Mikepércs: Coot Rigour And Parent's Care

Another try with the coots and their hatchlings.

The turtle heads appear first in front of my hide again, then the bearded reedlings arrive and they are picking something out from the water while holding the reeds. However I can't take good images of them among the thick vegetation.

Soon the coots appear feeding their chicks. They are approaching. Then an interesting scene is taking place: while an adult is feeding one of its chicks another hatchling is coming and asking for food. The parent bird however is turning upon it ...:

Coot

... and bundles it off. Perhaps it's not her hatchling? I don't know.
But it's feeding attentively the other one:

Coot

Coot

The chicks are feeding themselves as well:

Coot

It's not a real beauty:

Coot

Coot

Coot

The adult bundles off the hatchling again:

Coot

Coot

After the brutal scene the poor chick had to scuttle off and I hope it doesn't remain starve.
The feeding is taking place near my hide again:

Coot

The chick asks for food in this way:

Coot

Coot

Coot

Suddenly I notice a pond turtle resting on the branch placed nearby:

Pond Turtle

Another one is coming as well:

Pond Turtle

Pond Turtle

After having made itself comfortable it's yawning ...:

Pond Turtle

... then it starts to climb on the back of the smaller turtle ...:

Pond Turtle

... and really pushing it into the water:

Pond Turtle

Now it's enjoying the comfort:

Pond Turtle

Then another turtle is climbing the branch but a little farther so that they don't disturb each other.
The coot parent has found something delicious again:

Coot

Coot

Coot

The winglets are working:

Coot

The sun is climbing quickly on the clear sky and I decide to leave. It's only when I'm getting out of the hide that I observe this roe deer buck strolling about nearby. It's funny what a bad vision these animals have, as it can see my head clearly but it's not frightened. Then I produce my camera out the bag after all, maybe I can catch it, and even my motions are not disturbing it:

Roe Deer

Moreover it's coming even closer:

Roe Deer

Then it turnes back ...:

Roe Deer

Roe Deer

Roe Deer

... and when a doe roe deer is rushing through the area the buck disappears soon.

A Morning Attempt

Today I went for macro photography to the meadow early in the morning.

At this hour it's still cold, so the insects are hidden or hanging numbly on the plants:

As the sun rises they start their day:

The sunshine is getting stronger quickly which is not favourable for photography, so I finish it soon.

Mikepércs: Coots

Last time I placed my hide on the water, for I wanted to photograph the attentive coots feeding their hatchlings. So, I got into my hide with curiousity and waited for the coots.

I have to realise that these birds don't start the day too early, they appeared only after sunrise. Until then I was observing the pond turtles with their heads peeping out of water breaking the calmness of the surface of the pond.

Later the coots appear in the distance with their hatchlings approaching slowly.

Suddenly I see this upset coot starting off on one direction:

Coot

A few moments later a marsh harrier appears above the reed, perhaps that was the reason of such a wild behaviour, as a hatchling could be an easy prey for the harrier.

The coot family is approaching slowly, but they keep the distance:

Coot

Well ... so much for today, next time I will have another try, I cannot be satisfied with this result.

Mikepércs: Butterflies

This afternoon I did some macro photography on a flowery meadow nearby:

Meadow Brown

Mikepércs: Lapwing Chicks

I've visited the pond again today.

The sun isn't rising yet, but the young wagtails are already flying around my hide hunting for insects.

A bit later the first sunbeams enlighten them beautifully:

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Ducks aren't coming, lapwings neither ... or do they? A lapwing is approaching in the thick vegetation, but something else is also there! I notice two largish chicks, one of them just coming out from the undergrowth:

Young Lapwing

They make their way towards the water. After having spent some time there, they return. For my greatest pleasure they come close to my hide:

Young Lapwing

This chick must have been on a muddy place having bits of mud hanging from its plumage:

Young Lapwing

The other one appears too, but it's not as dirty as its sibling:

Young Lapwing

Then they disappear in the undergrowth.
Meanwhile a little ringed plover spends a few moments in front of me:

Little Ringed Plover

This parent follows its chicken attentively in the vegetation:

Lapwing

Later a roe deer appears on the quiet walking to the water where she drinks, ...:

European Roe Deer

... then turns back ...:

European Roe Deer

... to return into the underbush. The wind direction is good, she hasn't notice me. This is the first time I've taken photos of a roe deer from my hide.
A young white wagtail is preening a while in front of me before it flies away, ...:

Young White Wagtail

... then a moorhen is having a good bath near the hide, however the lights falling upon it are too ugly for a good shot. So I leave the hide soon.