First steps, part 2

Yep I had to split the post again after 3 hours of trying to get it to work in a single posting...

So, to continue, also on the scrape a mixed flock of Waders with both Black-tailed Godwits and Spotted Redshanks roosting together:














I like this picture because it shows both species in their summer breeding plumage together with various stages of moult.

One of the features of Minsmere in Spring and Summer is the Barn Swallows around the Sluice gates, usually one of them is kind enough to perch on the sign, today we enjoyed watching this adult, whislt the juveniles were arrayed along the sluice structure itself:














Heading back toward the visitor centre we spotted this very young deer, I think Red Deer:




















It was so small it had to a very recent addition to the wildlife at Minsmere.

Back home the garden is as busy as usual (and the pond project as stalled as usual!), with a flock of juvenile Starlings hanging out together, we get about 30-40 of them at any one time, when the adults all show up too we have over 60 starlings marching across the lawn. The House Sparrows look to have had a very productive summer so far too, so much so that we now have three regular Sparrowhawks, a female, a juvenile and this male, stood no doubt on one of those Sparrows:















Of course the cats are causing carnage, they love this time of year with all the young inexperienced wildlife around. We had some rabbits again then one very noisy night later (we had a cat lover staying and even she was put off by the noise of rabbits being killed by cats) - no rabbits. And the numbers of blackbirds grows then shrinks again, two Blackbirds have been cat killed in the three days alone. We've invested in a Super-Soaker as the next stage of our ongoing cat deterrent battle though frankly a .22 rifle would be better, but then would that make me a 'shooter'? I think not as I'd be killing to preserve and protect rather than killing for fun but it's a very tough dilemma. On a lighter note, we watched a very pleasant moonrise last evening, this is what it looked like at 840x:

It's great to have got back out again and to be able to do so. We've resolved again to get out and about more often, so hopefully the lens will be fixed and returned soon and my new addition (watch out for wildlife videos from August time) will help us to share more of our experiences of our learning journey with you.