Around Watermead park 20 March 2013

We decided to take the bikes out for an airing round watermead park. I'm trying out a new "hornless" saddle - it has two pads that sit against the buttocks and needs to be set lower and further back than a conventional seat. It went well but needs a minor adjustment to move it further back, but on the whole it was good.

On the ride round we saw very little wildlife and we were on the last stretch of our route back to the car park when we stopped at the "beaches" 

I liked the reflections this Grebe was making, he was on his own but making a lot of noise.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

A Canada goose flew in but turned away rather than land in front of us.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

Back at the car park we were getting ready to load our bikes when a robin came to see if we had any food for him. This shot of him with a meal worm in his beak was taken at around six feet (two metres) away. He was so close I had to step back to be able to get him in focus, the minimum focus on my lens is five feet. Robins always were feisty. 

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

 Emboldened by the robin this Great Tit was only a few feet further away, he hopped onto the fence and then, before I could get the camera on him he hopped onto Maja's bike rack, then the seat and back to the fence.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

 This Dunnock wasn't long in following them and as we spread some bird food on top of a fence post they all got a good feed.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

As we were leaving some pigeons landed and frightened the small birds away.