September 6th 2024
The sun shone today! No, really, it was there when I woke up and it's still out there now, in fact, I think all clouds have been banished for the day at least. About bliddy time I say! SO Summer is on a Friday this year
SO, I got up, got dressed (shower later) and off up the road. It feels like a long time since I went for one of my 'walks with a camera', I do carry a camera on almost all walks but this one I couldn't imagine going without one, there's always something and today was no exception.
There was a bit of a chill in the air when I got there and set off walking at 08:14, sun still shining but I put a fleece on, it can be breezy up here and better safe than sorry, or freezing.
I started my watch, for my steps and BirdTrack to log anything I might see. I'd logged a decent few on the drive here, a family of young Red-legged Partridge, a Barn Owl in its nest box, a Red Kite and a Buzzard. Lots of LBJs but I couldn't see which.
Out of the car in the car park and a pair of Robins started performing on the wall, I'd guess male & female, there was no aggression at all but lots of posturing.
Looks like mating behaviour to me but in September? Maybe so.
It was all over in a flash as they headed for the woods on the other side of the road.
There were a couple of Cormorants resting up in the usual spot but it was the activity on the road that caught my eye; several small birds flitting around from road to fence and back.
There were Meadow Pipits and Grey and Pied Wagtails. The wagtails were bobbing off into the distance as soon as I appeared but the Pipits hung around a bit longer.
I headed up the trail and quickly realised it was going to be way too warm for my fleece so I stopped in the shade of some trees and stripped that off, round my waist where I can forget about it.
There are a few areas with mixed shrubs alongside the trail where I try to remember to stop, listen and wait, I'm terrible for just walking on. It is a walk I'm out for after all but I'm carrying a camera for a reason
Sure enough, there was quite a bit of activity in and around the bushes.
I played hide and seek with a young Dunnock for a while, noting other birds around but enjoying getting shots of this young one.
There were several Coal Tits hopping around in the upper branches but something else caught my eye.
So. What is this? A young Warbler, yes.
My guess is a young Chiffchaff but they always confuse me. I had heard a couple of Chiffchaff but no Willow Warblers ....
It was great to get so much time with such a small, usually shy bird that is constantly on the move.
Final two, it was a great, short session. Other birds were available at the time, in the same place, the Coal tits were hanging off the branches and I intended getting a few shots but as soon as this wee bird moved on, so did they!
I had set off on my walk at 08:14, it was now 08:47 and I was pretty chuffed with the shots I'd got already. I headed on up the trail with an eye on the water, always on the lookout for the Divers.
No surprise I didn't see any there are more people around at this time of year and kayakers, paddle boarders etc. would discourage them completely
I also spotted an Osprey pretty high over the water but it was gone by the time I got my act together to photograph it.
I did see a few ducks, which looked like Mallard but one female seemed to have a very large bill.
Not a great shot but I was trying to check the ID in case it was something different, I think it's just a female mallard.
I did spot a Little Grebe near the ducks.
They're always shy and move away from us humans as soon as we are spotted, they usually dive and pop up away over there somewhere.
I wandered down to the shore by the picnic bench in case it had stayed near the shore but no sign of it at all. I did disturb a group of Mallard though.
Back up to the track and onwards. There's a secluded patch, behind some trees where I discovered a little village of Fly Agaric last year and lo and behold, it had re-appeared.
Not quite as many as last year but there's still time.
Aren't they beautiful but deadly of course, well at least sick making.
Aren't they beautiful but deadly of course, well at least sick making.
I carried on towards an open area where a different set of birds can be seen, there's also a fallen pine over a burn and I often get birds quite close up, when they pop out of the water after a bath. That could be mis-interpreted!!!
None this time though but I did see a bunch of butterflies and hover-flies at the Field Scabious
As you can see, this one was really camera shy so apologies for all the bum pics :)
I also found another clump of 'shrooms, I'm no good at ID'ing most of them but I put them on iNaturalist and someone often responds with an ID.
Onwards. Through the first gate and out into the more open area.
This is a very grassy area, with grazing on one side and wild grasses and young pine on the other. Meadow Pipits are very common here although way fewer this year than last
This one stayed on the path in front of me for ages before taking off into the grasses. I've had a lot of luck this year with Whinchats in this area. (Later)
Movement caught my eye on my left, up towards the trees ....
A Buzzard, they're pretty Common up here and I'm surprised if I don't see at least one on my walks.
I've been watching skeins of Canada Geese flying over in the evenings recently, headed here or the other reservoir just down the road and there was a gaggle of them enjoying the peace on the water.
I was almost into the corner and by the second gate now but had noticed quite a racket up in the tree line.
So I'm going to end Pt. 1 on that note "gronk"! They were the start of an amazing experience for me today so, I'll save the rest for Pt. 2. It was only 10:05, just under two hours strolling, looking and photographing.
