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February 2019

Common Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The Buzz #2

I’m still admiring the Stover Country Park Buzzard. It’s a glorious bird and seems oblivious to the crowd of people on the …

Common Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The Buzz #1

The legendary frog-eating Buzzard is back at Stover Country Park: Apparently it ate a mouse this morning: That won’t feed it for …

Stonechat - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Stonechat

I’ve seen Stonechats in Devon. They’re a bird I didn’t see as a child so they always appear exotic to me. It’s …

Grey Heron - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

L’airone cenerino

The Grey Herons at Lago di Alviano are studious. Nothing disturbs their concentration: They are tense, waiting for that exact moment when …

Robin - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Robin of the day

It wasn’t known that female Robins sing until less than 100 years ago. Male scientists seem to have assumed that they didn’t. …

Coypu - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Coypu

There’s a huge Coypu in the lake at the Lago di Alviano. I’m still shocked every time I see one.

Kingfisher - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

When the Kingfisher paid a visit

There’s a female Kingfisher on a nearby branch. I can tell it’s a female because, as they say, “It’s wearing lipstick.” Female …

Wren - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Wren

The light is clear and bright when I see a Wren appear. I love how its shadow looks. I always imagine Wrens …

Spotted Redshank - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Spotted Redshank

We spotted Spotted Redshanks a few days ago: This time I manage to get a shot of one flying. If only it …

Kestrel and Mouse - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The Kestrel and the mouse

There’s a Kestrel at the top of the tree here in Parco della Caffarella. It’s quite a distance away, so we get …

Spoonbill - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Spoonbill flypast

From a distance it’s hard to tell all these white birds apart. There are dozens of busy Great White Egrets and Little …

White Wagtail - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

White Wagtails

White Wagtails are fascinating birds. In the UK we call our darker sub-species the Pied Wagtail. Even though it’s a common bird …

Monk Parakeet - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Monk Parakeets

Noisy, bright, squawking and quarrelsome, it’s me again. No, it’s the Monk Parakeets of Rome: Aren’t they handsome? I wonder what their …

Chiffchaff - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Lui Piccolo

We’re at the Parco della Caffarella in Rome. It’s a sprawling urban park with grass closely cropped by the escaped rabbits which …

Great White Egret - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Egrets

Great White Egrets are impressive birds. They are huge: I love the way the wing tips of this one are just touching …

Black Redstart - Caffarella - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Black Redstarts

Black Redstarts are rare in the UK. Here in Parco della Caffarella in Rome they are everywhere. They’re the equivalent of Robins …

Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Sunset over the lake

A Cormorant takes flight at sunset at the Lago di Alviano. A Great White Egret is still there after sunset. There’s also …

Kingfisher - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Before and after fish

This female Kingfisher is wonderful. She’s bobbing her head, calling and peering into the water below. We’ve heard her calling from across …