Mikepércs: Avocets

It was so cold yesterday morning that few birds came to the pond for they had no chance to find anything on the frozen shore. A few yellow wagtails, pipits and common reed buntings landed on a distant bank, but they didn't came close enough. So I couldn't take any decent shots.
Today I give another try. I expected cloudy, and I don't start early. However there are few clouds on the sky. Unlike yesterday, there are many birds on the water and on the banks. On my appearance they leave the place, and some time is needed for them to return. So I miss the best lights. There are many avocets, black winged stilts, a few redshanks and ruffs. But I can see little ringed plovers as well.
A yellow wagtail is searching among the green plants:

Yellow Wagtail (male)

The pond is getting lively: the avocets spring at each other regularly, the redshanks and the ruffs chase each other now and then. Periodically a few avocets turn at each other chattering as if they discussed an important issue, ...:

Avocets

... then they spring at each other crying before retire. This repeats many times.

There's little water left in front of my hide:

Avocet

Avocets

I observed redshanks, avocets and stilts mating today. Unfortunately they were quite far from me, this couple of stilts were the closest:

Black-winged Stilts

The avocets' mating procedure is similar to the stilt's: the female gets stiffen stretching her neck forward, then the male starts preening himself close to her. He's fumbling in his plummage with his beak, then after 1-2 minutes this activity gets more and more intense, then he jumps on the female's back, ...:

Avocets

... does his job and springs down before the couple stays close to each other intimately for a few seconds.

Lapwings are coming too:

Lapwing

Avocet

Suddenly one of the avocets is walking to the shore just near a nice plant, ...:

Avocet

... it's stretching, ...:

Avocet

... then it walks back to the water.
Soon a redshank arrives at the same place:

Redshank

The avocets are chasing each other all morning:

Avocets

Avocets

Slowly so many birds have gathered that there's a white or brown spot in the background on each image. The strong sunshine isn't doing the things for my favour either, so I leave.

Mikepércs: Teals

I started to the pond enthusiastically at dawn, hoping the ducks and the redshanks would appear again. In front of the hide the green plants are growing, so I was hoping in some nice composition.

Being overcast, there's no reason pushing the shutter button, so I'm just watching the events outside, the redshanks, the stilts and the ducks. Slowly the lights are getting stronger and a redshank gets really close to my hide:

Redshank

Then teals are landing nearby and slowly approaching. A couple gets so close that I had to zoom out so that they can fit in the frame. Unfortunately it's quite windy so the background is given by the sky's greyness because of the waves:

Teal (male)

Meanwhile the female is walking to the shore, ...:

Teal (female)

... then searching in the shallow water:

Teal (female)

The teals soon get away, but a grey heron is landing. It's a bit far from me, it starts hunting, but nothing is getting into it's beak except of a few twigs. So it flies off soon.
A little farther the redshanks' nuptial events are taking place, then a couple of shovelers are approaching. Suddenly I notice they are mating! The female almost disappears under the water with the male on her back. Unfortunately they are not close enough, and on top of that showing their bottom to me, so it's impossible to take decent shots of the event.
Soon the sunshine is getting too strong, so I decide to leave.

Mikepércs: At The Pond

Spring has come. The birds have dropped away recently at the feeder, so I wasn't able to photograph them. However I could take my hide to the pond, where I discovered teals, shovelers, garganeys and mallards previously. Unfortunately the coots and the little grebes disappeared, surely for the low water level. But until there is any water in the pond, it must be a nice place.

It's not completely dark when I get to the pond this morning, so my arrival make all the birds fly off. Then after I get into the hide the birds start to come back. First the redshanks land to a distant bank, but they soon come closer and get within shooting distance:

Redshank

The night has been really cold, even a thin layer of ice has developed on the shallow water, which broke when a redshank landed on it, so the bird had to make some jumps not to sink:

Redshank

Green sandpipers get closer too:

Green Sandpiper

Then little ringed plovers appear, this brown-white little bird looks nice among the fresh green plants:

Little Ringed Plover

Meanwhile the ducks are coming as well, first a couple of mallards arrive on a distant bank then a flock of garganeys are flying above the pond and after a short time they land on the water farther on. But they are closing! That's great! They seem to be coming to the shore:

Garganeys

Some of them are spending a few minutes on the bank:

Garganey (male)

But they don't stay long, soon they are back on water:

Garganey (male)

As the sunshine is getting stronger, the light conditions are getting worse, so I finish my photography for today.

Mikepércs: Sparrow Fighting

I expected some action today and I hoped that the hawfinches would bring some more interesting scenes in today's photography.

The first worthwhile photo is taken of a sparrow hawk:

Sparrow Hawk

It doesn't stay long on the mossy trunk, but it comes closer and lands on the side of the pool:

Sparrow Hawk

It soon flies away, so the tits and the sparrows return:

Great Tit and Tree Sparrow

The sparrows keep on fighting:

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

They even trample on each other's neck:

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Then a woodpecker appears sending off the sparrows:

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)

But the woodpecker has come for one seed only, so when it leaves, the sparrows return at once:

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

The landing woodpecker expels every bird again for a few seconds:

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

The sparrows are tearing, kicking each other:

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

It's easy to knock over the smaller tit:

Blue Tit and Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrows

Although the hawfinches haven't come today, the sparrows have made a lot of interesting scenes.

Mikepércs: Actions Again

I expected actions again for today as it looked like there would be enough light for it.

Early in the morning everything was hoary a bit, but the lights were good already:

Great Tit

The tits start the scenes at once:

Great Tits

It's nice to see the greenfinches coming:

Greenfinch (male)

Greenfinch (male)

The great spotted woodpeckers don't hold off either:

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)

Then I can hear hawfinches nearby, soon a male appears expelling the feeding sparrows:

Hawfinch and Tree Sparrow

Hawfinch and Tree Sparrow

Then a female is landing as well:

Hawfinch (female)

Hawfinch (male)

The hawfinches don't tolerate the sparrows beside them:

Hawfinch and Tree Sparrow

Hawfinch and Tree Sparrow

One of the sparrows is not frightened at once by the bigger bird, ...:

Hawfinch and Tree Sparrow

... and it flyes away only when the conflict is getting serious:

Hawfinch and Tree Sparrow

The woodpeckers expel the other birds as well when they land to feed:

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)

The sparrows are tearing each other a bit:

Tree Sparrows

Great Spotted Woodpecker (female)

Scratching:

Tree Sparrow

The sparrows produce most of the scenes:

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows

Tits are just threatening each other, usually their conflict doesn't get serious:

Great Tits

Great Tits

Great Tits

Tree Sparrows

Some tits are not frightened at once by a common sparrow:

Tree Sparrow and Great Tit

Tree Sparrow and Great Tit

Tree Sparrows

The bird which gets too close to the dominant sparrow has to take care of itself:

Tree Sparrow and Blue Tit

Tree Sparrow and Great Tit

Searching everywhere:

Blue Tits

The sailer:

Tree Sparrows

The conflicts are going on:

Tree Sparrows

I manage to catch a few birds while starting:

Tree Sparrow

Great Spotted Woodpecker (male)

Great Tit

Around noontime the sun is shining heavily, so I decide to pack and leave, of course satisfied with the results.