Mikepércs: Coots And Their Hatchlings

I started to the pond with big hopes, I was wondering if I would be able to make good shots of the coot family. I had to wait long in the hide for the coots' appearence in the distance. First the parents came out of the reed, then the hatchlings. Later they started to come closer and closer:

Coots

This hatchling just asks for food:

Coots

The hatchlings were picking insects themselves, but their parents feeded them too attentively. Many times they fetched some delicious bits from under the water:

Coots

Coots

Coots

After some time the coot family took their way towards the reed in the opposite side of the pond. And having nothing else nearby, I took my way home.

Mikepércs: A Few Black-Winged Stilts

After a short break today morning I took my way to the pond again. I was curious wether the egrets still attend the pond where my hide stands. It was light already when I got there, but there weren't many birds on that pond. However I didn't find my hide on it's place, as it had floated into the reedy margin of the pond. I was surprised because it had been tied up. It seemed to have been a strong wind. It took me about an hour to get it out from the reed as the water there was deeper and I could not walk after it. I had to push it back from the opposite shore.

After all these I had little hopes to see many birds.

The coot couple which was brooding on that pond showed some activity and soon I discovered the hatchlings at the margin of the reed.

Then a few black-winged stilts landed in the shallow water to feed. Of course they preened themselves too now and then:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

The disadvantage of long legs lays in the fact that it's a bit circumstantial to produce them when a scratch is needed:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Start! The first moments of taking off:

Black-winged Stilt

As the sun was shining more and more european pond turtles stuck their heads out of the water here and there:

European Pond Turtle

In the end I didn't manage to take shots of the coot hatchlings as they were far from me, so I decided to move my hide closer to the reed and tomorrow make another attempt to catch them.

Mikepércs: Viennese Banded Snail

Today I got up early again and took my way to the meadow near the village. Getting out of the village I noticed that the meadow was covered by a fog vail which disappeared soon because of the raising sun:

Taking advantage of the beautiful dawn lights I recorded a white campion at backlight:

White Campion

Then I took my way to the bee-eaters' territory, as I wanted to know if they were using the branch which I had put for them to settle on. As I presumed, they were using it frequently when I'm not there.
Then I noticed a small snail at a bank trailing up on a dried stem:

Viennese Banded Snail

When I moved it a little further for making a more interesting photo it drew back into it's shell, but after leaving it in peace it got out again soon ...:

Viennese Banded Snail

... to continue it's way:

Viennese Banded Snail

Viennese Banded Snail

Viennese Banded Snail

Viennese Banded Snail

Then I tried to scout for hares, but I didn't manage to get close to them, and the tall grass helped them in hiding.
On my way home I took a shot of this big yellow flower:

Salsify

Mikepércs: Only one chat

Yesterday afternoon I tried to take photos of the bee-eaters, for the first time this year. They settled only two times in front of my hide but just for a single moment. I didn't manage to take a good shot of them. Don't worry, I thought. Tomorrow at dawn I would go out again. 

And today morning they haven't settled at all. A couple of stone chats showed some activity nearby. And once the male settled in front of my hide:

Stone Chat (male)

I hope next time I will have better luck with the bee-eaters as well.

Mikepércs: Wild Flowers

Being short of free time, today morning I paid a visit only to the meadow near the village hunting mainly for wild flowers.

Here's the result:

White Campion

Dog Rose

Dog Rose

Musk Thistle

Musk Thistle

White Campion

Salsify

Salsify

Salsify

Salsify

Mikepércs: Egrets In The Rain

Despite of the cloudy weather I decided to visit the pond after all. First a few black-headed gulls landed on the water but they didn't stay long. Then two black-winged stilts arrived:

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Then the egrets appeared:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Meanwhile it got more and more overcast and sometimes started to rain:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

The egrets didn't do so intense hunting as they did last time, they spent more time with preening themselves:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

The rain got stronger and stronger, and it came from the front of me, so my window slowly was completely covered with raindrops. Then a couple of mallards appeared and came very close to my hide but making photos was no longer possible in these circumstances. However I was glad to see them getting accustomed to the hide.
But it was no reason to stay there in this cloudy and rainy weather so, as soon as the rain ceased and there were no birds nearby I went home.

Mikepércs: Great White Egrets or The Bogy of Tadpoles

I spent the whole morning at the pond today. I was in the hide very early struggling with the lighter and couldn't make it work. So I was unable to lit the lampion which I use against the moisture on the window in the hide. And didn't take the matches with me.
Suddenly I could hear the rustle of wings then a great white egret was standing in front of the hide. Well that's my luck, I thought. Fortunately the egret stayed there for long. Thanks to the breeze the bottom of the glass began to dry, so after a short time I could try with some shots. The first pictures however were a bit "humid":

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Then the glass started to clear up:

Great White Egret

The egret spent the time preening itself ...:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

... then walked on:

Great White Egret

Meanwhile two avocets arrived but they were far a bit and didn't stay long.
Then another egret came which was preening itself too for several minutes:

Great White Egret

After preening it showed it's beautiful feathers then walked on to find something to eat:

Great White Egret

Meanwhile other egrets arrived which moved around the hide, coming very close somtimes giving me the opportunity to make some portraits:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Meantime 3 mallards appeared, which must have been good friends as wherever they went they kept together. This is one of them:

Mallard (male)

One of the egrets meanwhile was scratching long:

Great White Egret

Mallard (male)

The mallards were seeking their food digging their heads into the water:

Mallard (male)

The morning bath:

Mallard (male)

It's still tingling ...:

Great White Egret

The egrets meantime would come and go, sometimes there were four of them nearby.

Great White Egret

Mallard (male)

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Then the tadpoles seemed to wake up because the egrets were catching them more and more frequently:

Great White Egret

Arrival ...:

Great White Egret

... then hunting:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Sometimes the mallards made some exercise:

Mallard (male)

Then an interesting scene took place: One of the egrets walked onto a dried area of the pond bed. The lapwing which was staying on that area disliked this move very much, took off at once and started a serious attack against the egret which defended itself with open beaks:

Great White Egret vs. Lapwing

In the end the egret gave up and left that area:

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Mallard (male)

The good friends:

Mallard (male)

And the combative lapwing:

Lapwing

After a while the egret started its way to the forbidden area again:

Great White Egret

The lapwing started another attack and the egret had to defend again:

Great White Egret

After a few attacking flights the lapwing was able to make the egret leave.
Soon the birds started to disappear from the pond so I left home with these nice experiences.