#wildllife

[jonphotography92]

Into the Woods I went

[georgesboulevard]

Good morning, World !

[ivanutrera]

lobo

[malicious-code-103]

Happy Friday the 13th!!!

I just graduated from university!

[conservation-of-wildlife]

One question that came in our mind related to wildlife sanctuary is that how many wildlife sanctuaries are there in the world?

Well exactly we don't have the exact numbers because there are many wildlife sanctuaries which will be opened up in a year or which are currently in the process of construction but the rough estimates are : there are over 1,600 wildlife sanctuaries in the world.

[thomas--bombadil]

Autumn is a busy time for squirrels. 

Hurriedly they work before the bitterness of winter forces them to slumber. 

[walking-geema]

[sumbluespruce]

Reflective swim among the cattails.

6-19-2020  Mallard Drake (Anas platyrhynchos)

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Majestic Portraits of Wild Animals by Simone Heinrich

[jonphotography92]

In the wilderness, that is where I’m at peace.

[dansnaturepictures]

5th January 2021-We had another local coastal walk today and saw some more brilliant bird species along the way fitting for national bird day and a date as I said on Twitter earlier I have had so many amazing bird memories on in years gone by with so many incredible species seen at the start of years and today definitely added to that I took so many bird photos I was so happy with too, including eight more bird year ticks which I was thrilled with taking my bird year list to 90. Other things in the world are absolutely coming first right now, but I am extremely proud that whilst exercising outdoors so far this year and at home we have been so fortunate to see so many bird species again. The numbers I have become used to in the opening days of the year now, it’s unbelievable to me that my year list is only ten birds from treble figures now and I am incredibly thankful we have been safely able to do this. My year list is now once more level with how many birds I had seen at the end of 5th January last year as it was level at the weekend, my highest ever amount of birds seen after five days in a year. 

It all started with a view of a bird I had just wondered when I might see which I took the first picture in this photoset of a couple in the group, a nice group of Black-tailed Godwits a year tick at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire where we would have been going if it wasn’t for the pandemic in my birthday week this week a little tradition of ours now (obviously the health of the nation must come first so I was fully supportive that we could not continue as planned) I actually didn’t see one of these lovely wading birds in Hampshire for months in 2020. So I was happy and maybe relieved to see these birds a really good view. In the same area I also spotted Grey Heron and we saw Turnstones, two more common birds to tick off. I made the most of seeing brilliant coastal species again especially ones that I saw maybe quickly on a walk on New Year’s Day in similar habitat and enjoyed seeing them, such as scores of Lapwing today, Avocet (as shown in the fourth picture I took today in this photoset), Pintail, Shoveler, other ducks and Little Egrets. We got cracking Raven and Meadow Pipit views as the walk went on too year ticks one after another on Sunday’s walk. I also liked watching a couple of big groups of Grey Plover fly around this afternoon. This felt good whilst walking. I took the second picture in this photoset of the sky today as well as the third in this set of a beautiful Teal a star of the year so far. 

We were thrilled and it set the tone for the walk when eight Spoonbills darted over our heads. A top view of brilliant birds. A bird on my B list of favourite birds that I have a brilliant record for on the Hampshire coast in years. We can see them any when in a year but the last few that has been within the first few months so I was very happy to continue that. Once again I felt so lucky to get to see this amazing species one of the best we have. But it got a whole lot better for seeing this species on the walk as we saw them on a few more occasions this afternoon. A few times with them flying and three times with them still. One of those one stood very briefly on a piece of grass before a Cormorant another star of the afternoon chased it off. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of the Cormorant. Then one wading with Mute Swans a bird it was nice to see flying this afternoon in front (I took the seventh picture in this photoset of some Mute Swans this afternoon), it was interesting to see how big the large Spoonbills are against the swans a well known big bird. Then we had an astonishing view of one Spoonbill towards the end of the walk with a Little Egret nearby one of my favourite birds and this was fascinating seeing the two together. It was also some of my greatest ever Spoonbill views which felt so rewarding and sensational, a stunning natural moment. 

After walking on from the first Spoonbills we were very happy to spot two exquisite female Goldeneyes. One of my birds of the year so far, a really amazing two to see another bird I am proud to see in Hampshire over the years that it was brilliant to add to this year’s list today. 

Walking on we were very happy when a Dartford Warbler popped up and we got a really good view of this another of my favourite birds I took the fifth picture in this photoset of this bird. It was the second Dartford I’d seen in as many days after one whilst walking yesterday, that was my earliest ever sighting of this bird in a year so this was fantastic to see another so soon. Quite unprecedented for me actually. The fact I had seen them both early and within a short space of time and this is quite a rare bird that I cannot guarantee when or if I will see one in a year so I am over the moon with this. 

In my best ever start to the year for seeing favourite birds of mine, not to be outdone by the Dartford Warbler as we walked on we saw our fifth Kingfisher this year flying through. Averaging one a day of this bird is phenomenal! We then got an exceptional view of another one of the species on my B list of favourite birds seeing a distinctive Spotted Redshank which I took the sixth picture in this photoset of. We saw this one so close it was wonderful to really be able to make out what it was. A precious few moments spent with this bird and a few others of its kind. I enjoyed this and further up we spotted another of my B listers and a similar bird a pretty Greenshank which was great. This felt like a very valuable year tick as another you may not see for a while in a year. Another great moment. Back at the spot where the Spotted Redshanks were and we saw a group of them and then the first one again on the way back and before the Spoonbill and Little Egret I remarked at some of many Little Grebes we saw on this walk makes the average sized Pintail look massive. 

And at that moment I had my very own mindfulness moment like they have on the BBC watches (Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch) programmes where they just show pure wildlife and scenery filming and you just focus on that as a way to unwind. This was when for me today a large flock of another of my favourite birds the Brent Geese noisily flew over my head. I tried for a picture which I did take the tenth in this photoset of in the end I was not sure at that stage if it was gonna be one to take forward with the light quite dark as they flew over so I just I just sat back and took it in as they flew over our heads. A therapeutic and moving moment taking me back to why I fell in love with this bird too. And I needed that. A great moment to end #12Days wild too. 

Just before the end of the walk I was happy to spot a Stonechat, a bird given the habitats we’ve walked in so far this year I was surprised we had not seen sooner. Where it had been the big bird 100 of my 2018 it was my 90th bird of 2021. It was comical that a bird I associate with it the Dartford Warbler as you see them in similar places and often together was 2-0 up on Stonechats this year before this! But it tied up a loose end and quashed any talk that Stonechat may be my bogey bird this year so the one I normally see quite easily and/or quickly but don’t in a year. I am sure I will award this title to a species in 2021 but shall not rush to as I know restrictions will mean it’s harder to see some or see them soon. At the moment there is a nice list of species I may have seen about or before now in years gone by that I have to aim for and nd that will be something among other things that will great to look forward to when restrictions maybe can ease to keep me going. Stay safe all. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Black-tailed Godwit, Spoonbill, Grey Heron, Turnstone, Goldeneye, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Stonechat of the year, six of my favourite birds the Dartford Warbler, Kingfisher, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Little Egret and Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Pintail, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Snipe, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Robin, Meadow Pipit, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Raven and I heard Wren and House Sparrow.

[psikonauti]

[earthstory]

Original caption:

Diving in Koh Tao Thailand