stirls bird-world

2011-12-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Well well well well well ............who would have thought it !!??? A Rough Legged Buzzard on Gedling pit top ,an area i know very well .....generally speaking birdless,but thanks to Dazchap ,now the venue for the most 'showy' RLB ive ever seen ...a lovely juvenile ......if you want to see one well then come to Gedling..incidently the bird is viewable from my parents house window!!!!!!

Eastern England....Western Sand

2011-12-05T13:59:00.001-08:00

Pugney's Diver

2011-12-05T13:53:00.001-08:00

This 'juv' GND was showing well on the smaller lake at Pugneys until Marie and i arrived at which point it flew onto the bloody main lake !!! We did eventually get a decent view.

Surely not !!??

2011-12-05T13:49:00.001-08:00

This White Stork was discovered in north Notts near sookholme ,it was wandering around a football pitch and had been fed bread apparantly !!! An escape ????? Just because it had a ring !!!

Newcastle bound

2011-12-05T13:21:00.001-08:00

Off to Northumberland today, left early to see the Greater Yellowlegs, Tundra Bean, Grey Phalarope, Lesser Scaup, Ross's Geese and Eastern Black Redstart. Get it right and it could be a dream day........... However, the best laid plans........ We got off to a bad start by arriving at Low Hauxley only to find the Greater Yellowlegs wasn't there, followed it to Druridge Bay only to be told that 'It's just flown off, unlucky'. It headed in the direction of East Chevington and we headed towards Holy Island to hopefully see the Eastern Black Redstart. At least the tide was on our side as we crossed the causeway. Another long walk along the beach to the back of the village school. Luckily the bird was very confiding and we got some really good views.

Fog Off!

2011-12-05T13:16:00.001-08:00

We set off for Angler's Country Park on a nice Sunday morning, as we got nearer it got foggier and foggier. Didn't think we would be able to see anything on the lake. Fotunately, the American Wigeon was fairly close to the shore and as the time passed the fog lifted a little. Not the best views I have had of this bird but a record shot and another tick on Marie's list.

Over the Hedge

2011-12-05T13:11:00.001-08:00

A great Grey Shrike near Retford, Notts. A grey bird on a grey day..... Shame Marie is too short to see over the Hedge. Luckily as we headed back to car it landed in the top of a tree.

Followed by a Desert!

2011-12-05T13:07:00.001-08:00

A trip to Holme was in order to see the Desert Wheatear. After a short hike we arrived at the beach and joined the others to see the bird about 30 yards ahead of us eating mealworms! Some good views of this bird then back to the car for our breakfast.

Spurn's Isabelline Wheatear

2011-12-05T13:01:00.001-08:00

An Isabelline Wheatear was found at Spurn, after Mark ran (well, walked) round after it all morning, he eventually got some shots. Not much else happening at Spurn that day. This was Marie's first experience of Spurn, she complained that it was 'bloody windy'!

2011-12-05T12:59:00.001-08:00

Taken in Norfolk, just really like this shot.

Two in Notts, both at Attenborough

2011-12-05T12:48:00.001-08:00

This is the 2nd Squacco that I have seen in Notts. Must be something about Attenborough that they like? There certainly isn't much there that I like! I went 3 times to see this bird. The first time the bird was only seen in flight due to a fisherman sitting in it's favourite spot. There was a slight disagreement between some birders and the angler who's tackle ended up in the river! tut tut.

I visited again on the Friday after work and then again with Marie on the Saturday. Got some good views and photos. The bird was gone by the Sunday so we were very lucky.

2011-12-05T12:38:00.001-08:00

This Pec Sand was the most confiding wader we have ever come across. It was probably the most photographed bird that Pugney's Country Park has hosted. A photographer's dream.

It was so good we visited twice! The last 2 shots were taken on a duller day with a 400mm lens and they possibly came out better.

2011-12-05T12:33:00.001-08:00

This American Black Tern showed very well at Covenham Res.

2011-12-05T12:29:00.001-08:00

Juv Long Billed Dowitcher in Lincs ,great bird showed well

Day time Nightjar

2011-12-05T12:26:00.001-08:00

Add caption

How often do you get to see a Nightjar in the open like this !!!??

Scilly jaunt

2011-12-04T13:54:00.001-08:00

A few days in Cornwall included an unsceduled trip over to the Scillies.

A good days birding on the Scillies which included: 2 Olive Backed Pipits, Red throated Pipit, Upland Sandpiper and Firecrest (Marie missed the Northern Waterthrush).

Glossy Ibis and Rose coloured Starling in Cornwall.

I'm back !!!! ....... well, WE are.

2011-12-04T13:44:00.001-08:00

Well, it's been over a year since I updated and many things have happened which i'm not going to tell you about you nosey sods. so it's back to the birds..... :D

I am posting a selection of recent shots to start with before boring you with the blurb that normally goes with them.

Sandhill Crane in Aberdeenshire

Not brilliant photos, but a new bird for me and Marie so not bothered. Seeing the bird is what counted.

Thanks for the Marmora's.......

2010-06-05T00:56:00.000-07:00

Having missed two Marmora's Warblers for one reason or another,this bird,near Blaenavon,Gwent was very welcome indeed !! I very nearly took friday as a holiday and thought id go early doors,but i finish at 12.30pm anyway and would have had to use a fulls days holiday on what is essentially a half day.So i decided to sneak off at 11.30 considering the bird was showing well and appearing to be on territory........no probs !! Well it showed five mins before we got there,then we had a three hour wait.......afternoons are the worst time we all know,but i didnt reckon on three hours without sight or sound.Anyway,eventually i saw the bird very well,and what a little cracker it was....the nearest it came was the 'Holly bush' so photo wise,much too far but i got some records for my own purposes.Wichats were much in evidence,Raven seen too,traffic was excellent there and back.Great bird great twitch !!

Ugly duckling

2010-05-31T05:32:00.000-07:00

Young Coots really do have a face that only a mother could love !

Canon 7D

2010-05-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

After 6 months i really still dont like it !!! Good features,but bloody hell the images are incredibly grainy !! These Dove shots,were taken with the 500mm lens-no TC,not a patch on the 40 and 50D's.

Scorchio !!

2010-05-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

Bloody hell it was hot !! Wandered very slowly around Hoveringham,saw very little,3 Common Sands made themselves apparent,LRP,Oystercatcher,Dunlin,Common Terns.Oh yes life can be exciting on the patch !! All images 7D and 400mm F5.6

Coombes Valley RSPB

2010-05-25T05:35:00.000-07:00

With such beautiful weather,and not much doing rarity wise,i decided to visit Coombes Valley on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border......its 19 years since i last visited.It is a very beautiful reserve,a steep sided valley,with mature oaks and a stream running through the middle.I have to say i was a little disappointed with the lack of birds.....i remember Wood Warblers,Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers were quite abundant.No Wood Warblers were breeding on the site this year,i saw one Redstart,a pair of Pied Flycatchers were occupying a nest box...also saw a Spotted Flycatcher very briefly.

2010-05-16T01:53:00.000-07:00

Re-visited

2010-05-16T01:14:00.000-07:00

Oriental Pratincole is not the sort of bird you see everyday,so a revisit was inevitable....especially with such nice weather forecast.Couldnt believe how many cars were there !! I thought last sunday was busy! The thing good with Frampton is,once you get on the reserve it doesnt feel like many people are there.Started off with some lovely views of singing Corn Bunting,not a bird easliy seen in Notts anymore,even in the their traditional stronghold....i suspect a sad picture repeated around the country.A Temmincks Stint was a nice suprise,and was showing very very well,but had flown just before i got there and was a bit distant for photos especially in the haze.After iniatially being very distant,the Pratincole showed to virtually point blank range around east hide....much to close for the big lens....should have taken the 400mm !! I got some better flight shots than last week,2-3 first summer Little Gulls were showing well there too.Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire was the next quarry......quite near home too....i didnt think it would take that long to see,considering all the pager messages said 'showing well' Bloody hell.....it took 4 hours to get a record shot!! It can be very very elusive!! and feeds in the bushes all around the pond,singing only from the tiny patch of reeds its chosen.............amazing the places birds choose to set up home !!

Seven whistlers

2010-05-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

An evening walk around the railway pit,looks like the Hobbies will be nesting in the same tree as last year,two birds have been sat in the tree for a few days now.....hopefully il get some good shots over the summer,just a record of them sat in the tree for now though.Suprise of the day went to the three Whimbrel-very wary indeed,the call is very disticntive i find,and i always think of the Shetland/Norse name 'seven whistler' if i recall it has quite a dark connotation,six birds calling for the seventh,if the find it the seventh brings death.................or something like that !!!! Alright im probably wrong !!