A day out 9th April 2012

A day out 9th April 2012

It was a cloudy and rainy day, it was drizzling outside and the light was very bad.  

I knew beforehand that the ISO would be very high, but even so, I took a trip by 

car to some of the places where I hopefully would observe wild life without putting 

the camera in the rain. Many times it is easier to photograph wildlife while sitting 

in the car and this suited me fine due to the nature of the bad weather conditions.

European Starling/Common Starling  (Sturnus vulgaris)

Northern Lapwing/ Peewit, Green Plover(Vanellus vanellus)

It was full of lapwings and starlings in the fields, as long as I had the car´s 

side window up, they did not care about my presence. But as soon as I opened

the window to take some photographs they took off and flew to a location further

away from where I had parked.  

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Common Gull (Larus canus)

I could also spot a cople of Canada Goose arriving, they did not seem to 

be worried about my presence and to me it seemed like they were 

preparing to go down on the field.

Greylag Goose ( Anser anser)
Common Gull (Larus canus)

Then suddenly there came a flock of wild geese, when they saw me and

the car, they changed direction. 

Greylag Goose ( Anser anser )

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

This apparently scared the Canada Geese so that instead of landing in the 

vicinity of my car they flew on further away together with the Greylag Geese.

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

At another location I stoped the car since I noticed two Buzzards who were eating
on something that lay on the ground some distance from the road. It looked like
a hare which had been run over by a car and now had become dinner for the 
Buzzards. They were already gone from their prey when I had my camera 
up and runnig. 

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

They both landed on the field further away from me, I guess they might 
have felt very annoyed by my presence so I drove away to the next 
place I was planning to go to.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Greylag Goose ( Anser anser )

I arrived at the fields which usually are filled with many different birds 

at this time of the season, however this cloudy and rainy day I only 

spotted some Canada Geese and a single Greylag Goose.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

I could also spot one single Canada Goose further away on the field, one 

can but speculate in that those birds being single might have lost their mates 

on their dangerous flight here. 

Greylag Goose ( Anser anser )

I drove away to the next location and was lucky to spot a Greylag couple 

at a field where it was easy to stop the car and take some photos. After 

a short while they had enough of being photo modells and decided to 

take off.

Greylag Goose ( Anser anser )

When I arrived further ahead at the lake I saw a beautiful Buzzard 

eating dinner, it took off when I parked the car and when I focused 

on what the Buzzard had been eating on I saw that it was a strucked 

down Greylag Goose. I of course thought about the single Greylag 

I had spotted together with the Canada Geese. Was this his or her 

mate? 

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

The Buzzard had placed himself at the top of a tree, observing me, I went 

back in the car and drove away hoping it would come back down until I 

was heading back the same way. 

Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix)

Greylag Goose ( Anser anser )

However when passing I only noticed a pair of hungry Hooded Crows

and the Buzzard had changed his place and I was unable to see the 

new location. 

European hare (Lepus europaeus)

Suddenly I discovered a little Hare on the field, I managed to get a cuple 

of photos despite of the bad light, the ISO is very high but still it is amazing

to be this close to the nature even from inside of a car a rainy and cloudy day.

European hare (Lepus europaeus)

The hungry hare did not mind me taking some more photos and when 

I drove away he or she was still there at the same spot enjoying the 

green slender new blades of spring grass.

Fallow Deer (Dama dama)

Suddenly I saw a couple of Fallow Deers, very close, I managed 

to take this photo as they ran away. It was getting late and I 

decided to drive back home before it was turning dark outside.

Mallard, or wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos)

I was temped to make one final stop before driving back home, to see if I could spot 

any one of the European Beavers which lives in the areas sorrounding this little river

 in the nearby where I live. I can see traces from them at many different places where 

there is water with tiny rivers and I spotted two of them in this particular river,

one late night during the past summer. I stoped my car and went out to see if 

I was lucky this evening. I could see that the Mallards was already sleeping 

The Eurasian Beaver or European Beaver (Castor fiber)

I noticed that there were traces from Bevers along the river and 

as I continued to follow the river upstreams I saw traces everywhere.

The Eurasian Beaver or European Beaver (Castor fiber)

There were traces from Bevers along the river on both sides, however 

more on the opposite side from where the path where I was going is situated. 

To me it seems like they eat the bark and then leave the branches on the 

ground beside the water. Maybe they collect the branches later and use 

them when building their nest. 

The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Suddenly I heard a bird singing and when I managed to locate where from the 

bird song came I spotted this little White Wagtail, the first one I have 

seen this year, I had to use the camera flash on this photo. 

 The Eurasian Beaver or European Beaver (Castor fiber)

Did I find the Nest?

Last summer when I was down here at the river, I was searching for something 

that could be the nest, however I did not find anything. But today I found this 

large pile of branches and other material. My first thought was of course, 

was this their nest. I knew then that I had to go back to find out more 

about this huge pile of branches.

After this I drove back home again feeling very content about 

the day out and The Beauty of Nature

Warm greetings to you all! 

Maria