On the Feast of Stephen ♫

I was up before light on Boxing Day and, after breakfast, headed for Blashford Lakes near the edge of the New Forest.  Most of the usual suspects were there and a Great Egret came much closer to the hide than of late.

Here's what I got.

Moorhen

Gadwall

Mallard

Great Egret

Black-headed Gull

Coot

Pied Wagtail

Other people were there by now and the wildlife moved further away.  So did I  –  I went home.  Job done!

A local miscellany (pre-Christmas)

There are still lots of images from 2014 to go!  Here is a miscellany of images taken locally last month prior to Christmas.

Stourhead, Wiltshire:

Mute Swan

These were taken shortly after sunrise and I was pleased with the effect of the early light on the water

Mallard

Song Thrush

Pity about the point-of-view.  We were in a relatively confined space and the bird arrived on foot from shrubbery.  It was very trusting and fussed about 'around my feet'.  Any attempt to get down would have spooked it.  I couldn't tempt it up onto anything.

Robin

 

Dunnock

Steeple Langford, Wiltshire:

Black-headed Gull

Coot

Great Crested Grebe

Gadwall