With the sun finally poking through the gray clouds, we grabbed the chance to take a walk down by the River Chet for the first time in an age. As we strolled between the reeded bank and boggy fields past cattle and ponies chewing the cud, we thought it would be fun to repeat our The Twelve Days of Christmas theme to pick out more calling birds. I know, we really ought to get a life. When we approached the bird sanctuary at Hardley Flood, Liam whipped out his handy Merlin app. Ironically, we get a stronger signal down by the waters.
oppo_32
" data-orig-size="3000,4000" data-id="36907" data-image-title="oppo_32" data-orig-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/liam-and-merlin.jpg" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"OPPO A72","caption":"oppo_32","created_timestamp":"1716128585","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.71","iso":"103","shutter_speed":"0.00019809825673534","title":"oppo_32","orientation":"1","latitude":"52.536738888889","longitude":"1.4852055555556"}" width="768" data-medium-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/liam-and-merlin.jpg?w=225" data-permalink="https://perkingthepansies.com/2024/05/25/seven-swans-a-swimming/oppo_32-5/" alt="" height="1024" class="wp-image-36907" data-large-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/liam-and-merlin.jpg?w=700" />Liam and Merlinoppo_0
" data-orig-size="2607,1299" data-id="36906" data-image-title="oppo_0" data-orig-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cattle-grazing.jpg" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"Picasa","camera":"OPPO A72","caption":"oppo_0","created_timestamp":"1716127697","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.71","iso":"101","shutter_speed":"0.00031279324366594","title":"oppo_0","orientation":"0"}" width="1024" data-medium-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cattle-grazing.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://perkingthepansies.com/2024/05/25/seven-swans-a-swimming/oppo_0-4/" alt="" height="510" class="wp-image-36906" data-large-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cattle-grazing.jpg?w=700" />Cows A-grazingoppo_0
" data-orig-size="4000,3000" data-id="36910" data-image-title="oppo_0" data-orig-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/grazing-pony.jpg" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"OPPO A72","caption":"oppo_0","created_timestamp":"1716130397","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.71","iso":"101","shutter_speed":"0.00033366700033367","title":"oppo_0","orientation":"1","latitude":"52.536738888889","longitude":"1.4852055555556"}" width="1024" data-medium-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/grazing-pony.jpg?w=300" data-permalink="https://perkingthepansies.com/2024/05/25/seven-swans-a-swimming/oppo_0-5/" alt="" height="768" class="wp-image-36910" data-large-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/grazing-pony.jpg?w=700" />Pony A-chewingoppo_32
" data-image-title="oppo_32" data-orig-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/boggy-fields.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"OPPO A72","caption":"oppo_32","created_timestamp":"1716127978","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.71","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.00035448422545197","title":"oppo_32","orientation":"1","latitude":"52.536738888889","longitude":"1.4852055555556"}" width="768" data-medium-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/boggy-fields.jpg?w=225" loading="lazy" data-permalink="https://perkingthepansies.com/2024/05/25/seven-swans-a-swimming/oppo_32-16/" alt="" height="1024" class="wp-image-36908" data-large-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/boggy-fields.jpg?w=700" />Wet Fieldsoppo_32
" data-image-title="oppo_32" data-orig-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hardley-flood.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"OPPO A72","caption":"oppo_32","created_timestamp":"1716129563","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.71","iso":"101","shutter_speed":"0.00032320620555915","title":"oppo_32","orientation":"1","latitude":"52.536738888889","longitude":"1.4852055555556"}" width="768" data-medium-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hardley-flood.jpg?w=225" loading="lazy" data-permalink="https://perkingthepansies.com/2024/05/25/seven-swans-a-swimming/oppo_32-20/" alt="" height="1024" class="wp-image-36909" data-large-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hardley-flood.jpg?w=700" />Hardley FloodAnd, yes, smart-arse Merlin identified a few more birdies. I give you an oystercatcher, robin, greenfinch and warblers, sedge and cetti. And then there was the magnificent kestrel stalking its mousey prey from above.
Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) flying in a blue sky in springtime in the Netherlands
" data-image-title="Eurasian,Oystercatcher,(haematopus,Ostralegus),Flying,In,A,Blue,Sky,In" data-orig-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/oystercatcher.jpg" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"Shutterstock","camera":"","caption":"Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) flying in a blue sky in springtime in the Netherlands","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"Copyright (c) 2020 Henk Bogaard\/Shutterstock. No use without permission.","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"Eurasian,Oystercatcher,(haematopus,Ostralegus),Flying,In,A,Blue,Sky,In","orientation":"1"}" width="1024" data-medium-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/oystercatcher.jpg?w=300" loading="lazy" data-permalink="https://perkingthepansies.com/2024/05/25/seven-swans-a-swimming/eurasianoystercatcherhaematopusostralegusflyinginablueskyin/" alt="" height="682" class="wp-image-36917" data-large-file="https://perkingthepansies.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/oystercatcher.jpg?w=700" />OystercatcherOk, we didn’t get seven swans a-swimming, but I think a regal pair, flirting in the murky waters churned up by passing pleasure boats, is good enough for anyone.