Wednesday 25 June 2008

I was scratching around from the off today! A very quiet morning, apart from two SONGTHRUSH'S around 50m apart trying to out-sing each other, great to listen to. Again the WHITETHROAT in Ashes Lane sang, and a couple of SKYLARKS over the maize crop did likewise, CHIFFCHAFF, and GOLDCREST were heard in the college grounds, where also a mixed partyof some 12 LONG TAILED TITS, and 4 COAL TITS, all this years young birds, were flitting from tree to tree.
This afternoons walk was ruined by continual shotgun fire, coming from just off my patch, behind the lake area, as a consequence, that side of my patch was barron. Why do these idiots only get a kick out of killing ? Its not even the shooting season, everything they kill will leave starving broods to die in their nests. if these blokes were put in a uniform, and sent to Iraq to fight a proper foe they would urinate thier pants! Enough of my ranting!!
I decided to chill out over at migrant alley and check out the water pool, a few damselflies were about and just one male chaser, also a Ruddy/ common darter that had just emerged from its case. Unfortnately its wings were damaged, the stem it was clinging to having been blown around by the strong wind. Sadly this darter won't ever ''dart'', it will starve.
On the adjacent sheep pasture i watched 20 or so SWALLOWS, mostly recently fledged birds, chasing insects, and generally enjoying themselvs on the wind, I took some photo's of them, but they don't do these magic little flyers justice!

A Doomed Darter


This Swallow was only just out of the nest, and was receiving food from an adult bird.
Below are my attempts at capturing the fun being had by them all


























4 comments:

Steve said...

Those shots of Swallow are actually really good I think - so hard to photograph anything flying let alone Swallows!

Warren Baker said...

Thanks steve,
I've a lot to learn about photography yet! glad you enjoyed the swallows though

Mike said...

Nice flight shots Warren you've got to be pretty quick to catch these. Like the one on the barb wire, nice one.

Travis said...

Does look like they had fun. I wouldn't mind being able to fly around in the open sky.

Great shots. They turned out very well.