The fields adjacent to my parent's house in Istead Rise have become overrun with Red Legged Partridges. These quirky, shy birds are a joy to watch, groups run round with heads aloft checking for danger, before the alarm is sounded and twenty individuals that you hadn't even noticed flutter off into the air. Getting close enough to get decent shots of these guys is a hell of a challenge, especially in such open terrain, perhaps I'll try really early one morning when I may have the element of surprise.
The Stonechats are well and truly taking over down at Swanscombe, and should soon be joined by a host of other species. Although present all year round, Winter sees an influx from elsewhere and they really seem to be one of the dominant and most readily spotted small birds (not including the obvious stuff like Robins and Tits) at a lot of my local areas.
As the trees start to lose their foliage, and once dense woodlands get a lot more barren I'm able to pick out a lot more of the birds flitting about. I was quite happy with this pretty Great Spotted Woodpecker, who happily sat right by me, it's just a shame it was such a miserable day and the photos came out so poorly!
This time of year always gives me false hope that I might just manage to catch one more snake before they settle away for the winter, and sure enough my efforts have been in vain so far. A recent visit to Riverside gave me zero reptiles for the first time this year, and whilst I'll no doubt try again before the temperatures really drop, it's probably time to accept that's it for the season and that they'll be back next spring, and that it's time to focus on the wintering bird life. It has been a great summer for finding them, and I think the Slow Worm pictured is gonna be my last record for the year.
Until the next one!
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