Waterbirds / Wasservögel
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If feeding conditions is good the capacious throat sac is used to engulf whole shoals of fish. This large waterbird is often found swimming in flocks in shallow lowland lakes and river deltas. Native to south-east Europe.
A number of waterbirds have odd shaped bills.The bills of the ibis and the curlew are long and downcurved, while that of the avocet is curved upwards.One of the oddest is that of the spoonbill.It’s the shape of the bill that has given the bird its name.This bill is widened at the tip, and is actually more spatula-shaped than spoon-shaped, because its tip is not dished.The birds feed with their sensitive bills open a few centimetres. They sweep them from side to side through shallow water in search of small aquatic creatures such as water beetles and small yabbies.The inside of the “spoon” is equipped with “vibration detectors”.
This special feature enables the birds to feel for their food rather than look for it.
Its BNG season again, as 3 birds summer plumage birds turned up at my local reservoir a few days ago. This however is an archive shot of one at Woolhampton GPs, Berks
Great White Egret - Ardea Alba
The great egret is generally a very successful species with a large and expanding range, occurring worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. It is ubiquitous across the Sun Belt of the United States and in the Neotropics. In North America, large numbers of great egrets were killed around the end of the 19th century so that their plumes could be used to decorate hats. Numbers have since recovered as a result of conservation measures. Its range has expanded as far north as southern Canada. However, in some parts of the southern United States, its numbers have declined due to habitat loss, particularly wetland degradation through drainage, grazing, clearing, burning, increased salinity, groundwater extraction and invasion by exotic plants. Nevertheless, the species adapts well to human habitation and can be readily seen near wetlands and bodies of water in urban and suburban areas.
The great egret is partially migratory, with northern hemisphere birds moving south from areas with colder winters. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
In 1953, the great egret in flight was chosen as the symbol of the National Audubon Society, which was formed in part to prevent the killing of birds for their feathers.
On 22 May 2012, a pair of great egrets was announced to be nesting in the UK for the first time at the Shapwick Heath nature reserve in Somerset. The species is a rare visitor to the UK and Ben Aviss of the BBC stated that the news could mean the UK's first great egret colony is established. The following week, Kevin Anderson of Natural England confirmed a great egret chick had hatched, making it a new breeding bird record for the UK. In 2017, seven nests in Somerset fledged 17 young, and a second breeding site was announced at Holkham National Nature Reserve in Norfolk where a pair fledged three young.
In 2018, a pair of great egrets nested in Finland for the first time, raising four young in a grey heron colony in Porvoo.
Black tailed Godwit - Limosa Limosa
Norfolk
These large wading birds are a Schedule 1 species. In summer, they have bright orangey-brown chests and bellies, but in winter they're more greyish-brown.
Their most distinctive features are their long beaks and legs, and the black and white stripes on their wings. Female black-tailed godwits are bigger and heavier than the males, with a noticeably longer beak (which helps the sexes to avoid competing for food with each other).
They're very similar to bar-tailed godwits, which breed in the Arctic. Black-tailed godwits have longer legs, and bar-tailed godwits don't have striped wings. As the names suggest, the tail patterns are different, too.
Black-tailed godwits are much more likely to be found on inland wetlands than the more coastal bar-tailed godwit. They migrate in flocks to western Europe, Africa, south Asia and Australia. Although this species occurs in Ireland and Great Britain all year-round, they are not the same birds. The breeding birds depart in autumn, but are replaced in winter by the larger Icelandic race. These birds occasionally appear in the Aleutian Islands and, rarely, on the Atlantic coast of North America.
There is an estimated global population of between 634,000 and 805,000 birds and estimated range of 7,180,000 square kilometres (2,770,000 sq mi). In 2006 BirdLife International classified this species as Near Threatened due to a decline in numbers of around 25% in the previous 15 years. It is also among the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
In Europe, black-tailed godwits are only hunted in France, with the annual total killed estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 birds. This puts additional pressure on the western European population, and the European Commission has a management plan in place for the species in its member states.
In England, black-tailed godwits were formerly much prized for the table. Sir Thomas Browne (1605–1682) said: "[Godwits] were accounted the daintiest dish in England and I think, for the bignesse, of the biggest price."
Population:
UK breeding:
54-57 pairs of the limosa 'Eurasian' subspecies, and 7-9 pairs of the islandica subspecies
UK wintering:
44,000 birds from the Icelandic population
UK passage:
12,400 birds
Europe:
99-140,000 pairs
Taken at Wolseley Nature Centre, Staffordshire
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The birds seem to have started their nesting early here in SE Florida. Wood Storks, which generally begin to arrive in their nesting area usually show up after the Great Blues and Great Egrets have chicks. This year, they are beginning to show up early. It will be interesting to observe how things unfold. Here's a shot from April of this year of a stork bringing in some nesting material.
"Touchdown!" - Sandhill Crane - I like that's it's an imperfect image that lends itself to look more like a painting then a photograph ❤
©R.C. Clark: Dancing Snake Nature Photography
All rights reserved - Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, New Mexico
*Peace*Love*Conservation
#canonphotography
Taken at Barton Marina, Staffordshire
Thank you to everyone who views, favs or comments on my photos, it is always appreciated.
The great crested grebe is a delightfully elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes which led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination from the UK. They dive to feed and also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land they are clumsy because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies. They have an elaborate courtship display in which they rise out of the water and shake their heads. Very young grebes often ride on their parents' backs. What they eat: Mainly fish (Courtesy RSPB).
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This species is one of the most widespread terns in all North America which is quite remarkable considering their numbers were almost wiped out entirely by hunters seeking feathers in the late 19th century. The protection they needed came in the form of the Migratory Bird Treaty in 1918 and their population increased steadily until human disturbance, habitat loss and pollution in recent decades has lead to their numbers receding again.
This migrant spends its winters in Central and South America and can be listed as a long distance migrator since one banded in Great Britain was recovered in Australia.
In the spring and fall they can be found patrolling the shorelines of lakes and rivers plunge diving for food.
This bird is shaking off the excess water from a dive while if flight.
The great crested grebe is a delightfully elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes which led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination from the UK. They dive to feed and also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land they are clumsy because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies. They have an elaborate courtship display in which they rise out of the water and shake their heads. Very young grebes often ride on their parents' backs. What they eat: Mainly fish (Courtesy RSPB).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
This fine feathered fellow stood on this rock preening his feathers for quite some time. This was taken at Catalina Cove on the northwest coast of Aruba. This cove has maybe the best from-shore snorkeling I've ever experienced; as soon as you get in the water you're surrounded by beautiful fish in the pristine water. The cove is quite rocky but most of the rocks are submerged and teeming with life. There are beautiful beaches just before and beyond the cove.
HORACIO PATRONE : NIKON D 500 LENS NIKKOR AF-S 300/4 D IF ED +TC 1.4, . fotografia Horacio Patrone..BUENOS AIRES...Argentina.toma en palermo LAGO DE REGATAS.CABA . www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/los-bosques-de-palermo
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The great crested grebe is a delightfully elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes which led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination from the UK. They dive to feed and also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land they are clumsy because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies. They have an elaborate courtship display in which they rise out of the water and shake their heads. Very young grebes often ride on their parents' backs. What they eat: Mainly fish (Courtesy RSPB).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. The genus name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, egret a diminutive of Aigron, heron. The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.
It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.
Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.
It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996
In warmer locations, most birds are permanent residents; northern populations, including many European birds, migrate to Africa and southern Asia to over-winter there. The birds may also wander north in late summer after the breeding season, and their tendency to disperse may have assisted in the recent expansion of the bird's range. At one time common in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in northwestern Europe and scarce in the south. Around 1950, conservation laws were introduced in southern Europe to protect the species and their numbers began to increase. By the beginning of the 21st century the bird was breeding again in France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Britain. It has also begun to colonise the New World; it was first seen in Barbados in 1954 and first bred there in 1994. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's global conservation status as being of least concern..
Redshank - Tringa Totanus
The common redshank is a widespread breeding bird across temperate Eurasia. It is a migratory species, wintering on coasts around the Mediterranean, on the Atlantic coast of Europe from Ireland and Great Britain southwards, and in South Asia. They are uncommon vagrants outside these areas.
They are wary and noisy birds which will alert everything else with their loud piping call. Like most waders, they feed on small invertebrates. Redshanks will nest in any wetland, from damp meadows to saltmarsh, often at high densities. They lay 3–5 eggs.
The common redshank is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
It is widely distributed and quite plentiful in some regions, and thus not considered a threatened species by the IUCN.
Great White Egret (Ardea alba) in a cold Spring afternoon at Shapwick Nature Reserve, Mendip, Somerset Levels, England.
Taken at Wolseley Nature Centre, Staffordshire
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