How's this for LAID BACK!

Two Juvenile Shoveler Ducks

I think these two make a charming picture taken at Oare, Faversham, from the road.

Moth of some sort.

In my garden this afternoon, I would like to get into moth trapping but the traps ready made are very expensive, would any of you guys know of a trap that is affordable?

Ringed Plover and owner of the eggs below.

Taken at Elmley she was a very accommodating little bird.

Two Ringed Plover Eggs

Reed Warbler

Again patience is rewarded, taken out of the car window at the Raptor point, bearded Tits are also to be found there.

Marsh Harriers

A degree of patience can be rewarded as you can see, taken at the Raptor Viewing car park, Harty.

Dropping in for a morsel to feed hungry chicks, the nest is not far from where this was taken.

A Grass Snake

This is the result of my only encounter with a snake, but in all fairness they are a little uncommon on and around the seashore which is where I spend most of my time, and Greenie to me will always be the Reptile Geru!

Heron and Marsh Frog

The grey Heron is quite partial to a marsh frog and I have also witnessed Marsh Harriers taking them back to the nest.

Marsh Frog

This frog is showing us how he is able to make such a loud communication sound, he has the help of bellows, and no he is not a swimming newcomer, and no they are not floatation chambers!

Marsh Frog

Not sure where they emanate from, but, they are not a native species, they are also very noisy.

A Little Grebe

Nesting in the reeds at Kent Wildlife Reserve, Oare, Faversham.

Same as below

Avocet with two eggs

Avocet Chick

This Years Chick taken RSPB ELMLEY, Isle of Sheppey.

Avocet pair

The female demonstrating her readiness to mate.

A Pintail

Taken at Elmley four weeks ago.

Damsel Fly

At first glance I thought these were a mating pair but I think it was shedding a skin would it be possible that this is the case.

My thanks to Greenie for the full biological history, all good stuff and learning something every day.

Curlew Sandpiper

My thanks to Ken for the ID, Curlew Sandpiper is a tick for me this was taken at rspb Elmley on Wednesday it was posing in front of Wellmarsh Hide.

Curlew Sandpiper

A Reed Bunting in full song.

Another Ditty

A Mallard complained Pond life suck's ! Too noisy - all croaking and clucks, and out on the side are fox's that hide and hunters who like to shoot ducks

Avocet Pictures

These pic's were taken at Elmley just over two weeks ago, they really are beautiful birds and I never tire of photographing them.

Dodgy Nest Site

I do think they could have chosen a more suitable nest site, there are plenty of alternative vacancies although the rspb Elmley have allowed vegetation to overgrow island nest sites but they have started work on the electric fencing to stop the intrusion of foxes in the breed season and it will be powered by solar cells, there are much fewer avocets this year and I think is due to the thick overgrowth of the nest sites, my opinion of course.

Cotton Thistle

Closeup of the flowering end and those needles really do bite, I have a couple of plants taken this year and are planted at the back of the border, they really are an architecturally beautiful plant.

Cotton Thistle

Cotton Thistle

A very nice display of the Cotton Thistle (Onopordon acanthium) at RSPB ELMLEY

Common Greenshank, my thanks Richard

Above and below is a bird I am having trouble identifying I use the Collins Black covered book and colouring in its contents I find confusing at times and this is one of those times, I have an idea as to its identity but am not willing to commit myself, so a couple of views would be appreciated. Taken at Oare. I have included the Redshank to give an idea of scale.

Jersey Trip

Alas the trip to find and photograph the Jersey Green Lizard proved fruitless but it was nevertheless a worthwhile holiday, lots of the usual holiday pic's but will not be publishing them.

I have since learnt that there is quite a colony of Green Lizards on the Dorset coast, Durdle Door area, obviously they have been introduced, worth looking out for if you happen to be in the area.

Something blue or blue something ?

Right up Greenie's street

Painted Lady ?

Photographed in a Garden Centre of all places, apparently according to the Telly it is a good year for these migrating marathoneer's.

BREED ?????

Wonder if any of you guy's can help identifying this breed of bovine, cannot for the life of me find any info in my bird book's, Ho! Ho!

Goldfinch

Another one of my frequent visitors and one by one I am taking their portraits, give's me something to do when at a loose end, which I must add is not that often.

Redshank

A handsome bird but lacked a bit of decorum in his approach getting shunned by all he he tried to impress, never mind there's always next year.

A Pair of Avocets Nest Building.

Avocets setting up home

As you can see I am at last getting out and about, after the trauma of two moves, we are now getting used to the area.

Next week we are off to Jersey, and it is my hope to photograph a GREEN LIZARD they can grow to a fair size, I saw the rear end of one once as it made it's way rather rapidly through the grass, the disturbance to grass and foliage left me in no doubt it was a large adult.

Avocet

Trying out the nestsite.

Avocet

Avocet

Collared Dove

Reed Bunting

Pied Wagtails on my lawn

Eight Wags on my lawn there were twelve but alas never had the camera to hand.

A DITTY FROM MY SCHOOL DAYS.

Were I a water-wagtail pied, And free of all the countryside, With feet for earth and wings for heaven I’d go to Cornwall or to Devon. I wouldn’t stay like a silly fool, On a sewage farm in Liverpool.

Collared Doves

Seven Doves on my feeder there have been ten but not pictured with the camera.

Black Tailed Godwits

B T Wits in flight. Oare Faversham.

WW1 MOBILE HOMING PIGEON LOFT.

British army communication corps

mobile loft, they were all trained to home in on Bletchley, they would then pass on relevant information to the division it concerned.

Bird History

Just for a change and between postings of pictures that have been a trifle infrequent of late, I have had to satisfy myself due to health with musings of previous trips out and the odd snap from my window, but nevertheless, birds are birds and there are those that will always be destined to be more numerous than others, therefore making less numerous species rarer and more desirable to seek out and list. I have compiled this article on Pigeons it is not usually discussed in birding circles but hope that you may find it of interest, so, beware there may be other articles in the pipeline. Pigeon fancying was an interest of mine as a child and shared a pigeon loft with a friend it turned out to be a five minute wonder and we gave away our birds. The following article is an insight into the role pigeon's played in safeguarding this countries security during wartime conflicts. Pigeons at War At the outbreak of World War 2 thousands of Britain’s pigeon fanciers gave their pigeons to the war effort to act as message carriers. During the period of the war nearly a quarter of a million birds were used by the army, the RAF and the Civil Defence Services including the police, the fire service, Home Guard and even Bletchley Park. Pigeon racing was stopped and birds of prey along the coasts of Britain were culled so that British pigeons could arrive home unhindered by these predators. There were tight controls on the keeping of pigeons and even rationing for pigeon corn.Homing pigeons were used not only in Western Europe by British forces but also by American, Canadian, and German forces in other parts of the world during the war – Italy, Greece, North Africa, India and the Middle and Far East. One pigeon, GI Joe, saved the lives of thousands of British troops who were preparing to take an Italian town after the US Air Force had bombarded the Germans. However, the British forces found no resistance from the Germans and so entered the town unchallenged. Unfortunately the USAF were already en route to bomb the town and with radio contact broken GI Joe fly over a mile a minute (60 mph) back to the base. He arrived back just in time for the air raid to be called off before the USAF would have bombed our troops. All RAF bombers and reconnaissance aircraft carried pigeons and, if the aircraft had to ditch, the plane’s co-ordinates were sent back with the pigeon to its RAF base and a search and rescue operation was effected. Thousands of servicemen’s lives were saved by these heroic birds that flew often in extreme circumstances. During World War II homing pigeons were seconded into the National Pigeon Service from Britain’s fanciers including one from the Royal Lofts. In fact one pigeon, Royal Blue, was the first pigeon to bring a message from a force-landed aircraft on the continent. On the 10th October 1940 this young bird was released in Holland. He flew 120 miles in 4 hours 10 minutes reporting the information regarding the situation of the crew. After the war, the Dickin Medal was instituted. Commonly known as the Animal VC, it was awarded to 53 animals including 32 homing pigeons including Royal Blue.Pigeons carried their messages either in special message containers on their legs or small pouches looped over their backs. Quite often pigeons were dropped by parachute in containers to Resistance workers in France, Belgium and Holland. This was often quite precarious as it was a bumpy landing and very dangerous for the Resistance workers if they were caught with a British pigeon. Aircrew carried their pigeons in special watertight baskets and containers, in case the aircraft had to ditch into the sea. Pigeon lofts were built at RAF and army bases but the mobile lofts had to be constructed so that they could move easily over land.The Dickin Medal was awarded for any animal displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during World War II and its aftermath. Of the 53 Dickin Medals presented, 32 went to pigeons.