Monday 26 October 2009

Digishots

More camera experimental shots taken through the scope - the Jackdaw is an interesting one as he has lots of white spotting down his front.


Friday 23 October 2009

A few fungi and a lack of Harlequin Ladybirds






This autumn does not seem a good year for fungi, probably due to the near drought conditions we have experienced over the last couple of months however took these few shots in the park this morning - no idea what they are.  The trees are slowly turning some ahead of others - the Lime Trees are turning an acid yellow, the Sycamores are mostly brown due to the lack of rain but the Beech trees and a number of the ornamentals are turning a nice orangey tone. Lots of bird activity particularly migrant thrushes with plenty of Redwings in, a  first Fieldfare, 10+ Mistle Thrush and double the numbers of our usual Song Thrushes and Blackbirds.  Talking of migration I'm told that today the UK has been inundated with Harlequin Ladybirds. The harlequin ladybird is an Asiatic species that was introduced to Europe as a biological control agent.  It was also introduced to North America in 1988, where it is now the most widespread ladybird species on the continent. It has already invaded much of northwestern Europe, and arrived in Britain in summer 2004. A voracious predator it devours greenfly and even our native Ladybird - I have covered all the park this morning and searched our garden but haven't managed to find one - thank goodness! 

Wednesday 21 October 2009

Rain at last



Today it has rained most of the day - something we haven't really seen since July so at last the pond and water butts have had a top up!  The rain cleared this evening giving a lovely sunset at the back of the garden and a rainbow to the front so an opportunity to test the new cameras programmed sunset scene - this camera has been criticised for excessive noise at low light levels but doesn't seem too bad (unless you zoom in and then you wish you hadn't bothered).


Tuesday 20 October 2009

Normanby Park's Autumn Havest


A cold easterly wind this morning bringing down even more leaves  and a bumper crop of Sweet Chestnuts - the Jays and Squirrels were frantically collecting and burying as many as possible.  Also in the wood this morning a group of ten Crossbills moving around the Larch tops but never settling in to view.

Sunday 18 October 2009

Barred Warbler at Wroot




Here's a dilemma this Barred Warbler is right on the Lincs/S Yorks border so do we count it as a Lincolnshire tick or not? Which ever county,  it is still an exceptional inland record for this rarity.

Monday 5 October 2009

Autumn Watch at Normanby Park

Well not the BBC team but me - had some great autumn visitors in the park this morning including; 2  Crossbills, 6 Siskins, 30 Pink Footed Geese flying over, up to 8 Jays collecting acorns, 10 Mistle Thrush plus the regulars; Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, large mixed tit flock, Nuthatch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch.  But the spectacle of the moment has to be the rutting Red Deer - there is the most fabulous stag strutting his stuff around the females and he is making the most fabulous noises, I hope to get some photos of him later this week.

Afternoon update - whilst stood in the front garden looking at the mindless vandalism of my car (which took place at the weekend) a further 80 Pink Feet flew over and a Grey Wagtail 20 secs later.