Image of 2012 - Shropshire

Current postings will be posted below the image review postings, please scroll down to see what else is happening (unless you don't like Waxwings :-) )
It's that time again - the annual end of year picture accumulation from Shropshire. It's been an interesting year with lots of travel elsewhere, ups (retirement) and downs (back injury) and consequently the number of images are down in number. The Shropshire year list has been a bit of a struggle but at least the 160 mark seems possible now. I think we will see a resurgence of enthusiasm on Jan 1st 2013 :-)

I've selected below a selection - of twenty favourite pictures (in no particular order) taken in Shropshire during 2012. You can simply select your favourite photo(s) from the assembly - always interesting for me to see which is the most popular!

You will find an voting box to the right for this first round simply check the FIVE pictures you like most! (click thumbs to open a larger image) Five votes maximum only please! (Only one voter is possible per PC sorry!)

I will let this poll run until December 19th and then, the top three pictures will be included with more photos taken elsewhere in the UK during 2012. Voting will then begin again over the Christmas period with YOUR No 1 Picture of the Year being declared on New Years Day....



Picture 1 - Red Grouse - Longmynd (January)



Picture 2 - Yellow-legged Gull  - Priorslee (February)

Picture 3 - Water Rail - Wood Lane (March)


Picture 4 - Curlew - Venus Pool (April)

Picture 5 - Little Ringed Plover - Venus Pool  (April)

Picture 6 - Common Snipe- Venus Pool  (April)

Picture 7 - Northern Wheatear - Titterstone Clee (April)

Picture 8 - Osprey - Venus Pool (April)



Picture 9 - Common Redstart - Venus Pool (April)

Picture 10 - Oystercatchers - Venus Pool (April)



Picture 11 - White Wagtail - Venus Pool (April)

Picture 12 - Channel Wagtail - Venus Pool (April)

Picture 13 - Tree Sparrow - Prees (April)

Picture 14 - Gannet - Chelmarsh (June)

Picture 15 - Little Owl  (July)

Picture 16 - Garganey - Venus Pool (August)

Picture 17 - Heron - Venus Pool (September)

Picture 18 - Pied Wagtail - Cantlop (November)

Picture 19 - Black Redstart - Cantlop (November)

Picture 20 - Waxwing - Shrewsbury (November)

Venus Pool - life in the freezer

Sub zero temperatures for much of the week and a hard time for all on and around the water. The exceptional numbers of Common Snipe being recorded continue (my best count is 63). Something spooked them this morning and at one stage there were 40+ snipe in the 500mm lens field of view!

Here's a few of them!

Cropping in closer.....

One way to keep warm I suppose?

Gadwall feeling flighty too......

10 today - all caught in flight!

The feeder station is predictably 'busy' and at least 3 Brambling were enjoying a free meal amongst the leaves....

Before taking to the security of the higher branches!

Always nice to see!

Venus Pool - Snipe invasion

It's been quite a few years since serious numbers of Common Snipe have moved into Venus Pool. There were at least 50 today in quite a small area between the North hide and North marsh!

A few of them looking quite alert!

Plus a few individual close ups....

Six Gadwall feeding quite close to the hide too, here's a couple of drakes.....

with just the one female.....

Make the most of it whilst there is still open water!

Waxwings and water ......

When they aren't eating or digesting berries, Waxwings need water. Problem is, I've never had the moment to catch them 'at it'!

The Harlescott mob, when they weren't denuding Sorbus trees in Sundorne, were feasting on Hawthorn berries on Featherbed lane and spending some time on the water!

Fluffed up and ready for a shower....

The washing sequence.......

Two for the price of one!

Spray!

Time for as drink! Fill the bill....

Heads up.....

Letting gravity do it's work...

Now where's those berries again!

Sundorne - Waxies part 2

There were up to 70 waxwings in the Sundorne area so it seemed a shame to ignore them at the berries :-) I'll spare you too much excess!

The berries.....

Acrobatics....

Holding the prize....

Some close ups (haven't uploaded many of these!)

One Waxie was spotted very briefly having a drink in a small puddle. I waited for the moment to happen again - it didn't.

With the flock departed to the Featherbed lane area by 2.00ish , I thought I'd check it out for more puddles?