs. Winter visitors are still with us while immature nonbreeding Cormorants and Herons are sitting around looking very bored. Poor light most of the time for photography.

Winter Bird Survey Paxton

Great to meet up with everyone for the start of the monthly surveys at Paxton Pits. This month our survey was of the birds - we recorded 53 species with a few winter visitors among them - Golden Eye (large flocks on Island Pit}, Goosander pair and Redwings. Best sighting (and a long way off) group of Green Sandpipers.

Afternoon at Wicken

The rain stopped after lunch and I enjoyed a couple of hours on Burwell Fen before the very strong winds arrived. The herons were the most confiding - otherwise the birds were at a distance including male and female Kestrels, Short-eared Owl and two Marsh Harriers.  The landscapes were with my not-very-good mobile camera!

RSPB Otmoor (1)

 My first visit to Otmoor (Oxfordshire) and was rewarded with some great sightings - Common Crane, Bittern, Heron, Red Kite with Prey in Talons, Heron and Spiked Shieldbug with its impaled caterpillar prey.   There were also some better photographic opportunities of small birds -  next Blog. The Grass Snake was nearer Aylesbury on a stopover.