The Rest of the Walk and Two New Birds!

This post continues our walk around Draycote Water with the addition of some photographs I took when we returned there on two more occasions since. It is a place I will return to again and again, it is within easy reach of us and I know there are often unusual and rare birds seen there.

There has been a flurry of excitement at Draycote lately due to sightings of a Lesser Scaup. We did go to see if we could find it ourselves but were unlucky, it had been seen in the morning on the day we went but I found out afterwards that it had been pushed around so much by the boats and fishermen that by afternoon,when we went, no one could find it! However I did see two other birds which were causing some interest and which I have never seen before, the first of which was was a Yellow Legged Gull. It used to be considered a type of Herring Gull and has only recently been recognised as a species in its own right. The Herring Gull does not have the yellow legs or red around the eye.

'Oh! the white sea-gull, the bold sea-gull,
He makes on the shore his nest.
And he tries what the inland fields may be;
But he loveth the sea the best!'

(Mary Howitt)

Yellow-legged Gull

The other bird of note which I had heard was there was the Rock Pipit and again I was lucky enough to see it but it was a fair way away so I had to crop the photos to the size of postage stamps! Also the focus is not too good although better than in the photos I took a few days before which were completely unusable!

Rock Pipit

Now! Back to our original walk and we saw lots of Black-headed Gulls.

The next photo is of an immature (first Winter) bird, note the more orange (rather than deep red) legs and the brown band on the wings.

We also saw Teal Ducks

Teal Duck (male)

'Hurrah for the laughing water,
The songs that the streamlets sing!
Whish! The teal duck's mate has sought her
With a stroke of his mottled wing!'

(William Henry Ogilvie)

Teal Duck (female)

The following photo of a female shows how very small the Teal is in comparison to the Mallard!

I assume that the ducks in the next photo are two of the many Mallard hybrids but if anyone knows different I would be glad to hear from you.

I think this is a Dunlin although to me it looks slightly different compared with the photo on my previous post and was seen in a different part of Draycote Water. I welcome any correction to my ID.

Dunlin

I couldn't resist another Heron photo, I am fascinated by their air of solitude, I feel a connection...

And long may'st thou the seasons brave,
Lone loiterer by the silent wave!
Long may thy stately, rugged form,
Impervious to the sun or storm,
Arrest the wandering pilgrim's eye,
And bid him ask the reason why.

(David Millar)

To the immediate right of the hide (from which we viewed the Heron) there are bird feeders. I was hoping to see Marsh or Willow Tits but it was not to be. However there were lots of Blue and Great Tits, Greenfinches and Chaffinches.

Chaffinch (male)

I am always amused when I see a Great Tit as, to me, they look like they are wearing either a bowler hat or a horse riding hat.

Great Tit

There was also someone else at the bird feeders!

It didn't take long to get to the peanuts!

Grey Squirrel

After enjoying the view from the hide we continued our walk and it wasn't long before we saw this Rabbit enjoying the glorious sunshine as much as we were

and so was this lovely butterfly

Painted Lady

and this pretty

Chaffinch (female)

If I asked you to guess what we saw next I wouldn't mind betting you couldn't! In a field we spotted these

Alpacas

These two looked as surprised to see us as we were to see them!

I have always mourned the passing of Summer but thanks to the enthusiasm I have found on so many of my blogland friends' sites I am learning to embrace every season and enjoy the delights which each new phase of the year brings...thank you to all of you.

'When autumn wind goes running
It does some magic things.
It gives the shadows dancing shoes,
It gives the bright leaves wings.'

(Anon)

Well I think I may have outstayed my welcome by now and you are probably sighing with relief to know we are at the end of our walk. I will leave you with a photograph which shows just how long we stayed at Draycote, this is what we saw as we left.

'Such a colour, such infinite light!
The heart of a fabulous gem,
Many-faceted, brilliant and rare.
Centre Stone of the earth's diadem!'

(Amy Lowell)

Have a lovely week and a wonderful Nature filled weekend.