Let me know when that tide's coming in won't you

Let me know when that tide's coming in won't you

Saturday 25 July 2020

Peak District Moors

Up on the moors you can still hear the evocative call of the Curlew at the moment. It can sound a bit haunting at times, but it's a great bird to hear. Sadly it is in decline, as it's habitat is eroded by concrete jungles and changes in agriculture. Thankfully there are still quite a few in  an area close to me. A couple of weeks ago I was greeted by a pair that flew towards and over me as I got out of my car. I posed no threat, but they weren't to know that. I carried on my walk along the road only for them to come round again for a second pass. I got the camera up this time, and the light was perfect.

Yes, that is what you think it is just below the bird.




A Reed Bunting was not what I expected to see up on the moors.

Juvenile Wheatear were good to see, with a few around, and still being tended to by the parent.


Saturday 18 July 2020

Whinchat

I don't see many of these birds, and probably only one or two annually. So I was pleased to hear that there were a pair fairly local to me. This particular bird was busying itself among the heather and bracken, but like the similar Stonechat, it does like to perch at the top of a bush to have a good nosey around. It also helps me to pick it out and focus on it.
Lovely little birds and always a pleasure to see.




Not to be confused with the Whinchat is the Stonechat. A Male here.





Friday 10 July 2020

Barn Owl

The joy of going out early at this time of year is that you may just get lucky and see a Barn Owl. I'd normally be happy to see one from the car in the distance or maybe along the verge, but when in Norfolk I got more than I bargained for a couple of times. I was minding my own business on my walk, when I turned the corner to seen an owl quartering a field . I watched it for a short while before it started coming towards me. I managed to get some shots of it before it moved out of view. Some of my best views.







As normality resumed and my heart rate returned to a more acceptable level I paid more attention to the other birds around me, like this lovely Sedge Warbler.





Friday 3 July 2020

Lockdown easing.

Thanks to a change in government guidelines, I was able to travel to my parents last week and stay overnight. It was so good to see them again after 3 long months.
I did my birding nice and early in the morning so as to avoid others, and headed to places I knew would be very quiet at 5am in the morning (yes, most places are, but I wasn't taking any risks).
I headed to Salthouse, a beach I know that is very quiet, unless you are a bird. I enjoyed watching the Sandwich Terns tracking the shoreline up and down while squawking as they did. 
The weather was good, with warm sunshine from very early. Always a help when stood still for some time and the light helps the pictures.

One of the many Sandwich Terns seen over the week.



With a what looks like a sand eel.

There were only a few Common Tern around.

There were very good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls along the coast. 

Similar in size to a Black-headed Gull, but with a distinctive black hood and orangey bill and legs.