Friday, May 15, 2009

Goodbye for 2 weeks

Blog will not be updated until early June as we are off away to the Azores in search of whales and dolphins and hopefully some good birds! We may even pin down the endangered endemic Azores Bullfinch. Watch this space............

Tawnies







We were thrilled this evening to see 3 newly fledged Tawnies on our local reserve. A fantastic sight despite torrential rain and thunder. We watched them stretching and flapping their wings and also saw them being fed by their parents. A priveledge indeed and big smiles all round!!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Shelducks







Large numbers of these on the patch now.

Little Egret




This is being seen quite regularly at the moment, on this occasion it was soon bullied by the local gulls.

Kestrel







Mick was lucky enough to come across this Kestrel as he left work

Common Terns











Great to watch these noisy individuals, quite a few on the patch now. Beauties!!

Swifts/Swallow







Lots of patience to photograph these aerial experts, very fast and unpredictable! This was the best we could do - amazing to observe, we have spent hours watching them!

Local Images











Yet more sunset pics and one weather picture, we were out photographing Swifts, the weather was hit and miss, one minute sunny then rain.

More Waders
















Here is another selection of Ringed Plover/Dunlin images

Friday, May 01, 2009

Dunlin and Ringed Plover









Firstly a Dunlin shot. I love Ringed Plovers and to get these shots I had to lay flat on my front in the mud and wait for them to approach! The lengths we go to!

Less Than Perfect Shots!











I tried in vain to get a good photo of a displaying Sedge Warbler, they are so small and fast and in less than perfect light, nearly impossible to get "locked on" to. This was the best I could do! Also here is a record shot of a Little Ringed Plover in flight and also a Swallow and a Linnet

Chowder Ness/ Far Ings
















Here are a few shots from my local patch.

Pied Wags











On a visit to Chowder Ness I took delight in watching these displaying. They reminded me of little pogo-sticks as they bounced along!

Tawny Owl







One of those magical nature moments! I arrived in thick fog on my local reserve and as I turned a corner this beauty was sat out in the open, I shared ten minutes in its company and it seem quite undisturbed by my presence. Wonderful!!

Orange Tip
















I love these little butterflies. Their camouflage on the cow parsley is amazing -until they open their wings!