Livelier time at Thornton - 7 August 2012

I haven't been to Thornton for a while, not since the water was well down. After all the rain recently the reservoir is back up to normal levels and the bird life, albeit common species, is collected around the car park area. This seems like a trend, at Watermead park, there is a crowd of birds at the southern end car park. Maybe they're all collecting in areas where they get fed, strangely their seems to be less blue/green algae in these areas as well.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/1600 @ 6.3, iso 800, 170mm

Someone throwing bread close by attracted the attention of a number of birds, but this coot was quickest off the starting blocks.

Next a CUTE ALERT!

I liked the unusual colours on this one, 

it stood out from its darker siblings.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/1328 @ 6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A Mallard, with a late brood of seven chicks, got mixed in with the general melee for food, and her chicks had to move quickly to avoid being hit by the bigger birds.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ 6.3, iso 800, 370mm

The mother of the chicks, probably feeling guilty for leaving them to fend for themselves, had a bit of a set to with another mallard when she got too close to her babies. The mother is the darker bird on the right of the picture.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/3200 @ 6.3, iso 800, 235mm

One late brood that had no problems were the four cygnets of the Mute Swan, no-one seemed to knock them about. The father chased off a group of domestic geese, just because they were white.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/400 @ 6.3, iso 800, 370mm

Something I have learned over the years is always keep watch behind you (eyes in the back of your head would be useful), I turned from the feeding frenzy to see this Dunnock feeding on the crumbs dropped by the bread throwers.