Bits and Bobs

Well a quiet week on the birding front so I thought I'd catch up with whats in the Garden and finally have time for a lunch time jaunt around Haden Hill.

So the Garden first, steady flow of youngsters coming in to the feeders, mainly Blue Tit (family of 6), Green Finch, a pair with one youngster, a Juvenile Goldfinch turning up regularly on his own:

and a juvenile Blackbird, perhaps they need to keep their heads down as we have seen a Sparrowhawk above the garden and Buzzards overhead too:

Apart from that pretty quiet, some nice Caterpillars are eating our Buddleia:

Is this a Mullein Moth Catepillar?

So today took a stroll to the Park and returned via the Canal and Powke Lane POS. The park and NR was very quiet, just Mallard, a Lesser Black Back,

Coot and Moorhen (with Juveniles):

I stayed in the hope a Kingfisher turned up, but no luck, instead a Jay came and landed in a tree right next to me:

Very nice too! So a wander down to Corngreaves produced.......... Nowt! So I took a picture of a rock..

Lots of woodpecker damage noted to the nest boxes:

This butterfly stayed still for a bit, although with a 500mm lens it was a bit difficult to get a good close up!

A Ringlet I think (had to search the net!)

So onwards, had a fleeting view of a Bullfinch, heard plenty of song, Chiffchaff and Chaffinch, but saw very little. Spotted a 'hive' though in a tree:

Then like buses another Jay turned up:

Back to the pool just in case for the Kingfisher, but nothing so headed back.
I took a detour along the canal and was surprised to see two Coot chicks still on the nest:

With Mom doing the house work!

So that's it for now.

Off to Waddington Airshow on Sunday so might post some Heavy Metal if your unlucky. We are going the day before and our digs are only 9 miles from Frampton Marshes, so might try and bag a Turtle Dove! I have noted via Bird Forums that they are showing reasonably well on the reserve. Fingers crossed.

TTFN