Charnwood Water - 22 May 2013

Before I start this post, my wife Maja met a tree surgeon outside the Beaumont Leys Library today (23/5/13) and gave her my card.
I would very much like to photograph the "orphans" you mentioned. If thats possible could you email me, the address is on the back of the card.

Yesterday we went to Charnwood Water in Loughborough. There were all the usual water birds, plus a few chicks.

1/200 @ f10, iso 400, 200 mm

A couple of Canada geese had just the one chick and were being very protective, but who can blame them, they usually manage to raise more than that.

1/1000 @ f10, iso 400, 400 mm

You can see the mother love here as she keeps a close eye on her baby.

1/800 @ f10, iso 400, 400 mm

But baby wanted to explore so she had to keep chasing after it.

1/160 @ f10, iso 400, 400 mm

 Close by a Mallard was trying to attract a female, but she was having none of it and kept flying across the corner of the peninsula I was sitting on. Eventually he stood up on the corner, spread his wings and flexed his muscles. Then another male raced in and started chasing her, so his effort was wasted.

1/500 @ f10, iso 800, 400 mm

1/500 @ f10, iso 800, 400 mm

These two Coots are a bit late building their nest, another pair on the other side of the lake already have three chicks.
They are at the stage when they are at their ugliest and only a mother could love them and love them she did. I was never able to get a clear shot of the young ones.

All taken on a

Canon EOS7d with an EF 100 - 400 L series Lens

Not for the squeamish - 8 Sept 2011

An occasional alternative place for us to visit, usually when we have something to do in Loughborough, is Charnwood Water which we visited yesterday. It is quite popular with some of the more common waterbirds, but as we sat in the car looking out towards the lake we saw some very rapid movements on the bank.

Warning!  Don't look if you're scared of rats.

TOO LATE!

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/200 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

The wild Brown rat (Rattus Norwegicus) the common rat in the UK. When you see him in the wild, you see a sleek, well groomed animal in his proper place.

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

I stood quite close to this family of rats, watching them running back and forward along the lake side. As long as I didn't move too much they weren't at all bothered by my presence. There was a large male, a smaller female and three young. They all darted for cover when someone walked by with a dog, but soon came out again when they'd gone. The family were feeding on a variety of things, but their favourite seemed to be bread pieces that had gone astray when thrown to the ducks.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/640 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

We  were sitting in the car having our lunch when we noticed a squirrel on the roof of the public conveniences, it sat in the guttering for a while feeding on something we couldn't see. Then descended to the path. I took the camera out again but the squirrel seemed to have disappeared.

After a few minutes it reappeared from a bush and sat eating something, that's always a good photo opportunity. But then I noticed the teats were prominent and that combined with her size must mean she is soon to give birth. We'll be going back there in a few weeks to see if there are any young ones about.

Blackbrook Reservoir - 13 May 2011

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

We took Skipper for a walk by Blackbrook Reservoir (near Loughborough) where the farmer of the adjacent land seems to be growing a crop of Canada Geese.

On the walk in we saw a duck with a family of chicks, but she was very shy and disappeared into the bushes on the other side of the water. As she was going I caught a flash of light coloured feathers on the side of her face.

Fortunately, when we returned, I was ready for her and managed to get this shot as she again set out for the far bushes.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/3200 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

 We identified her as a Mandarin Duck and when we saw her mate, we were certain of our identification.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/1328 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

He was swimming a little to the side of his family and keeping a close eye on us. This is the first time we've seen Mandarin here and certainly the first time we've seen one with young. They are beautiful birds, let's hope she manages to raise most, if not all, of her brood.