Had a few hours spare this morning so threw up a net to see what was about, nothing special. A few Fieldfare passing high over head also quite a lot of high flying flocks of Woodpigeon.
Coal Tit
Greenfinch
Dunnock
Robin
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Saturday, 19 November 2011
A trio of Ptarmigan
We awoke to a stunning sunrise this morning, the picture has been cropped but is otherwise as we saw it.
A nice visit to Speyside today, highlight was three Ptarmigan on Cairngorm.
Even by my standards the following pictures are poor :-)
A nice visit to Speyside today, highlight was three Ptarmigan on Cairngorm.
Even by my standards the following pictures are poor :-)
No not a white rock, it is a Ptarmigan!!
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Siskin are back!
Fairly quiet day today, couple of hours ringing in the garden produced the usual Great, Blue and Coal Tits a few House Sparrows, two Robins and a single Siskin.
Plenty of Siskin and Goldfinch in area but all stayed high in nearby trees.
Plenty of Siskin and Goldfinch in area but all stayed high in nearby trees.
Siskin
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Birding Ecosse strikes Gold!
It was just one of those days, brilliant company, stunning Scottish scenery enhanced by beautiful autumnal sunshine, and a bucket load of Golden Eagles (well three to be exact!)
All were juveniles and the one that gave best views had to be the one where I didn't have my camera!
The pics are a very poor effort but I will be back in the very near future to see if I can get any decent images.
All were juveniles and the one that gave best views had to be the one where I didn't have my camera!
The pics are a very poor effort but I will be back in the very near future to see if I can get any decent images.
Juvenile (1st Winter) Golden Eagle
Good numbers of Buzzard and Kestrel, Fieldfare and Redwing and also appearing were Mountain Goat and a large and noisy herd of Red deer.
A big thanks goes to Jackie, who picked up the first two eagles (I was being mother and making the coffee and tea!) And to newlyweds Nick and Tracey!! (Aye newlywed 26 years ago!!) for being such good company.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
A collection of Tits.
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Bird of the day was Blue tit V332822 caught today aged as 4 (adult) Female wing 63 weight 10.7g originally ringed 22 January 2008 as a 4 (adult) Female wing 63 weight 11.0g.
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Eagles to Dolphins!
Full day guiding today Starting off at Lochindorb then Findhorn Valley- Farr Road the over to Black Isle.
It was one of those days where all the target species turned out on cue and showed off to anyone that cared to look in their direction.
At Lochindorb the Red Grouse were more numerous than I have seen in many months, the males strutting and calling to each other, all looking stunning in the early morning sunlight.
Highlight of the day was when a White Tailed Eagle was seen soaring alongside a Golden Eagle and both being buzzed by a pergrine!
It was one of those days where all the target species turned out on cue and showed off to anyone that cared to look in their direction.
At Lochindorb the Red Grouse were more numerous than I have seen in many months, the males strutting and calling to each other, all looking stunning in the early morning sunlight.
Male and female Red Grouse
Male Red Grouse
Female Red Grouse
Highlight of the day was when a White Tailed Eagle was seen soaring alongside a Golden Eagle and both being buzzed by a pergrine!
White Tailed Eagle
White Tailed Eagle
All in all a brilliant day out, supporting cast included: Male Brambling at a feeder in Tomatin, Red Deer Rutting at Findhorn Valley and Breaching Bottle nosed Dolphins on the Moray Firth.
Saturday, 22 October 2011
A hide with the Wow factor!
Visited the new hide at RSPB Insch Marshes today and was very impressed with the layout and full length windows, it would be a close call for favourite hide between Insch, Fowlsheugh and the new Parrinder hides at Titchwell. They certainly are producing some stunning designs.
Birdwise it was fairly quiet, with gale force winds and drizzly rain all afternoon. A male Pintail was with the Wigoen at the far side of the reserve, Long tailed tits and Treecreepers showed extremely well in front of the hide, and star bird of the day was a male Hen Harrier feeding at North End of Reserve.
Definately a place to re-visit in the very near future.
Birdwise it was fairly quiet, with gale force winds and drizzly rain all afternoon. A male Pintail was with the Wigoen at the far side of the reserve, Long tailed tits and Treecreepers showed extremely well in front of the hide, and star bird of the day was a male Hen Harrier feeding at North End of Reserve.
Definately a place to re-visit in the very near future.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Winter doth Approach!
Enticed out by the lack of gale force winds and for once a clear sky I headed for my patch at Findhorn.
It was a beautiful start to the day with the snow capped mountains across the Moray firth hinting of the on set of winter.
Birds were fairly scarce best news was the vast increase of Long tailed ducks and a fairly close fly-by of a male Velvet Scoter.
However when it's quiet like this it makes you appreciate the common stuff so often overlooked.
It was a beautiful start to the day with the snow capped mountains across the Moray firth hinting of the on set of winter.
Birds were fairly scarce best news was the vast increase of Long tailed ducks and a fairly close fly-by of a male Velvet Scoter.
However when it's quiet like this it makes you appreciate the common stuff so often overlooked.
Male House sparrow
Robin
Winter cometh.
Monday, 17 October 2011
Norfolk Part 1 Unblocking the bogey!!
A life time ambition was realised with a recent trip to RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk, and although the actual reserve was smaller than I had imagined, it was by far better birdwise than I could have hoped for plus the relatively compact size and excellent hide locations means there are no real blind spots on the scrape complex.
This blog entry is for me un-bloking my bogey bird, The Bittern, now I have been in the correct habitats at the correct times but never conected..... until now!
The bird flew down a clearing in the reed bed and that alone would have been enough, but it then circled and landed slap bang in front of the Bittern Hide!! It gave brilliant views however the lighting was very poor hence the grainy shots, but grainy or not they are the unblocking pics of my bogey bird!
At one point I actually thought we had a real life Bittern in the hide, however it turned out to be a lady called Jane giving a perfect redition of the "wiggle wiggle wiggle stab" motion of the feeding bird... Well done Jane!
This blog entry is for me un-bloking my bogey bird, The Bittern, now I have been in the correct habitats at the correct times but never conected..... until now!
The bird flew down a clearing in the reed bed and that alone would have been enough, but it then circled and landed slap bang in front of the Bittern Hide!! It gave brilliant views however the lighting was very poor hence the grainy shots, but grainy or not they are the unblocking pics of my bogey bird!
At one point I actually thought we had a real life Bittern in the hide, however it turned out to be a lady called Jane giving a perfect redition of the "wiggle wiggle wiggle stab" motion of the feeding bird... Well done Jane!
Bittern at RSPB Minsmere
Probably my favourite picture, play spot the bird!!
Saturday, 15 October 2011
The old and the new.
Just back from a fantastic 5 days in Norfolk, that included unblocking my bogey bird and a chance twitch for a lifer.. more to be told in a later blog!
However one morning over breakfast I got around to talking about binoculars and how I almost had a trip down memory lane by purchasing a pair of my first ever binoculars off e-bay, a set of Prinz 10x50 porro prisms.
At this point Hazell remarked to Bernard (and thank you both for looking after me and Lynda so well!) "is that not the type we have" and lo and behold a pair of Prinz 10x50 appeared. Happy memories and a real treat to compare the "then" and "now" and much as I loved my Prinz I will stick with the Swaro's!
However one morning over breakfast I got around to talking about binoculars and how I almost had a trip down memory lane by purchasing a pair of my first ever binoculars off e-bay, a set of Prinz 10x50 porro prisms.
At this point Hazell remarked to Bernard (and thank you both for looking after me and Lynda so well!) "is that not the type we have" and lo and behold a pair of Prinz 10x50 appeared. Happy memories and a real treat to compare the "then" and "now" and much as I loved my Prinz I will stick with the Swaro's!
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