Mikepércs: At The Pond

Two weeks ago I took my hide to the pond, where I found a place where there's still some water. But there were many birds, as I observed earlier, especially coots, little grebes, ducks and a couple of swans.

It was getting light when I arrived at the pond, so all the birds disappeared with noise when they caught sight of me. Soon after I had got into the hide a loud swishing noise caught my attention: two mute swans were flying away in front of me. It's incredible what a noise these large birds can make with their wings when flying. 

Slowly the birds reappeared, first the coots then the little grebes and the ducks. As long as the coots kept the distance from the hide, the grebes came close sometimes. And so did a couple of garganeys.

Soon a shoveler came closer too:

Shoveler (male)

The gargeneys sometimes were really close:

Garganey (female)

Garganey (male)

Little Grebe

The coots however kept the distance:

Coot

Garganey (male)

Garganeys

Little Grebe

The coots were raising the devil with each other continuously, but not nearby, I'm afraid.

Mikepércs: Bathing Song Thrush

I expected some activity from the part of the finches for today when I started to the bathing pool this morning. 

Arriving at the hide, it was the first time this year when I saw a hoopoe there, it was pulling away nearby.

The first worthwhile photo was taken of a robin:

The seeds were still attracting a few tits:

After that nothing came for a while, then suddenly a song thrush landed on the side of the pool to jump into the water in the next moment to have a bath:

It was bathing for a couple of minutes, then it disappeared as fast as it came.
A few greenfinches and hawfinches appeared too, but they were not too active.
Then I succeeded in getting a few tits land on the stone in the water:

Mikepércs: Finches

I started for the bathing pool this morning with great hopes. Perhaps the hawfinches will produce some action again.
The first bird that appeared in front of me was a robin. I haven't seen it since autumn:

Robin

Then a chaffinch landed to drink some water:

Chaffinch (male)

Robin

The robin was flying to and fro nearby, they were chasing each other with its couple then they flew farther.

Soon the tree sparrows and the greenfinches appeared. Obviously they didn't tolerate each other's company too much:

Greenfinch and Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Greenfinch (male)

The hawfinches didn't stay away either:

Greenfinch and Hawfinch

Hawfinch and Greenfinch

Greenfinch (male)

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Great Tit

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Start:

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

The hawfinches were drinking handsomely:

Hawfinch (male)

Hawfinch (male)

Hawfinch (male)

Suddenly I heard sounds of some goldfinches from nearby, one of them was flying around the pool for a few moments but it landed only a few minutes later to have some water:

Goldfinch

I managed to take a flying shot of a hawfinch, of course it isn't perfect:

Hawfinch (male)

Hawfinch (male)

Spring seems to be promising, the number of species that appear at the pool is increasing.

Mikepércs: Hawfinches

Today I started for photography in the hope of catching the long-tailed tits again. On the sandy road to the hide I found a nice green worm. I picked it up at once, for not only a bird could be pleased with it, but myself too, if I could catch the moment. I placed the worm on a stone at the side of the pool, focused on it and waited for a bird to come and pick it. But they were not interested in it at all, nor the tits nor the tree sparrows. At least for a while, though the water attracted the birds:

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Great Tit

Greenfinch (female)

Suddenly I could hear the sounds of hawfinches from nearby. I have heard them a few times before, but they haven't landed yet. But now a beautiful male appeared on the side of the pool:

Hawfinch (male)

Soon came the female as well:

Hawfinch (female)

Hawfinch (female)

Moreover, I could witness this scene, too:

Hawfinches

Hawfinch (male)

Hawfinch (male)

Then they left to reappear soon and attracted my attention so much than I missed the moment when a great tit appeared on the stone where the worm was, picked it up and disappeared in no time, leaving me no chance to record the mement.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Blue Tit

Blue Tit

Sometimes the greenfinches landed as well:

Greenfinch (female)

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Even a pheasant cock sneaked from among the bushes and started to search for seeds. I could take only a few shots as it was mostly invisible because of the pool:

Pheasant (male)

Today the sparrow hawk appeared again on the side of the pool. It had a look at every corner nearby searching for small birds. After having not found anything flew off:

Sparrow Hawk

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit

Today I left the hide with delight again, as I was able to take some nice shots of the hawfinches.