Saturday, February 12, 2011

Birding in Britain

As some of you may know, my purchase of a zoom lens a couple years ago sparked an interest in birding.  Just about the time I'd come to learn all the local San Diego birds, we moved 5,000 miles away!  So the learning process begins again.

Blake and I came upon the Fen Drayton Nature Reserve on accident one day while car shopping.  In it, we found plenty of lakes, trails, and waterfowl.  At the time, we were really excited to see a swan!  We have since grown accustomed to their commonplace appearance.
Fen Drayton Swan

In late Autumn, we started noticing pheasants in the bare fields.  Apparently, they have been bred and released into the UK for centuries, where pheasant hunting is a popular sport.  We spotted at least a dozen flocks (or "nides" as they're called) before I managed to photograph this one from very far away.  Not surprisingly, they get quite skittish when you point something long and black at them!
English Pheasant

There are also a lot of birds who like to hang out in our back yard ("rear garden" as the Brits say).  Cooper likes to run them off, so I shoot their photos from the kitchen windows.
Blue Tit

Black and white seems fitting for the dreary, overcast nature of the winter here. Hopefully, Spring will bring bluer skies and more birds - though I doubt any less rain!!!
Solitary Bird
~Lindsay

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