Greater Scaup

While at Elton reservoir in Bury recently there was a Scaup on the water. This wasn't my primary target here, but it was nice to add to the year list all the same.
It was spending it's time alone at the far end of the reservoir, with just a male Pochard for company. Both were diving frequently and seemed to spend more time under the water than above it.

Glaucous Gull

This was a new lifer for me. The Glaucous Gull had been present for a number of weeks at Hollingworth Lake in Rochdale. An opportunity presented itself to me last weekend to get along with my camera to see it. It really didn't take long to locate either as it was stood on a pontoon just feet from the lake shoreline. It soon took flight along with the Black-headed gulls as visitors to the lake threw bread. Once it was in the air with the other gulls it was clear to see how big this bird was in comparison. It was also very white compared to the Black-headed gulls.

For comparison of size against the much smaller Black-headed Gull. It was huge!

An Absolute beast of a gull.

Barn Owl

A tricky bird to find at the best of times, it was a real bonus to find one out in the afternoon on a walk with my parents in Norfolk. It was bit grey and damp and so not easy to photograph. I spent most of my time just admiring it through the binoculars and with the naked eye. They look so majestic in flight with those broad white wings. A real bonus to seen at any time of the day or year.

Light didn't help, but at least the face and tail feathers are in focus.

A nice pair

Something a little more common, in the form of a Blue Tit and a Great Tit. These were taken on a cold frosty afternoon at Pennington Flash. There's always a lot of activity at the feeding hides and on this particular day there were many Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, plus a few Willow Tits.
A couple duly obliged to perch on the nearest posts from the hide.

Blue Tit

Great Tit