Synchronised ducking

These mallards were very coordinated.

Sparrowhawk

We'd thought about going into London for a movie and dinner, but the day dawned bright and the forecast was hot & clear. So we hopped in the car and headed for Rye Meads. Definitely worthwhile. For one thing they have a proper visitor centre so clean loos are readily accessible - and seriously, if you can't appreciate a clean loo you have no soul.

And I happened to be looking up at the right time and got a few pictures of this beastie. Initially I assumed it was a hobby, but then I realised the tail had regular bars and it didn't have the red knickers of a hobby. And getting home and seeing the bright yellow eye, it's a female sparrowhawk.

Blue tits

One

Two

Three

 We had some nice bright sun yesterday, but there wasn't a lot going on other than blue tits buzzing about.

Blackcap

Not a great day at Stockers Lake - lots of noisy people with dogs (and the people mostly weren't picking up after the dogs...) but I did get this Blackcap. I heard him, and waited until he decided I wasn't a threat and came out of the undergrowth. And then a large and exuberant family came through and scared him off.

Magpie

We took a drive to The Lodge, RSPB Sandy, yesterday. Fantastic location but a bit of a dud on the bird front. We saw a green woodpecker in the distance and heard a second one, and saw a very high-flying buzzard, but when you get excited about a magpie hassling tits around a feeder you know things haven't been great.

Kingfisher parenting

It's hard work being a kingfisher parent. It looks as though the breeding pair we've been visiting are having another clutch, so while the female is on the nest the male is being run slightly ragged bringing food back. Both on Saturday and Sunday we watched him bring three fish to the nest in less than an hour. These pictures were from Sunday - the light was nicer.

One fish

A little dip

Second fish

Another little dip

A third fish

Canada Goose

Cleared for take-off.

Peekaboo wren

Such tiny little birds - we hear them much more often than we see them. But they are sweet little creatures.