Two were aiming to stake a claim on the clearfell!
Glorious against a clear blue sky!
The blue sky didn't last but another opportunity eventually came my way....
Now for Wood Warblers which I could hear in the distance :-)
Thursday, 21 April 2016
Clunton Coppice - Tree Pipit
Clunton Coppice is always a 'must do' in early Spring and whilst I was there for Wood Warblers (coming soon) , the sound of Tree Pipits was the first song I heard on opening the car door!
Two were aiming to stake a claim on the clearfell!
Glorious against a clear blue sky!
The blue sky didn't last but another opportunity eventually came my way....
Now for Wood Warblers which I could hear in the distance :-)
Two were aiming to stake a claim on the clearfell!
Glorious against a clear blue sky!
The blue sky didn't last but another opportunity eventually came my way....
Now for Wood Warblers which I could hear in the distance :-)
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
Bridges - Pied Flycatchers
Always nice to catch up with Pied Flycatcher before the leaves start growing and given the conditions recently this was not a problem. Neither was the light - a gorgeous sunny Spring day!
It only took a minute or so to meet up with the first male....
Singing away on a low branch!
Followed by another one....
Covering all the angles!
In all, I counted 8 males singing!
The belting out his song, Spring was in the air....
Just the one female seen....
The proud partner!
My favourite image of the day?
Two male Redstarts were seen, the Dipper (surrounded by aviarazzi) plus the usual residents: Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Mistle Thrush and several Raven over.
It only took a minute or so to meet up with the first male....
Singing away on a low branch!
Followed by another one....
Covering all the angles!
In all, I counted 8 males singing!
The belting out his song, Spring was in the air....
Just the one female seen....
The proud partner!
My favourite image of the day?
Two male Redstarts were seen, the Dipper (surrounded by aviarazzi) plus the usual residents: Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Mistle Thrush and several Raven over.
Wren - little bird - BIG song!
You wont find many Wren images on my blog but when the right moment arises, no matter what the bird, any species is entitled to turn up in the viewfinder!
A hedgerow bathed in Spring sunshine....
A Wren staking claim to territory!
You really wouldn't want to argue the point!
Would you?
A hedgerow bathed in Spring sunshine....
A Wren staking claim to territory!
You really wouldn't want to argue the point!
Would you?
No other contenders were found.....
Friday, 15 April 2016
Chelmarsh - Arctic Tern!!
Passage Terns are valued in Shropshire, where we seem to miss the main migration routes through the midlands. So it was nice to see an Arctic Tern flying about from a random visit to the reservoir!
Not a lot of variation to offer here - how about a few lazy wingbeats as it came 'relatively' close but not close enough!!
All red bill and nice distinct trailing edge to the (translucent) primaries....
Wingbeats speak louder than words....
Not a lot of variation to offer here - how about a few lazy wingbeats as it came 'relatively' close but not close enough!!
All red bill and nice distinct trailing edge to the (translucent) primaries....
Wingbeats speak louder than words....
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Granville NR - Iberian Chiffchaff take 2
Dropped in to Granville on the way to give a talk at Lichfield and with only about 90 mins to spare. With excellent light, I had high hopes of improving on the first day? It took the whole 90 minutes to get some decent images and the best ones came from just three brief opportunities......
Here's the first, with an annoying branch that ruined most of the burst!
The second one was somewhat 'looking up'!
But at last caught a burst of song.....
And finally preening time!
Apart from an annoying leaf, go to be happy with this :-)
Always go back......
Here's the first, with an annoying branch that ruined most of the burst!
The second one was somewhat 'looking up'!
But at last caught a burst of song.....
And finally preening time!
Apart from an annoying leaf, go to be happy with this :-)
Always go back......
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Granville Nature Reserve - Iberian Chiffchaff
Well I did ask for more Warblers!!! Didn't expect this though....
I normally try and post in chronological order and I've got loads of great birds coming up but..... this one has to jump the queue - if only to get something out there .....
I'd just been photographing the Channel Wagtail at Whixall (to follow and this is a STUNNER) when news broke of an Iberian Chiffchaff at Granville Nature Reserve this afternoon found by Scott Petrek (well done Scott!!)
Here's some more angles (comments to follow) out for rest of day.....
Of course the song is key so here's a couple of amateur attempts (no sonograms sorry!)
The only way I could think to get the song uploaded was from video files both John Reeves and I recorded. Here is one of Reevesys!
And another singing tree from me!
More pics to follow.....
I normally try and post in chronological order and I've got loads of great birds coming up but..... this one has to jump the queue - if only to get something out there .....
I'd just been photographing the Channel Wagtail at Whixall (to follow and this is a STUNNER) when news broke of an Iberian Chiffchaff at Granville Nature Reserve this afternoon found by Scott Petrek (well done Scott!!)
Here's some more angles (comments to follow) out for rest of day.....
Of course the song is key so here's a couple of amateur attempts (no sonograms sorry!)
The only way I could think to get the song uploaded was from video files both John Reeves and I recorded. Here is one of Reevesys!
And another singing tree from me!
More pics to follow.....
Saturday, 9 April 2016
Whixall Floods - Channel Wagtail!!
It took me two sessions to get onto this Channel Wagtail, a little beauty which Shropshire seems to have a good record of these tagging along with the Yellows..... This is the third County one I've had in the viewfinder! Problem was it was nearly always distant! And I took a lots of pointless shots at this distance.... for the record :-)
But on occasions, it scampered closer!
And eventually onto the grass where there was a hope of it leaving the record shot zone?
One of three Yellow Wags keeping it company....
Closer still....
But never really quite achieving close enough!
Not that I'm grumbling with these last few (although it took an inordinate amount of time to get these!!)
And a final pose on the mud before it flew.....
Most of the chit chat and banter was about the status of this gorgeous little bird. It's a hybrid between Motacilla flava (continental 'Blue-headed') and Motacilla flavissima (our 'Yellow') wagtails. You can't tick it of course but you can point your bins, scope or camera at it and enjoy this lovely freak of nature.....
But on occasions, it scampered closer!
And eventually onto the grass where there was a hope of it leaving the record shot zone?
One of three Yellow Wags keeping it company....
Closer still....
But never really quite achieving close enough!
Not that I'm grumbling with these last few (although it took an inordinate amount of time to get these!!)
And a final pose on the mud before it flew.....
Most of the chit chat and banter was about the status of this gorgeous little bird. It's a hybrid between Motacilla flava (continental 'Blue-headed') and Motacilla flavissima (our 'Yellow') wagtails. You can't tick it of course but you can point your bins, scope or camera at it and enjoy this lovely freak of nature.....
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