Gannets

Gannets

Bempton Cliffs

Open RSBP Reserve

21/07/2012

Lovely early morning sunshine, but could have done with a little wind to form an updraft, as most of the bird movement was just below the top of the cliffs.

House Sparrow and Chick

Female House Sparrow and Chick

22/07/2012

Back Garden

While sitting out in the garden a young sparrow chick fell out of it's nest in the conifer trees and was fed by it mother for the rest of the day.

The chick was quite near to being able to fly and hope that during the evening and then following morning made it's escape back up into the trees, as it was flying and jumping around 2 to 3 feet at a time during the day.

Cricket

Cricket

Harwood Dale

21/07/2012

Lucky spotting of an insect that makes a very large noise for it's size. I was lucky enough to see it jump between the grass and then settle for around 30 seconds posing, while I took photographs.

Grasshoppers and crickets are members of the group of insects known as orthopteroids.

All have biting mouth parts and go through incomplete metamorphosis, the nymphs often having similar habits to the adult. They have paired appendages (cerci) that extend from the tip of the abdomen.

Grasshoppers and crickets are characterised by hind legs that are enlarged for jumping.

They are medium to large insects with long slender bodies and two pairs of wings, although these may be reduced or non-existent in some species. The females of many crickets have a large sword-like egg laying organ (ovipositor); this can be 24 mm long in the great green bush cricket

Dragon Fly

Dragon Fly

Male Southern Hawker

08/07/2012

Photographs taken at Hardwood Dale ponds.

First effort in photographing them, but think I need more patient and spend much longer around a good site like the ponds at Hardwood Dale or Top Hill Low Nature Reserve.
But still I think not bad for a first effort in a a few minutes.

Coots

Coots

Scarborough Mere

28/06/2012

Coots and chicks at Scarborough Mere.

Certainly not the prettiest looking bird and not the cutest chick but still lovely to watch, with the mother sat with them constantly and the male bringing food for the chicks.

Hares

Hares

West Ayton

27/05/2012

Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine Falcons

Scarborough Castle Headland

05/07/2012

The pair of Peregrine Falcons are still around the Castle Headland, but unfortunately this year they seemed to breed and nest far to early due to the fair weather early on in the year. This then seemed to be either damaged or abandoned during the storms in April.

Hopefully they will stay around, indeed they seem quite happy with the amount of food about at the moment and then breed again next year.

As they don't have a set nest site and are not bringing up and feeding young, sightings and photograph opportunities are not as easy as previous years, but that is wildlife!!!

The best area to look around is still lamp post number 55

Moorhen

Moorhen

Top Hill Low, Driffield

01/07/2012

Strange behaviour (maybe, maybe not, I don't know) form a Moorhen, feeding at high level in the reeds for the seed heads.

Felt as though it wanted to be a reed bunting for the day, but was far to heavy and the reeds which kept collapsing onto the water thus throwing the Moorhen back into flight or the water.

Kingfishers

Kingfishers

Tophill Low Reserve, Watton

29/06/2012

Kingfishers from the North Marsh hide around noonish after a 3 hour wait, well worth it as one and then two showed well and fished for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Shame about the long grass over the perch areas which limited photography, but still a great bird to watch.

Looking forward to my next visit.