Welcome to my birding blog - first launched 12th March 2012...
Sunday 24th February ff
Winter warblers!
On Sunday 24th February I drove to Mirfield to look for the ring-billed gull. No sign, so part two of the plan was to head further west to Middleton near Oldham where a siberian chiffchaff was holidaying on a stream in a tiny nature reserve in a well built-up area. [Location: Albany Street, Middleton SD 880 050] The satnav took us to within meters of the wooden footbridge I needed to find. Another birder was present and he introduced me to a group of goldcrests that were exploring the shrubs on the stream edge. There must have been up to 6 of them bobbing about busily, rarely still enough to fire off a shot that might be reasonably focused.
Chiffchaffs were also present and singing too. My earliest ever chiffchaff. However the pale grey-winged 'sibe' was elusive flashing by and going high in the trees - another birder identified the different calls. Here's the one I photographed...
Long-tailed tits were in the mix too.
Then I returned to Mirfield to the weir on the River Calder to look for the gull again. There must have been half a dozen disappointed birders. A local told us it doesn't come on Sundays when Biffa [a local recycling place] isn't operational. However we spotted a kingfisher hiding in tree roots and other detritus by the lock gates. The weir protects barges as they enter the river from the Calder and Hebble Navigation canal.
Male Kingfisher [all black bill]
So no ring-billed gull but smart Herring gull, black-headed gulls and common gull all on the weir in this photo.
Let's have another look at the smart bird!
Old Friends Revisited
On Thursday February 28th I went up to Hartlepool to see a red-necked grebe - the only 'regular' grebe I hadn't seen this year. I arrived at the pilot pier at about 10.15 to be told that the grebe had swum out to sea only about twenty minutes earlier and had disappeared. I spotted some drake eider inside the harbour and endeavoured to get closer.
Common scoter were outside the harbour, along with knot and a few other regular waders. I decided to go down to Jackson's Landing and see if the black-throated diver was still about. The block paving outside the abandoned building was being picked over by four pied wagtails.
And I soon spotted the diver. Although I had already seen it a number of times, this is a very good bird and I was happy to see it once more as it swam obligingly over to me! The light was amazing and although the sun was not shining directly I was getting amazing shutter speeds so I lowered the ISO to 100: these shots are the only photos I have ever taken with this camera at 100 ISO. Needless to say this freakish light didn't last.
On towards North Gare via Newburn Bridge. Two med gulls were present. One, on the beach, seemed to have a full summer hood but was very distant [it being low tide] and it flew off into the bargain. My long serving friend, good old Medusa, however, was shouting at me from her lamp-post!
I waited till she went for a fly past, swapping lamp-posts as she does...
North Gare held fields of gulls, great rafts of them which, to be honest, I didn't feel like spending the day scanning with the scope. A birder was atop a mini-dune, on a camp seat working through them. I contented myself with trying to get close to lapwings from a moving car!
All quiet at Majuba Road, Redcar, I headed for Skinningrove. Little was about there either: a wren dodged among the rock armour and refused to stay still enough for a photograph. A curious sign on the metal gates of the crumbling pier caught my eye. The German is perfect, including the fading umlaut: 'Every night I dream of you!'
Fulmars were flying noisily from the high cliffs. You don't often see the tail fanned out like this as the bird controls his flight near the cliff top.
There was no sign of stonechat or blackstart. Redshank flew off from the beach as the tide encroached.
I ended up at South Gare. Little to report but the steelworks was very active and, poking the camera between the struts of the metal fence, I managed this dramatic shot. Picture of the day - and not a bird in sight!
A Grand Tour: Barry 3 - Chris Nil
Plan was to see black grouse at any of four different sites. The sad truth is that we drew a blank even though 7 males were later reported that afternoon at Shaw Farm. Were we blind!?
However we did have a very good day. Well, I did and I hope Barry did too. He got three year ticks - grey partridge that I spotted in a field full of fieldfare and redwing en route to Langthwaite. Raven near Shaw Farm and lots of red grouse. Cue for some photos!
Different bird, different side of the road looking into the sunlight giving a misty effect that I really like.
Eventually this bird spooked itself into flight. They make quite a big, slow-moving target. Poor things don't stand a chance!
On we went, trying site after site! Eventually I headed for Saltholme and Hartlepool as our day list cruised towards 50 birds. At Newburn Bridge we paid a quick hello to Medusa.
On to Hartlepool Headland and the pilot pier. This turnstone was tossing a crab shell about.
Just offshore right in the harbour mouth a guillemot was diving.
The smart eiders I saw earlier in the week looked even better in the bright sunlight [12 degrees!].
I have said it many times before, but the thing about birding is that something good nearly always happens. Often something good and unexpected. Towards going home time Barry spotted a group of waders on the beach - not far from people, dogs and children... We went to look. We went down onto the beach. We ended up on our knees down at knot level. Knot portfolio coming up... But Barry first, photographing these friendly chaps...
This dumpy one has a ring. It amazes me how often I photograph ringed birds. There must be a lot of ringers out there...
This fellow was particularly confiding and came very close.
Final image of the day.
Weir[d] and [not so] Wonderful
Sunday 3rd March. Back to Mirfield for the fourth time to try for the ring-billed gull yet again after seeing great photos taken Saturday by Ray Scally. Total failure but a few pleasant surprises on the way to total failure!
Swan geese lurking in the undegrowth.
Biggest surprise was the appearance on the weir on the River Calder, well inland therefore, of a kittiwake.
This lesser black-backed looked smart. Notice how his back looks a different colour in different light or from another angle.
Ok. Jobs to do. Birds to see!
UK 2013 155
15th-21st February 2013
Great birding - but not a lot to see!
By which I mean that unfortunately conditions were not right for photography or the birds were too far away. But there'll be something nice before I finish!
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16.02.13 |
Near Skipwith |
Jay |
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20.02.13 |
Rufford CP, Notts |
Hawfinch x3+; lesser spotted woodpecker x2 |
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20.02.13 |
Fiskerton Fen LWT |
American wigeon |
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20.02.13 |
Frampton Marsh RSPB |
White-fronted geese x4 |
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21.02.13 |
Tilery Wood, Wynyard |
Crossbill x2 |
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21.02.13 |
Near Ripon |
Merlin |
Wednesday 20th February
Rufford CP merits a few notes for anyone visiting at this time of year. Firstly, be there by 7.45-8.00am. Especially at February half-term or weekends. Important to beat the dog walkers to it! Enter the park by the Western Gate off the A614, south of Ollerton. Park in the first car park on the left among the trees. Walk north about 20 yards to the original entrance avenue leading from the still visible historic Western Gateway. Work the trees as you head east along the lime trees. I had hawfinch and lesser spotted fairly soon and both again down the eastern end towards the building. Look very high up in the trees. For the other birder present with me the rarely spotted woodpecker was a lifer. The first thing he did was ring his brother to let him know. What's more he rememebered me from a pallid harrier watch near Firsby Reservoir last year.
Common Gull - Buck Beck car park, Cleethorpes
Next stop was Fiskerton Fen and a fairly long but very wet walk to the north east of what is the nominal reserve [which I explored first not knowing where to go until I saw a car parked by some flooded fields...] where I met two birders who told me how to locate the american wigeon. If it helps the bird was [quite distant] at TF088721.
Three major new birds for the year list! It was some years since I saw a lesser spotted so that was really special. On then to Frampton Marsh where I soon saw the group of white-fronted geese. Although there were no great rarities present there were thousands of birds - probably thousands of brent geese alone and golden plover, dunlin, lapwing in large numbers too. And a meadow pipit - sometimes I don't see one of those until further into spring.
Finally I headed north via Cleethorpes determined to try again for snow bunting and to find Buck Beck car park, well-known to birders but quite elusive! Find it near Meridian Park TA33170 06179, 0.77 miles north of Humberston Fitties car park.
As usual I failed to find any snow buntings. In fact there was not a lot of variety apart from the lone common gull that posed obligingly by my car. I got the camera out slowly and quietly whilst he watched me.
Thursday 21st February
Barry and I headed north-east. See also Barry's blog: http://barryjohnbishop.blogspot.co.uk/
A very good day's birding with a couple of ticks each: fulmar at Skinningrove for Barry, crossbills for both of us at Tilery Wood, Wynyard. [I'll certainly go there again] Many thanks to the birder in Phil Stead hide, Saltholme who told us how to find it. Finally merlin for me on the trip home from Nosterfield - 69 birds in total counting the last minute addition of a red-legged partridge. [Barry had seen merlin in January at Alkborough Flats but I missed it]
Friday 22nd February
From red-legs to rough legs! Well, that was the plan but plans are lovely when they work out right and also lovely sometimes when they go wrong. Let me explain. Rough-legged buzzards haven't headed north this year and the trip to Haddiscoe Island, Norfolk is a long one so I decided to set out after lunch to follow up reports of a rough-legged buzzard near Long Riston, north of Skirlaugh, NNE of Hull. I saw neither bird nor birder. So I drove around a little just in case. I headed down a track called Carr Lane TA113423. I spotted a distant barn owl quartering the fields. Pulling Tiggy over onto the grass something told me to get the camera, get back in the car, wind my window down and wait....
Here he comes..
Time for a rest.
At times he flew right over us, following the beck to and fro, diving into the grass but not catching anything whilst I watched.
Finally he came and perched next to the car to check me over. Birding really does contain a never-ending wealth of thrills!
UK 150. Can't wait for whatever's coming next!
It's quite a thrill too to report that my photos on Bird Guides have now received over 4,000 'thumbs-up' votes and that this website [not yet a year old] has now had over 4,000 hits too! I hope all visitors to the site have enjoyed my pictures as much as I have enjoyed the birding that led to their appearance.
Chris
Week commencing Monday 11th February 2013
'To photograph flowers you need a Golden Eye...'
Monday 11th February
Well, so it was once said...
Birding seems to have dried up here in Yorkshire just a little or perhaps I'm just not at my best, not the birds. I know one thing, it's so cold I can't get warm if I stay outside too long. The camera must be feeling neglected!! So this afternoon I started something I planned to do this spring: photograph snowdrops in the garden. We have over a dozen different varieties in the garden now but it is hard to photograph them and show their individual characteristics. Backgrounds are another issue: you want to remove any distracting elements. I'm using a black scarf by the way!
Here's a few of my early attempts plus a couple of other early spring specials.
Galanthus nivalis - the common single snowdrop
Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno'
The common double snowdrop multiplies so quickly it is almost as common as the single snowdrop. You have to look inside snowdrops to appreciate their subtleties.
One of the most famous cultivar snowdrops is S. Arnott - a very tall, large flowered snowdrop.
Galanthus S. Arnott
Also in flower on this cold February afternoon was this seedling of daphne mezereum. Self-sown this is the uncommon white form which occasionally appears on our front rockery as a seedling, descendant of a plant we once bought. Daphnes are short-lived shrubs but they do self-seed in the right conditions.
Daphne mezereum f. alba
Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill' or Paper Daphne. Exquisitely scented.
Oh yes, remember at the beginning I said you need a golden eye? Well, here's one!
Photographed at Saltholme 7th February 2013
Thursday 14th February
It's funny just how often I set out to see one thing and end up seeing something completely different. This day was to be spent walking the beaches of Cleethorpes in search of the widely reported 30 snow buntings. I did know a Black Brant goose had been reported on Tetney Marshes but I assumed this would be a needle in a flying haystack job. However en route the pager said the goose was on pools at Humberston Fitties. Whatever they were.
So I set off to try to find these pools. There were signs to Humberston Fitties to my surprise. It turns out that it's a large caravan and dacha park [little old cabins of dubious weather-worthiness]. There was a RSPB sign too and loads of dog walkers. Oh well, I parked, looked around and spotted some Brent geese on the far side of the lake. I set off with scope and so as not to disturb the geese I watched from a distance. Must have been 60-80 geese. No sign of a Black Brant. Then more came in in batches ranging from 3 or 4 to 60 at a time. Soon there were hundreds of them milling around. And yes, I found my first ever Black Brant. I took my eyes off him on purpose to check I could relocate the bird and hadn't fooled myself. This adult is still there as I write [16.02.13] - no doubt pleasing a lot of Lincolnshire birders.
After walking the dunes and scanning the sands for snow buntings fruitlessly I returned to the car. I could scarce believe my eyes. A lady was feeding ducks and black-headed gulls by my car and, in a puddle at the front of my car was a very nice bird. I opened the back end and got the camera as quietly as I could. Nice one, Mr. Ruff!
Diversion!
Half way to Cleethorpes I pulled into a lay-by as I had heard my pager 'beep'. 'Waxwings on Beckfield Lane, Acomb, York.' I texted my wife who went up to the berry tree on the corner of Norman Drive and Beckfield Lane. Then she went home for the camera. Here are a few of her snaps!
There was a fieldfare in the berry tree: he tried to chase the waxies off until he was outnumbered!
I like the composition. Twins!!
These 2 photos are across the road from our house.
Finally this one is the best of the bunch when things got over-excited as they landed in the Christmas tree in our back garden. Our very own waxies!!
Friday 15th February: one of those special days...
On my way out to the main road I stopped at the berry tree just to have a look. I wasn't disappointed.
Looking for some easy year ticks I headed for Scarborough, sure the fulmars would be back in residence on Marine Drive. Luxury seaview apartments for rent!
The peregrines and fulmars seem to cope living close by. Perhaps you don't attack your neighbours - or there are plenty of pigeons still!
Next stop because I just can't resist the temptation, Holbeck for the Mediterranean gulls. How many different ones can you spot? I think there are at least three. Adult:
Sub-adult. Notice the black.
Another: different leg colours.
They are dominasnt, aggressive birds. They can seem very long-necked when they wish to impose themselves:
Filey Dams was hosting a slavonian grebe so I hoped, given the small size of the reserve and the placing of the two hides, to get close views. The grebe had other ideas and stayed as far away as possible. Resolutely, even after two precious hours.
So it would be Hornsea Mere final stop to try to find the black-necked grebe. I never did find it but birding being the wonderful thing it is you never know what's going to happen next [just like cricket really]. And happen it certainly did. I spotted a flock of about 60 barnacle geese in the fields across from the bungalows, if you know where I mean. After a while I noticed a small group of birders in the little bay to the right of the entrance. The bay that backs onto the houses where the canada geese often congregate to be fed. I strolled over.
'Have you seen the bittern?' one chap asked.
'No,' I said almost disbelieving as I saw where they were looking.
Another man said: 'Have you seen the water rails?'
I shook my head.
'Follow me. There's six of them.'
I followed him. I never saw six but I did see three at once running round a very wet field, disappearing into the hedge and running out again! Full of the joys of spring. Totally changed my image of water rails.
I walked back to the bittern for another look.
A quiet man I have often seen on my travels began to pack his scope away.
'Good old Hornsea Mere,' he said.
I agreed. Good old Hornsea Mere.
144 UK
Sunday 3rd February - Monday 4th February 2013
The Barmston Beauty
I just can't resist a pretty gull - especially any kind of white gull, and, although I had already seen the Kumlien's gull at Barmston, I fancied sneaking back for another look. The opportunity came on Sunday when a ring-necked duck popped up on the pager at Tophill Low. The duck was eventually located on the far side of D reservoir along with several scaup. The hide was overflowing with helpful advice as there was an In-focus optics demonstration going on in there!
A quick call at the Visitor Centre produced a woodcock in the bottom of the hedge across from the bird feeders. I think I've seen a woodcock there in previous years too.
Time still remained to get to Barmston, so off I went.
By the time I had got the camera the bird was having a fly around, eventually landing back almost in the same place on the beach. I'm afraid there are a lot of pictures of this wonderful bird.
Time for an interval!
There were also other birds on the beach. I tried hard to get some nice pictures of the sanderlings.
They were busily checking every piece of mussel shell was cleaned of any nutriment.
Back to the gull.
Finally a few images to remind me that it's an easy life for me. I have a nice warm car and a nice warm home. I can leave the harshness of the natural world behind me. The sanderlings and the gulls have to brave the elements all day every day. And those elements are often bitterly cold, windy and unforgiving. Here's to the bravery of birds...
Farewell to Barmston. For now at least.
Monday 4th February: back to Hartlepool
Not a nice day and not a particularly rewarding one. There was no sign of the slavonian grebe that I wanted better photos of. [I remember being told at school never to end a sentence with a preposition. As a teenager I felt better when I later read that Winston Churchill was criticised for the same misdemeanour. He responded thus: This is the kind of criticism up with which I will not put!]
Anyway the black-throated diver was still around in the main basin at Harlepool Marina.
There were plenty of mergansers about.
Supposedly there were 20+ snow buntings at Seaton Snook. I walked miles along the sands. The marram grass on the dunes was more interesting than the bird life [i.e. there wasn't any].
Don't be misled by the blue sky. It was cold, windy and I was being sand-blasted. No doubt the snow buntings had more sense than I!
Manipulated the image changes. Looks like the top of someone's head, doesn't it!!
The sand was blowing over the rocks down by Seaton Snook. This picture has not been manipulated other than to sharpen the focus.
Oh well, I'll go to Saltholme. I was told the owls don't show when it's windy as they go really deep into the scrub. Very sensible.
At Phil Stead hide there were signs of better things to come. A pair of teal were sticking close together.
A pair of mallard were out in the middle. I noticed both of them started to furiously bob their heads, quite fast and both at the same time. Then the female swam in front of the drake.
Spring is on the way.
136UK
Friday February 1st 2013
It can be so good just to be out birding...
I set off with lots of ideas but no matter, after a week of poor weather and very strong wind it would be good just to be outside again. I headed for Hartlepool with photography top of my agenda. Ticks looked a little unlikely but you never know...
I'll start at Saltholme with a goldfinch and a very accommodating reed bunting. She either had other things on her mind or really did listen when I asked her to: 'Just hold it there a minute!'
Further along the path a little egret was showing well [as the saying goes] on the Fire Station pool.
For some reason little egrets always look bigger in the photos than they do in real life.
I called at Hartlepool Marina next in the hope of getting better photos of the slavonian grebe. However there was no sign of the grebe or the diver so I had to settle for the resident little grebe who looked splendid in the good light, light itself enhanced by reflections from the little boats moored nearby.
I caught this nice image of a 'no longer there' little grebe!
On then to Seaton Carew, North Gare and so on, calling at Newburn Bridge to see my med. gull friend. He was on his lamp-post.
A birder, scoping the sea, hadn't noticed there was a med. gull just above his head! Anyway, the bird was quite vocal that morning and flew about for me, transferring from lamp-post to lamp-post. Quite a photogenic bird!
I was impressed with how the camera coped when panning flight shots following the gull around - even when a lamp-post got in the way!
Enough! Ok. Well, nearly.
Bye, Medusa! Yes, I'll call her Medusa.
Saltholme again. Another site, another reed bunting! This time near the Wildlife Watchpoint hide.
Photo of the day came from here too. My best ever, I think, of a shoveler. All credit to the light not to me.
Finally after failing to find long-eared owls [I did see a shortie driving from Saltholme to Hartlepool earlier] I thought about Skinningrove and called at Majuba Road beach car park, Redcar to put the satnav on as I hadn't a lot of time left before dark and didn't trust myself not to take an over-long route. A bird popped up in front of me. I immediately thought 'twite', jumped out of the car and began to photograph this little flock of about 8 birds. I should have thought 'twit' instead.
They're linnets!
UK 134 [including a green-winged teal seen with Barry at Dorman's Pool on Saturday - very cold and windy. I'm afraid the camera never got used. We also saw 2 redneads and a white nun at Dorman's.]