About Me

My photo
Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, United Kingdom
Bit of a long tooth IT Manager - been and had a few hobbies, as for the title, I make glass beads, its Called Lampwork, I brew my own Beer, its called fun and I take photos, thats the oldest hobby, since I was 16 or so. My first camera was a Zenith E - then a Pentax KR to go digital after a long stint with a Pentax Super A. Now a Nikon D5200 and a D7100 with a Sigma 150 f2.8 macro lens to play with amongst others. Please note all photos used are my own and I retain full copyright to all of them. Thank you for respecting digital ownership

Saturday 23 May 2015

Helping out at Slimbridge

I had a day helping out at Slimbridge on Friday, the company I work for does volunteer days with various charities and this was a chance to have a day at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust working on the environment. So, a day not at work, a day at Slimbridge and some work that adds value to the habitat and the WWT - whats not to like.

The work was removing segdge from a duck drive and replanting it elswhere, the Water Vole studies have shown that where the vole survives winter best has river banks with sedge growing, the early growth and I suspect the shelter it gives overwinter to young shoots and early spring growth seems to be a deciding factor in voles ability to survive in that area.

After the work - we had time for an hr or so to wander around, it was very quiet so a great opportunity to have a wander. A few pictures ftrom that time. None from the work.



The cranes from the re-introduction scheme, I did see two fly over, adults from a previous years release that return to the area. Amazing sight given the size of the birds !



Another Bird in Flight shot - has to be done - more practice needed !



And at this time of year - there are Goslings - staying close to mum and dad



Mother Moorhen picked a great spot to nest - there was no angle I could get that did not have a leaf  in the way so I chose this angle as the best one to show the chicks and mum clearly keeping an eye on them and me


Still working on the 'three duck' shot to get the three in a line as a homage to the plaster ducks of the 60s



Now the chicks are about - so are the big gulls, they will take any they can carry away. This one was taking a keen interest in some but parents were watching and not giving it the opportunity



I do like Jackdaws, this was clearly a pair and he was being very protective, some mutual preening was going on - I got fairly close but was under fierce scrutiny all the time

In all a great day with lots of fun and some satisfying work that had real value.

No comments:

Post a Comment