Thursday, September 26, 2013
Taplow and Dorney
Greger pointed out to me a long-legged spider which seemed to be in the act of trussing up what looks like a bush cricket (after research, possibly an oak bush cricket) just under the guttering above his office window - not necessarily to his great delight.
Down at the flood early evening, the ruff was feeding incessantly as usual, sometimes in the grass among the geese.
I'm not sure what it's trying to accomplish in this picture; but then I'm not sure what I was trying to accomplish, either.
The lapwings went up at one point, but the ruff wasn't having any. It dropped into a crouch instead and froze with its head just showing above the mud. Long before the lapwings returned it had stood up and continued feeding, having saved itself the effort of taking off and flying around. Perhaps it's learnt that the lapwings tend to be rather hysterical birds that will go up at the drop of a hat.
Ten or eleven waders came zooming over my head and down onto the flood; more bright snipe to add to those already foraging there. A kingfisher flashed past, two grey wagtails were vocal and active, a common sandpiper was at the weir, and at least seven yellow wagtails were with the cattle.
// posted by Christine @ 12:18 PM 
