It's been a pretty poor showing this week, mainly because I've not really been able to get out the house and have a look around. As a result this will be a little note about today's trip to Avon Heath, a place I like to try and visit at least once a week.
Going out with your kids can always be a tricky thing. While you want them to enjoy the nature around them, they're often to noisy and impatient to appreciate what's around. As a result my two girls tend to miss fantastic opportunities.
As they raced ahead on the heath I heard a fairly large rustling in some bushes beside me. Concerned it might be a snake (it was fairly noisy) I carefully looked around and found a magnificent looking male Sand Lizard. Motioning the girls over I was able to get several shots of the gorgeous looking male who was no doubt on the prowl for a female.
Managed to get a cracking close up of him and the girls were suitably impressed as well. He pretty much ignored us, lazily making his way through the underbrush until my youngest got bored and walked off.
It's a perfect reminder that if you really want to look at what our countryside has to offer you really need to open your eyes, look around and take things slowly. It's great to see kids running about and enjoying the sunshine, but it makes you wonder if they'd slow down just a little bit if they got to see sites like this.
We didn't walk too far onto the heath as the girls wanted a drink. As the brood went off for refreshment I spent the rest of my time at the hide, where I saw my one new bird of the week. The delightful Willow Warbler.
Now Warblers can be notoriously tricky to tell apart, but I've been assured that this is indeed a Willow Warbler and not the remarkably similar Chiff Chaff (which has a far more noticeable call). It's a relatively secretive bird at the best of times and very, very flighty, making it hard to get decent pics. I think I managed to succeed however, and got a few cool ones of him in flight.
Here he is having a little wash.
In flight.
Having a wash.
Another in flight.
Having a little rest.
The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, and while I saw a greater spotted woodpecker, it was too awkwardly placed to get a decent photo. A few birds did come along to say hello though, so I've included them all here. Was particularly pleased with the Nuthatch, while it was quite comical to see the Wood Pigeon simply sitting in the pond forgetting to wash.
Coal Tit
Dunnock
Great Tit
Green Finch
NutHatch
Wood Pigeon
That's it for the week I'm afraid. A little disappointing on the list front, but the Sand Lizard did make up for it somewhat. I'm heading off to Radipole Lake tomorrow, so hopefully I'll have more luck next week.
I've no seen 32 birds, leaving 240 left to find.
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