On this day (Jan 15th)... 2012 - Short-eared Owls!

Probably some of the best moments I've had with Short-eared Owls on this day back in 2012...

It doesn't necessarily pay off to return to the scene of a good day's birding but I took the chance an even better display would be on the cards today! I'd decided to try a change of tactic by sitting in the car away from the main gallery and hoping for a 'fly past'? Four hours later at 3.30, it had been a complete no show and whilst nearly nodding off, I was beginning to question the decision..... Then, at 3.40, one Shortie got up and started to hunt. It wasn't long before it was looming larger in the viewfinder (a few cropped images on the closer images).

Ever nearer......Eyes gleaming in the warm glow of the setting sun!Eventually it was quartering right in front of me, I missed a lot (it was not easy from the car to keep up with such a fast manoeuvreable subject with a 500mm lens!) I'll settle for these though?What a moment :-)Finally, moving into the direction of the light as the sun set....

Good night!

On this day (Jan 14th)... 2017 - Scaup trio!

 Flashback to Jan 14th 2017 and more wildfowl, this time three Scaup at Colemere...

I was on my way to the Mere gull roost, stopped off at Colemere and with the 3 Scaup right out in the middle of the mere, decided to check out the wood? A few Redpoll and a Treecreeper were the only worthwhile birds seen and with the clock ticking away, I retraced my steps... only to find the Scaup had now paddled within camera range!!!

I literally gave them 5 minutes but still managed to get some half decent record shots in the gathering gloom!

Ladies first - the female...

And the first winter male showing off his developing plumage!

The adult male always an irritating distance behind the youngster, impossible to get them both in focus!

But just about managed all three as they drifted away....

The Mere roost beckoned, only a few minutes lost!

On this day (Jan 13th)... 2008 - female Ring-necked Duck!

On this day... 13th January 2008 there was a female Ring-necked Duck at Monkmoor Sewage Works. Give that most folk can't get in there now, I sometimes wonder what has been overlooked...

Here's the original blog post (from the dark ages of formatting! some pics do not resize...)

A return of the female Ring-necked Duck to Monkmoor, a kind offer from Geoff Holmes to open Fort Knox! Same bird, same attitude - asleep or just lazing there - pretending to be asleep. Than a bit of a stretch, preen and yawn.....

 

Then a  circuit around the island - some wideawake views (in the gloom)! 

Poor light but not an 'everyday' bird for the Shire!??

Melverley Floods - White-fronted Geese

The floods near Melverley / Edgerley were the place to be today although it was hard work at first! Numerous Pintail and Wigeon (occasionally taking flight) were on the flooded fields..

plus Shelduck, Teal, Greylag and Canada Geese. It all kicked off however just after midday when the flock of Russian White-fronted Geese decided to depart from the Alberbury side of the floods and arrived overhead calling... This is the complete flock of 57 geese...

It was another twenty minutes or so before they looked like settling and approached the floods I happened to be standing by...

Still not sure what to do, they took wide circles once more!

And then, the moment I had been hoping for - closer approach...

They started to break up into smaller groups..

Before coming down onto the water, sadly behind trees! Not that I was complaining, the views had been amazing!

Quite a panorama and despite the distance I still couldn't get them all in the frame!

After paddling about on the water for a while, they moved into the field and started feeding.

I'd only seen a single Whooper Swan up to this point but four more, including a juvenile wandered out from behind a hedge into the open!

I've had some brilliant moments at these floods but this was right up there for spectacle...

Ellesmere - Goldeneye and Goosander

Whilst waiting for the Scaup to (hopefully) come a little closer, the warm up acts were firstly a male Goldeneye...

Followed by a pair of Goosander...

Things got more interesting after a bit of a wash...

And as for the effects of preening!

Crikey, you never quite know what you are going to get...

Ellesmere - female Scaup

 A female Scaup has been hanging around the promenade area of The Mere recently but not today!! Nevertheless, Dave Chapman and myself were not going to give up and found it eventually in the NE corner...

For most of the time, cloudy conditions persisted! But eventually the sun peeked out!

 

And the odd wing flap is always welcome!

Shropshire - Jack Snipe

It's New Years Day and apart from Scilly, I haven't had a Jack Snipe in full view for many years, never mind locally. This one nevertheless did his best to conceal whilst showing rather well? One pic sums it up...

Bob, bog, bobbing along...