Two afternoons at HESC

Yeterday Elis and I met Gyorgy Szimuly better known as Szimi and his charming wife Andi and their lovely young daughter Kea at HESC.

Me and the Szimulys at HESC

Whilst Szimi and I talked waders Elis, Andi and Kea watched birds, butterflies and dragonflies with Kea picking up the English names for them as she went along. The weather was kind and the agreeable company made up for the lack of exciting birds.

Two male Common Blue Damselflies

Female Common Blue Damselfly (?)

The absolutely stunning Southern Hawker

The Common Terns showed evidence of successful breeding, if not at HESC then somewhere close with juvenile birds in among the adults and a young Black-headed Gull vyed with the terns for perching space on the limited number of posts, even when there was one free!

Adult Common Tern

Juvenile Common tern

Juvenile Black-headed Gull

Other birds seen included;

Skulking Reed Warbler

Great Crested grebe

Male Tufted Duck

This afternoons trip to the same place was made because the feeders were empty at the Woodland Hide yesterday and Elis felt sorry for the poor birds. The weather was not as kind to us this time with some moderate showers, but the birds soon put in an appearance when the food was put out.

This tits were first to arrive.

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Marsh (upper) and Willow Tit

Here's a comaprison of the two birds.


Willow Tit

Marsh Tit










They were briefly joined by;

Female Chaffinch

A rather pale looking Robin

As we left in the rain with low light levels under heavy clouds we came across a large mixed flock of birds moving through the hedgerow. It included Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper and Goldcrest.

Willow warbler

Long-tailed Tit

Treecreeper

Goldcrest

There was also a Kestrel sitting out the rain storm.

Kestrel