Post by rowanberry on Feb 26, 2019 20:49:02 GMT
I thought I'd put the photos all together here from our two recent outings, since they wouldn't have happened without this unseasonably warm weather we've had over the past few days!
The first few photos were taken Sunday in Trent Park, near Cockfosters in London... the second batch are from College Lake (Buckinghamshire) where we went today, since it's one of our closest nature reserves. Cloudless blue, blue skies over both days, and nearly 20c... too warm even for a jacket. Unheard of, but we are doing our best to make the most of it.
Trent Park has Mandarin ducks in a pond (which aren't really British nor wild) but I love their plumage. I took some cracked corn to feed them, and it always ends up being a colourful scrum between them and the Mallards.
The trees aren't even showing any leaves yet, but I came upon this lovely patch of snowdrops in the woods.
We couldn't believe how many Red Kites we saw on the way to College Lake- at one point I counted six wheeling around above the motorway. I was hoping to see some birds of prey at the reserve, but none were about today.... there were still plenty of other birds, and a good number of hides to view them from.
Lots of geese and swans out on the water... this is probably the best photo I got today. It sort of makes up for the awful ones I took of lapwings. 
These yellow lichens were practically glowing in the bright sunlight... growing on hawthorn, I think.
I don't know what it is about lapwings- I've taken dozens of photos of them over the years, and they just never turn out. Out of all the ones from today this is the best. Which isn't saying much.
A pair of oystercatchers...
... and I had better luck with the little birds hanging about the feeders outside the cafe. These are the first photos I've been able to get of a long-tailed tit in ages; there haven't been any in our garden all winter.
Not sure, but is this also a Hebridean ram? There was a small flock of them grazing around the lake; it seems to be quite a popular breed recently.
was the far side of the lake though
