Garden Jay

The garden's a tip right now but the Jays seem to like it. This one was busy burying acorns this morning but it still required a bit of stealth in order to get these images. Generally a shy species, Jays will become a little bolder at this time of year as they stock up their larders in preparation for winter.

I don't know the current population trend for these beautiful corvids but I seriously can't remember seeing so many in this neighbourhood before. They are virtually a daily feature of my drive to and from work and their raucous calls are a continuous part of the soundtrack at Bretton - though frustratingly I'm still waiting to photograph them there!

For the record the vital statistics for both are 400mm c/w 1.4x handheld at 1/125 f8 with an ISO of 1600 - in extremely gloomy conditions I might add!

Old Moor RSPB Reserve

Glorious sunshine and temperatures well above average for October made for a very enjoyable few hours at Old Moor near Barnsley this morning. The recently extended reserve at the heart of a former mining district is a wonderful place for birds at any time of year but in autumn, with the arrival of thousands of Golden Plover, it is at it's very best. Like the society's neighbouring reserve at Fairburn Ings, Old Moor owes it's existance to the coal industry but it's nature's reclaimation of the old spoil heaps that never fails to confound.

A relatively recent addition to the area's bird life is the elegant Little Egret. The half a dozen or so hides at Old Moor provide excellent viewing of these beautiful new-comers and on a day like today they really are a joy to watch.

Little Egret & Song Thrush

Grey Heron

Little Grebe

Black-headed Gull

Dunnock

Little Egret

My latest Bretton photos and notes can now be found at http://www.bluebirder.wordpress.com/