france

Afternoon everyone, sorry I'm a bit late but the joy of being retired is that when I wake up at 5am, and I'm wide awake, I can just get up and go......cracking sunrise over the Brenne and this Little Egret flew in for a few minutes at tang Foucault. Couldn't get the exposure spot on, but it was...

Good morning, thank you for your concern yesterday, all's well but more importantly my lens is ok..... I was sure I'd posted this, and I've been through every page (there's only 7) a few times, but I can't find it in my 'small' collection, so here it is. I've seen this bird on this rope a...

Morning all, I had a bit of a scare yesterday, I fell over with my lens and gave it a bit of a bang. When I got back from my morning trip to the Brenne none of my images were sharp and I feared the worst. I went out back to test it and there was my little friend in the yard. I took this...

Good morning everyone. Its amazing sometimes, when youre actively searching for a species theyre hard to pin down. Yet, when you just go and see whats out there, theyre all over the place, 3 youngsters in the same spot on this visit.....Gotta dash, off to the Brenne, catch you all later.

This Gadwall, a lovely little dabbling duck slightly smaller than a Mallard, was after the Dragonfly but it was way too fast for her, and after a few attempts she gave up.

This youngster was doing a balancing act. Eventually it managed to walk down the branch into the reeds, but not before presenting us with more photo opportunities.

We popped out to a 'new' hide on the off chance last night and we were rewarded with a first for me, this little Snipe busily poking about in the mud reasonably close by. Interesting that the RSPB site said, 'Snipe are medium sized, skulking wading birds, I thought that was a bit unfair on them...

The lake at Le Pas is privately owned but can be viewed from the track. Usually as we approach, the Swans, Ducks, Geese and whatever else is around hightail it outta dodge to the far side. This time, this gaggle did hang around waiting for one of the gang to make a decision!

Good morning everyone. This is my 'shot of the day' from our trip last Thursday, and it comes with a story. This little 'un flew into the hide, clipped my birding pals ear (Sumy on BF) and flew out again. Whilst he and the others in the hide were busy marveling at this, it sat on a stem right in...

This Night Heron was happy to let me snap away for a while. Strange though how sometimes they're so accommodating and other times the first sniff of us and they're off! Still, I'm always grateful for what I get and it was a real pleasure (besides photographing it) just to look and admire its beauty.

Morning everyone, thank you for your kind comments on my Flycatcher, much appreciated. Yesterday was a great day, fantastic sunrise, saw loads of birds, albeit some from a distance, including 3 Woodies. Black, Green & Great Spot, no pics, but I managed a couple of half decent shots of...

This is my first that went on hold due to the appearance of my baby Black Redstart a couple of days ago. I was on my way home passing through the village of Rosnay, when I saw it flitting in and out of the trees. I waited a few minutes, it came back and I managed to get a couple of shots. It was...

Morning everyone, I was going to post a first today, but that'll have to wait because at 8pm yesterday I saw my Black Redstart juve in the yard. Having only seen it from a distance it was a chance of a photograph, not great light but I wasn't going miss it. As it's a youngster, it showed no...

It's always lovely to see these little fellas happily swimming around, occasionally they come close for a photograph.....but never too close for a really detailed shot!

Thank you for your comments during my absence yesterday, very kind of you. I think I've now caught up on your posts but apologies if I've missed anyone. This is one of the few birds that visit our yard on a regular basis, I say that, but this year they've been rare visitors, mainly due to the...

Sorry to have to post and run this morning, only time for a few comments. We have visitors arriving shortly, so I'll have to crack on. Definitely my last upload of these lovely birds, this is for Tom (flossiepip), who asked for another. Thank you all for your kind comments on my last post of...

This isn't set up. Janice took this whilst I was 'under cover', in the yard with the Black Redstarts (it worked very well too), when Janice's dog, Tigi, aka Wiggie or Wiggie Woo (so re-named due to the way she walks) decided she'd lend a hand......bless! p.s. Her real name is, 'Fantaisie des...

I took this one a year ago in our town. I believe it's a male, but am ready to be corrected. These birds, along with House Martins & Swifts, fly around the square in front of the house all day long. Wiggie Woo (our dog) and I sit on the front step in the mornings watching them flit by and...

Good morning everyone. I mentioned a poem a couple of days age, Kerriebr threw down the gauntlet of matching it with an image, and Mali & Carann wanted to see it too. It's a winter poem so I had to find a suitable image. It's written by my sweetheart, Janice, it's a published poem in a...

Not the same setting or class of bird as yesterday's post, but at least it's not another Black Redstart......lol. This handsome little chap and his lady have taken over an old House Martin's nest situated just above his head, which is next to our bathroom window. He sits on the top of the...

Went for an evening drive around 6.30 yesterday. By the time we reached Le Pas the sun was on it's last legs, lovely light and this fine looking bird was on the edge of the lake. Janice was with me, and this is her favourite feathered friend, so it was a very worthwhile trip out. One day I might...

It's back to my Black Redstarts today.....sorry about that. This is where I sat below the nest, just looking for a different angle and this is the first time I've seen them bring back a berry rather than bugs. As for fledging.....I have obviously no idea what I'm talking about when I said the...

Much as I'm loving the Black Redstarts (don't worry, you're not out of the woods yet as far as they're concerned....lol) I thought I'd post my Tufty. We had a difficult morning photographically last Wednesday, lots of birds but not many that wanted to strut their stuff for us. Even this Tufty...

It must be getting close to fledging time. The female in particular is sitting on the gatepost, with food and a lot of 'peeping', maybe trying to get the chicks out. Sometimes she comes back without food, sits and peeps for a while then flies off. Today is a quiet day, so I'm going to spend most...

Thank you for your comments on my last upload, the Black Redstart, and for your good wishes on the arrival of our unexpected, but most welcome guests. We had a great time and they've just left for the 5 hour drive further south. If I was an out and out birder, our birding morning last Wednesday...