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Birding 2005
Found on Christmas Eve, this Black-throated Thrush at Curload has been giving lots of people the right run around. These photos were taken on 30 December 2005 during a day of torrential rain, soaking all optics and more!
This Black Redstart has been one of several present on Brean Down for some time. This is the best photo I could manage on 28 December 2005. It never came close, always about half way up the slope from the cove.
Working around Exeter for the last couple of days did have its advantages. This Laughing Gull at Exmouth showed very well on 8th-9th December, in fact miles better than this photo suggests. Throw a few slices of bread and you'll get it flying round your head.
Just driving past Herriott's Pool at Chew Valley Lake on 6 December and thought I'd better have a quick check. This Ring-necked Duck was present and showed well, albeit in poor light. First time I've been here in yonks!
This autumn seems to be a bumper one for Grey Phalaropes. This bird at Cheddar Reservoir on 27 November was as tame as many of them.
Anyone think of a comedy caption for this image? How about "those damn fisherman must think I'm stupid".
This Upland Sandpiper in neighbouring North Somerset was a fantastic find by Richard Hunt on 12 November 2005.
Three Richard's Pipits have been present in fields adjacent to the salt marsh between the rivers Brue and Huntspill for a week or so. One flew over my head today (13 November) and landed fairly close so I could grab these shots.
This Grey Phalarope at Ashton Court was most approachable, viewed to a few inches! Light was rubbish, it was raining and the bird was constantly spinning so it's amazing that any of the photos were anywhere near sharp.
This Snow Bunting was on Brean Down near the fort on 15 October 2005. A low res transparency scan due to problems with my DSLR.
Wow! This Squacco Heron might not be in Somerset, but the less than an hour journey was well worth it. Unbelievable views on a concrete pond in Newton Abbot. 8/10/05.
Great White Egret, Orchardleigh Lake near Frome, 17 September 2005
White-winged Black Tern at Weston-super-Mare STW, 7 Sept 2005
Sparrowhawk, Weston-super-Mare STW, 7 Sept 2005. Lucky it didn't feel like WWBT for dinner.
Where's my feet gone? Juvenile/1w Med Gull, Berrow, 7 September 2005.
Peregrine, Brean Down, 3 Sept 2005
Mediterranean Gulls are all that seems to be about at the moment. This moulting juv. came to bread briefly at Apex on 2 Sept. before sitting right in the middle of the lake where I grabbed this record shot.
There were two Mediterranean Gulls on Berrow Beach today (27/8/05). This one and 78T (below).
What a state. 78T is not the neatest at the moment.
Dunlin, Berrow Beach, 7 August 200
Not in Somerset, but these breeding Bee-eaters in Herefordshire were well worth the out of county trip. Unfortunately they remained slightly too distant for anything other than these record shots.
Waders numbers are building up at Berrow, and despite disturbance by dogs, good views can be had of them at the present high tides.
Sanderling, Berrow Beach, 23 July 2005.
These two juvenile Long-eared Owls were showing well at an undisclosed site on 18 July 2005. The photos were taken with due regard for the Wildlife & Countryside Act that protects these Schedule 1 birds from disturbance whilst at the nest.
The above images were a result of another week in Lancashire. Corn Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Stock Dove and Red Squirrel.
Bearded Tits are showing quite well at the moment. This photo taken on 23 June 2005.
Great views of these two White Storks during the late evening at Middlezoy on 15 June 2005.
The Woodchat Shrike found by a grockle at Uphill shows just a hint of white on the primaries and little white on the forehead, therefore it's a Balearic Woodchat Shrike of the race badius.
Avocet, Marshside RSPB, Lancashire.
2s Herring Gull, Apex. Nothing special, just practising flight shots.
Sedge Warbler at Berrow, 25 May 2005. It was singing, if it had posed with it's gob open it would have been much more photogenic!
Hirundines were looking fairly miserable on 22/5/05 during torrential rain, hail and thunder storms. At Cheddar Reservoir some were resting on the perimeter fence, including this Sand Martin.
Not having posted much here recently is more a product of a photoless spring, rather than a birdless one. So here's a favourite bird, Little Egret - Brue Estuary 21/5/05.
The first winter Glaucous Gull was still present at Nether Stowey on 27 February 2005. It does look a bit paler than when it turned up (see below). The photo above was taken on 27/2 but you can still clearly remnants of the darker spots. These are not visible in photos that are over-exposed (easy to do on a white bird!).
This Glaucous Gull was present at Nether Stowey on 7 and 8 February 2005. These photos were taken on the latter date. |
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