A melodious post

You're gonna have to keep looking back in time here as I've still got several days of blogging outstanding (including some of the Scottish trip!!) Problem is,  I think I've had more late nights / seen more bands than birds in the last 10 days - see if you can work out who the aging rockers are (not me!)

Starting at Cardiff and a 'New Jersey' plate.......

'Raise your hand' - who's bossing the Ricoh here?

Hmm, what about a music blog.....

Back to birds for now though and it was a late start on Saturday for the Melodious Warbler at Tiln, Notts. I knew this was going to be my lucky day when the car parked next to the access gate drove away on arrival!!

With quite a busy crowd on site, it was no surprise to see a list police presence, ensuring fair play. Chief Super was back on the beat, sadly bogged down on traffic duty here.....

Now come on..... No-one ever has bothered previously when asked but surely this is worthy of a suitable CAPTION - you are welcome to add one via comments! I'll think of a suitable prize?

I then walked the shortest 0.75 mile ever, you couldn't fail to know when to turn tight off the track (after tripping over the arrow log!

'Showing well' was surely not an appropriate description of this little skulker - singing well yes!!

Here's the gallery patiently waiting  - Spot the Shropshire Birder (not me again!!) .....

Every man and his dog were there....

OK, finally....... and you've probably already scrolled down to here! After an hour of staring, I ticked the bird (honestly officer) Ian G is my witness and then after what seemed like at eternity but was probably three hours, it was distantly in my viewfinder :-) Oh well. record shots (this is all from one brief burst) are better than nowt!!

I think a branch blew in front of the bird here.....

Doing what it did best and I don't mean showing!!

Plus a dodgy flight finale

I have to be pleased with the outcome, it means I wont have to return and watch conifers swaying in the breeze for hours on end.....

Venus Pool - Common Tern

A obliging Common Tern was looking good perched on posts today! Took some keeping up with (Memorial to North hide!!)

Ruffling up.

There's only so many poses a bird can do on a post!

Moving in.....

A wingflap adds some wing detail :-)

And you can guess what happened next!

Just in case anyone want's a cute / fluffy fix?

Remember they grow up into these mean machines!

Oh and if you send the man of the 'house' out to get a small stick, just make sure he hears the word small and not TALL!       What the ****  is that you're bringing me!  :-)

Wonder if I'll ever get back to wading through snow and heather sorting Scotland images? :-)

Venus Pool - Garganey x 2!!

A  pair even! Why they aren't where they should be is another mystery ..... I got a fortunate moment when they were (ever so briefly) in front of the memorial hide.

Surely the worst dressed drake Garganey in town as eclipse takes hold.....

But at least the female looked pretty smart

Even getting out of the water at one stage!

It couldn't last and it didn't!

Off they went!

Pied Flycatchers - Darnford Brook

A walk along the Darnford brook provided a few opportunities for Pied Flycatcher images.....

Females.....

Males, inevitably carrying food ....

How many insect species here?

One rather engaging food pass between a pair......

And a Dipper in a tree!!

Downy Emeralds!!

Insect photography precipitated a back problem so I'm generally giving it a miss for 2013. An invitation to check out a private location for Downy Emerald could not be ignored!!

It was clearly 'prime time' with several of them on the wing and conveniently landing occasionally on blossom!

Males with their noticeably club shaped abdomen.......

Female with more parallel sided abdomen.

There were other Damsels on the wing, including Common, Azure and Variable Damselfly.  I've done males extensively in the past so here's an example of female Variable Damselfly.....

Plus female Azure Damselfly to compare and contrast..... Gosh they all look the same!

The pronotum (between head and thorax) is quite distinct between the two species and female Variable has a white 'bridge' between the eyes - easy innit! I'll be adding some close ups in the Odonata pages on the main website in due course......

Here's a menacing male Banded Demoiselle taken nearby feasting on on some little bug.....

That's probably it for this year!

Lochindorb - Red Gtouse with young

A last morning cruise with hopes of Divers on one of the nearby Lochans - it didn't happen!

Had to be content with more Red Grouse plus youngsters!

The proud parents......

Plus cute little chicks :-)

Maybe not so cute - Common Gull in pristine summer plumage.

A 6 hour drive now beckons!