October flashback!

I spent a week in Scotland last October and featured the photos on my return in my blog. However, I mentioned at the time that one 32GB memory card had failed and although the photos were there they wouldn't download. Sometimes I was able to download one or two photos before the error messages began to flow. Recently I tried again. So far I've downloaded about a dozen images, concentrating on getting a couple at a time from each time I took a few shots.

Later I discovered I could download easily as long as I only downloaded 1 image at a time. Eventually it [whatever it is!] catches on and happily tells me there are no files on this card. You get back in by re-starting the computer. Removing and reinserting the memory card doesn't wash!

They date from 24th-26th October 2017.

First off: drake eider showing off on the Ythan estuary.

Next Findhorn seafront. Hooded crow trying to break a cockle by dropping it onto the shingle beach. I tried to catch the bird dropping the cockle but I never succeeded in getting bird and cockle. Here's the result.

The carrion crows don't like the hooded crows but in the end there's a broad spectrum of in-between hybrids. This shot exemplifies this.

Offshore were rafts of birds. What are these? Very distant I'm afraid. Answer at the end of the posting.

On to the Black Isle and to Udale Bay [an RSPB roadside reserve]. Here were pinkfeet...

...and as the light failed, a raft of scaup. I'd never seen scaup in this number before and the photo only shows a fraction of the birds present.

February 21st. Working in the garden I heard a clucking noise sort of above and behind me. Our pheasant had dropped in and was lecturing me from atop the fence. He eventually came down when I went indoors. He lingered quite a while and was happy to be photographed by Sheila and myself.

A cat shadowed the pheasant but didn't dare get close.

Trying to get a better view of our pheasant from the vegetable garden I spotted movement in the conifer that I instantly recognized. [Strange sentence! I don't mean I instantly recognized the conifer but I recognized the movement - I suppose you'd call it jizz...] Always a thrill to espy a goldcrest in our garden - first one this year.

February 22nd. Sheila fancied a trip to the seaside so we eventually chose Hartlepool. We began with a stop to check what was at Saltholme but decided to leave for a walk from the Zinc Works Road into the dunes and out to Seaton Snook. I was looking for snow buntings. They flew off towards North Gare and I was left with this skulking bird in the dune grass.  Assuming it's a skylark. Little else seen. A curlew was out on the mud. Shooting into the sun produced this contrast image. We headed back short-cutting across the sand. We also walked along the Headland watching the eider ducks and drakes and had lunch at the Black Redstart site where we saw.... a blackbird!

Finally a quick walk round Ward Jackson Park: the parakeets were not seen. It was quite calm and we had a very pleasant day.

Answer: raft of drake long-tailed ducks.

Softly, softly catchee birdee...

February 13th

Early morning our roe deer were very close to the field edge across from our house. I dressed quickly, grabbed the camera and went out. The deer are used to people walking along so were not disturbed. They get more wary if you stop and look their way. I stood beneath a small tree.

Later that day I went out with Barry to Broomhill and Old Moor. I didn't take the camera. It was a wet and very cold day but we had nice views of the perched peregrine at Old Moor and I was pleased to be first to spot the hawfinch at Broomhill. See http://barryjohnbishop.blogspot.co.uk/ for his photos. Meanwhile...I tried to snap her [it's a female] with my iphone!! That is a hawfinch, honest! It didn't really work, did it?!

Here's one I took earlier! [Castle Howard Arboretum last year]

Today, February 14th, we saw 3 tree sparrows in our garden together, so we now know there's more than just the one. I know they're fairly common in Yorkshire but it's still a thrill to see them here in York. These were taken through the glass of a bedroom window.

Then on Friday, February 16th, I was having breakfast when I spotted this smart chap from the kitchen window!  I tried to creep up on him on the premise that all pheasants are stupid! Stupid me; he flew off!

Later I headed north to Washington to look for the wild ferruginous duck at the WWT reserve. It's been dropping in there for a long time. Not sure what it's provenance is however...

I do think ferruginous ducks are very handsome in a slightly understated kind of way. Not understated at all are the smews. Afraid I can't resist spending a bit of time with a few of the captive birds. Smew in courtship mode were very exciting.

My favourite shot Cranes too! There are lots of other super birds to see but none have quite the attraction for me that these 3 species have [except perhaps the southern shovelers]. Captive they may be but they're still beautiful birds and lovely to spend a bit of time with.

En route home I called at Greatham Creek Salterns determined to try again for the overwintering spotted redshank. Near to giving up as usual I walked north along the embankment for about 300m. Boom! There it was next to an ordinary so the differences stood out really well. Scope views only I'm afraid.

148 UK 2018

Still 11 behind last year!

Chris goes white water kayaking!

Well, not really. I wanted [7/2/18] to have another go at travelling south to Holme Pierrepont in Notts to try to see the spotted sandpiper. My previous encounter with a spotted sandpiper involved an exhaustingly long walk in pre-camera days. This one sounded rather more accessible.

This time the motorways were kind. I broke my journey and photographed a couple of thrushes under a beech tree.

Song thrush

Mistle thrush

On arrival at Holme Pierrepont, the National Watersports Centre, I learnt that kayakers had frightened the bird off towards the River Trent. 'Bloody kayakers!' someone said. I dared to point out that the white water rapids that the bird seems to prefer had been built for kayaking not for rare waders. 'Spose so!' he answered with a grin. There were a few other birds about...

Kingfisher on the wires that hold the navigation poles in place. Grey wagtails - one had been taken by a sparrowhawk I was told.

Still no sign of the sandpiper. I thought I'd try my hand at action photography!

I explored the site which also caters for rowing events. On the Regatta Lake a long-tailed duck had been found.

Eventually the spotted sandpiper came back - by the bridge towards the far end of the rapids. 

It might not like the fast moving kayaks but people didn't seem to bother it at all and you could get quite close.

Better keep an eye open for that sparrowhawk!

Black Velvet

Velvet scoter seen in South Bay, Scarborough close to the harbour. That was Thursday. Friday, late morning, Sheila and I set off in rain/sleet for Scarborough to have a look. We parked on the south side of the harbour. As we drew up Sheila announced: 'I can see it.'

Not having much faith in her identification skills I assumed it would be a cormorant. She's much more sharp-eyed than I am, however. And I had to eat humble pie: with the scope I confirmed she was right. It all makes for an interesting test of the power of a 52 megapixels camera combined with 700mm [equivalent] lens pulling power.

Here's an uncropped view of the bird well out in the bay...

...and here are the best of the crops It dived a lot and it was anybody's guess where it would surface.

Unfortunately it never came close but the images give a good idea of a drake velvet scoter, I think.

About 50 turnstones were busying round our feet, running along in front of us like clockwork toys. Sheila asked me to include them too!

Bling!

144 UK 2018