Travels with my camera

Askham Bog 27th January

An afternoon outing to our nearest reserve at Askham Bog where we were looking out for the marsh tits.

Marsh Tit

Great, blue and long-tailed were seen [as usual] along with siskin high up in the alders but the marsh tits did show up -very cautious and easily missed if I wasn't really quick on the shutter button!  A robin was quite agressive to any other birds looking for seed.

Robin

Saltholme 31st January

Pottering along on a few bleak January days... not especially cold but the wind made it feel really bitter. Failed to find snow buntings again at Seaton Snook and decamped to the Phil Stead hide for shelter. Lesser redpolls and a shoveler obliged.

Shoveler

The shoveler came really close and the redpolls were by the feeder. Pity there wasn't more sunshine!

Shoveler

Mrs Shoveler looked well too. The bill on females can look even bigger than on the drakes.

Shoveler

I did my best to photograph the redpolls but I was working at very low shutter speeds.

Lesser Redpoll

I prefer not to photograph birds on feeders. Eventually one of the redpolls perched on a branch - they did spend most of the time on the ground [in the relative darkness] underneath the feeders.

Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll Lesser Redpoll

On February 2nd Sheila and I went up to Hartlepool to see the Belasis Avenue glossy ibis. Satnav got us there fairly easily - but there were quite a few horse fields to check. My sharp-eyed wife spotted the bird before Tiggy even came to a stop!

We were shooting into the sun and roadside access only meant there was nothing I could do about it. Quite atmospheric shots though for winter in northern England!

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Next was a long bracing walk at Greenabella/Greatham Creek. At last the road was open with traffic lights. Setting off past all the heavy machinery brought in to repair the damage to the southern bank of the creek we could see where the banking was breached. [Photos by Sheila]

Greatham Creek Greatham Creek

As we walked along the clinkered bund I spotted some bar-tailed godwits on the mud along the creek.

Bar-tailed Godwits   Bar-tailed Godwit

A distant greenshank was my first of the year.

Greenshank

I was pleased to find the spotted redshank on one of the pools north of the creek. It was very mobile and I lost it before I could take a picture. Later it surprised me by returning in more co-operative mood!

Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank

We moved on to Newburn Bridge for lunch - Med gull was present, possibly two - and then had a walk on the Headland. I spotted some distant eiders so went to have a closer look.

Eider

Eider

Other waders were about: a mixed flock of knot and redshank flew past.

Wader flock

Knot and oystercatcher were on the shingle bank near the pilot pier.

Knot & Oystercatchers

Finally we went back to Belasis Avenue to see if the light was better. The ibis was still feeding but had moved pool and although the light was different the end result was much the same.

Glossy Ibis

135 UK 2014