Holkham - My favourite Hobby

Birding perhaps? Bird photography?? Well today combined the best of both these worlds and sorry I am going to wax so lyrical about events!!

It all started with a casual walk through Holkham pines, I was hoping for a YBW or similar interest? There were certainly a few Tit flocks on the move and plenty of Goldcrest.

I bumped into a fellow birder, face beaming - "great view of a Hobby back there" he said. I established 'where' and carried on, a little more purposefully now....

I reached the spot - referred to locally as the 'crossroads'. No Hobby; or so I thought, then suddenly I had to duck as one shot towards me - effortlessly plucking a dragonfly off a nearby plant and then proceeding to eat it over my head. How cool is that! This is one situation where the 'big lens' is not ideal - until the Hobby, obviously a juvenile, landed in the dead branches of a nearby small tree!







Not believing my luck (it was less than 30m away) I took one or two - well maybe several bursts until it flew again....

Occasionally settling on the nearby pines.....







or a nearby Hawthorn bush was favoured to the the dead branches.







If only I'd got the shorter lens with me? Mind you, a Hobby speeding about at close range is a challenge for any kind of kit....






I've had a few great birding moments this year but this was right up there with anything I've ever experienced!! Hobbies normally do this thing miles away and then disappear. This one treated me to well over an hour of close range pure 'joy', it was awesome!











Got to keep those talons clean!!






Eventually as the temperatures rose, so did the dragonflies and then also the Hobby. It cruised above, eventually hunting much wider afield.

I decided to crack on and see if the Great-grey Shrike was still present in the dunes? This was another mile or two to walk and despite spending an hour or so in the dunes, I only picked up Stonechat and Meadow Pipit!






A close encounter with a Northern Wheatear on the way back, got the camera back out in use. The light was perfect - this was turning out to be a good day!!










Could it get any better - yes! Returning along the track and in the same area as the Hobby, there had been several sightings of a Rough-legged Buzzard. I was in the copse near Joe Jordan hide when a really pale Buzzard glided overhead, virtually skimming the Pines - very pale almost unmarked underwing and I had a really clear view of that creamy white tail, the terminal band wasn't obvious either, a juvenile? No doubt at all, Rough-legged Buzzard on my list! Not a chance of pictures, it headed over towards the sea.....

I headed back to the car, I'd walked about eight miles with pretty heavy kit and I know just how this little guy felt!!






Wonder if it will still be there tomorrow?

Cley - Little Stint & Wilson's again!

I only had time for a morning session today and with rain falling opted for the relative comfort of Cley (again).

Considering how elusive the Wilson's phalarope had been, 'lucky Jim' was appropriate yet again as it was still present on Pat's pool.









Having tired of harrassment from Redshank, Ruff etc, it flew over to join the Lapwing flock for a few minutes (completely out of character, they left it in peace!)......








Managed a peek at the underwing during a bout of wing-flap....








Two Little Stints were present with the Dunlin flock. The Stint isn't sharp but one seen here flying in....






The size difference obvious on the deck - the little guy being picked on and here receiving a sharp peck to the rump!!










More torrential rain signalled departure to Norwich for my talk. Thanks for bearing with these gloomy record shots - the forecast is good for tomorrow! Make sure you check back soon, this was destined to be one of my most memorable birding encounters EVER!!!

Cley marshes - Wilsons Phalarope!!

My long awaited, long overdue trip to Norfolk!! With esterly winds forecast for the rest of the week however, it was not likely to be a mindblowing experience - hopefully there would be a decent bird or two?

The UK yearlist (241) had recently gone into underdrive towards my target of 250 so I needed to make every new bird count. A Wilson's Phalarope at Cley was too good to ignore, especially as I was stopping a few miles down the road in Sheringham so I made a beeline to Cley.

This particular bird had been unpredictable and elusive over the previous few days so it was with a sigh of relief that I was greeted with a tick (lifer as well) on arrival at Bishop's hide overlooking Pat's pool. Distant but reasonable scope views....








It was mid afternoon and with little else of interest, I decided to stick it out here, would the Wilson's would come closer? A few shots of other birds present, taken to pass the time away.....

Black tailed Godwits, one showing a nice 'black tail'......














Ruff - plenty of those, some males developing white heads.








Common Snipe in reflective mood.....






Common Teal wash and flap dry, effective motion blur given the slow shutter speed......









Marsh Harriers, at least three, remained distant - a nice male here......






Pink feet arriving all the time....






Bearded Tit - impossible to avoid 'ineffective' motion blur!






Always keeping my eye on the Wilson's, eventually it flew, landing within approx 40m!! I got a couple of bursts in before something spooked it and it was off again - leaving Pat's pool completely and probably cheering up everyone in the North scrape hide!!











A talk in Norwich planned for tomorrow so not much birding, heavy rain forecast too......

Longnor - Grey wagtail

A couple of hours spare and a fruitless check of Pole Cottage led me to call at Longnor bridge. Dippers were the target and the resident pair took one look at me - then flew upstream....

A Grey Wagtail was more obliging and treated me to quite an entertaining display! Terrible light meant very slow shutter speeds but some of these were worthwhile!

















The slow shutter speed certainly gives some interesting effects!!







A fair number of Goldcrest were in the adjacent lane but no YBW today!!






Coal Tit.....






Better get packed for Norfolk now.....

Tee Lake - Yellow-browed Surprise

Haven't posted anything for nearly two weeks now as basically, I haven't got near a decent bird during this period.

That is, until this morning, following the news of a rather spectacular garden bird for Andy Latham!! Nothing ordinary - just a Yellow-browed Warbler and first for Shropshire!!

Problem was, I had decided to get some plant chores sorted, the phone was charging and I never realised what was going on...
It was nearly two hours since first the first sighting when I teamed up with Dave Western to try and get onto it - it had been showing in the willows at the back of the house - but..... not anymore!

Lady luck was about to shine and at about 12.30, I'd been following a small bird flitting through the back of branches when it suddenly popped out into full view. Bloody hell or words to that effect - gottit Dave!!

One of those, 'is this for real' moments and then, I can't really blame the camera, the lens didn't get anywhere near it before it flew and sadly before Dave could lock onto it......

So, with great regret, here's a Treecreeper from the same habitat (anyone know what it caught?)









A Green Woodpecker from VP yesterday evening...






And a Chiff from the Longmynd last Sunday.....






A few 'away days' coming up this week including a serious Norfolk session. I really hope and need to get amongst some decent birds!! But for now, a UK/County year tick/ Shropshire lifer can't be too bad....