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Stover Country Park, Page 3

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

Getting the winter duvet out

It’s been a cold night and there’s an unexpected frost with this clear blue sky. There’s a Grey Squirrel above me. Instead …

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

Blackbird

There’s a Blackbird skulking and hopping around the path. I love them. If someone tells you they are plain birds, don’t agree …

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

Close to a Cormorant

It’s a beautiful morning in my local country park. I see another photographer and we exchange pleasantries. He says it’s much better …

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

Woodpigeon

Have you ever had a close look at a Woodpigeon? They are such extreme birds. Just look at those strange features: Now …

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

Tender moments

We are witnessing a tender moment at the lake: a Coot is feeding its only chick: It is picking morsels of food …

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

Mr and Mrs Mallard

The sunshine is dazzling and so is this male Mallard: The subtlety of the camouflage of this female Mallard is equally as …

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

A spot of sunbathing

There’s a Nuthatch sounding off like a car alarm in the old Oak tree: It’s such beautiful weather I can see every …

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

Old red eyes is back

Coots have extraordinary eyes. The irises of this one are red: Sometimes, however, their irises are dark red or even brown. I’d …

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

Mute

I never get bored of Mute Swans, Cygnus olor: There’s something about their size, their poise and their steady pace that enthrals …

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

Stock Dove

There’s a pigeon above me. I think it’s a Wood Pigeon but it looks far too small and scrawny. It’s silhouetted in …

Bullfinch - The Hall of Einar - copyright David Bailey (not the)

Bullfinches and Verrucas

The sign says Bullfinch so my hopes are up. But there’s nothing. I’d love to get some decent shots but there are …

Four-Spotted Chaser - The Hall fo Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Four-Spotted Chaser

I always found dragonflies difficult to identify. However, a quick check on Wikipedia for the Four-Spotted Chaser Dragonfly tells me that “The …

Large Red Damselfly - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Large Red Damselfly

There’s a Large Red Damselfly in the Park. It’s large, it’s red and it’s a Damselfly. Some people really do lack an imagination when it comes to names.

Four-Spotted Chaser - The Hall fo Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Four-Spotted Chasers

There’s something deeply alien about Dragonflies. These Four-Spotted Chasers have huge compound eyes just like a space helmet. And the translucent exoskeleton …

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

Curious behaviour

There’s a beautiful pair of Mandarin Ducks on the pond. It’s worrying me though that there seems to be something wrong with …

Male Broad Bodied Chaser - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Chasing Broad-Bodied Chasers

There really is no point in chasing Broad-Bodied Chasers. That’s not because they are one of the commonest Dragonflies across Europe and …

Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Beautiful Demoiselle

There’s a female Beautiful Demoiselle perched next to the pond. I can tell it’s a female because it’s got white spots on …