12 March, 2007

Atlas Work

Next year sees the start of the 3rd national breeding atlas project run by the British Trust for Ornithology. As a county, Bedfordshire are starting a year earlier. Familiar to many folk, the Blue Tit should be easy to mark down as a confirmed breeder.



Two Eurasian Treecreeper were very active chasing one another around old 'crack' Willows in the water meadow. Four 'adaptations' can be seen on this bird. A long, decurved bill to get food from bark crevices, long claws help negotiate the surfaces on the tree, a stiff tail used for support and balance, and camouflage - dark above for predator defence and pale beneath while looking for prey.



Typical this time of year- one female Mallard with an entourage of attending males.

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