Saturday 25 April 2015

SATURDAY CRITTERS - Birds at Mount Stewart Gardens

I didn’t intend to bird watch at Mount Stewart however when I heard there was a white unusual bird around I just had to go and find it.  In the process I found other birds in the woods before finding the Leucistic Chaffinch.  After that I walked round the lake and am showing you the birds I found on the water finishing with the Mute Swans nesting and I have included the video again at the end of this post for those who did not see it on Tuesday.


Mural of Pale bellied Brent at the entrance to 
Mount Stewart House and Gardens.


Blue Tit


Great Tit


Chaffinch


Pheasant


Leucistic Chaffinch.  
CLICK HERE for more photographs of this bird.

It is not absolutely pure white that is why it is not an Albino Chaffinch.  


Raven



Mallard



Moorhen


Little Grebe


White Deer Statue


Mute Swan with Tufted Duck


Tufted Duck with Black headed Gull



Gadwall


CLICK HERE if the video does not appear.



I am linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the birds I found at Mount Stewart.

Thanks you for visiting and also to those who leave comments.

48 comments:

  1. A smashing array of birds here Margaret. The Mallard and Coot shots with the reflections are super. That Chaffinch is so unusual. Glad you shared it again.

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    1. Hi Adam Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  2. Yay! Your post reminded me I shall soon see blue tits again! Good idea to repost the swan video, I loved it earlier in the week!
    Wren x

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    1. Hi WW Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  3. How nice to see these beautiful birds ! This Chaffinch is so gorgeous !!
    Margaret, as always your shots are excellent !!
    Have a nice weekend !

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    1. HI Ela Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  4. Hello Margaret, what a great variety of birds. The Chaffinch and the Pheasant are gorgeous birds. But, they are all awesome...Love the pretty mural too..Thank you so much for linking up, have a happy weekend!

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  5. Lovely selection Margaret, especially that Chaffinch.
    Enjoyed the video too

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    1. HI Keith I was glad I found the white bird. Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  6. Hi Margaret,
    Beautiful pictures as always.
    I love the mural, and the Mute Swans video.
    Have a nice weekend.

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    1. HI Irma Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  7. What a dream you had around you. Beauty Margaret.

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    1. Hi Bob Yes I agree with you. Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  8. Beautiful birds and the variety is mind blowing.

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    1. Hi Rajesh Many thanks for your visit and .comment. Have a lovely weekend.

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  9. A real treat to look at all these super photos and The mural is very pretty. Thanks Margaret!

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    1. Hi Denise Glad you liked the mural. It fills a whole wall of a building. Thanks for visit and comment. Have a great weekend.

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  10. Oh Margaret, what amazing shots! You captured some beautiful birds, each one so unique! Great post!

    Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy Glad you liked the birds. Thanks for visit and comment. Have a great weekend.

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  11. Beautiful ring neck. So plentiful as a child; so rare now.

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    1. Hi Gayla we do not hae Ring necked ducks here in Northern Ireland but thanks for visit and comment. Have a great weekend.

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  12. I really do like that lecustic Chaffinch, a real charmer. I saw on the BTO website (they're very keen to hear reports on lecustic birds) a lecustic Bullfinch

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    1. Hi Douglas Yes I sent it over to the BTO. A great find for me. Thanks for visit and comment. Have a great weekend.

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  13. Wow, what a productive visit you had. There were so many pretty birds to see and you have some great photos here! I saw a gadwall pair this week at our refuge and then read it is a bit rare to see in this area. I hope you have a great weekend.

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  14. Hi Margaret,
    Did you let the birds know that you were coming? :)
    What a lovely collection of birds.

    Have a Beautiful Day!
    Peace :)

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  15. Such tremendously beautiful critters and nature to enjoy. You are lucky and so are we that you can share these with us.

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  16. Wonderful shots. I thought at first the Chaffinch was our Chickadee. so similar.
    MB

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  17. What a wonderful selection of interesting birds at Mount Stewart Gardens and especially the Leucistic Chaffinch. Simply beautiful. I have to say you are so lucky to film the nesting behaviour of the Mute Swans. We had a pair on a little lake at the Rehab Facility where we worked with Raptors. They were under our care and it took three of us to feed them because he was so protective. We had to take big push brooms and two of us would hold him back while the other quickly put food in the feeder. I am guessing your swan's quick arrival at the nest was because you were there ... because he surely was in a hurry to get there. Wonderful, wonderful, Margaret ...

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  18. i love BOTH chaffinches! gorgeous!

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  19. Great post! Love the pheasant and the leucestic (sp?) chaffinch and that sweet swan! Saw that white stag and my heart stopped for half a second...thought you;'d really hit the motherlode of rare things! :-) Nope, just a statue. :-0

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  20. THat would have been an amazing bird day and beautiful walk even without the rare finch! What a day of miracles. Thanks for sharing it.

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  21. Wonderful set of birds, and I thought that white deer was real until I got to your description!
    ~

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  22. Really nice post, Margaret. LOVED the video too!

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  23. that is a great find Margaret, lovely images


    peter

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  24. Beautiful colorful (and colorless) birds. I like that mural.

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  25. Great photos! I really liked them all but the last one with the swan was really beutiful!

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  26. I love the beautiful mural. And all the birds, especially the pheasant. But the star of this post for me is the awesome bee and flower!!

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  27. What a great variety of birds, and a wonderful mural.

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  28. These are absolutely wonderful!

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  29. Your birds are beautiful and I love the mosaic! That white deer gave me a start though!

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  30. Wonderful selection of birds. I love the tits and the swans. I enjoyed the video as well. Enjoy your Sunday, Margaret!

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  31. beautiful bird art in the first image. Then a lot of natures "bird arts" that is also equally beautifull. :)

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  32. All your birds are wonderful, and the mural is very well done. I like the purple swirl you captured on the Mallard's head, and his curly tail feathers particularly.

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  33. Beautiful birds. I continue to be amazed by the various colours!

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  34. a great collection!! i had a pheasant that visited my yard for about 3 winters, then never returned. they are so beautiful!!!

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  35. Dearest Margaret; Wow, Great post of critters starting with the wonderful Mural! For me as always the swan reminds me the ones we lost at our city park. Beautiful picture of Mute Swan with Tufted Duckand and I enjoyed the video♡♡♡ So sorry for my belated comment.
    Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*

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