A pictorial diary of my walks around the parks and wild areas of Leicestershire, and occasionally farther afield.

If you're new to my blog, you might like to have a look at the pictures in the older post as well (click on button at the bottom of the page).

I am also a writer, using the pen-name John Gwynant, and I'll occasionally announce my latest book release on the blog.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Thornton and Bradgate - 19 October 2012

A trip out to Thornton reservoir found little in the way of wildlife. There was a lone cormorant on a post but shielded from the camera by bare branches.
A large male mute swan trying to drown an juvenile, the young one had a neat trick to get away and something I've never seen a swan do before. When the adult jumped on top of him, he went down and swam under water for about twenty metres before resurfacing, he repeated this three times before another adult from the other side of the water came to his rescue. Unfortunately it was  too far away to get any photo's

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/160 @ f7.1, iso 1600, 235mm
On the way back to the car park we spotted this fungus, I cant find it in my books but it looked interesting.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/1600 @ f7.1, iso 1600, 400mm
I was about to get in the car when I saw this black headed gull in winter plumage and it seemed to be trying to tie itself in a knot.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/200 @ f7.1, iso 1600, 400mm
On the way home we were passing Bradgate Park and spotted this fungus at the side of the road. I think it might be a honey fungus.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/250 @ f7.1, iso 1600, 400mm
Looking over the wall we spotted these fallow deer. There was a large white stag as well but he was mostly hidden so I couldn't get a decent picture

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/500 @ f7.1, iso 1600, 400mm
The Rut must br near starting but we've not seen any signs yet.

Friday, October 5, 2012

A Couple of common birds 5 October 2012

There's still not much in the way of variety around, but here are a couple of birds I took the other day.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/1000 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm
This one looks unusual, but a close look reveals it is a Mallard hybrid. The amount of different mallard Hybrids I see they must be the most promiscuous of birds.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/2656 @ f6.3, iso 400, 100mm
I always like to see a Mute Swan at full sail, this one was trying to scare off the other birds from food that some children were throwing for them.