Exercise and Babies at Whipsnade Zoo

Although the White Rhinoceros’s (Ceratotherium Simum) did no seem to be up for any exercise, yesterday at Whipsnade Zoo there was quite some of it going on. Whipsnade Zoo is part of the Zoological Society London (ZSL) and many animals at the zoo have new arrivals in their families; the weather was inviting enough to shake off the winter gloom.

This Mara ((Dolichotis Patagonum)) was looking whether it was safe to cross the road, before her family could follow safely. They walk all over the park and this mum did not seem to be bothered by the public, even when feeding the toddlers.

 

The American Flamingo's (Phoenicopterus Ruber) are always busy with their neck acrobatics'. It is quite a challenge to get the shapes this way…and even more to straighten afterwards!

But they are always very colourful and I wonder who has to get up early to put a little paint on them before the public enters the zoo…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur Catta) females at the zoo have a total of six babies amongst them this year. They are just adorable with their striped tails already in full colour.

But as any child would do, they keep very close to their mum…just in case.

 

The Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus) and the American White Pelicans (Pelecanus Erythrorhynchos) each have their own way of doing some exercise. Especially the young elephants are busy trying to get the grass under control for a well deserved snack.

All these pictures were taken in Whipsnade Zoo on Sunday 25^th May. It was a wonderful day with many beautiful animals to see, much more than I have shown here. But I have to finish this blog with a picture of a Red Kit (Milvus Milvus) of which there were at one point four flying and battling in the air above the Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) enclosure.

Spring has sprung

They say that Spring has truly sprung when you see the Brimstone (Gonepteryx Rhamni) fly in the woods. So Sunday two weeks ago and Yesterday I went out on a mission to take a picture of this yellow butterfly. Unfortunately they always fly about 800 yards in front of you and will never stay long to pose for the camera. Therefore I have to show you what else I saw over the last fortnight.

With the help of Marianne, a nature friend, I was able to determine that this is a Dunnock (Prunella Modularis). I should try to learn to recognize the different songs of birds, because this one was singing beautiful between the ablution activities.

By the way, I had already seen one in our garden, which I mistakenly took for a House Sparrow until I looked closer at the picture.

 

It is always a pleasure to see a Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos Caudatus). There beautiful yellow circles around the eyes and their long tail are just great to see. Fortunately they stay quite calm when you try to take a picture.

But still the true “Spring Experience” starts when you see butterflies. Normally you will first see the “Big Three” of the  Nymphalidae (Comma, Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell) who stay in shelters during the winter. It is therefore quite exciting when you see a butterfly that shouldn’t be there, like this Red Underwing (Catocala Nupta). It is particularly strange to see one during the day and in March. But there you have it. I did see one…and this is the result.

To finish this blog, I will share a picture of a Blue Tit (Cyanistes Caeruleus) that I took yesterday. It is trying to break the record for hanging upside down.

Spring is in the air and it promises to be a wonderful period!

Rainham Marshes

It is always exciting to visit a new sight for nature watching. Today I visited Rainham Marshes, an RSPB sight that was constructed on an old military firing range. The area was closed for the public for about 100 years ago, during which the military used it for shooting practice. The RSPB acquired the area in 2000 and transformed it into a very accessible and beautiful nature reserve.

The area has a footpath with various hides around the marshes. Many ducks and gees gather around as well as everything else you would expect in this marsh land.

The weather was great today and I had my first flying Wigeon pair (Anas Penelope) on camera. That was just as well, because there were many more grazing on the many islands that were created by the RSPB. I cannot recall having seen so many together; not even in London Wetland Centre.

And since it was actually the first proper day of Spring (albeit that we officially have to wait another two weeks), I was not surprised to see the some butterflies. And all the usual suspects were there: apart from a Peacock (Inachis Io) and a Brimstone (Gonepteryx Rhamni) the first Comma (Polygonia C-Album) this year landed in front of me.

This Common Teal (Anas Crecca) needed some well deserved ablution

I will finish this blog with two pictures of a Little Grebe (Tachybaptus Ruficollis) that found a nice fish. Rainham Marshes is a fantastic sight with lot’s of possibilities for birders, school classes and many other nature lovers. I saw a few visitors in wheelchairs as well. Only 15 minutes walk from Purfleet station, it is worthwhile planning a visit.

Local Nature

After a long and wet period of absence I have decided to give a little update on the nature in my neighbourhood. Because there were no outings further afield, and even my own garden has been a miserable place for a while. But there were some rare moments of sunshine, including today, that warranted to go out and take some pictures.

I did fill my bird feeders just recently and while I was waiting for some customers, this Great Tit (Parus Major) came to see what was on offer. The ball is very popular with my garden friends, including the Grey Squirrels that have found a way to get the food. However, this one is still thinking about it.

 

The last couple of weeks a Redwing (Turdus Ilacus) visits my garden on a regular basis. It is always a pleasure to see it pick out a worm straight away. He never misses…

 

When there is a clear blue sky, it is still a challenge to get a nice shot of a bird in flight. At the beginning of this month, I did manage to get two of these shots: a Little Egret (Egretta Garzetta) and a juvenile Herring Gull (Larus Argentatus).

I always amazes me to see the shape of the wings being so adapted to the flight. But than again, otherwise they would fall lick a brick…

 

 

To finish this blog something I am still puzzled about. Today I saw a Black Swan (Cygnus Atratus) in Ruislip Lido. They normally live in Australia so I am not sure how this one came to Europe. Flying? Or escaped from a zoo or some private collection?

I have published this sighting on the London Bird Club Wiki; let’s see if somebody else knows more.

Much more common was the Blue Tit (Cyanistes Caeruleus) I saw today. It always makes me smile to see this little but colourful bird hop from tree to tree…and stop for a picture.

2013: A Year in Pictures, July- December

Now that 2013 is truly over, I want to start with a Happy New Year. This in my last blog on pictures I took in the second half of last year. And there will be less words to read, since a picture speaks more than a thousand of them. The banner on top shows three different types of geese: the Barnacle (Branta Leucopsis), the Red-breasted (Branta Ruficollis) and the Lesser White-fronted (Anser Erythropus).

July

A Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum Cancellatum) and two mating Tortoiseshells (Aglais Urticae) were definitely the highlights of insect life that I witnessed.

August

An Otter sticking its head out of the water is always nice to see. As is the little penguin in London Zoo.

But the Common Darter (Sympetrum Striolatum) That posed for me was by far the best of the year! So much so, that I have to show it as big as possible.

 

September

Walking around the London Wetland Centre, I “stumbled” upon a Water Vole (Arvicola Amphibius). The little rodent was not in the least disturbed by me and nibbled happily on its food.

October

I was so glad that the Wigeons (Anas Penelope) had returned that I wrote a separate blog about it. This duck behaves like a goose and therefore it is only appropriate to show it with two geese.

November

Sometimes, you are very lucky to take a shot that turns out to be very satisfactory…even if you just happened to push the button by chance. This picture of two Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis) in flight is such an example.

December

It has been a fantastic year for photography, although you have to find the occasions, venues and opportunities. But following all kind of social media on this theme did help indeed.

The Tufted Duck (Aythya Fuligula) on the right takes a bath to look fresh again for the year that light in front of us.

And I will continue to enjoy the beauty of nature like the Blue Tit (Cyanistes Caeruleus) below.

Have a wonderful and picture perfect 2014!

 

 

 

 

A Remarkable Weekend

It must have been the very sunny weather, between the end-of-this-December low pressure systems that have tortured western Europe lately. But with the clear blue sky and almost no wind, it was to be an interesting weekend. Nobody however could have predicted how remarkable it turned out to be.

On Saturday I visited London Wetland Centre, just to see if there was anything exciting going on. The domestic Wigeons (Anas Penelope) already made my visit worthwhile with their display of bravado against each other as seen in the banner.

But the Tufted Duck (Aythya Fuligula) that took a bath was just too good to be true. You only wonder why she needs this at all, provided that she spends most of her life in the water anyway.

I never knew that there were Pink-footed Geese (Anser Brachyrhynchus) there as well. I had seen some other geese in the Wetland Centre in the past, but these beautiful big birds with their regal brown heads and funny pink flippers were just a joy to take pictures of. And they treated me on a swimming display as well.

And to round of my visit to the London Wetland Centre, just two pictures: of a Mallard Duck (Anas Platyrhynchos) in flight and of two Northern Pintails (Anas Acuta). And this was only the beginning of my remarkable weekend…

I wondered where all the Common Teals (Anas Crecca) had gone. They should be here in their dozens now the winter has started, but I only spotted one or two in the Wetland Centre. But just across, when I walked back to Putney along the Thames I spotted about 15 of them having a jolly afternoon near the river.  I did not expect that at all!

But the most remarkable event happened today, when I was watching my bird feeder in the garden. I hadn’t seen much visitors lately, but the one that flew in just now was a first for me: a Nuthatch (Sitta Europaea) found the food and took its time to enjoy it.

There are many weekends I remember to be remarkable. Because of the weather or of a new bird or butterfly I saw. But this last weekend of 2013 was certainly very remarkable!