Friday 31 December 2010

A definate Swan song.

Well just a short entry on today's outing  to the Riverside inn to view the Whoopers and Bewicks in the field with the Mute Swans feeding on the kale.

8 Adults and 2 Juveniles

Side by Side for differences

A bit closer
I hope they stop for the, January the first, mad rush to get the year off to a flying start, mind you on today's
findings it might be hard to get into double figures, and bacon butty shops not open either, darn it oh well!

oh! Boat house was open in Ellesmere yipee!!
Happy new year to one and all lets hope the birds are kind to us 2011!!

Paul

Tuesday 7 December 2010

The Waitrose Waxies!

Having done the Ludlow masses on the Saturday it was the turn of the Newport group on the Sunday. Thinking there might be an odd colour ring amongst the hoards!!

Well to keep the thing alive this lovely shot was from the Ludlow group, with more to come from Newport Waitrose crowd..


One of the Ludlow Hoards.


One from Newport Courtesy of Dawn Micklewright
Greensandpiper Longnor bridge.

Might do some more in the next few days..
Cheers,  Paul

Friday 3 December 2010

It's hard, wet and slippery! Damn this ice!

With so many Waxwings in the County I will, I think, make a go at getting them one of these days. But in the mean time it was a couple of hours in the hide which was surprisingly quite warm at only -2c mind you it was a nice fuggy -1 by the time I had finished.
Well what on earth was I doing in here (crappy phone picture) on a cold and decidedly damp morning?
The object of the exercise was to get one or two pictures of the garden birds on or around the feeders, of course the normal feeder stuff  like House Sparrow and Robin, looking cute on a holly sprig and in the snow.
But there was one other winter visitor that was tempting me out on this particular morning.
Male Blackcap
It was in the first instance not the feeders that brought this Blackcap male into the garden but the fresh water that was put out he spent sometime sipping the nice warm water!

Observing the action going around the feeders

It took him some while before he felt either comfortable enough or hungry enough to venture onto the meal worms, when the Robin was not looking!

Digestion time after several worms

And now for a few more perhaps, where's that stroppy Robin?

And of course the Female House Sparrow
Ahhh! Cute just in time for Xmas cards!

Get out of the way!

A quick trip to Priorslee to tick of the 1st Winter Med Gull, was interrupted by the innovative top gun landing gear,, I know the ice was slippery but!!!
Guess which one forgot the arrestor bungee?

cheers Paul