31 July 2014

Different Tactics

Date: 31/07/2014
Location: River Avon & Bannerdown
Observation: Went for a paddle in canoe started at Batheaston and headed up to Limply Stoke. A very quite stretch of river no boats at all! We saw at least 8 Kingfishers, Hundreds of Demoiselles and Dragonflies, Grey Herons at very close range seem to be able to sneak up pretty close only had iPhone camera maybe that's why !? Also at the viaduct bridge at Dundas (Kennet & Avon Canal) saw an amazing bit of predation, a Lesser Black Backed Gull spotted 3 Moorhen chicks swooped in took one looped around,GULP! picked other up GULP! swooped around again only to take all 3 chicks 30ft in front of boat! Gull then sat on bridge in front of us and with 3rd chick still in mouth sat admiring the view of the adult Moorhens looking for any survivors, there were none !
2nd Day went to Bannerdown parked at top to look for Purple Hairstreaks weather was cloudy. Spotted only about 11 butterflies in whole walk! No Purple-hairstreaks !! :( but just as I was getting back to van a nice Yellowhammer appeared took a couple of shots and was gone.
Weather: Blue Sky, Warm, Sunny
Other Species: Kingfisher, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Moorhen, Coot, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Buzzards, Crow, Grey Heron, Yellowhammer.




Dundas Aqueduct
                                                
                                                     Amazon no River Avon !


View from Midford Brook towards Conkwell



 Purple Loosestrife


Yellowhammer @ Bannerdown



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