Shropshire Birder

Priorslee lake - Iceland DUO !!!

2012-02-09T23:21:00.011Z

I'd hoped for one but ended up with TWO Iceland Gulls at lunchtime today :-) :-) Here's the sequence of events....

A lucky break, finding the 1st Winter Iceland Gull within seconds of arrival......

A better angle with less other Gulls in the way!

Eventually a wingflap and off it flew......

A fly past!

As it proceeded to spend time in the water......

After watching it more distantly on the water, I can't remember who 'called it' but suddenly there was a second bird on the water!

Wow, angelic or what - a 'ghostly white' 2nd Winter Iceland Gull.....

Brief flaps and flight onto the ice

Preening on the ice.....

Where it was till present as I made my way back to work - a lucky break or what!

Priorslee Lake - Glaucous Gull again!

2012-02-08T23:12:00.005Z

I was hoping for the Iceland Gull which had turned up early afternoon.....

A quick dash to the lake got me a white winger but alas it was (only) the 1st Winter Glaucous Gull! It was only present a few minutes but provided some different angles and action to the other day.....

Posing on the ice.....

The wash and wingflap - facing me today!!

Still showing amongst the frenzy of mass take off!

the quick exit....

Iceland tomorrow then?

Highley - Waxwings!

2012-02-06T23:00:00.005Z

Whilst gulls have been the order of birding for the past couple of
weeks, I needed a bit of Winter colour? This was hopefully going to be
provided by the six Waxwings reported in Highley the previous evening. I
was only going to have 30 mins or so on site and arrived in pretty
dismal conditions - white sky, mist and drizzle!

The Waxies were nowhere to be seen either and after a wasted walk
towards the town (where they had just been seen!) I staked out the berry
laden bushes adjacent to the main road. A few minutes later, their characteristic trilling announced arrival overhead followed by a
sort of 'red arrows' display!

Just a matter then of trying to coax a record shot or two out of the
conditions?

White sky is the worst possible backdrop....

A little better amongst thye tangled branches of the berry trees..

Swalling berries....

Using that tongue to manipulate the berry.....

Down the hatch...

Record shots or not, nice to see them and the only opportunity Shropshire has had all winter!

Priorslee lake - Glaucous Gull

2012-02-05T23:00:00.008Z

A trip to Ireland for a couple of days (non-birding!) meant that I
missed the BIG Saturday Gull fest at Priorslee Lake. The short drive up
the M54 just had to be done to see whether Sunday could produce
something of note?

Arriving at 10.30, I was still on my own 90 mins later with less than 50
or so gulls present and prospects not looking good. At that moment, a
big influx drifted in from the tip and there was no mistaking the pale
buff features of a juv white winger in the first wave - the
1st Winter Glaucous Gull no less!

Even better, with the lake 90% frozen, the only water for the Gulls to
bathe in was a circular patch barely 50m offshore making for pretty
decent viewing!

A good few minutes of bathing to start with.....

Plus the obligatory wing flaps as it hopped onto the ice, always facing away sadly!

having a drink, before preening and then just loafing around.....

Comparison with other juvenile gulls

Eventually after two missed attempts, (when it flew off directly away
from me) a flight shot ......

There was no sign of the Ring-billed hybrid or Caspian Gull today but
there was a smart adult Yellow-legged Gull hanging about. I never saw
the remains but somewhere on site, a Coot was being dismembered and the
Yellow-legged got the drumstick!

More flight action

Priorslee lake - Caspian Gull

2012-01-31T18:27:00.002Z

I finally caught up with the adult Caspian Gull today during a brief lunchtime visit. Shame the Glauc didn't put in an appearance too!

Never close, it was announcing it's presence on the water as Caspian Gulls do...

A wingflap or serious preen would do nicely to confirm and even better, I got flight!

That will do nicely.....

Stubbers Green - Iceland Gull

2012-01-29T08:12:00.009Z

Remember what I said...... always go back (within reason). I did, at least for the morning and luckily for me - so did the 3rd Winter Iceland Gull! A totally different overcast day, better suited for Gulls but I never had the Iceland that close. Oh well, at least it didn't depart straight away today.......

First of all, on terra firma. More record shots I'm afraid!

Before taking to the water....

A few wingflaps here and there!

Best of the bunch.....

Before flying off.....

No Caspian today but I shall be taking in Priorslee lake on occasions....

Stubbers Green - Caspian and Ice

2012-01-28T20:51:00.008Z

With annual leave all gone, I'm having to fit my intended sessions into the weekend and this was to be my last full one for quite some time! Sensing I wouldn't get there again this Winter, I opted for Stubber's Green and some Gull action?

I got the intended Gull I was after too, within 45 minutes of arrival when (all too briefly) this subadult Iceland Gull dropped in - looks to be a 3rd Winter bird with some faint brown patterning clearly still present in the coverts.

A quick wash, wingflap amd then gone....

I walked down the pool to check whether it had truly left the site and on my return, was greeted by an adult Caspian Gull!

Just this single bird in today and it lingered most of the day

Showing off it's primary finery.....

Despite shooting into the afternoon sunlight, the typical primary tip pattern showing well here with black extending to P5 and the 'tongues' - black strikingly concentrated on the outer webs

With no les than 7 species of Gull on show, Stubbers has to be one of the best locations and these two Gulls were the stars of the show!

Hampshire - double act

2012-01-21T19:09:00.011Z

Two lifers lurking in Hampshire meant a long journey beckoned and with Rob Stokes up for a couple of 'megas' we hit the road first thing......

The New forest and Hawkhill Inclosure was the first destination and the the Dark-eyed Junco. We arrived at 9.15 and had a nervy 45 minutues of 'no show' until it finally revealed itself! Not exactly posing though but I'm never worried about feather detail where lifers are concerned - seeing the bird is all that matters!

It was found amongst an uprooted conifer about 50m away (middle right of the image below) as we all kept to the track!

Eventually it relocated to the area it usually favours and was immediately tossing leaves to one side as it searched for seed, I presume the locals have been seeding this area?

Strictly record shots but we were all getting decent views now!

A brief and reasonably close view on a stump was the best we got before it promptly flew off! Rob and I gave it at least an hour of staking out - hoping it would return? It didn't :-(

Next up was the headlining Spanish Sparrow and this was an absolute nightmare! The police 'no parking' cones were still present in force and there were only 20 or so birders on site and no Sparrow! After watching hedges and House Sparrows for 30 minutes or so, we were tempted by the door of number 41. The occupants have been allowing a steady stream of birders to view their feeders since the news was put out. The bird regularly shows here.....So, shoes off, in we went!

Another 30 minutes or so passed.... This was beginning to take on a dippy feel until the call went up - it's in the garden round the corner!

Shoes on...... run, run, run..... Taking in the new surroundings.....

Thank goodness I keep myself fit, next challenge was to find it amongst the hordes of House Sparrows! It had flown out of the garden before we arrived but soon (briefly) returned and 'phew' - here's the record shot of it's return!

It then flew deep into the nearby hedge next and after another 30 mins slowly edged into view. Now I was getting good views, this was one seriously smart Sparrow!! The pristine white cheeks with contrasting black breast/flanks and chestnut brown crown were something to behold! Sadly there was always a leaf or two in the way!

See what I mean, one very smart Sparrow!

Too much time had been wasted to get over to the Ring-billed Gull at Gosport so we stuck it out, hoping for better views? The result, fleeting pre-roost glimpses in a hedge....

Before it flew off to roost (and that was the last we saw of it!)

Never mind, two lifers and the 330's are looming soon?

Always go back! - Shorties once more

2012-01-15T23:26:00.009Z

It doesn't necessarily pay off to return to the scene of a good day's birding but I took the chance an even better display would be on the cards today! I'd decided to try a change of tactic by sitting in the car away from the main gallery and hoping for a 'fly past'?

Four hours later at 3.30, it had been a complete no show and whilst nearly nodding off, I was beginning to question the decision.....

Then, at 3.40, one Shortie got up and started to hunt. It wasn't long before it was looming larger in the viewfinder (a few cropped images on the closer images).

Ever nearer......

Eyes gleaming in the warm glow of the setting sun!

Eventually it was quartering right in front of me, I missed a lot (it was not easy from the car to keep up with such a fast manoeuvreable subject with a 500mm lens!)

I'll settle for these though?

What a moment :-)

Finally, moving into the direction of the light as the sun set....

Good night!

Tally Ho - Shorties hunting

2012-01-14T21:29:00.014Z

I've had a couple of weekends kick starting the Shropshire yearlist, I needed a change of scenery and I was long overdue a productive image session! Luckily, a cold but blue sky weekend was forecast and I'd long been waiting to travel to Northants and one of the productive Short-eared Owl sites... I was to wait no longer

Arriving at 11.00, one Owl was obligingly sat preening about 50m distant in the tussocky grass......

Other opportunities for ground shots, came later as they paused during hunting

This was a day for flight photography though and whilst they never came 'frame filling' close, there was plenty of opportunity for 'Short-eared Owls in the natural landscape' :-).....

First flight involved a bit of soaring and swooping to dry off the wings

Thenh it was every Vole for 'imself!

Here they come.....

The abrupt dive for prey......

More general landscape shots.....

Closer passes.....

Nearly gotcha?

It all came to a rather abrupt end, when one charming hooray huntsman, part of a hunt which had been tally ho-ing around the general area took it upon himself to wish the assembled gallery 'Good arfffternoon' shortly before he galloped about - duly flushing half a dozen Shorties (most of which were not seen again)

At least the dogs behaved (keeping to the edge of the field!) and the younger riders were considerate too - a tad late though!

Do you know what? I might be back here soon, more unfinished business!

Black Hill - Blue Sky - Great Grey Shrike

2012-01-08T17:01:00.014Z

A colourful introduction to a much more pleasant stroll on Black Hill than yesterday - in warm afternoon sunshine! The weather helped but what made it even more pleasant was the unmistakable sight of a Shrike as I arrived at the clearfell, some 150m distant (A sight for sore eyes, no matter how far away). A record shot followed – Great Grey Shrike!

There is only one way to watch/capture a bird like this – sit tight, watch what it's doing and wait! All good things will come and whilst I was never in with a chance of feather detail, I’ll settle for these as it came probably as close as it was comfortable with!

The first shots were reminiscent of another local, much twitched bird!

Before I settled down and waited, eventually it used the telegraph posts I hoped it would?

The closest encounter...

In case you were wondering what it was finding for food, there seemed to a few less Queen wasps hereabouts!

At least that saves me having to give Burrow Hill fort a going over!

Longmynd etc - Grouse shoot

2012-01-07T17:00:00.013Z

New Year, new yearlist and this is a great motivator - I planned to catch up with a few new birds travelling South today. Dipper was to remain absent though as the Longnor birds didn’t show – the brook is still running quite high though.
I accessed the Longmynd via High park and once over the cattle grid I could see a flock of Golden Plover in flight over the ridge. Ten of them flew over the car twice but they didn’t settle.

The Darnford Brook walk near Bridges was another opportunity to dip Dipper but plenty of woodland bird activity here. Highlight was a flock of 20+ Brambling which I vainly tried to photograph high up in the treetops. I ended up with a collection of ‘what bird is this’ shots, some unusual angles and let’s face it, the arse end of a bird isn’t there most attractive feature! A Tit flock with nothing exciting, Treecreeper and Nuthatch plus Sparrowhawk over. Here's the most Brambling like Brambling image!

The Longmynd produced (probably) the photo opportunity of the month never mind the day! Cruising over the top, not far from Pole Cott, a pair of Red Grouse in the roadside Heather! They stuck too, the only problem being the need for a shorter lens! Most of these are frame fillers and a moment which has taken years to happen!

The normal view to start

Mrs Grouse then strode into full view....

Followed by her Lord and Master who flew in, strutting his stuff on the roadside.....

Before retreating to cover, yet still managing to look good!

I reckon he looked just as good in the bracken!

Black Hill was my next destination to see if the Great Grey Shrike was still about, it hadn’t been reported for quite a while though? A roadside stop ‘West of Craven Arms’ for a ‘large raptor’ in a tree, some 100m+ distant, provided a double year tick. As I wound down the window however, all I could hear was a Peregrine calling like crazy!

BUT I hadn’t seen this bird, the larger raptor was a Red Kite and it was sat there looking on with envy at the Peregrine which (record shots reveal) was clutching a kill!

What happened next took me completely by surprise, The Red Kite took off and launched into two or three ‘close passes’ as if it was trying to get the Peregrine to drop the kill. The Peregrine eventually shot off at such a rate of knots that it may well have dropped the kill? Whilst following the Peregrine, the Red Kite seemed to dematerialise and I never saw it again.

An interesting bit of activity nonetheless and the very dodgy record shots against white sky revealed that the red Kite was a tagged bird. Left wing white X on black with white bar, right wing Black X on white, black bar. I’ve only seen numbered birds before and wondered if this was a ‘special kite’? We shall see when I hear back from Leo?

Please excuse these awful horribly underexposed ‘images of nature’

I eventually got to Black hill after 3 pm and spent the next 90 minutes yomping up, down and across the top getting fit but not a lot else! Apart from a noisy flock of 25+ crossbills, the only other bird I saw was a tantalising glimpse of ‘something’ flying low away from me in the clearfell. It had to be the Shrike but it was so distant and low down, impossible to ‘claim’.

I had unfinished business......

The morning after......

2012-01-02T19:11:00.004Z

A Bank Holiday morning with three hours to spare and I spent them catching up with three of New Year's Day's missing species.

Firstly the Tundra Bean Goose which was just making landfall on the back of the island and frustratingly out of view by the time the camera was out of the bag! I don't think I'll be spending any more time on this annoying so and so!

The Corn Buntings of course had returned to their territory, booted the Greenfinch out and were giving me a sort of knowing smirk as if to say 'shame about yesterday' :-) First record shot of the year I do believe!

I spent an hour cruising for Grey Partridge - blanked of course but on the drive home (near Haughmond) what should pop out and fly in front of me, more taunting - a Jay - you only ever see them when you don't need them!

Happy New Yearlist

2012-01-01T19:18:00.004Z

It had been a long while but I was back in bird race mode and Yvonne was up for a long haul day to try and better our NYD 2010 tally of 70 species? Big day lists don’t happen by chance of course and during the Christmas period I’d been checking things out here and there – I knew that with a bit of luck on the day, there was every chance of beating it! You need to keep moving on and stick to the plan too and despite drifting ‘eta’s here and there, we made every planned destination.

A Tawny Owl at Venus Pool got the 7.30 start off with a bang and it was a welcome sight to see four of the Cound Whooper Swans on the pool itself. A drake Pintail was new in, plus a few Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Wigeon and of course Mallard. Considering we also saw Mandarin, Gadwall and Goldeneye elsewhere, it was a duck clean up on the day! There was just one Green Sandpiper present from the Memorial hide but one is all you need! A pair of Little Grebe were on the fishing pool and the top field held plenty of finches (mostly Goldfinch) Fieldfare and Redwing. With Marsh Tit taking us over the 40 mark, we checked out one of the nearby woods where Siskin, Treecreeper and Nuthatch made this a worthwhile venture and by 9.15 we were on the road with the tally on 47.

Shirlett conveniently produced Crossbill on arrival – a dozen or so at the top of a roadside oak tree, Goldcrest were had in the nearby conifers. Chelmarsh reservoir came next and took a while to produce it’s most important current resident but we eventually got the Red-throated Diver from the causeway. The first Great-crested Grebe, Goosander, Reed Buntings and Yellowhammer of the day were added here whilst we waited! At Astbury Falls, we duly dipped Dipper (never an easy one) but a welcome pair of Bullfinch kept the list going (now on 58!)

A drake Mandarin was picked up on the Severn but no Kingfisher. A cruise around the back roads North of Bridgnorth gave us a flock of Linnet, a group of 8 Red-legged Partridge and Little Owl. We were nearing the halfway mark but there would be quite a bit of travel time involved during the afternoon as we headed to Priorslee lake. Pied Wagtail, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Yellow-legged Gull were added here before, as forecast, the rain started hammering down. Well over an hour were to pass now without anything new. We tried for the Bean Goose on the Flash which steadfastly remained zzzzzing in the middle of the island (it had been seen a couple of hours before). The banker site I’d earmarked for Corn Buntings let us down - completely replaced by Greenfinch!

Redshank and Gadwall were nice surprises in the Allscot area and in the space of 10 minutes we had first a male and then a female Sparrowhawk flying down the road in front of the car – lucky encounters indeed on a bird race! The drive North didn’t produce a needed flyover but on arrival at Colemere we added Common Gull and Goldeneye (71)! Wood Lane added another five birds: Lapwing (100+), Common Snipe (9) plus Coal Tit, Raven before, after briefly seeing it in flight, a Green Woodpecker feeding not far from the top hide took us to 76!

We suddenly realised, Herons had done a Shropshire disappearing act! A quick dash to The Mere corrected that, although we only saw one in flight before heading to Whixall Moss, our final destination. A brief altercation with the 'Deepdale’ car park warden who thought all normal people should be going home at that time and NOT walking out onto the Moss, (it was nearly 4.00!) We weren’t acting entirely like normal people, I’ll admit that but eventually we pacified him! The walk in stage was birdless for the final act! We had to wait until 4.30 when I spotted the male Hen Harrier gliding in and shortly after it dropped down to roost. With little sign of normality returning (we were still stood there in near darkness at 4.55) then Yvonne picked up the final bird of the day flying out from the South West corner – Short-eared Owl!

We’d managed 70+ with ease, just one short of the 80 mark on 79. There was to be no Barn Owl finale from the car and the usual bird race jinx species (Jay) went unseen. You have to do a bird race to appreciate the ‘buzz’ of the day in addition to putting your local bird knowledge to the test. Organisational skills are needed to maximise the count and then you need the final ingredient – a bit of luck! We can go one better, into the 80’s next year?

Image of 2011 (final Poll)

2011-12-21T08:37:00.001Z

Here are a final 'Top Twenty' selections, a few favourite pictures (in no particular order) taken during 2011. This includes the top three Shropshire birds - congratulations to the WAXWING struggling to swallow that rose hip with a Lapwing, Dotterel and Hobby three way tie behind.
You will find an voting box to the right, to keep things simple, check the FIVE pictures you like most! (click thumbs to open a larger image) FIVE votes maximum only please! (Only one voter is possible per PC sorry!)

I will let this poll run until December 31st and then YOUR No 1 Picture of the Year will be declared on New Years Day....

Have a fantastic Christmas and here's wishing everyone great birding in 2012!

Picture 1 - Waxwing - Shrewsbury (January)

Picture 2 - Mediterranean Gull - Mumbles (February)

Picture 3 - Mealy Redpoll - Rainton Meadows (March)

Picture 4 - Cirl Bunting - Broadsands Bay (March)

Picture 5 - Lapwings - Venus Pool (March)

Picture 6 - Common Sandpiper - Lochindorb (May)

Picture 7 - Red Grouse - Lochindorb (May)

Picture 8 - Dunlin - Chanonry Point (May)

Picture 9 - Sandwich Tern - Cemlyn Bay (May)

Picture 10 - Dotterel - Longmynd (May)

Picture 11 - Red footed Falcon - Ledbury (June)

Picture 12 - White-throated Robin - Hartlepool Headland (June)

Picture 13 - Red-footed Falcon - Horsey (June)

Picture 14 - Bittern - Titchwell (June)

Picture 15 - Hobby eating Dragonfly - Chelmarsh (September)

Picture 16 - Sabine's Gull - Belvide (September)

Picture 17 - American Black Tern - Covenham Reservoir (September)

Picture 18 - Arctic Skua - Titchwell (September)

Picture 19 - Black-tailed Godwit - Cley Marshes (September)

Picture 20 - Squacco Heron - Attenborough (October)

Mumbles - Med Gull aging

2011-12-18T19:30:00.007Z

A visit to watch Gemma swim down in Swansea gave me a late afternoon chance to sneak over to the Mumbles and find me a Med Gull or two or three..... Always a good range of ages here and they didn't disappoint!

First Winter Med with juvenile plumage still evident and dark bill with a pale base. As in all these Gulls, black 'mask' behind the eye.

Second winter with black bands on the wing tips, bill now becoming pale with a black subterminal band.

The next Gull is a subadult third Winter - legs still dark and bill hasn't quite fully matured. Black marks on the wing tips.

This Gull has well developed plumage but the bill is a little pale and the legs dark. I would say this is a third Winter rather than full Adult.

No doubt about this classic adult Winter bird - fully mature plumage and deep red bill with subterminal black band.

As the sun dropped lower, in the sharply contrsting light, even Black-headed Gulls look good in close up portrait!

Quite a lot of action packed into a 40 minute late afternoon spell, who says Gulls aren't interesting?

Chelmarsh - Diver here for the Winter?

2011-12-17T21:06:00.010Z

A planned trip to Notts for the showy Rough-legged Buzzard saw the hands of fate take a turn.... I was loading the car when I notice a couple of egg like swellings on the side wall of the front nearside tyre. A blow out waiting to happen, I thought? Glad you haven't been anywhere near a motorway said the type fitter! So, whilst I was going to be safe on the roads, I'd lost too much time to drive far today!

Chelmarsh beckoned, I still needed Water Rail for the year and it took about 30 mins before one scuttled in front of the vegetation on the far side of the now flooded scrape!

Was the Red throated Diver stiull there? I scanned the res from the causeway for about 20 mins and ghad all but given up when it popped up from under the near bank!

Another dive and then off.....

It was working a circuit of this end and eventually came back in a bit of sunshine!

I checked out the Gull roost next and from a distane, an interesting 'white headed' Herring type caught my eye. I encountered the same bird at closer quarters and you can imagine what went through my mind in a nano-second ?????? Caspian! (Dodgy record shot through branches of that moment....)

Or is it?? Answers on a post card or comment box on what you see.....

Tundra Bean Goose - here for the Winter?

2011-12-15T22:34:00.003Z

I'd better not tempt fate but it could be a great start to 2012 if our now 'resident' local megas hang on....

Th etUndra Bean Goose was on the mud at the end of the island at lunchtime today with those bright orange erm mud stained legs on show!

Image of 2011 (Shropshire)

2011-12-11T18:07:00.024Z

(Please Note - current posts during December will appear further below - after these Picture of the Year selections)

It's that time again - the annual end of year picture accumulation. It's been another successful year for me on the UK birding front despite 'not listing' and 230 species so far, can't be bad! The Shropshire count despite the influx of 'lifers' is a little down, but still respectable 163 a few more birds to come?? :-)

I've selected below a selection - of twenty favourite pictures (in no particular order) taken in Shropshire during 2011. You can simply select your favourite photo(s) from the assembly - always interesting for me to see which is the most popular!

You will find an voting box to the right, for this first round simply check the FIVE pictures you like most! (click thumbs to open a larger image) Five votes maximum only please! (Only one voter is possible per PC sorry!)

I will let this poll run until December 20th and then, the top three pictures will be included with more photos taken elsewhere in the UK during 2011. Voting will then begin again over the Christmas period with YOUR No 1 Picture of the Year being declared on New Years Day....

Picture 1 - Waxwing - Shrewsbury (January)

Picture 2 - Goosander - Shrewsbury (January)

Picture 3 - Lapwings - Venus Pool (March)

Picture 4 - Northern Wheatear - Titterstone Clee (April)

Picture 5 - Ring Ouzel - Longmynd (April)

Picture 6 - Grasshopper Warbler - Longmynd (April)

Picture 7 - Dotterel - Longmynd (May)

Picture 8 - Spotted Flycatchers - Venus Pool (June)

Picture 9 - Little Owl - Haughmond (June)

Picture 10 - Sparrowhawk - Shrewsbury (August)

Picture 11 - Green Woodpecker - Venus Pool (August)

Picture 12 - Hobby eating Dragonfly - Chelmarsh (September)

Picture 13 - Hobby flight - Chelmarsh (September)

Picture 14 - Ruff - Chelmarsh (September)

Picture 15 - Steppe Shrike - Wall Farm (November)

Picture 16 - Red throated Diver - Chelmarsh (November)

Picture 17 - Mandarin - Highley (October)

Picture 18 - Desert Wheatear - Titterstone Clee (November)

Picture 19 - Yellow legged Gull - Priorslee Lake (November)

Picture 20 - Desert Wheatear on stones - Titterstone Clee (November)

Shirlett - Crossbills!

2011-12-11T17:44:00.002Z

A middle of the day session and whilst there were no photographic rewards, a couple of Whooper Swans, distant on the usual field before the Riverside Inn.....

......were totally eclipsed by a mobile flock of about 25 Crossbills at Shirlett! Here's 5 of them...

It's one of those things, first they were above me in a tall tree (effectively out of view) apart from this female...

Then with rain starting to fall, a few males landed in some smaller shrubs. OMG - what I would have given for some GOOD LIGHT right now!!!

You can't have it all :-( As quickly as they came, they were gone.....

Venus Pool - Carp in the balance?

2011-12-10T23:36:00.000Z

The prolonged drought and low water levels are well and truly over but
at what cost?? Many 'small' waters have dried out completely and been
lost and I thought that VP with it's fish population had survived
(just). I and many others may have thought wrong, the environment and is
a fickle thing and only now, weeks after the recovery of the water
began, is the true toll being revealed?

During late Summer, the cormorants in counts of over 40 birds
relentlessly trawled the residual pool at the eastern end - how many
small fish remain? The large Carp, often seen spawning in the shallow
are now clearly suffering terminally. Whether this is due to low oxygen
levels, lack of food, build up of toxins I don't know. What I do know is
the 'occasional' corpse is now becoming a steady stream of fodder for
the corvids and gulls on a daily basis and it doesn't make a pleasant
sight!

The scene today and the sight of a Buzzard doing an Osprey impression
did not happen! It was peck, pick, peck from the Corvids.....

and Black-headed Gulls as they picked the flesh clean.

On a brighter note, the frosty start meant there was no water for the
wildfowl but try telling that to the Teal. They flew round and round for
ages and I have tried to do them justice in the next post.....

Venus Pool - Teal flight

2011-12-10T22:54:00.007Z

One good thing about ice is that a flight of Teal, desperate to find a patch of water, seemed hellbent on giving me a flight shot opportunity?

Here they come.....

and there they go.....

Throught backlit lighting....

and into full sun!

The Teal ended up on the fishing Pool, I tossed a coin - heads Chelmarsh or tail Priorslee Flash - tails it was......

Priorslee Flash - Bean hiding

2011-12-10T20:40:00.004Z

A bit of a wasted effort today, no decent Gulls and the Bean Goose obliged for only a minute or so!

A quick scratch and then off for another snooze....

I was drifting off too, so drifted back to the car before I joined the local Pochard.....

might as well do some Christmas shopping in Telford!

Priorslee Flash - Yellow legs again

2011-12-07T20:14:00.004Z

I need a Caspian Gull here which would make for a great image oportunity here. All I had today were two Yellow-legged Gulls, an adult and a 3rd Winter gull (and no sign of the Bean Goose - tucked away zzzzzzzzzzzzing on the island!)

Here's the adult which looks remarkably like the same bird seen the other day!

The 3rd Winter YLG. Head showing fine brown streaking and quite a bizarre amount of streaky black marking on the bill. The primary tips have much less white.

In flight with Lesser Black-backs. Showing subadult dark markings in the primary coverts and the extensive black wing tips typical of YLG.

The much smaller white mirror than adult on P10

Quite an action flight shot :-)

Where's me Caspo then?

Venus Pool - Fieldfare

2011-12-06T23:34:00.003Z

A Fieldfare makes a change from Desert Wheatear? There were plenty about at VP today and this individual looked lkike it was feeling the blustery cold wind as it dropped in for a drink in front of the hide!

The water is slowwwwly recovering......

Priorslee Flash - Bean and gone?

2011-12-05T18:11:00.008Z

I'd spent a weekend in Norfolk resisting the temptation to dash back to
Shropshire on a wild goose chase! Bean Geese are very difficult inland birds and a Tundra Bean Goose had turned up at Priorslee Flash in Telford of all places, latching onto the local Greylag Geese. I knew it had been seen on the Sunday, so got up early in the hope of an early Monday morning tick, by 8.15 I had to get to work and apart from a single Canada, there was not a Goose in sight - the
Bean had done a runner?

I spoke with Andy Latham and he mentioned that other birders had dipped early morning, a lunchtime visit was indicated.....

On arrival, there were just a few Canadas by the island so I walked up the path and I
can't remember when I've been so pleased to see a flock of Greylag geese! I counted 103 - there were 104 Geese present however - amongst them was this long awaited 'rossicus' Tundra Bean Goose! What a year for rarities this has been in Shropshire! Having got past 200 in 2010, I thought 'ticks' would slow down to a trickle? This is my 11th New County bird this year with the tally standing at 214!

A 'record' shot was duly taken in case they flew....

I walked up the top end to hopefully get a closer view? The flash is
ringed by trees and the cover enabled a close approach without spooking
the flock, 'decent' shots duly followed....

Orange legs clearly visible as it paddled along, making it's way up to
the island (and signs of a damaged right wing!) .....

Standing out from the crowd like a ..... Bean Goose!

Then they all disappeared, tucked against the bank on the far side of
the island. I checked out the large Gulls now settling down on the
water.....

Priorslee Flash - Yellow legged Gull

2011-12-05T18:10:00.002Z

Amongst the couple of hundred Gulls loafing about were two adult
Yellow-legged Gulls. The nearest individual was well within range, with
the sun shining brightly, not the easiest bird to photograph and avoid
the white head 'burning out'.

Showing the white mirror on p10

Smart bird showing grey-yellow iris and red orbital ring.

Titchwell - Sanderling

2011-12-04T08:05:00.003Z

Dull grey skies did nothing to improve the pghotographic mood today. Another couple of Little Auk plus the usual fly-bys at Coastguards started the day and a Sanderling or two at Titchwell finished it.....

Sunset - what sunset??

Cley Marshes - Western Sandpiper

2011-12-02T23:18:00.005Z

Day one in Norfolk couldn't have got to a better start with the Western Sandpiper still showing at Cley. It took the best part of an hour on site before I got tickable views by sticking out in Daukes hide!

Eventually the Dunlin flock flew nearer with the Western in tow.....

Closer and closer.....

This is probably the best image showing the detail of the line of rufous scapulars....

With a Dunlin for comparison

Even managed a flight shot or two, sadly only head on (Oh for an upperwing shot!)

The rufous line of scapulars can be seen in this image.

Titterstone Clee - Desert take 3

2011-12-01T23:31:00.002Z

I couldn't resist it! A third session with the female Desert Wheatear on Titterstone Clee today! The light wasn't as good as the previous Sunday but it was OK and the bird was (eventually) very confiding.....

Either on grass.

Add a stone or two....

Then perch on it!

Norfolk coming up next - where a SemiP is morphing into a Western Sandpiper!!

Chelmarsh - Red throated Diver

2011-11-27T16:00:00.004Z

I'd decided to make sure the RTD didn't feel ignored and with hopes of the wind easing, called in at Chelmarsh reservoir first thing.

The diver was showing well, the light was a disaster - it was always backlit!

Never mind, awesome views of this classy newcomer....

If you can't beat the light, how about making the most of the shadows and this dramatic silouette of the only Perch caught!

I'd given it a couple of hours of precious Wheatear time, it was Titterstone Clee next stop!

Titterstone Clee - Desert Wheatear (a little more)

2011-11-27T07:22:00.003Z

I didn't dash up there first thing as the Red-throated Diver got my initial attention but by late morning I was on site enjoying the calmer confditons, brilliant light and one, now very popular, female Desert Wheatear...

I waited nearly two hours with another photographer hoping it would land on these particular two stones and perch up - eventually it did! (Sorry you missed this Steve!)

More to come.... lots of 'unseen' images (haven't even sorted the previous day either!)

Titterstone Clee - Desert Wheatear !!!

2011-11-26T23:22:00.006Z

Who would have thought I'd be ignoring the chance for more images in better light of the Red-throated Diver? All that changed with an intriguing report of probable Pied Wheatear on Titterstone Clee!

It all started when Jason Kernohan aka 'Shenstone Birder' toook a late afternoon stroll on Titterstone Clee and you can read about it in his own wortds here. The initial throughts were Pied or Black-eared Wheatear??

I picked up Rob Stokes and we were up there at first light with a few Shropshire/Worcs birders. By 8:00 most of us had glimpsed the mystery Wheatear. At 8:17 I got my first (dodgy) record shot! The first (and worst) of many 1,000s for numerous photographers and digiscopers. Glimpses of the black tail had now emerged and Andy Latham got the news out - we had a female Desert Wheatear!!

The black tail fanned!

Closer still.....

The light was dire and I don't know when I've photographed in windier conditions than this, it was howling a gale! Hats were lost, scopes bit the dust but I managed to hang on to the gear for more record shots....

This close encounter came whan the Wheatear landed about 5 metres in front of me on the path!

The aviarazzi looking as though they were defending the hilltop!

You showy little stunner :-)

I don't know who called it a day first - the blown away birders or this tired little Wheatear?

A cup of coffee, celebratory Tunnocks teacake and high fives from Rob, Ian and Dave......

OMG what is goin on in Shropshire......

Chelmarsh - Red-throated Diver

2011-11-25T20:33:00.005Z

The only certainty about a long overdue RTD for Shropshire was that Martyn Owen would find it, a superb adult Winter bird too....

Just a shame about the rain and the light but I was absolutely delighted just to see it! I had to wait ages before it threatened to become more than a dot in the scope let alone the viewfinder!

Eventually, the Diver started heading in the right direction!

Ever closer and I could see why this bird had gained a reputation already for being confiding!

Problem was - the light! Never, ever happy am I :-) I can't choose between these so I'll leave them all in.....

My favourite image from the session! Nicely posed.....

I shall be back!

Priorslee lake - Yellow legs

2011-11-24T20:37:00.003Z

A quick call at Priorslee lake this lunchtime found 4 adult and 1 2nd Winter Yellow-legged Gulls present.

Often distant, this very obliging adult Winter bird dropped in quite close

Had a bit of a wash....

The 'take off' moment!

As it flew off!

You have to be quick, the whole episode was over in 30 seconds or so......

Chew Valley Lake - Sharpie

2011-11-20T20:32:00.009Z

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper wasn't on my radar yesterday but it certainly was today and with both myself and Mike Stokes wishing to add yet another class wader to the life list, it was Chew Valley Res next stop.....

Two hours later, we joined the hustle and bustle of Herriots Bridge, quite a gathering and we immediately found out why there hadn't been any pictures of this bird posted! It was sooooooooooooo far away. I've never let that get in the way of obtaining a record shot but this was going to be tough - small wader well over 100m away - cue stacked converters and cue record shot of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper!! (I Had enough practice with the Steppe Shrike)

OK it's rubbish BUT it's a record shot - all the features are there and I'll look back fondly on yet another lifer for the year!

Even some flight shots with the dark upperwing of the Sharpie quite easy to pick out amongst the Dunlin.

Even at this distance - the sharply pointed tail feathers stand out!

A couple of Long-billed Dowitchers were also present and thank goodness for 'landmarks' - quite a few newcomers queried "where's the Dowitchers"? Just look between the hoops - simple!

Another trans-atlantic visitor was roaming the dam wall of Herriot's pool (but never coming within an angle for photography) - Spotted Sandpiper no less. Quite a day for waders then, with a Little Stint also present with the Dunlin flock!

Stubbers Green - Caspian Gull

2011-11-19T07:58:00.007Z

It's Gull season again folks! Another three or four months of watching these tantalising birds off and on. A puzzler or good bird in every session :-) Today there was no puzzle, just a classic adult Winter Caspian Gull!

A few hours were spent trying to get some decent images of this adult Caspian Gull which must have fed well early in the day as it was there on arrival and still loafing about on the water when I left for the Chasewater roost.....

The light was awful despite the forecast of a 'blue sky' day, Oh well, at least I got the bird!

This is one Gull that stands out from the crowd!

At this time of year all the Herring Gulls have streaky heads, with Caspian Gull just a little faint streaking around the hindneck.....

A horse spooked the flock briefly creating a flight shot opportunity. Again, a distinctive pattern to the primaries

A couple of preening shots, the first showing the distinctive inner web to P10 - a long white tongue, separated from the white mirror by a sharply defined black bar which extends as a narrow band up the outer web.

Large white mirrors on P9 and P10

All this hanging around is quite boring!

Time for a drink.....

Pose of the day?

Before taking to the water....

Like a couple of bouncers on the door - looking on a par for meanness, with this Great Black backed Gull .....

The final and most distant shot with upperwing pattern nicely displaysd!

Norfolk catching up!

2011-11-17T07:33:00.003Z

A reflex few images were grabbed as an Arctic Skua shot by - to start off Day 4 of my Norfolk trip - the highlights of day 4 (one more to go....) are posted here

Quite a few waders on show.....

Wall Farm - Sparrowhawk

2011-11-13T21:53:00.004Z

A male Merlin has been showing well at Wall farm so I thought I'd take a chance on an appearance? A 90 minute session was beginning to drag before a caught sight of it bearing down on a flock of finches in the 'ploughed field'. I couldn't make out if it caught anything as both the Merlin and myself got distracted by another raptor, joining in - blimey 'a pair' was my first thought although they had a bit of go at each other, then both went to ground out of sight. After a couple of minutes, the larger bird flew off heading towards the right of the hide and came vaguely within range - all was revealed.... a bloody Sparrowhawk!

I then cought sight of the Merlin hightailing it across the field in the opposite direction, Oh well....

I kept myself amused photographing anything that flew and this Stock Dove was the only other bird which came near enough!

The Steppe Shrike has now definitely departed, I think Wednesday was the last positive sighting. A great bird and one that has certainly put Wall Farm on the map!

A check of VP revealed that the water level is recovering and a few decent sized puddles are now merging into stretches of water - it will be back to normal this Winter I reckon. The Common Teal thought so too - I counted 96 present!

Venus Pool - Scaup trio!!

2011-11-11T20:41:00.000Z

Martyn Owen picked out three Scaup on the adjacent fishing pool this lunchtime. Problem was, all they wanted to do was sleep!

Even with their heads tucked under, flashes of the striking white patch at the bill base was occasionally obvious. The head shape, pale cheek patch, bill and plumage, all characteristic of Scaup......

The adult female atually 'untucked' for a second or two - blink and you would have missed it though......

Before dozing off again!

Timewarp to 2009 - Cover shot

2011-11-10T07:30:00.000Z

I've had a broad smile on my face recently and here's why......

Peering back at me from the magazine shelves last week was a smart Grey Phalarope. After I'd got over the illusion that it must be someone else's, I realised it was mine! Taken from a session in November 2009 (at Crosby Marine Park). A seasonal image, if we get another big blow?

The original posting is here

Here's the original web sized image - it makes a cracking 10 x 8 print if anyone is looking for an early Christmas present for someone :-) Cheapest pressie you'll ever buy!

I looked back in the archive hard drive and as ever, there were plenty of images gathering pixel dust which have never seen the light of day. I'd better point out if anyone has dived straight in past the words to look at the pictures - THESE ARE HISTORIC - FROM NOV 2009!

Another close up.....

A few more action shots capturing droplets.....

A fitting image to end with!

I must do more delving in to the archives through the Winter, which reminds me Mike -I'll be sorting the rest those Cirl Buntings again..... one day.... :-)

Wall Farm - Steppe stacks closer

2011-11-05T08:11:00.002Z

No - it wasn't any closer but I decided to try stacked converters to double or nearly triple the focal length of a 500mm lens and bring the Shrike nearer to me......

Sounds fine in theory but it isn't a recipe for success! The depth of field is much shallower, every tiny vibration sets up 'shake' and of course you can forget auto focus. I did however establish that with a 7D, autofocus does actually work when in live view!

Anyway, back to the bird - twice as close but twice as shaky! Record shots remain the norm and these will have to do!

Post preening and somewhat 'fluffed up' pose!

A few flight shots showing the upperwing (various degrees of quality but it's the detail that counts)...

And the underwing.....

If you haven't been (and wish too) please note that there will be no access to the field tomorrow (Sunday!) This will be reviewed for next weekend if the Shrike is still there?

Wall Farm - Steppe still showing

2011-11-04T23:53:00.006Z

Would you believe it, showing all week albeit distant, the Steppe Grey Shrike has got sleepy Shropshire back on the birding radar for all the right reasons. I manged a quick session today and didn't get any better static shots but will settle for this flight shot only 150 odd metres away?

The Shrike was always always distant. 150m (ish) the best it will normally do and more distant the norm but it never seems to leave the hedgerow it favours. Looking back over the week, I don't think anyone who has been on site has not had decent scope views and from what I'm told, everyone has gone away happy!

I'll be back helping out with organisation tomorrow!

If anyone is thinking of travelling......

The Steppe Grey Shrike was still present until late afternoon today but Access arrangements for the Weekend remain unchanged. Local birders will be on site from early am. Please note the directions - there is no other access other than the field car park! Approx 3 miles West of Newport on the B5062, turn left (if heading from Newport) down a narrow lane, signposted 'The Wall'. After approx 1/2 mile there is a farm on the left and after another 200m or so, turn right into the field designated for parking at SJ679179. Do not park on any of the verges of the narrow road or the farmyard. The landowner has made the field available for parking and opened up access to an area which is normally out of bounds. Go past the hide and almost immediately turn left over a small bridge. Turn left and follow the field perimeter to the far side. The fence line gives decent views. He has asked for a donation of £3.50 per CAR. All proceeds will be going to the Poppy appeal.

The rain hammered down late afternoon and still is locally but tomorrow should be fine! The the car parking field is OK at present, the entrance from the road is getting a bit churned up however so be careful when exiting (near a tight bend) or driving down the narrow lane nearby.......

Attenborough - Squacco Heron :-)

2011-10-30T23:21:00.009Z

It’s had been a quiet month on the birding front. Talks here, there everywhere and getting them ready have seriously hampered me getting out. With the local scene in the seasonal doldrums and yesterday’s Pied Wheatear doing a flyer overnight, I was seriously demotivated!

All that changed with a check of the day’s rarities and a browse of bird forum’s thread on the Notts Squacco Heron! I had this on my radar (a lifer if it stayed put). Another magic example of birding folklore too... An aarsy fisherman got his just desserts on Saturday when deliberately flushing the bird and got his tackle trolley thrown in the river for his efforts! (I packed my landscape lens in just in case another opportunity arose!)

I was late off the mark and got there just before 1.00. Just a short walk and fortunately the Heron, was right out in the open, viewed under the railway bridge (it’s favourite fishing spot!) I say fortunately as after another fifteen minutes, it was gone – and I’d used another dollup of ‘just in time’ luck!!

Nevertheless, in those fifteen minutes, I watched it stand still

Pose in a manner that could seriously damage the health of fish (false alarm on this occasion)

Stand still again

Another more seriously threatening posture!

Then SPLASH, diving headlong into the water

Before emerging with a small Perch

Struggle all he might, this Perch was lunch I’m afraid!

Alignment of the fish for a smooth journey downwards!

Down the hatch

A moment of satisfaction or the train rumbling overhead effect? Moments later it flew upstream!

Only one fish was harmed in the making of this blog, no fishermen were seen, let alone sent for an early bath and the only barracking was reserved for two numbskull birders who tried (unsuccessfully) to make their way under the right hand side of the railway bridge to the sandbags – potentially stopping a reappearance! And for once, all the photographers were good guys!

It was 2.45 and I received a summons from Shropshire! It was Andy Latham with an interesting development regarding the Wall Farm 'Great Grey Shrike' – was it something else? I legged it to the car.....

Wall Farm - Steppe Grey Shrike !!

2011-10-30T23:20:00.000Z

Crikey, could it be?? Pictures would be undoubtedly be needed for the Wall Farm Shrike to be taken seriously as a Steppe contender but..... there I was mid afternoon – 75 miles away!

Taking up the story, Andy Latham had been looking at the Shrike over the usual (long) distance and was convinced this was no ‘ordinary’ Grey Shrike. Access to get a bit nearer had been brokered, it was 2.45pm, the Heron was still not showing so I started a breakneck journey to get back and hopefully see it / photograph it before the light went.

Arriving at 4.10 and parking up, there was still the yomp to the hide and across the field to contend with. Rich Vernon had just arrived too and it must have been gone 4.30 before we got to the edge of the wetland overlooking the ploughed field. The light was dropping FAST but the Shrike was in view about 100m distant in the loose hedgerow. It was still feeding fortunately and after each foray to the ground (usually to the ploughed field) it ended up a little nearer…..

It seemed to always sit ‘head on’, the bill was certainly quite pale and the black mask was a really striking feature – sharply cut off at the eye!

I sensed a flight shot or two might be useful but it was virtually dark now – quite a challenge! Cranking the ISO up to 1600 and panning, I got a couple of half decent distant images showing the extensive white wing patch and tail pattern

After disappearing for 10 mins or so it reappeared and at last sat with a side on / rear showing view – just what I had been waiting for! How I kept these shots sharp, I don't know – 1/6th second exposure!

I’ll quite honestly say at this point, it was virtually impossible to study the bird, given the light I just kept on it, clicking and hooping! The consensus of the gathered locals was that this bird WAS looking good for Steppe Grey Shrike and if the images were useable (what you see above!) then ‘expert opinion’ would be sought to further confirm matters that evening!

Andy had a few contacts to seek opinion from and Rich had details for Martin Garner. Images were posted out by 9.00 pm and by 11.00, Martin at least had got back to confirm this looked good for ‘pallidirostris’. Martin's is jetting off but plans to blog the bird later too! News had also got out to BirdGuides by then too but unbeknown to them, there was going to be one hell of a problem regarding parking and access!

Luckily after some feverish negotiation first thing Monday morning by Andy and with me trying to keep BirdGuides up to speed, with developments a field was ‘setaside’ (an appropriate use for a field eh ) for parking! The twitch was now seriously ON but with my car being serviced today (Monday) and work all week, the Shrike is out of bounds for me – let’s hope some good pictures in decent light come out and the identity is further validated......

Venus Pool - Whooper drops in

2011-10-29T18:23:00.008+01:00

At last I'd had the sense to 'wait for news' saving myself an unecessary trip to Gloucs and that most obliging of Pied Wheatears! The Friday night is flight night rule applied!

That meant, when I eventually emerged - a short day in Shropshire and there was only bird to show from it - a Whooper Swan on the fishing pool from VP reserve.

The Mute Swans seemed to tolerate it's presence.....

But it spent most of the time in the company of Canada Geese

Until I managed to single it out from the other residents....

Clocks go back tonight and I need to go forward - out of County! Wonder if the Squacco Heron in Notts will stick?

* Update *

2011-10-16T07:21:00.002+01:00

Sorry folks, the talk season is firmly upon me and with most of the past week spent in Dublin (not a drop of guinness passed my lips either) and more talks this week/ weekend, I have little time to catch up and blog......

Here's the last bird photographed on the 9th October - a drake Mandarin downstream of Highley (4 males and 2 females were present here)

Those Norfolk pics will get done too (honest) even if it's Christmas. I've added images from Day 2 below.....

Highley colourful Mandarin

2011-10-09T21:05:00.013+01:00

A walk downstream of Highley with Yvonne didn't take long to produce a pair of Mandarin. In total 4 males and 2 females were seen.

Setting the scene....

Have rock will pose!

And then once it was clear I posed no threat, time for a preen!

Taking the weight of ones feet (one by one)

And a stretch!

Homing in on another female across the river, they love these tangled branch laden habitats

Closer still!

Chelmarsh - Rock Pipit :-)

2011-10-07T22:44:00.006+01:00

Martyn Owen and Chelmarsh continue to deliver the goods and news of a late afternoon 'find' saw me dashing straight from work for a really difficult inland bird - Rock Pipit no less and hoping it would stick?

It did but sadly not for long! I got there just before 6.00 and located it on the dam wall with Rob / Ann Stokes the only other birders able to make it before .... at 6.10 the Pied Wagtails with which it was associating, decided to fly off! It tagged along sadly, flying South and didn't appear to be looking back.....

Nevertheless I'd managed a couple of (strictly) record shots and yet another Shropshire lifer!!

Erm, how about a Water Pipit next week please Martyn? I sense a Diver or two this Winter or maybe a long overdue Slav as well the way Chel is performing? We shall see....

Day ONE from Norfolk pics are now uploaded down below too - keep checking back - theres a few days work there :-)

Solitary confinement

2011-10-02T17:57:00.011+01:00

I was just getting over a loooooooooonnnnng zzzzzzzzzzzzz and after six days of morn to dusk birding in Norfolk was looking to a 'recovery' day! That is, until Andy Latham called me to say "Solitary Sand in Lancs"!

There's not a lot of point in extending the write up as I've got stacks of things to do except to say...... we went, we saw, we ticked and that was about it! The bird was over 100m distant and clearly the real deal. Fair play to the finder, doing a random duck count and identifying this from such distance! A good grip back after the Devon dip of last November too :-) I even thought I'd got some record shots after watching it perform on 'live view' set at 10x for quite a while - sucker!!

We even encountered that strange moist substance that falls from the sky and unless we get some soon, Venus Pool will be fondly known as Venus Hollow......

Anyway, back to those stacks of things to do! I've got many many Gbs of images from Norfolk and given the number of talks I have to do, I'll have to phase these in over the next couple of weeks - watch this space (below) Oh and I'd better not forget the Covenham American Black Tern!

Here are a few tasters of Norfolk where there was not a rarity in sight (for me anyway). Norfolk however, still turns up plenty of good birds which I'm not likely to see in Shropshire and some amazing moments to capture, like these......

(Keep checking back to see more!)

Cley waders aplenty, including Dunlin (and spot the Little Stint).....

Spot the Little Stints!

A male Ruff that stood out from the crowd....

Marsh Harriers practising their passing skill....

A tantalising view of this outrageous example of bird decadence!

Or this real surprise at a private site (please don't ask)....

It's not all about birds - this Plaice had certainly had it's chips!

Knot much room on this Titchwell Mussel bed.....

A surprise in store under every stone!

Unexpected encounter from the beach!!

As was this Arctic Skua.....

Duelling Barwits!

Contender for Bird of the trip?

A final session with these beauties!

Much much more to come......

Norfolk Day 4

2011-09-30T23:15:00.014+01:00

Day 4 was spent almost entirely at Titchwell with hopes of Bearded Tit...... sadly dashed again! Eventually I got to the beach and with the tide just starting to drop bumped into Deano Eades!! A long overwaited encounter and we had a pretty good day with a good cast of waders on display and generally put the bird photography world to rights :-)

A reflex few images were grabbed as an Arctic Skua came out of nowhere - blasting past within 50m of the beach!

The mussel beds eventually got exposed and one of the smartest (and equally elusive) birds on show was this Summer plumaged Grey Plover.....

Here they come!

Plenty of Knot probing in the sand

Brent Geese - 1..... 2..... 3.......

Turnstone, as ever obliging....

Redshank gliding in and sticking!

Bar-tailed Godwits - stepping out.....

Interesting comparison shot with Blackwit!

Tonught's sunset from an 'owl-less' Salthouse

Norfolk day 3

2011-09-29T09:26:00.007+01:00

Another relatively uninspiring day but the weather was gorgeous - clear blue skies and unseasonally HOT....

And I evn got a brief opportunity to catch a male Bearded Tit at Cley!

Where the waders were not so plentiful but including Green Sandpiper.....

Plus plenty of Ruff as usual! This male came fairly close.....

Most of the action was in the sky with a family of Marsh Harriers interacting. Frustratingly distant but nevertheless, some great action.....

Some creatures have no shame, I had to step over this copuluating pair of Common Darters!

Then, taking to the reeds.....

I moved onto Titchwell inh the afternoon. Nothing much had changed there! When all else fails, there's always a few Turnstones about!

This one had a bit of an identity crisis or maybe longing for a Godwitesque bill?

I was really hoping to get some shots of the wader roost but the Knot etc were really flightly and often disturbed by walkers/dogs......

Who cares, a pretty and idyllic end to the day as the sun dropped below the dunes...

Norfolk day 2

2011-09-28T18:58:00.006+01:00

Cley didn't turn up much today and I wasted a lot of time getting frustrated by pinging Beardies which refused to show! In fact, I didn't take a picture of note. Titchwell was much the same and at least the 7D didn't sieze up from lack of use when I got to the beach....

The low tide was turning with a few Knot close by......

And in flight.....

Sanderling too. They were very tricky to expose correctly in the low directional light!

Sprinting in the shallow water.....

A final pose as the Sun prepared to disappear....

The long walk back to the car as the sun set on another North Norfolk day :-)

Norfolk Day 1

2011-09-27T22:06:00.025+01:00

Day one proper began with blue skies after an awesome English breakfast, giving my cholesterol levels naseriosu boost!

I popped into Bishop's hide at Cley, expecting to be in and out. The scrape was simply heaving with birds - I stayed!

Quie a few Pink-footed Geese were on the move and small groups dropped in from time to time....

They didn't stay long!

Plenty of wildfowl too: Common Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Pintail and this obliging but rather inactive Shoveler...

At least 30-40 Dunlin, again quite mobile and with a couple of Little Stints tagging along with them. Spot the Stint!

Two inthis shot

Good size comparison with a Dunlin and Ruff.....

Speaking of Ruff, this white headed male was obligingly close....

A 'normal' one and the closest shot of the day!

Later in the day, after failing miserably to make lens contact with the pinging Beardies, I caught up with some Blackwits busily feeding up!

The poser....

Admiring his own reflection...

The, after watchinhg them feed, I tried to capture the moment when the bill full of mud is ejected from the bill after drilling the muddy bottom!

Not as easy as you might think!

My favourite and finally a good dollop oozing out....

All good things come to an end....

My insect year isn't over yet either! Had it not been so hot, I might have poured my bottle of water over this pair of Migrant Hawkers!

By Mid afternoon, I was in need of a change of scenery and drove over to Sculthorpe Moor. I was tempted to try and get some images of just about the finest example of garish birdlife to be found in these parts!

After an hour or so, I finally connected - the unmistakable head of a male Golden Pheasant skulking in the undergrowth!

I got one very brief view as the whole bird ambled into view and then seconds later it was gone!

With the light fading fast, a dash to Blakeney Harbour where I though a nice sunset may be in the offing - boats etc? Everyone was doing it!!

Covenham - American Black Tern !!

2011-09-26T22:55:00.005+01:00

Been a bit of a gloomy period of late despite some good birds but all that was about to change! A classic detour saw my journey to Norfolk (where I was having a week of chill) take in North Lincs and Covenham reservoir.

Bathed in sunshine and glorious blue skies which were to stay with me all week, here's a general view from the South West corner (where I would later be bearing a broad smile).....

I had one bird in mind, the juv American Black Tern, and after the distant heroics of trying to get record shots of the Farmoor bird, it was high hopes of 'feather detail' on this occasion?

The journey was a slightly nervous one as it was a lotta miles out of the way and NO NEWS! Even on arrival, there was not a single mention of it but as I reached the top of the access steps, looked left and saw a small group of birder looking down at the dam wall, I sensed my luck was in.....

Trouble was, no matter where you stood, it was always into the sun :-(
Never mind, I put the news out!!!

Wingflaps obligingly showing the grey flanks and at least some decent record shots in the bag....

It proceeded to eventually fly off and feed, again into the sun and with insects soaring, so did the Tern and was ultimately lost to view over the West bank. I figured this was the place to be as I would then be looking down the light if it reappeared in that area?

IT DID :-)

I filled a couple of cards in no time - a little repetitive but the Tern was a little cracker - from all angles - bathed in sunlight!

Another spell of feeding was rewarded when it flew virtually overhead

Somehow missing this large bug and giving a bit of a frustrated glare!

It evenually landed in the South West corner and I could see it was in perfect position for a shot over the wall and directly down the light....

Would it stay, as I carefully took up position? YESSSSSSSS.....

These two shots were frame fillers - anyone want an A3 print?

More intimate detail.....

I left smiling as eventually it did a disappearing act.....

and North Norfolk here I come.....

Grafham Water - Another Grey Phal!!

2011-09-24T23:23:00.006+01:00

A hasty posting of a pleasant session with this obliging Grafham Grey Phalarope!

Ever mobile, I don't think it stopped for even a moment!

Constantly checking out piles of weed for tasty morsels....

Gotcha!

Back and front....

Surfs up but looks a little tricky to get through?

Made it!

Off to Norfolk for a few days tomorrow and hoping for a change of wind direction and birding fortunes over there?

Grafham water - Another Sab's Gull!!

2011-09-24T08:08:00.001+01:00

Sorry if this is getting a lttle repetitive? Adult Sabine's Gull is still on my 'most wanted' list despite the recent juvs and I'd had to watch with envy as images churned out of Grafham Water this week whilst I was engaged in a monumentally busy week at work :-(

I should have been confident it would stay and waited for 'news' which came out at 8.20 and the car was duly started! Trouble was, I arrived at Grafham Water dam to see it land on the wall below, fired a quick burst of 'frame fillers' and that was the end of it...... I suppose I was still quite lucky :-)

Looking a little grumpy about something?

A wingflap and then...........

It was off, possibly for good - it never returned that day! Time for a catch up with with Steve Seal and Dave Hutton again - I finally shook hands with Jon Evans!!

With the Gull gone, my attention had to turn to the other small wader present - a first Winter Grey Phalarope - Oh no, not another one of those :-)

Venus Pool - * Sabine's Gull *

2011-09-14T13:44:00.013+01:00

What a double over a 12 hour period! First the Grey Phalarope but bigger things were in store once I'd got over the angst of not spotting a very important message on my mobile! The mega hungry Martyn Owen had scored again and this time at Venus Pool - a juv Sabine's Gull - they don't come much bigger than this!! Problem was, I'd 'lost' 20 minutes or so since the message came in and it was a pretty scary drive to VP muttering stay, stay, stay!!

The muttering paid off - it was still there on arrival! Problem was, it was tucked up in the cow drink at the Southern end - directly into the light :-(
I was not surprisingly, relieved and over the moon just to see it but there was no chance of any decent images sadly. The following were all that I could rescue from the situation.....

The arrival tick....

The flight a little nearer (still into the light!)

The landing with those translucent secondaries and inner primaries on fire!

Brief float on the water....

before off again.....

A brief stop against the far reed bed.....

followed by the last thing we wanted to see...

.....the sight I was dreading as several friends were homing in fast, this flight was to be the last we would see of it :-(

Oh well, if you want to see some better images of a similar bird, here' s the Westport bird in August 2008 or and the Belvide Sabs from just a week ago.

Chelmarsh - Grey Phalarope

2011-09-13T23:24:00.002+01:00

The sting in the tail of Hurricane Katia finally dropped a star bird in
Shropshire! Once again, it was down to Martyn Owen checking out the
fabled 'reservoir of dreams' with it's associated scrape and
finding..... a smart little Grey Phalarope!!

Needless to say, I was very 'interested' and with the only other one I'd
seen in Shropshire being the 2008 VP bird in virtual darkness, hopefully some images too?

Rob Stokes, thought likewise and we proceeded to do battle with the
tractors and irritations of the A458, it's always a veerrrrrrry long frustrating journey!

It was still there on arrival and ticked via Andy's scope from the 'ringers' hide. Trouble was, it was as far as it could be across the scrape and into the sun. I opted to join Yvonne and Tony who had walked round to the far hide.....

The Phal was out of view when I got there but it had been viewable, I waited.... Eventually it gave itself up after 20 minutes or so, swimming out into open water! The light wasn't good but at least I got some record shots - taking the form of this sequence.....

A great bird for Shropshire, now wouldn't a Sab's Gull be even better?

Belvide - juv Sabine's Gull

2011-09-07T21:27:00.008+01:00

The recent big Westerly blow has stranded quite a few seabirds throughout the UK and perhaps the nearest inland 'mega' was a juv Sabine's Gull at Belvide. Trouble was, WORK! It turned into another evening M54 dash to join the small gathering - with thanks to Dave Western and Roger Clay for convincing me I should be there!!

And this is why....

Little did I know, I would have about 10 minutes of just 'wind'. After that, it was constant 'wind and rain' not the best combination for photography!

So here in glorious, erm...... monochrome is the best of the dryer moments....

I sat huddled in the rain the with camera racked to 1000 iso for about 40 minutes, hoping for a flight shot as the light was fading. I got one eventually as the Sab's flew out up the reservoir. It's not the best I could have hoped for but - it'll have to do!

Could do with one of these in Shropshire!

Chelmarsh - Hobby Food

2011-09-04T22:56:00.004+01:00

The keen eyed amongst you will obviously know that I haven't put an image of a Migrant Hawker on the blog this year! Whilst sat idly waiting in the hide for a Hobby to appear or (vainly) for the Ruff to return, that was all about to change - I spotted a male Migrant Hawker flying near the reeds. Now there's a challenge!

Eventually a few half decent flight shots emerged (I wont mention how many shots were deleted though !)

Different background......

And again.....

Head on....

Where's the Common Darter then? Have to say I'm pleased with this one - don't think I've ever captured one of these in flight before....

The food's on the table then, where's that Hobby!

Chelmarsh - Hobby reprise

2011-09-04T21:56:00.003+01:00

Here's the Hobby!! At last it returned but sadly remained more distant and hunting quite high....

I did manage one or two closer images....

And one low level streak across the scrape!

Chelmarsh - Ruff finale

2011-09-03T23:58:00.003+01:00

Never mind the Hobby, or the Lesser Spot - which was calling like a mad thing from the trees across the stubble field! Despite a long search after it had gone quiet, we couldn't nail it. Another treat was in store as a Ruff dropped in late afternoon.....

Preening - quite distant at first

Before starting to feed, coming ever closer!

Before it was in the 15m zone.....

Honest, it was THIS close......

Apparently it was still there first thing the following m0rning before being chased off by a fox!