On this day (March 29th)... In 2010, 2009 and 2008

The end of March / early April is passage time for Ring Ouzels in Shropshire. Here's a taster from 29th March 2010...

A day off work and with a few hours to spare early afternoon, the prospect of a migrant forced down by the heavy rain looked promising? Venus Pool was waderless and rather than fall asleep, I opted for a visit to another Shropshire peak - Titterstone Clee! Minimal effort for this one though as you can drive to the summit....

I was going to have a good nose around the whole area but almost immediately upon entering the quarry, my ears were assaulted by an echoing 'chacking' of what could be only one thing.....






It's always a great birding buzz to find a bird you 'hope' will be there but usually isnt! I watched quietly as this cracking male Ring Ouzel flew left and then then right almost out of view. A quick call reannounced it's presence on the grassy ledges above a large boulder scree in front of me and unbelievably - it stayed! I settled down to record some images in the murk and drizzle.....








About as confiding as a Ring Ouzel could be!












There was obviously an abundance of worms in this area! Given the poor light, any of my images with 'movement' were blurred (and there's a lot of this when a worm is being yanked out of the ground). Nevertheless, here are some 'Ring Ouzel with worm' portraits!









The cloud ceiling eventually dropped and in a scene resembling pea soup, I left the bird to his worming. A couple of Wheatears had also been seen - my next target up high and I'm long overdue one of these - is a Shropshire Dotterel!! Keep watching this space....

Meanwhile... On 29th March 2009, I'd jumped the border  to check out Dolydd Hafren. The highlight was a Merlin having a brief touchdown in the River Severn!!

A morning spent in South Shropshire on a Goshawk quest  turned up trumps with an adult pair and juvenile performing in the stratosphere! This juvenile Goshawk at least gave chance for a record shot....






The plan was to head for Titterstone but it was now afternoon and no news of Ring Ouzel was forthcoming or no birders were up there?

Never mind, a decision to try elsewhere paid off big time! Dolydd Hafren in nearby Powys put Shropshire to shame! A pair of Little ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, White-fronted Goose x 4 Pink footed Goose x 6, Red Kite for starters!

On/by the river: Goosander, Kingfisher and Merlin amongst others. Wait a minute... Kingfisher and WHATTT! Yes, a female Merlin - stood by and then cooling it's feet down in the river Severn - eyeing up the Pied Wagtails etc for lunch! And if you don't believe me, have a look at this sequence....

Not sure whether she was trying to catch fish or just cooling her talons down?

Lunch was missed but the sight of a Merlin skimming the water was quite something!!

We may take them for granted nowadays (even in Shropshire) but back in 2008, Great White Egret was a prize bird. I caught up with one on March 29th 2008...

... The journey south continued, just as I was crossing the Severn, news came out it had already been seen that day so, the hunt was on! If you go to Meare Heath, take directions, it can be a bugger to find. The area is a sort of 'Whixall Moss with reedbeds' - a fantastic habitat nevertheless!

After driving past it once, I found the car park and headed up the track to the pools. Birders returning confirmed I was hopefully not going to be disappointed, and I wasn't! The Egret was out in the open, about 100m or more distant but this is one big bird - not to be missed!!







The Giraffe of the bird world?






Of course, without a reference feature, it is difficult to gauge size so, enter a very obliging Little Egret which had a habit of following the big guy around and apart from a brief squabble, provided the perfect foil for showing just how majestic and 'Great', this Egret truly is!!












Sadly, my luck with birds and the weather then took a downward turn! The Franklin's Gull was back at Chew Valley Reservoir! Like a fool, I ended up heading back up the road and fortunately the comfort and shelter of Moreton hide. After an hour of watching the wind blown surf with a couple of local birders, there were only three Little Gulls (one adult!) to show for our efforts. Mind you, I don't know when I've seen so many hirundines, mostly Sand Martins but with the odd swallow and a first House Martin for the year thrown in!! With weather like this, bet they wished they'd stayed where they were.....

What an end to the week, just three sessions, eleven year ticks, four of them lifers - brilliant stuff! Oh and I'm not going back for that Franklin's - ever!

On this day (March 28th)... In 2017, 2014 and 2011.

I've been keeping a blog of my Birding activities since 2007 so I thought I'd add to the stream of interest, for locked-down birders by ransacking my blog and reliving the memories from times gone by and hope it will keep you amused for a few minutes? It might hold clues to what may be around at the moment...

On March 28th 2017.... One for the Record...

One for the record! Record shots that is.... Finally got chance to check out the flood and this very early Wood Sandpiper was still present! Found by Reevesy on the 18th! In the scheme of Whixall floods, it was showing very well, always distant but no obstructions...

Not a lot else here or at Wood Lane, the only other highlight was a large gathering of Sand Martins (c 120) over the Mere at Ellesmere.

Meanwhile on On March 28th 2014, I was at on a speaking tour of the south coast and called in at Blashford Lakes, Hampshire...

... The final instalment from Blashford lakes and a variety of Lesser Redpolls showing really well! I'd managed to negotiate myself into the open window space, taking advantage of the unobstructed view :-) They really are smart little birds in such a variety of plumages.....

Poised ready for feeding....

This one stayed longer than most, giving a variety of poses.....

Nicely coloured underparts....

And they know how to show off :-)

Here's the Mealy Redpoll for comparison...

There were two Mealy Redpolls present but always in a position which required shooting through the glass :-) Here's one of them - showing what can be done with a little PC processing increase in the contrast.....

Performing seal pose!

Even a catchlight!

The combination of glass and feeder were far too restricting!

On March 28th 2011 it was blog entitle 'Boats and Cranes' set at Whixall Moss...

Having been away all weekend, this was my first chance to have a go for the Whixall Moss Crane. An early finish off work and I was there mid afternoon, bumping into Pete Jordan at the car park!

It all looked good, walking along the towpath, two pairs of birders commented - "still showing well" just opposite the parked boat". Not a care in the world then - except..... when we got to the boat, the friendly couple who had been putting birders onto it all day, announced - "someone's just flushed it!"

Horror of horrors, allegedly birders too!! They had gone for a closer look in the fields over the canal! I'd better not repeat what we said.....

All we could do was keep looking and hope it would return? After walking further along the towpath we realised it was impossible to see the fields on the opposite side as they were well below the level of the canal. Eventually, we walked back and crossed the footbridge, walking up to the next 'drawbridge'  (is that what the're called) and crossed over. Looking back we could see..... nothing! We walked back towards the footbridge, and scanning the fields again, I suddenly realised - I'd got it! Very distant in the small wooded area roughly opposite from where the track comes out of the Moss and just to prove it.....





Pete had to go, I had an hour or two to spare and was hoping it would wander back in the field to where it was originally (opposite the parked boat). I'd crossed the footbridge again, just to see what it was doing (still very distant in the wood) when I heard the chug chug chug of a canal boat...

In a moment of madness, I flagged the boat down.... The two lads on the boat looked a bit startled as I asked if I could hitch a ride? To photograph a rare bird a few hundred metres away.....

No problem they said, full steam ahead!!!








I could tell roughly where the Crane was feeding and we came to a halt. The view was not exactly plain sailing either with bankside brambles in the way and only one small corner of the field in full view. After a few minutes, unbelievably - the Crane wandered into full view!!

I fired off a few shots - stood on the roof - with the motion of the boat, there weren't many keepers and before long it was gone, back into the wood again!

These will do though!











I promised the boat guys I'd post a picture of the boat, so as they sailed off into the Sun.......








... as  I walked off into the sunset! One of my more memorable and maddest moments and the first time I'd ever been on a canal boat!!!

Titterstone Clee - Snow Bunting

A good bird bird for Shropshire, Snow Bunting that is! The pics from the first encounter were less than ideal due to the vile conditions. With an option or two on our radar for a session out and about in the shire, I teamed up with Dave Chapman to see what we could see / find?

The Snow Bunting eventually came our way and whilst with care, generally 'confiding' it was apt to be spontaneously mobile!

Here's one or two of the confiding moments! First off in the short turf...

Followed by the photogenic walk along a frozen puddle...

I'll take them, fantastic light! There was something else on offer in the form of a small mammal in winter coat having fun among the rocks...