Friday 8 February 2013

Egyptian Geese, a Nuthatch and Ratty

Egyptian Geese, Alopochen aegyptiacus
Today I returned to Arundel WWT again and used my Sigma 180 macro lens to see how it would perform compared to the Nikkor 70-300 zoom. The jury is still out, but the prime lens seems to have the edge for long shots.
A pair of Egyptian Geese was resting by Swanbourne Lake near the road which gave me my first close-ups of this striking bird. I found a Water Vole hidden behind bushes by the rife. In the wetland reserve there were seven Common Snipe by one of the islands opposite the Sand Martin hide. On the way home I stopped in Mill Road again and found Ratty eating vegetation in the rife, but he saw me and dived into his burrow. Some of these photos are from Wednesday’s visit.
Blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus
Canada Geese, Branta canadensis
Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, female
Common Pochard, Aythya Ferina
Common Scoter, Melanitta Nigra, males
Common Scoter, Melanitta nigra, female
Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago
under the bridge
Coot, Fulica atra
Egyptian Goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus
Egyptian Goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus
Great tit, Parus major
Great tit, Parus major
Harlequin Ducks, Histrionicus histrionicus
Emperor Goose, Chen Canagicus
Lapwing (Peewit), Vanellus vanellus
Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis
Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis, female
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, male and female
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis
Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
Nuthatch, Sitta europaea
Red-breasted Goose, Branta Ruficollis
Red-breasted Goose, Branta Ruficollis
Scaly-sided Merganser, Mergus Squamatus
Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna
Water Vole, Arvicola amphibius
Water Vole latrine
Water Vole counts are made using known latrines in the wetland area where the boat trips take place.

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