So that's how it all started!!

Just to set you thinking.... See the children in the photo? Well the boy in the school cap is yours truly. Why on earth is he/was I wearing it? Photo taken in Chester in 1957 by my dad. I intend to set up a folder of his Lake District photographs in the near future: I've been cleaning up his slides with the Adobe Photo Elements 6 software. They are very spotty many of them but otherwise pretty good. Taken with an early Exakta SLR. Anyway here, as I said, is how I started birding 55 years ago aged 7! I think the slide has done well to still be this good after over half a century. The ducks look pretty Heinz 1957 varieties too!

Brother Tony in foreground [age 4 - now Professor and Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Reading]; cousin Jacqui in tartan skirt largely hidden from view.

Thursday 4th October

Back to the present. On Thursday, no cap on my head this time, I went to Firsby Reservoirs in search of a putative [good word!] pallid harrier. Saw 5+ buzzards, several kestrels, a flock of up to 30 lesser redpolls passing through the birch trees around the reservoir. No sign of any harriers. Lots of swallows, a few house martins.

On the walk back in warm October sunshine I came across a sunlit ivy plant in flower. There were a good number of late butterflies present. I went back to Tiggy and put the close-up lens on.

Speckled Wood

Speckled Wood Comma

Comma Red Admirals

Red Admiral Red Admiral This one is a bit overprocessed but I was seeing what sort of effect I could create...

Red Admiral

Friday 5th October

The persistent birder returned to the metal gate overlooking the set-aside field to see the pallid harrier come in to roost. About thirty birders were present. Buzzards, swallows and kestrels seen. No pallid harrier seen.

Saturday 6th October

Easterly wind didn't materialise but I went off to Hartlepool in hope of something. Micawberesque belief that 'something will turn up!'At Newburn Bridge I called in to say hello to my friend Mr. Med Gull. He was at his post on the rocks.

Mediterranean Gull The black sand there does produce some nice lighting effects.

Oystercatcher I moved on, heading for Hartlepool Headland. I strolled along the promenade in the sunshine. A feral pigeon was watching me from a pipe sticking out of the harbour wall.

Feral Pigeon Did you know that when backlit in a really good light redshanks have translucent legs!?

Redshanks Offshore the drake eiders were now looking splendid at the end of their eclipse period.

Eider Nothing really exciting to be found, I drove to Saltholme to sit in the Phil Stead hide for a while. A kestrel appeared several times but always hovered with his back to the hide! Still it's nicely focussed!!

Kestrel A little egret proved the most photogenic bird present. I tried to frame it in an old fence.

Little Egret Little Egret Little Egret For some reason it just sat down in the water and sort of lay there. I hadn't seen this behviour before. I could always claim it's a spoonbill!!

Little Egret

There must have been at least thirty snipe on the pool.

Snipe This one flew across the pool and landed in the water having obviously decided it was safe to have a good wash.

Snipe Eventually it flew to the nearest bank.

Snipe Snipe

Sunday 7th October

Got up 4.30am. Arrived Firsby reservoir SK401955 by 6.15am. Saw pallid harrier 7.15. Light still poor only just after sunrise. Iphone photo of the sunrise and the telegraph pole I leaned against while I waited. About 25 hardy birders present.

Sunrise, Firsby Third time lucky! Persistent birder rides yet again!!

2012: Yorkshire 131; UK 269