Come rain, come shine

The images in this posting are a collection from two days on the Somerset Levels.  On each day, rain and sunshine were due at some time.  My aim was to be there whlst it was still raining and be waiting for the sunshine to arrive!  The plan worked – more or less.

These are the young Mute Swans that I posted recently with their mother.  Numbers are down by one.  Otters are the prime suspect.

... and here's a parent nearby.

Then the rain became quite heavy.

Reed Mace

Thistle

There was a report on TV last week about how well flowers like this thistle were doing in the weather we've been having.

I was alone in the hide.  Suddenly, something flashed past my nose and ear.  I was joined in the hide by a Wren.

Giving me 'the eye'?

The rain eased and I moved on from Greylake to a site called Canada Lake.  Access here involved a long(ish) walk through woodland.  (I haven't looked at the species of trees closely, but the woodland could perhaps be technically carr.  There is certainly a very, very high water-table and some of the necessary species.)

The rain stopped and the wind blew.

This male Kingfisher must have been feeding a family.  Each fish he caught from this perch was taken off out of my sight.

A Cormorant sat in a dead tree.

Over at Ham Wall ...

A Mute Swan gliding along the Glastonbury Canal

Little Grebe

Any Great White Egret?

"I spy ..."

The best I got that day (see Blog dated 18.7.12)

How about this then?

It's a Bittern.  It was preening and I took lots of images.  In some it was unrecognisable in its contortions and this is the best I could manage.  It's got its beak pressed down against the front of its neck.  Now, if only it would have stretched up in that classic pose ...


Just to prove that the sun was shining ...

Peacock Butterfly