Images of Birds that may help you.

As I have been posting images of the landscape and wildlife of social media I have had a few comments that the images were helping people with Identification, it was suggested I should produce a website, but then it dawned on me I had not used my blog for a long time so decided I would put the images on here.

As we are all in lockdown at the moment due to Covid-19 and I like the rest of you are only managing to get out once a day for exercise, this is combined with Sammy’s (my Border Collie or should that be Birder Collie) first walk of the day, (His second and last walk of the day much to his disgust is tea time with my wife) I am trying to make the most of it recording and photographing what I see.

This morning was a bit windy but bright as we headed off for our walk along the river, over the past few days along this route there has been quite a bit of Sedge warbler noise and a few sightings, however a couple of days ago I detected the distant sound of a Grasshopper warbler, on that day I did not see it as they are very elusive. Two days later I heard two calling and the second one was very close although it seemed to be behind me, knowing how they turn their heads as they sing which gives them the ability to almost throw their voice I adopted a tip I was told for locating them, cover one ear and cup the other, sure enough it was not behind but in front almost at 12 o’clock to where I was standing, I strained my eyes looking into the sun but could not find it, then all of a sudden to my left at more 10 o’clock I saw it and managed to get a fleeting image before it ducked down in the vegetation.

The following morning the same again, Sedge warblers and Grasshopper warblers calling but only the Sedge warblers were showing. However this morning was going to be better. I was only thinking as I walked along the path there was not much about as there had been previous mornings, was it the fact it seemed to be more cooler and windy?, but I was wrong as I walked along the path the first thing I saw ahead was a Red kite flying from the hedge on my right, then I noticed the Reed warblers singing, the first I had heard this year, not as harsh as the Sedge warbler and as luck would have it there was one to my left.

Along with a Cetti’s warbler and the Whitethroat singing things were looking up, Further along the path near to where I had the sighting of the Grasshopper warbler before it started singing again this time right in front I was sure of it, and after a couple of minutes I found him in a low tussock of grass almost hidden.

Again I managed to get a quick picture before he ducked down and this time I was going to wait, eyes fixed firmly on the Spot he went down, I waited for him to reappear to get another image, but then suddenly he was singing again but where?, not where I had last seen him, he had moved and I missed it, he was now to my right, again I managed to spot him closer than ever and as slow as I could and telling Sammy to not move I managed to get another photo.

Perfect, I could see him moving his head side to side whilst this constant reeling call (Not really a song) was going up and down in volume it seemed at times the nearby Sedge warblers competed with their Scratchy singing but the Grasshopper Warbler overpowered them as his head faced me.

All in all a good walk, with Cetti’s warbler, Grasshopper warbler, Reed warbler, Sedge warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap all singing if not all showing.