Broad-Bodied Chaser

Broad-Bodied Chaser
Wing Mosaic (Broad-bodied Chaser): Winner, Nikon In-Frame Competition August 2010

Cormorant

Cormorant
Cormorant: Winner, Attention to Detail, Bird Photographer of the Year 2017

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Lesser Spotted, Spotted Lesser

"Why is it lesser spotted, lesser spotted than what?" asked the passing dog-walker.  He was intrigued why we were staring up into the trees adjacent to a car park in Hertfordshire at 7am, watching a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker doing its spring thing. I was finding it quite hard to explain that it didn't have less spots; it was lesser in size that its greater spotted and much more common relative. The number of spots has nothing to do with it, I explained.  It was too early for this, so I didn't bother going into the fact that it wasn't really spotted, more barred, but the dog-walker walked away looking confused anyway. 

Sadly the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is indeed spotted less, suffering a recent rapid decline in numbers in the UK.  One observer noted that it was odd to see so many people arriving to see a bird that used to be relatively common.





This one, a superb male bird, was very active, returning frequently to one of two drumming posts, with the hope of drumming up interest from a female.  


Thanks for looking.

Sunday 1 May 2016

Winter Barn Owl

There's nothing better than ending a cold winter's day in north Norfolk with a hunting Barn Owl. Pics taken in February.