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Stover Country Park

Kew Gardens - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Cycad

There’s a Cycad in Kew. I love them. Just like conifers and the Gingko tree, Cycads are gymnosperms, which means their unfertilised …

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

A Buzzard with its Crow shadow

Mobbing is something Carrion Crows manage to do on their own, without the need of a mob. There’s little rest for Buzzards …

Great Spotted Woodpecker - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Knocking on the door

Great Spotted Woodpeckers are knocking on the door at this time of year. You can hear them drumming in the last remnants …

Black-Headed Gull - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Non-breeding plumage

There’s a Black-Headed Gull on the lake in beautiful light. It’s still in winter plumage. As am I.

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

Coots and Moorhens

Coots and Moorhens are fairly familiar birds of lakes, ponds and canals. They are both members of the Rallidae, a family which include Rails, like the …

Mandarin Duck - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

A Mandarin Duck spectacular

The light’s just right. And so is the duck. Photographs of Mandarin Ducks just never get old. Unlike me. After lying down …

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

And then there was one.. again!

I’ve loved watching Coots have ugly-beautiful chicks and the dedication of the parents to raise them. One of the pairs on Stover …

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

Grey Heron flypast

A Grey Heron flies past me from left to right at Stover Country Park. I don’t notice it until it’s too late …

Coot Chicks - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Coot cuties

Last week this Coot was sitting on six eggs. I waited until the incubating parent had a brief rearrange of their eggs …

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

Vogue

I love it when a Nuthatch strikes a pose!

Great Crested Grebe - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

An inexperienced male

The female Great Crested Grebe at Stover Country Park has been making all the right moves. She’s been prostrating herself on their …

Great Crested Grebe - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Supplementing their diet

Great Crested Grebes eat fish. Here’s a shot from the weekend showing just that: What I didn’t know is that they supplement …

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

Running late

Having a family is a stressful time. It’s particularly difficult if you’ve laid six eggs and have to incubate them and turn …

Great Crested Grebe - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Great Crested Grebes

The pair of great Crested Grebes on Stover Country Park lake are getting frisky: They’re in full breeding plumage, with their spectacular …

Male Chaffinch - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Chaffink

The word finch comes from the Middle English word fynch. This, in turn, comes from the Old English work finċ. And that? We can trace …

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

Prunella modularis

I recommend looking. Seeing the ordinary and realising it’s extraordinary is a habit which can bring you much joy. This Dunnock is …

Great Crested Grebe - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Grebe action

A little bit of sunshine meant I got up with a spring in my step and hot-footed it to Stover Country Park. …

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

Robin with sparkles

This Robin is having a quiet wing-droop moment on a branch in front of a Holly bush. The out-of-focus highlights from the …

Water Rail - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

What’s occurring?

If you had to come up with three words to describe the Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus, they would probably be skulking, secretive …

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

Dunnock

Warm winter light on orange fallen leaves. Beautiful, isn’t it? It’s even better when a Dunnock is fossicking in them. The closer …

Blue Tit - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Bringing home the sausage

This Blue Tit is a thrill in this light: It has a wonderful crest with a beautiful powder blue iridescence. Blue Tits …

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

Male Chaffinch

Chaffinches are one of my favourite birds. I’ve taken many photographs of them and blogged about them before. Here’s my most recent …

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

Environmental ‘improvements’

If someone uses the word ‘improvements’ you know it’s likely to be a euphemism. It means ‘damage limitation’ or ‘rectification of errors’ …

Blackbird - Stover - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Male Blackbird

This early morning sun is beautiful on my bicycle ride. So is this male Blackbird. Just look at the rictal bristles surrounding …

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

When Robin and Blackbird meet

Within bird species there’s a strict pecking order. It’s played out in battles over territory, food and mates. Robins are some of …