Spring has sprung in Netherton

Hi back again folkes,

Well the weather has certainly turned more spring like and yes so has the animal and bird life noticed around here too, so with my camera with me the last two weekends I have had blast around Netherton's Reservoir, Woods, and Netherton Hill

So where did my journey begin last Saturday at the bottom of Netherton Hill, my word was those birds singing, I couldn't see them, but boy could I here them, singing their hearts out, the first bird I really noticed was the song thrush, singing till he could not sing anymore, I presume, he was after a mate, and the tree's seemed a live with Robins with their distinct calls and songs, blue tits was a plenty and black birds too, I also had a glimsp of a nut hatch and Finch. Butterfly's have now appeared, but lol the only shot I have of a Butterfly, is one on some horse poo, oh well that's life lol, and bees in abundance, yes Netherton Hill has woke up and plenty signs of spring are here.

So here's Netherton Hill, if no one knows what it looks like and where it is, it hides behind the church and cricket pitch and towers above the canal, hope my shots do it justice,

View looking up Netherton Hill , towards the Church 

 A view from the bridges looking up at Netherton Hill and the church 

 Looking up at Netherton Hill towards Netherton Church 

 Fishermen fishing at the bottom of the bridges on the canal 

 One of the two bridges at the bottom of Netherton Hill that leads you on to the Canal, this was built in the 1800's 

 A view just coming on to Netherton Hill of the Nature Reserve, or as I know it the woods 

 I am not sure, but I think this is a sparrow hawk, sorry was using a wide angle lens and had to crop this to death, but i think you can see its some kind of hawk, just hoovering over the bushes looking for his next meal

 A little Sparrow again singing his head off hopefully we will start seeing the nest and babies 

 A view looking down from Netherton Hill, looking towards the canal and the industry that surrounds this nature reserve.

 A black bird singing his head off, I think mating season has begun 

 The Horses, there's four of them, two a bit shy, but the others more willing to come to you if you have some apples to hand 

 Yesterday was the first time I met this man Alan Preece, Senior Warden of Saltwell's Nature Reserve, really nice fellow, here he is checking up on the Murry cows eyes, if you see him around he is more than happy to have a chat with you, don't be frighten, if you see him carrying a garden folk, lol 

Some more Warden, sorry I dont know their names, but still very friendly and helpful, if you need to know thing, and also the ladies who actually owns the horses, so if the wardens ever read this Blogg, I gotta ya lol

 Murry Cows such a lovely breed of cow

 No 12 cow, was a star performer for me, has you can see, I think these cows need names, we will have to get on to Adam the Senior Warden

 Butterfly, yes I know, it landed on the horses poo, but hey it stayed there long enough for me to take the shots I wanted, Netherton Hil has been a wash with butterflies and bees, if only they would stay still long enough lol 

My next port of call on my travels, was the woods, which is Saltwells Nature Reserve, oh boy was it alive with the signs of spring, I love my walks down there because the birds don't seem so shy, in fact I find them to be very curious of what I'm doing lol

 On the sculpture Trail 

 A splash of colour coming through the old winter leaves

 A view down by the stream 

 On the sculpture trail speak no evil

 and hear no evil

 These little fellows seemed to follow me around 

 Walking up to where the old house used to be

 Mr Squirrel made an appearance 

 Bees seemed every where 

 Blossom was making its presence felt every where 

 The Dragon on the sculpture Trail

 Mr Nut hatch made an appeareance 

Start of the sculpture trail   

My next stop was the Reservior, what a surprise was a waiting me, two pairs of Great Crested Grebes had returned coots in abundance and gulls and mallard ducks and a Muted swan returned, hopefully another Swan comes too and we can have some baby swans.

Kissing Grebes one of my favourite's over at the Reservoir

 Flying Mallard Duck

 Gulls what can I say there are every where around here

 Blossom on the trees aproaching the Reservoir

 Another one of my Favourites The Mute Swan fingers crossed another one comes so they can pair up. 

 A coot building its nest

 A older couple enjoying the spring Sun across the Reservoir bank a great place for a picnic in the Summer

 Cant say this is a favourite sight of mine but they are a part of the Suba club there

 Another activity down on the Reservoir

 One of my Fav's the Robin always letting me know, they want a piece of the bread 

A coot building a nest 

I hope you enjoyed travelling with me around some of my favourite spots in these spring months, so again Ill be blogging again soon,hopefully see you around soon bye for now :) Andrea

Gulls

Gulls.....A misunderstood bird.....me thinks, most people think they are greedy birds, scavengers,and all the other things you say bad about a bird.

Most people will just walk past them and say its just a Gull

Well let me tell you this, since taking up photography, I have spent days, months even, watching these birds, the more time I spend there and watch them, the more I'm in awe of them.

I have noticed too, people say they are vicious and greedy birds, No No No, if you sit and watch long enough, they will never immediately get the food that's thrown into the water, you will notice the pecking order the Ducks Geese and Swans get their feed first, then you will see the gulls sneak in, and many a time I have seen the Ducks chase the Gulls away, when they are in the water, but in flight this is where they come into their own.,

To watch them fighting for the territory, is a true display of flying agility, swooping, turning sharply, up in the air one minute and diving down the next, always reminds me of  a dog fight from world war two, then to see them using the uplifts of the air to kept them stationary in the air waiting for the right time to dive down for
their food they have spotted, just goes to show their flight diversity, their knowledge, of uplifts and down ones to gain speed, is every pilots dream

A lot of people say their favorite birds, are birds of prey,  although I generally agree, there's nothing quite like seeing an Eagle soaring looking for their prey, I have to admit watching these birds, is on a par, I think they are the true masters of the sky, gymnasts, a force to be reckoned with in flight, clever, using the winds to conserves energy, and finding the best food source, true survivors of the sky's.

So the next time your out for a walk, maybe around the Reservoir, instead of saying they are just Gulls, stop, watch, and see them, for what they really are, natural, fast, fit, agility to die for, graceful flyers of the sky, because to me they are NOT just Gulls, they are the true masters of the sky's and a very misunderstood bird.

Enjoy my photo's

all Copy rights remain to myself, please do not copy the photo's