Another day on The Levels

I've noticed that many of my whole-day photographic outings recently have been to the Somerset Levels.  There is a reason.  The best breaks in the unsettled weather we've been having of late seem to have favoured that area.  Again, there's always a chance of spotting our new Great Egret chicks – and, just possibly, the Common Crane.

This day started, like many others, at Noah's Hide on Shapwick Heath.  It affords a great view and the light is in the right direction, i.e. not in your face.  It is shaded from direct sunshine by its edge-of-woodland setting and so it doesn't get hot.  It does frequently get cold.  (I'd rather wrap up than roast.)

The near-by hide overlooking Meare Heath sometimes provides rare glimpses of Otter and occasional sightings of Marsh Harrier.  Bittern have been known to show very close.  However, most time spent there can be like watching paint dry.

Mute Swan in the early light

... and a little later in the morning

This Lesser Black-backed Gull flew past leisurely.  I was able to keep it fairly steadily in the frame, so here's the whole sequence at 8fps.

When it landed, it seemed to think that its mate should come and join it.

Completely detached from all this rowdy behaviour, a young Coot foraged around the edge of the reed-bed.

Before I left, I captured this image.  See if you identify the bird (answer later).

Mystery bird

After some lunch at the Avalon Marshes Centre, I went to RSPB Greylake.  It's always worth looking by, even at the quiet times of the day.  You never know what might present itself.

I caught up with the family of Mute Swan that I had photographed on the boardwalk earlier this year.

Dad

I wonder if it tickles

Dad did seem to be finding paternal oversight rather soporific!  (I'm allowed to use this word because it's used in The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.)

When I was frustrated in my attempt to get a decent shot of this Kestrel, I thought it time to go home.

There's a postscript:

It's the postbox outside the Post Office in Sherborne, Dorset.  It's been painted gold to honour Peter Wilson of Glanvilles Wootton, near Sherborne.  He won gold in the 2012 Olympics in the 'Double Trap' event (clay-pigeon shooting to you and me).

I took the picture on my mobile phone and removed a blue colour-cast in PS Elements.

The mystery bird?  It's a Grey Heron.

Out in the sunshine

When the sun is very strong, you have to get out early to catch the 'good' light.

The first four images were taken at Arne, Dorset, in late July.

Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius)

Linnet ♀

Linnet ♂

Already the light was getting too bright – and it was seriously hot on a Dorset heath with scarcely a breath of wind.


The remainder were taken at an even earlier hour on Shapwick Heath, Somerset Levels.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

There was a sub-plot to this idyllic posing.  Keeping a 360° outlook was very easy and, if a Great Crested Grebe or a Cormorant succeeded in catching a fish within a 100m of this spot, one would take off to see what the chances of a successful mugging might be.  I have to report, dear reader, that they had no positive result whatsoever in the 4h30 that I watched them.  Still, I suppose it's a low-energy strategy.

On a more serene note ...

Mute Swan

This Grey Heron was being pestered by two full-size juveniles and seems to have worked out that, if s/he perched on the branch, there would be no room for them.  They 'flopped' themselves into nearby reedbeds.

"Just what are those kids up to now?"

Time for a bit of a change

I was pushing my luck with the distance for this Great Crested Grebe:

Yes.  This meant another failure by the LB-BG mentioned above.

Greylag Geese

When I started to point the camera at the back-ends of geese, I thought it was perhaps time to move on.  I staggered out of Noah's Hide before I lost the use of my legs!


After refreshments at Shapwick, I went to check out one of the remoter parts of Westhay Heath.  You can get some shade there under the willows.  I didn't expect much.  The temperature had climbed alarmingly.

Tending the garden (Coot)

Back-lit beauties (Mute Swan)

A Mixed Bag

The first images were taken at Stourhead, Wiltshire, early one morning last month.

The Mallard were just starting to wake up, but were not eager to get moving.

I guess this chap and his mates were sufficient security ...

Canada Goose

... and they're used to people wandering around.

I watched this (depleted?) Coot family for a while.  There seemed a possible story-line in there somewhere.

"She'll get over it, son."

"Come on.  Get your bed made."

"Are they watching me?"

"Yes!  They are."

"Do we have to do this every day?"

"I'm bored."

(Anthropomorphism lives on!)

Workmen were getting as much done as they could before serious numbers of visitors started arriving.  They were resurfacing the path after the ravages of recent rain.

The temperature was starting to rise now.  There was little bird activity.

Foxglove

Hydrangea

Time to go back home.

The remaining photographs were taken at the London Wetlands Centre at Barnes.  I met up with a friend who lives in Greater London for a foray into that part of the capital before the Olympic Games started.

Bewick's Swan

This bird is part of a collection at the centre.  I thought that in the first image it looked rather pensive – dreaming perhaps of Siberia?

Coot

"You're joking?"

"Mum?"

"That's more like it."

Black-necked Swan

Chiloe Wigeon

Common Lizard

... and then he was gone.  I didn't have time to retake and get the tail in focus, too.


This Grey Heron was just taking life easy.  It was quite hot, so you can't blame it.

Finally, a young Mute Swan with plenty greens left to eat up.

Visitors wearing sandals suffered.  The cob pecked toes!  (There was no netting at the base of the barred fence.)