On January 7th and 8th Members of the RPS Nature Group visited Summer Leys and Stanwick Lakes in Northamptonshire. Saturday was a cool, grey and sometimes wet day so photography was difficult working at high ISOs. There were plenty of subjects on which to practise our skills including an obliging Great Egret (Dave Belton) and a Grey Heron (Ann Miles) which kept us amused as it repeatedly shook out its feathers.
As usual we spent a long while at the bird feeding area as it has a very wide range of species including Greenfinches (Dave Belton), Bullfinches (Ann Miles) and Reed Buntings (John Kirkelionis). John Kirkelionis even managed to get a good image of the local rarity a Yellow-browed Warbler (above).
There has been a lot of rain in the area over the past week resulting in high water levels in the Lakes at both reserves but especially for our visit to Stanwick on Sunday. The lack of grazing at the edges of the lakes and river has caused a lot of water birds to move out of the area. Again the feeding area produced some good opportunities including Muntjac deer.
For more events to attend go to Nature (rps.org)
(Blue tit in Flight, Ann Miles and Long-tailed Tit, John Kirkelionis)
(Young muntjac and Robin by Brian Vollar)
(Mother and Young Muntjac by Duncan Locke)
