Wednesday 29 June 2011

Back after two years absence.

There can be few Birds that get the public interest fired up, like the Birds of Prey, and in particular the Peregrine Falcon.  And that is just what happened this year 2011 when for the first time since 2008 they were back. In an inspirational move the birds were advertised!! on the local radio and in the local press, raising to virtual celebrity status. Signs were posted, gazebo's erected, telescopes provided, and the public flocked to see and watch the spectacle, providing a virtual 24hr watch on a very public family. With some there every day from Sun up til sun down.. including BBC news, local law enforcement and of course the RSPB and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust.





Feeding was sporadic throughout the day

Mother was spotted overhead

Practice was making perfect.

The first short flight

In the next instant it was of.

The result was the successful fledging of four young.
Paul
(all photographs taken under schedule one licence conditions.)

Friday 3 June 2011

Martin mere zero, Marsh side plenty.

The afternoon of the Monday the storm had abated enough for the light to improve enough for the camera to see the light of day although the wind was still a pain. Marsh side produced the goods with the first birds to be had were Little Gull and Little Stint. and of course the Dunlin, Godwit, Redshank, Avocet and Egret etc etc.
So a few of them follow.

On the way back to the chicks.
Banking into the wind.
Back to feeding.
Dunlin were by far the most in numbers.
Coming extremely close.
Redshanks also.

There are loads of similar shots so I will leave it at that

Paul.



The Birding bus goes forth, again..

Having had such amazing weather whilst in Holland it was to much to hope for that the situation  would continue? Yes it was and the winds and rain of the final Bank Holiday weekend was going to prove a real situation to deal with, as the Birding bus carried me northwards to the Lancashire coast and the RSPB reserve of Leighton Moss.
Boy was it wet? a full on English storm with monsoon like rain. Oh well, glad the waterproofs were packed. With the arrival coinciding with a lull in the torrential, it was a quick look around, sans camera, to get a look at the lay of the land. Parked up by the railway bridge down by the Allen hide and settled in for the night.

The species list started to increase,as did the wind and rain.


A lot of fledgling Long-tailed Tits about.

Young Robins were very confident.


One from the day before setting off at Acton Burnell.

Well the weather precluded the cameras getting anything really. So it was a move down the coast to Marsh side and Martin mere.

Paul