07-08.11.16
The Hawthorn Connection
Sheila found this on the windowsill on November 7th. It's a hawthorn shield bug - about half the size of my little finger nail. Macro lens really shows up the detail.
Hawthorn Shieldbug
I set off early on the 8th November for South Landing to look for little auks. None present on the very calm flat sea but one soon zipped past me about 100m offshore. Also seen were a few red-throated divers, lots of scoter and rafts of wigeon too. Selection of waders included sanderling, turnstone, curlew, redshank, oystercatcher plus rock pipits.
From there I headed south to find out if any of the recent quality birds of prey were still about. I approached Spurn via Holmpton just to browse the country lanes [red-legged partridge the only birds of note]. As I passed a farm where I knew little owls could sometimes be seen I slowed down. I had done this many times without luck. Amazingly a little owl was sitting in a barn window in the sun.
Little Owl
Little Owl
Apparently the pallid and rough-leg had disappeared south so I decided to just linger in the area and see what I could find. Canal Scrape was quiet. A fieldfare dropped in...
Fieldfare
It came closer.
Fieldfare
...and a robin was feeding on crumbs near my car.
Robin
Driving between the Blue Bell and the Crown and Anchor a couple in a stationary car pointed into a bush as I drew near. I stopped a bit further on and grabbed my bins to have a look. Waxwings - shots quite distant.
Waxwing
White Pheasant
White Pheasant
Waxwing
The birds flew off and I prepared to drive on. The other car stopped again so I decided to turn round and see if I could get some shots from the car. This is where the blog title comes in. Hawthorn fest!
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing
Things don't always go right! Damn, I dropped it!
Waxwing
Later I popped up to Tophill Low and watched a distant grey phalarope on D reservoir - miles away on the far side it looked pretty tiny even with the scope fully zoomed up.