The past couple of weeks

I haven't posted for a little while so thought I would put a post up about the past couple of weeks, with the weather being rubbish it hasn't be to great for photographs, A few photos here and there and a couple of visits to places having been called off due to the weather, its not brilliant but I'm not going to complain as there are people who are in a lot worse of a situation than just not getting pictures!
A walk around the lake brought the normal including the Resident Gooseander, a few Greylag's and lots of Swans, the woodlands are a little more quiet now than earlier in the year but Damselflys were aplenty and so to were Butterflies.
I found a Pochard with a few chicks but it seems Pochard numbers are down and so to are tufted ducks, the floating "Reedbed" has lifted on a corners due to the high water and a few dead carp lying about on the side of the edge also are a give away of the high water. I found a woodpecker in the church yard and skippers in the long-grass near-by.
A trip to Martin Mere also proved to be good as although there was little in the way of "wildlife" to photograph because of its distance from the hides there was plenty of captive birds and wildlife to photograph and watch.
While putting the dog outside the other night I saw a dark object under the feeder and on turning the light on found it was a Hedgehog wandering under the feeders, I rushed up stairs to get my camera and attaching the flash gun and luckily it had't moved far and was very happy for me to photograph it before it wandered away into the dark and although I haven't seen it, I know the wood mouse is ok as it has been eating the food and leaving tell-tale signs of it being around.
I would also like to announce that I have just found out that I have won the "Peoples choice" section and "Young Photographer" section for Washington in the WWT's photography competition and that I have also won the "Peoples choice" section for Caerlaverock too! So thanks to all those who voted for my pictures in the peoples choice section!

 Small Skipper

The "Hog"

Crane

Crane

Female Goldeneye

Asian short-clawed otter

Reflection

Why did the coot cross the road?