Mikepércs: Spiders

This morning I found many wasp spiders near the village on a weedy area. The cobwebs are decorated by tiny dewdrops:

Wasp Spider

Wasp Spider

Wasp Spider

In the afternoon when I visited the place again almost every wasp spider had its prey in the cobweb.

Wasp Spider

Wasp Spider

I found small cross spiders too, they were waiting for their prey as well in the middle of their cobwebs:

Cross Spider

Cross Spider

Cross Spider

Fancsika Pond: Second Try

After a weeks time I visited the Fancsika pond again, this time trying from a lying hide. I hoped the green woodpecker would visit the place again. There were visible signs of birds' visitors of my small pool, so I was optimistic.

I don't have to wait long for the collard doves to land, they arrive with loud wing strokes:

Collared Dove

One of them returns later, however I'm unable to photograph it. Nothin happens afterwards for a long time so I leave. Maybe next time I'll have more luck.

Mikepércs: Rabbit In The Reed

This morning I started to the pond again.

I placed some living plants on the spot before getting into the hide. The usual birds are the first visitors: young bluethroat, bearded reedlings, but the tree sparrows have become also regular nearby. The yellow wagtails appear by the first sunbeams:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Then comes a surprise: a common reed bunting is landing too:

Common Reed Bunting (female)

Common Reed Bunting (female)

But the real surprise comes after: a hopping hare appears at the reed on the opposite side:

European Hare

It must have heard the exposures as it changes up and stops only when reaching the vegetation which overgrew the dried pondbed:

European Hare

Soon a pheasant cock appears on the other side walking towards the bushy vegetation as well. But even a hoopoe lands on the dried soil.
Later a young starling appears hunting for small insects:

Young Starling

Young Starling

Fancsika Pond: First Try

The other day I received news about the water shrinkage at the nearby Fancsika pond where lots of herons are gathering. I decided to have a look at it this morning. What I found there was only a small puddle on the middle of the pond bed with no birds. However at the start of the canal at the outlet of the pond there was some water left which attracted many small birds: hawfinches, chaffinches, warblers, tits, collard doves arrived one after the other to the water to drink and to bath. At once I was thinking on a new project. If this puddle dries out then I would make a small drinking pool, maybe it would attract these birds too. Today I visited the place with a mobile hide to see if the birds still come to the water.

Recently there were a few rains so there was some left water in the canal. However I prepared with a sitting hide. The birds arrive soon: first two collard doves land to drink then a green woodpecker comes to have a bath. Unfortunately I have no chance to photograph them from 1 m above the water. Meanwhile a pied flycather lands on one of the landing branches:

Pied Flycatcher (female)

Unfortunately she doesn't stay long, something must be suspicious for her.
A young great spotted woodpecker arrives too and starts to peck the old branch:

Young Great Spotted Woodpecker

After that nothing comes for a long time so I decided to leave.
I wonder how intensely will the birds attend my small pool.

Mikepércs: Flowers And Wagtails

I decided to improve my wagtail shots with some flowers today. Getting to the pond I set the plants in the right place before getting into the hide.

Soon arrives a semi bald white wagtail:

White Wagtail

Then a young one lands just on the right place:

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Some exercise comes after:

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

"What does this flower taste like?":

Young White Wagtail

This bird wants to get rid of the mud stuck to its legs:

Young White Wagtail

"Oops!":

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Young White Wagtail

Then a small flock of young starlings is landing nearby, one of the birds settles right on the brach in front of me:

Young Starling

A yellow wagtail lands for some preening as well:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Mikepércs: Weak Morning

At the pond again.

There's not much activity on the landing branch, but it won't stay there without birds:

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

The bearded reedlings are roaming nearby again:

Bearded Reedling

Bearded Reedling

This morning hasn't been very successful but it's promising that the shorebirds are getting closer with the drying water.

Mikepércs: Wagtails Again

I was expecting something from the wagtails again.

When the first rays of the sun start to light up the reed in the background and the landing branch is still in shade, the wagtails are coming:

I discover a young moorhen at the side of the reed. It seems that not only the coots have brooded here successfully.

The bearded reedlings start to search for food around the hide as usually, however I'm unable to take a decent shot of them. But I can catch this sedge warbler with a tiny fly in its beak:

Then I have to look at the landing branch again:

Hissy fit:

Preening:

Meanwhile a bearded reedling is galloping in front of me after the flies:

A young lapwing comes really close, ...:

... just like this ruff:

At the end of today's photography another white wagtail lands:

Unfortunately the wagtails haven't use the landing branch so intensely this morning, perhaps because of the drying pond as the water has disappeared from nearby.