Forest of Dean 21st December 2009

It snowed again during the night and this could mean only one thing? My friends would need feeding again!

While I was out there feeding the birds, a sparrow hawk came through, swiftly gliding as if on a blanket of warm air, not a sound, but very powerful.

For a moment I thought it was my fault, for attracting a large number of birds to one location? This is true, as the sparrow hawk will often use regular feeding locations as a source of food, but you have to weigh up the situation!

You feed up to and usually over 100 birds at one time, sometimes one will be taken by a bird of prey! This is unfortunate, but to lose one while helping over 100 to survive the winter has to be worth it?

Below is a video of a snow covered Forest of Dean, from one of our famous viewpoints, New Fancy View! With some birds and pics at the end.

Turn the volume up!

Rob

Snow Birds - 20th December 2009

Woke up to snow this morning, but I knew it would not be around for long so I took a trip up to my favourite spot for photographing birds, near Speech House.

Birds find it harder to locate their natural food when the weather is severe, so by taking some seeds and nuts out with you, you are effectively helping them through the hard times, as well as enticing them closer so you can have a better view!

When you leave, you leave with a feeling that you have helped something to survive the hard times and if you have never felt this, "then I advise you to give it a go" because it is one of the best feelings you can have.

Great Tit

Dunnock

Robin

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Robin

Thrush

If you like birds, click and watch the video below of them feeding in

slow-motion!

Rob

Symonds Yat Rock - Viewpoint (video)

I took a trip down to Symonds Yat Rock viewpoint "early" this morning! It was sooooo cold that a crow froze solid in mid flight and flew straight into my eyeball, breaking his beak off!
Honest, here is the pic!

Click pic for larger view.

Anyway, enough of that. Here is a short video I put together from around 10 min of footage.

Turn the volume up!

Rob

Birds of Prey

Here are a few pics of some Birds of Prey. Three are native and two are non-native to Britain! Do you know which is which?
Pics were taken at the International Centre for Birds of Prey at Newent, Gloucestershire.


White Tailed Sea Eagle.

Great Grey Owl.

Goshawk.

Verraux Eagle.

Red Kite.

Rob

The Forest and it's Wildlife

Well we are supposed to have some snow this week? If we do I will be hoping to get out and photograph some wildlife!

Here are a couple from earlier this year when we had the bad snow in January. Taken at Speech House.



Robin in the snow

There is quite a lot going on here. They seem to like my seeds?
A female blackbird with male and female chaffinches.
A red kite.

The bluebells in 2009.

Finally, a male mandarin duck

Rob

Birds in the Forest of Dean

A few from Friday 11th December. It was cold, but still good to be out.

What's down this hole, I wonder?

Let me see, I've got a longer neck!

Too late suckers, I already found it!

Mrs. Blackbird.

A Greenfinch.

Rob

Forest of Dean Visitors Guide 2010

The visitors guide is out now and I found myself looking at some familiar photographs throughout!
They have very kindly included some of my nature and wildlife photographs for 2010 and (without being big headed) it looks very cool indeed.

Look out for them, but in case you miss it, these are my pics used for 2010.