Pond Life

Much of our free time recently has been spend near the Morava and Danube, which have backwaters and lakes very popular with a range of species. The kings are of course the storks: over the past week, we’ve seen the number of chicks on the nest go from six, to four, to two, and then:

Now the youngest one has also taken flight, and the family are exploring the world around them. They still come back to the nest for feeding time, which is more chaotic than ever:

There are also plenty of grey herons about–fishing, or just hanging:

Buzzards:

and black kites soar above the Danube:

Domestic bliss on a smaller scale was on view with the collared doves:

This miscellaneous little brown bird was not so relaxed when I turned up:

In the water, snakes wait for passing meals:

Above it, kingfishers tackle fish bigger than their heads:

Damselflies are still busy socialising:

But sometimes all you need is a long, cool drink: