Mute Swan

03 Oct 2011 1 Comment

by A Roberts in Wild about Wales Tags: blue tits, Grey squirrel, House sparrow, magpie, mallards, mute swan, Redstart. Phoenicurus torquata

This female mute swan is always on her own and always comes to the calm waters of the Severn that runs along Dolerw park.

here she is on take off for a two hundred yard dash up stream where she has a quiet spot for preening herself

preening time usually at eleven, but if the river is fast flowing she goes on the bank.

two blue tits discussing whether to have fat ball or peanuts,

sparrow on the fat ball

shall I keep it for later

eat it while its fresh

this way up

or is it this way

something very interesting in the tree bark

Magpies on the playing fields no matter how much I try this is as close as i can get to the magpie,

This looks like a good place to dive

the river here is quite shaded with the trees but I managed to get a good shot as they came into the sun ray,showing the iridescent green on one of the drakes heads.

then there was two green heads

one diver left

diver no 2.

further up stream there was some kind of ritual going onnot often does one see five drakes and two hens. the drakes are all in mating plumage.

Not so good a light again but I think this is a Redstart, Phoenicurus torquata, I hope it is as its a first again for me,

And its Silhouette. My new website is in the making. there Iwill be putting all the wildlife  photos  I have taken over the past 3 months,                             www.wildaboutwales.org.uk.                           will put a link on when the site is up and running ,

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