Long-Tailed Tit

I've seen so many Long-tailed Tits recently. I usually hear their incessant calling first. I then have to struggle to spot them as they move about the trees. When you see one, you know that there are at least half a dozen others with it. They're always busying themselves and generally making it difficult to photograph them. I did get some decent shots of them though.

I'm really happy with these first two. Feeding in one claw and hanging on with the other.

Never seen them feed like this before.

Red Grouse - Peak District

We've had a cold spell recently, and last week brought us our first snow of the winter here in the North West. Always a pain in the neck when travelling to and from work, it also gives an opportunity to see more wildlife. Due to the cold weather the birds are a lot more active as they desperately search for food.
I was hoping that the nice white blanket might also make it easier to spot some birds. I headed up into the Peak District to see what I could find. Red Grouse are a favourite up here and I was hoping that I'd find some posing nicely against the snow. No such luck. In fact, I found it harder to find them than in the summer.
Their calls gave them away and I managed a few distant shots before the cold drove me back to my car.

Nicely camouflaged against the heather.

Curlew Sandpiper - Burton Mere

A look back to the Summer months, when I took a trip to the Wirral and Burton Mere wetlands. A couple of year ticks were added, in the shape of this Curlew Sandpiper with its superbly curved bill, and a Green Sandpiper.

Both birds stayed fairly distant, but thankfully the light was quite decent. Here is the Curlew Sandpiper. 

Showing typical stance.

Green Sandpiper in the background and Curlew Sandpiper in front.