Tuesday 30 November 2010

Another day and no sign of thaw!

Really cold last night minus 11.5 but no more snow to speak of.

Experiment today concluded that thrushes like bananas as well as apples and the cold weather snap brought a G S Woodpecker onto the peanut feeder.


Male Great Spotted Woodpecker 


 Female Chaffinch


Fieldfare

Fairly quiet on the bird front today, most of them feeding in gardens.  Curlews flying over heading towards the coast.  Still no sign of a Brambling.

Monday 29 November 2010

Winter Wonderland

A winter Wonderland, beautiful scenery in the snow

Once again we are in the grips of winter, a mere 8 months after the last comedy snow here up near Inverness.  We have about a foot of snow at present but as I type it has started falling again.  Luckily we dont have to be anywhere until Sunday so we managed to restock in town today and it is now a case of battening down the hatches..... I love it!!!

Birds have been coming into the feeders and food in good numbers, giving plenty of photo opportunities, I'm not putting my nets up to give the birds as little disturbance as possible, but once it starts thawing I should be on for some mega catches!

Male House Sparrow

Even such a common bird as this House Sparrow warrant a second glance when the lighting is so good against the snow.

Female Chaffinch


So if a Robin swallowed a tennis ball what would it look like?..........


Hopefully if it stops snowing, I will get out tomorrow for some picture taking, nice flock of Reed Buntings just down the road so think they will be my quarry.

Friday 26 November 2010

Just for a laugh - December Quiz Photo

During the many trips in the field trying out the new digiscoping kit, I manage to capture some (a lot!) of less than perfect images.

So to that end I will publish a new image every month and see how many correct identifications I recieve.  If I get a good response I will go to weekly images (believe me I have loads I can use!) 

Good luck and enjoy.

Whats that bird??

(This is just for fun and to test the brain cells during the long winter nights)

Tuesday 23 November 2010

I am watching you know!!


Mallard male

Really impressed with the Lumix G1 and Swaro STS80HD scope or digiscoping, the detail you can get is amazing. Lighting wasn't as good as yesterday but still gave a nice contrast.

Monday 22 November 2010

Common but nice

 Coot

Mallard

Juv Moorhen

Not rare birds but nice lighting to take some shots.

Wednesday 17 November 2010



Whooper Swan B6U

Just got details back on this cracking bird.
Ringed A7941 on 14/08/06 as an adult Male in Anavatn Jokuldalsheidi - Iceland  and seen at Wester Milton Moray on 30/10/10.

Quick result from Euring and the WWT  good work!

Thursday 11 November 2010

More Peachy beauties!

Two Waxwings turned up at Conicavel today, along with ahuge flock of Fieldfare.  Nice to get on garden list! Really windy so this was the best pic I could muster.

Sunday 7 November 2010

Ringing season 'tis upon us!


         Goldfinch


Coal Tit


Blue Tit

Excited by a large flock of Siskin and Goldfinch in the garden yesterday I decided to kick off the winter garden bird ringing season early, however the Siskins had moved on and only one of the Goldfinches were caught, still nice to have the nets up again and the first time since I had op on arm, so the nice quiet session has proved that all is okay!

Friday 5 November 2010

Reflections




Just a passing session birding today, en-route for shopping!  Lots of Goldfinches and Siskin in the area, and a surprising encounter with this Whooper in a tiny pool in a field.

Redwing

Part of another weekend influx of migrants? Lots of Redwing Fieldfare and Siskin about.

Tuesday 2 November 2010

More whoopers

Total of 22 Whoopers today at same location as Saturday. 6 Juveniles.

Monday 1 November 2010

A Dipper Dipping!



Right in the middle of Forres on the mosset burn, very confiding wee birdy.