The Best Car Park in the World

19th August 2014

I have always had some good photography days at Fowlmere at this time of the year as there are normally plenty of young birds about and, in most places, the trees and the vegetation are not too high. In fact, as soon as we stepped out of the car in the car park, the whole place was buzzing.

The Fowlmere car park is flanked to the east by open fields but on the west, the reserve side, there is a rather dense hedge of Hawthorn, Elder and Bramble which has the advantage from a photographic perspective of being very close to the car park and not too high. The first bird to put its head above the parapet was a rather noisy Wren which, quite characteristically, although very local was not all that keen on showing itself in the open.

There were also a number of Chiffies about but they were either very fleeting or shy. The only exception was this particular individual which chose to sunbath deep in a hole in a hawthorn bush

A male Blackcap was a little more adventurous and at least showed itself in the open, rather obligingly to an accompaniment of colourful berries. Why can't all birds be this artistic?

But the star of the show today was this adult Dunnock which, despite being in full moult, decided to sun-bathe in a rather conspicuous position. This is rather unusual as when in moult they normally become very skulking.

We did eventually walk round the reserve, but all the action was in the car park!!