The Hobby.

In a recent post "Fast Fliers" on my main blog I featured the Hobby (Falco Subbuteo). 

I spent another few hours on Thursley Common today mainly to obtain some images of the prey this bird favours, particularly dragonflies and damselflies, but I could not pass up the opportunity to try and grab some more shots of this aerial acrobat. 

There were two birds on the wing and they never came very close to me so I had to use the 70-300 lens at full stretch and all the shots have been cropped.

Typically eating its prey on the wing.

Reed Bunting.

A male Reed Bunting.

Common Whitethroat.

A male Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) proclaiming its territory after flying here all the way from Africa last month. FAB.

Spoonbills at Lake Kerkini, Greece.

Another species that I have only ever photographed once before in the UK and at some distance was the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) so another enjoyable encounter was the 40+ encamped in the drowned forest on Lake Kerniki, Greece.

An adult standing guard over two youngsters in one of the nests situated within close proximity of the very numerous and noisy nesting Cormorants.

The left hand bird (above) of this probable breeding pair was ringed 'V2'. I sent off a report via BTO and received its record history from the Dutch coordinator confirming it was ringed on 20 May 2001 at Lake Kerniki. The only previous reported sighting was in 2010 on the lake.

Linking to:

Night Herons on Lake Kerkini.

One species that I was hoping to get the opportunity to photograph was the [Black-crowned] Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). 

I had seen this species on previous trips to the Mediterranean, Morocco and in Bulgaria but the views were often distant or the bird was partly hidden by vegetation. 

This was initially the case in Northern Greece during a drive along the eastern embankment of Lake Kerkini but when we took a guided boat trip out to the drowned forest in the north-eastern corner this all changed.

Their Latin name equates to 'Night Raven', referring to its largely nocturnal feeding habits and crow-like croaking call.

On our approach to the forest I quickly grabbed a few record shots.

Nikos Galios our expert local bird guide and boatman then maneuvered us into a more favourable position for some quality close ups.

Typically perched in their hunched resting position this close encounter certainly made my day.

You can check out the various other species seen during this overseas trip by visiting Wildlife Watching with FAB.

Linking to:
I'D-Rather=B-Birdin'
Wild Bird Wednesday 
Through My Lens

Squacco Heron.

During a very recent birding holiday in Northern Greece I finally managed to get some shots of a Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) a bird I had previously recorded on visits to Bulgaria, Lesvos and Morocco but the views were either distant or fleeting flight memories. 

Fortunately on and around Lake Kerkini this species is a fairly common  summer visitor and passage migrant with around 200 pairs breeding here (2015).

Often located as a buffy brown shape standing still in the waterside vegetation or disturbed into flight as it moves to another location.

When this Heron is stationary there is no hint of the blazing white upper wing colour that is so prominent in flight.

The following shots were all taken at Mandraki Harbour where this individual flew out to perch on the open marsh vegetation fairly close to my viewing position.

And finally a decent flight shot.

You can check out the various other species seen during this overseas trip by visiting Wildlife Watching with FAB.

Linking to:
Saturday's Critters
I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'
Wild Bird Wednesday

Chiffchaff.

In early Spring the patch livens up with buds bursting, the trees green up and the distinctive forceful sound of returning Chiffchaff's (Phylloscopus collybita) can be heard all around the woodland and open common. My first sighting this year was on 23 March just a little later than the norm.

This individual was monitoring the response by a female to his previous singing session.

Great Crested Grebe.

A recent wander around the London Wetland Centre at Barnes provided an opportunity to get a few snaps of an adult Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).

Just Resting.

Linking to:
Wild Bird Wednesday

Feeder Birds: Siskin.

For this week's edition of WBW I am raiding the archives to share a few images of  Siskin (Carduelis spinus). 

All images were taken during an early March visit this year to Warnham L.N.R. where a hide provides an excellent opportunity to get reasonably close to a wide variety of birds making use of the various feeders.

One of our smallest finches with a relatively long, narrow bill for a finch and distinctive short forked tail. The image above is a juvenile. In the south-east during the winter many of the birds will be migrants from northern Europe and then, with some exceptions, there is a general migration northwards to breed mainly in conifer plantations.

The females (see above) are typically drabber than the males (below) that sport their very distinctive black crown and bib in full breeding plumage.

Linking to:
Wild Bird Wednesday

Some Spring Highlights.

Treecreeper in Ashtead Common woods. (8 April)

Ring Ouzel at WWT Barnes. (18 April)

Cuckoo in Priest's Field, Thursley Common. (28 April)

Northern Wheatear in Priest's Field, Thursley Common. (28 April)

 [Northern] Lapwing over Rushett Farm fields. (1 May)

Mistle Thrush in a local horse paddock. (3 May)

Brimstone on Bluebell - Ashtead Common. (3 May)

Duke of Burgundy at Bonsai Bank, Kent (12 May)

Singing Yellowhammer on Witley Common. (19 May)

Canada gosling at Epsom Common Stew Pond. (23 May)

Adonis Blue [male] on Denbies Hillside (27 May)

Blue Tits - sucessful breeding in the garden. (28 May)

Linking to:

Saturday's Critters
I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'

WBW - Robin Serenade.

 A common feature of any of my local walks is to be serenaded by a Robin.

Linking to:
Wild Bird Wednesday.