I wrote this last night, with the intention of posting it in the morning. That way, I thought, I’d come home to a selection of comments and I wouldn’t have to rush to write a post tonight.
As you’ve probably guessed from the opening paragraph, things didn’t work out.
I’m not exactly clear what I did, but the absence of post tends to suggest that I shut down without saving. Yes, it’s thirty years since I first laid hands on a computer and I now know less than I did in 1987.
So here it is again.
It’s a big lake, and there are plenty of birds about, but they aren’t the most interesting selection of birds. Swans, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Mallards, Tufted Duck…
As you can see from the photos there were Shovellers, Gadwall, Cormorants, Goosanders and Black=headed Gulls.
At Arnot Hill Park, or even at Rufford, the scale is more manageable, and you are generally closer to the birds. There’s a little more excitement at Arnot Hill, because you are never quite sure what is going to be there, and at Rufford there are plenty of woodland birds as well as the waterfowl.
To be fair to Clumber, I only ever scratch the surface – it’s so big. The main thing I go for is the end of the lake with the dead trees and Cormorants. In the 1980s and again at the start of this century, mine workings subsided near the end of the lake and the resulting low ground filled with water, drowning the trees.
When I first visited Clumber in the 90s there were more dead trees in the water and they were full of Cormorants. Now when I visit there are just a few trees and a handful of Cormorants, but there is still a possibility of interesting photos. Sadly there were no good Cormorant/tree photos to be had, but I did get a heron on a tree.
I also saw a family of Long-tailed Tits, a Goldcrest and a dozen squirrels, but couldn’t get decent photos of any of them. The only in-focus Long-tailed Tit was so badly framed all I pictured was feet and belly.
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My favorite tree again, too. The photos get better and better, Quercus! I enjoy seeing all these beautiful scenes from your area.
Thank you. I will have to look for more scenery. 🙂
Nicely done all those photographs. I think you have really done well choosing the dead trees and cormorants, but the other birds are also well shot, photographically speaking of course.
Trees don’t move. After buildings they are my favourite subject.
I would call that a good day’s birding! Lots of good photos 🙂
Thank you. I had a really good view of the Goldcrest but it was partly sheltered by willow and was puffing itself up and shivering so the camera wouldn’t focus. Annoying. 🙂
Definitely! 🙂
I like the heron. Could inspire a Japanese painting
Thanks. I can see what you mean, though I sadly con’t have the skill to paint in Japanese style. Maybe I could get a camera with a “Japanese Painting” setting. 🙂
I expect that will come 🙂
Yes, it’s surprising what you can do these days. 🙂
More beautiful pictures, Quercus. I must do better at practicing my photography. That little shoveler was cute, and I too like the cormorants, but not perhaps the way they smell…
Thank you. With digital it’s just a case of taking plenty and learning from the results. 🙂
Fortunately there aren’t too many cormorants and there is plenty of fresh air.
I call that a good haul of interesting birds even if you didn’t photograph them all.
With hindsight it wasn’t too bad, though it seemed a bit flat at the time.
I love to watch the birds at Arnot Park.
It’s a nice place and the birds are close, which makes it a great spot. Plus the cafe is close to the pond. 🙂
Nice to see so many birds, even if they weren’t breeds you were excited to see.
It’s always a good day because it’s quite dramatic and the walking is good. I’m just unreasonably demanding. 🙂