Thursday 25 February 2016

Keep Rocking

Yesterday's most confiding bird was a Rock Pipit which flew in to charm both morning and afternoon's groups.  The wading birds were quite distant, but the Treecreeper appeared well in the morning, whilst a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers showed in the afternoon.  The sunshine was glorious all day 
All photos (c) 2016 Tony Robinson
Rock Pipit
 Rock Pipit

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Back to Birds

Yesterday saw the classes resume after the half-term break.  We travelled the long and arduous route to West Yorkshire.  We waited a long time for the appearance of a pair of Smew, but our tenacity was rewarded albeit with distant views.  Nearer the visitor centre were some gorgeous Bullfinches and a Green Woodpecker, but no Kingfishers.  The wooded areas were denuded of birds, because they were all making use of the feeding area.  There was still a lot of evidence of December flood damage!
All photos (c) 2016 Maggie Bruce
Record shot of Smew
 Record shot of Drake Smew
 Heron
 Little Egret
 Long-tailed Tit
 Nuthatch
 Willow Tit
 Goldfinch
 Greenfinch
 Coal Tit
 Reed Bunting
 Female Reed Bunting
 Chaffinch
 Turkey Tails

Sunday 14 February 2016

Before Half Term

Some days were fine and sunny last week, so some photography was possible.  The best bird was probably this Long-eared Owl from Thursday afternoon, which was disturbed from its original roost site by conservation work going on at Blacktoft Sands.  It had gone by Friday morning.  Most other photos were taken at the same site, but the Red Kites were on the wolds, and the Toad from a few weeks ago at Far Ings.
First Long-eared Owl during the classes since Feb 2011
Red Kite (c) 2016 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
 Little Egret & Snipe
 Lesser Redpoll
 Magpie
 Wren
 Toad
 Dunnock


Tuesday 9 February 2016

Whoops, I Forgot the Beardies!

After I posted the photos on Sunday, I realised, and was also reminded, that I'd left out the Bearded Tits, and several other species from RSPM Blacktoft Sands.  These were the first Bearded Tits I can ever remember seeing in February!
Bearded Tit (c) 2016 Lynn Hall
 Bearded Tit (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 Ditto
 Bearded Tit (c) 2016 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
 Marsh Harrier (c) 2016 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
 Black-tailed Godwits
Ditto
Robin (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 Teal (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 Drake Wigeon (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 Female Wigeon (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 Snipe (c) 2016 Tony Robinson
 Snipe (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
Artwork (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart 

Sunday 7 February 2016

Highlights of Last Fortnight

As I'm sure most of you know it's been very drab again on the whole during the last fortnight.  Photographing wildlife hasn't been easy, and on some days it wasn't even attempted.  However, enough decent photographs have now been accumulated to allow me to create a blogpost.
Goldcrest at Tophill Low - in the car park
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Long-tailed Tit
 Spray leaving the reservoir
 Barn Owl ay Blacktoft (c) 2016 Tony Robinson 
 Ditto
 Hen Harrier (c) 2015 Tony Robinson
 Hen Harrier
 Kestrel (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 One-legged Kestrel at NCW (c) 2016 Mike Woods
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Lunar Landscape showing site of Little Owls (c) 2016
 John Dowson's artist's impression of the Little Owls!
 Snipe (c) 2016 Mike Woods
 Redpoll at Sewerby (c) 2016 Margaret Richardson
 Turnstone at Sewerby (c) 2016 Margaret Richardson
Pochard at East Park
 Female Goosander
 Drake Goosander
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Variation in White at Base of Female Tufted Duck's Bills
 Pink-footed Goose [left]
 The Tastiest Legs in Hull
 Chaffinch (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart
 Goldfinch (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart