Tuesday 6 November 2012

The Big Catch Up

This is a catch up of what I haven't put on here in ages now and this post could be edited a few times to keep it in the right order and pictures added. Just for you Chiddy lol

Reculver

22/10/12
With an Olive-Backed Pipit reported I was up and at Reculver at 'first light'. I use the term lightly (no pun intended) as the weather wasn't the best, it was a extremely foggy and visibility was poor. No luck with OBP but found Snow Bunting, Shorelark and Lapland Bunting which were all new for the year. The Snow and Lapland Bunting were extremely confiding allowing me to get some shots off.

24/10/12
Wednesday proved to be much the same as Monday but with a couple of additions to my year list as well as more company. Bramblings were in the bushes along the railway embankment and along Chamber's Wall I picked up Redpoll and bumping into Chris Hindle he told me where I could most probably pick up Ring Ousel. Following the instructions I ended up behind the caravan park and picked it up.

28/10/12
Another trip was on the cards to see if anything had been blown in from the strong winds the day before. A lot of people also had the same idea. More Snow Buntings had arrived and both they and the Shorelark were showing well. Another bird seen on the way back was a Grey Phalarope that briefly flew inland and back out to sea.

Pictures from the trips.












Devon/Cornwall & Seasalter
14-21/10/12 

From Sunday evening to Friday I went to Devon and Cornwall with my brother but it wasn't a bird watching trip as such but it didn't stop me. While there we visited both Land's End and Lizard Point in the same day and I saw 3 Choughs at Land's End and 2 at Lizard Point. There were loads of Gannets passing by Land's End as well while we were there.

Another day we went to Lydford Gorge and saw Marsh Tits, one came within a few feet of our heads which was a lovely sight. They were my first ever Marsh Tits that I had seen but I have heard some in Church Woods but I don't count hearing them but I admit that it is good to take note of that way you know they are about.

On Sunday after my football match in the morning I made my way to Seasalter to see if I could see the Red-Breasted Goose. My Dad had seen it during the week while I was away and decided that with a stinking cold he wouldn't come out on this occasion. I had a scan through the hundreds of Brents and it was more luck than judgement that I came across it because the light was terrible due to the cloud and the rain coming down in my face. While I was there an Olive-Backed Pipit was reported at Reculver but I thought I would try the next day as the weather was rubbish and a cup of tea at my nan and grandad's was calling.

Thornden Woods

A trip out with my brother to Thornden Woods didn't produce many birds but did see Siskins and Jays that presumably had just migrated. On our way out we also heard a Tawny Owl. The highlight of the trip were some Highland Cows with some worryingly large horns.



Oare Marshes

I made many trips to Oare Marshes over the summer trying to get some pictures of waders that were feeding close to the road. The trips got some good birds like Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint. The Temminck's Stint was a lifer for both me and my Dad.

Here are some images, I would put them in chronological order but it's too much effort.

Black Tailed Godwit

Black Tailed Godwit

Wood Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint (record shot)


Scotland

A family holiday at the start of August. Being a family holiday Dad and I knew we weren't going to get out as much as we wanted but grabbed any opportunity to go bird watching. Here are a couple of images from the trip.

Meadow Pipit in the evening sun, one of my favourite images that I have ever taken.

Red Throated Diver, not the best image but it was brilliant to see a Diver in breeding plumage.

Red Grouse

Red Grouse

Spotted Flycatcher

Willow Warbler

2 comments:

  1. Great to see the site back up to speed again Dan. More than can be said for our respective teams. !!

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  2. Yeah thanks Mike. I know! We're dreadful at the moment!

    ReplyDelete