Apperley Bridge

Posted: March 30, 2013 by tallbloke in Blog, Photography
Tags: ,

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A pleasant stroll in kinder weather. Happy Easter everybody.

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Comments
  1. tallbloke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Anyone know the bird species?

  2. tchannon says:
    March 30, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    eron

    ps. Need to count it’s toes.

  3. tchannon says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:07 pm

    Many years ago I was out somewhere with the missus and we came across a Grey Heron fishing in a stream. By luck there was cover so we got very close.

    The Heron took what we assume was a vole. Fine, the bulge slide down it’s neck but the surprise was the amount of noise made by the vole, still alive inside the Heron. There is no kill first with these animals which take live food. Presumably death is by asphyxiation or drowning.

  4. Roger Andrews says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    Unquestionably an Avis Brittanicus Giganticus Vulgaris

    Although my wife insists it’s a great blue heron.

  5. tchannon says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:31 pm

    First photo here on Bing

    Google Earth 53.836001°, -1.711266° and Streetview is around too.

  6. tallbloke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:31 pm

    Dinosaurs with feathers.

  7. tallbloke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    Roger A: Agree on the Heron, but the last pic has us beaten.

  8. tchannon says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    It has a “beard” Rog.
    A bearded Grey Heron

  9. Roger Andrews says:
    March 30, 2013 at 4:49 pm

    Could be another gbh?

  10. tallbloke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    Nah.

  11. Roger Andrews says:
    March 30, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    Wife says grey heron. Who am I to argue?

  12. Zeke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 6:00 pm

    Was the male blue heron kind of strolling around, looking at the other wader bird, commenting on the beautiful weather, and looking at her plumage with great admiration?

  13. tallbloke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    Roger A: First one is, last one, no.

    Zeke, waders leave that to the ducks. 😉

  14. graphicconception says:
    March 30, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    FWIW: Looking at pictures of blue and grey herons, I think Rog A’s wife may well be right.

  15. TG McCoy says:
    March 30, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Thanks, glad to see others are out and about on this Easter weekend. Wife and I plus Springer,
    (Canus Domesticus Dingbattii.) Took a stroll in the early morning for out at Ladd Marsh.
    Trumpeter Swans Ducks, Canadian Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and-Blue Herons. Also the
    eternally vigilant Redwing Blackbirds, Robins, Juncos, and Magpies.
    My Favorite is the Western Meadow Lark. Heard those also…
    Here is a bit on Ladd Marsh: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/ladd_marsh/index.asp
    Having the Dog we just walked along Foothill road-which is part of the Old Oregon Trail…
    A pleasant Easter to all…

  16. Zeke says:
    March 30, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    I thought it was a simple case of sexual dimorphism (:

  17. Newminster says:
    March 31, 2013 at 7:55 pm

    Last photo is a grey heron. The angle makes the beak look foreshortened and at a guess he’s not under any pressure or looking for food so the head is up and the neck at full stretch.
    Where that photo was taken (if it goes with the others) there’s nowt else it could be!

  18. tallbloke says:
    March 31, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    Thanks Newminster. I think Roger A’s wife must be right too in that case. Maybe the bright orange of the bill is false colour introduced by the camera. It was at max zoom in high contrast light.

  19. Fred Harwood says:
    March 31, 2013 at 8:22 pm

    Nice butty boats…

  20. Julian Flood says:
    April 5, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    Tallbloke,

    Yes, grey herons.

    Now, if you’ll indulge me…. Wandering along the canal on Google maps I find the water is always suspiciously smooth. It looks like oil/surfactant pollution to me. The layer needs to be only 2*10^-10 metres thick so the actual spill is negligible — i work on 5ml per hectare.

    Here’s an observation you can make: study the water surface in different wind conditions and watch for areas which ruffle in the wind and those that don’t. Judging from your pictures there will be few of the latter as the canal seems pretty well covered. There’s a sewage outfall in our local river at Thetford and the smooth goes miles downstream — it looks a lot like your pictures.

    JF
    Oh, yes. Enough oil and surfactant spills down the world’s rivers to smooth the entire ocean surface every four weeks.