Look Who's Laughing Now

I wasn't supposed to be birding at all the weekend just gone. I had my daughter, and if there's one thing she detests, it's standing out in the cold looking at birds for hours on end. But this was different. A Laughing Gull was still showing well on the Wirral, at New Brighton, and with the possibility of some Purple Sandpipers too, I had to get the bribery tools out sharpish. This gull is native to North America, and so is hopelessly off course, and only an hour away from my doorstep. With the promise of a hot chocolate from Starbucks, plus a marshmallow on a stick and that I'd need no more than 15 minutes, we were off and out the door.
We (I) found it almost immediately on the pontoons as promised. A smashing looking bird, in its juvenile winter plumage, almost black legs and bill. A real treat for both Eleanor and I. Well, me. The hot chocolate was appreciated though.

On the pontoon with Turnstones, Redshanks and Purple Sandpiper.

Lynford Arboretum

Lynford Arboretum is somewhere I always try to visit when I'm spending time in Norfolk. I usually make it one of my stop offs on the way. Well, it's actually out of my way, but well worth it. In the winter months the trees can hold Crossbills and it's a very reliable site for Hawfinch. I wasn't lucky enough to see any this time, but someone had kindly put out some feed for the birds on some fence posts. The temperatures were still well below freezing so it was nice to be able to close to some of our more common species, such as Blue and Great Tits and Chaffinch.

Hey!! That's mine!!

OMG It's a Bittern!!!

Today, I have turned 40!! Don't really know where the time has gone, but I intend to be around for another 40 at least.
I started my Birthday celebrations at the weekend with my parents in Norfolk, our countries finest county for birds. The weather was not great at all, but we still managed to find some great birds.
Highlight of the weekend was finally catching up with a Bittern at RSPB Titchwell. We'd tried in vein a couple of days prior, but I wasn't giving up, and I arrived at the reserve shortly before sunrise on our last day. I was the only car in the car park and everything was shut. The rain was coming down and I briskly made my way to the Fen hide where it had been seen on most days.
After 30 minutes or so and not long after the hail had stopped coming in I saw a rather large bird heading towards me in the hide from the reed bed. A cursory glance through the binoculars had me panicking. It was the Bittern! In flight! Coming towards (not away) from me!
Through the gloom, I managed to point my camera at it and did my best, but I was excited and was half looking at it with my other eye. Only the second time I've seen one, and my other sighting lasted 5 seconds.
I see this as a good omen for my years ahead. I've celebrated my 40th year with a shaky in flight shot of a Bittern. If I can get another one in the next 40, I'll be ecstatic.

 

After it landed, I lost sight of it. So well camouflaged in these reeds.

Blackbirds

There have been plenty of Blackbirds around recently. Lots of them doing some gardening by turning and flipping over the dead leaves on the lawns and beneath hedgerows. Of course, they could be foraging for a meal, which I'm sure they are, but it's always fun to watch them do it. If only they could afford a rake. It would be much more efficient and save them an awful lot of time.

A handsome male standing proud. 



 The female, looking like she's in control of matters.

Long Tailed Duck - Crosby Marine Lake

One of two lifers so far this year, was a Long Tailed Duck at Crosby Marine Lake in Liverpool. (The other was a Bittern the day before). Last Sunday my friend Phil and I made an early icy and foggy start, and headed over to Liverpool. The forecast was for good light and no rain, so to be driving through the fog was not what we expected. Our positivity was telling us that it will be clear by the coast. Well it did clear and the sun shone, but the bird wasn't playing ball and was staying well away from us on the other side of the lake. A couple of times it drifted closer, but not close enough. The sun then disappeared and we had a torrential downpour.
Now both wet and cold (rather than just cold) it drifted a little closer with the aid of some very vocal people in a canoe. Sadly this was as close as it got, and these shots really are no more than record shots. I hope to see another one with better light one day. A nice looking duck all the same.

Long Tailed Duck 

Here together with a Goldeneye.

Super Cold, Super Birds

A super cold morning last Saturday saw me out just after first light. At -4 degrees, it meant I was scraping the car of ice and eating into my valuable birding time. I'm one of those people that when I've decided to go somewhere, I need to go there and then. Any later and I start to get fidgety.
I made it to my patch and it was icy cold. My six layers plus hat snood and gloves were doing a great job of keeping me from being too cold though. The best thing about the cold weather is that it brings plenty of birds out into the open to feed.
One particular field was alive with Redwings, Fieldfares and Mistle Thrush. It was a great sight to watch as they busily hopped along looking for breakfast.
Now, I've tried to get a decent image of a Fieldfare for a while and I have hopelessly failed. If it wasn't for the pesky branches on the shots below I'd have been over the moon. I was in the right place with the sun in the right place too. The bird was there, but so were the branches.
The challenge goes on. Let's hope it stays cold for a few weeks yet.

Now this would have been perfect if the Fieldfare had sat out in the open. A nice Goldfinch all the same.

Knot playing ball.

Usually when I come across Knot they are in large groups a long way off in the distance. It doesn't matter if they are actively feeding, roosting or being flushed in the air by a dog or raptor, they are always off in the distance. Some birds are difficult to approach and even more so when there is nothing to hide your form on a wide open beach. So I gave up trying to approach far off birds some time ago. It doesn't do the birds any good to be constantly shifted on when they could be resting or feeding.

When I arrived at Hoylake the tide had gone way out. I could see all sorts in the distance, but my luck was out and I saw what I could through the binoculars, made my notes and moved on. A few hundred yards past the Lifeboat house I could see a decent sized flock of waders really close to the sea wall. So I got out of the car to take a closer look. The flock were mainly Knot, so I was delighted I was able to get close whilst staying on the pavement and they were happy to carry on their business. Everyone was a winner.

Once again, the light was just perfect.

This shot is a bit blurry, but I've included it as the central bird had colour tagged legs. I have sent the details off to the relevant people and hopefully I will be able to come back with some more information on this particular bird. 

Redshank - Hoylake

The beach at Hoylake always holds many birds. It's a joy to wander along and watch the flocks of Dunlin and Sanderling flash against the sky, but then see hundreds or thousands of gulls and Oystercatchers sat on the muddy looking flats after the tide has retreated. Redshanks are usually in good numbers too, and here is one particular individual that was enjoying the gorgeous winter sunshine whilst looking for its food.

The wind turbines and the rows of gulls and waders in the distance

Turnstone and Oystercatchers

I went in search of Purple Sandpipers at New Brighton last week. I had no such luck though on this occasion, but I will return and I will find them.
The tide had gone out quite a distance by the time I arrived (which probably was the reason the Purple Sands weren't playing ball) but it left some rocks exposed along the beach and the Oystercatchers and Turnstones were having a wonderful time picking things over and generally rummaging around. Although it was windy the sun was out and it made for a very enjoyable day.

Do you have anything for me there please Mr Oystercatcher?



Redwing

I managed to get some decent views in good light of Redwing last weekend. There were dozens of them on the ground in one particular field. It seemed like the ground was alive with them. My previous sightings of them this winter had been long distance and in very bad light, so I was pleased to be able to enjoy them in all their colourful splendour.

Robins once again.

We had some lovely cold weather at the weekend. There was a hard frost but with that was a nice clear sunny day. The cold seemed to bring all the birds out too as they desperately searched for food. I'm seeing Robins everywhere at the moment and I just can't help point the camera at them. They make it so easy with their inquisitiveness. So apologies for once again showing these birds.

Some Gull Diggery

I must start by saying that I find identifying gull species very difficult. So many plumages for the same bird that are so similar to completely different gull species.
I've spent a long time looking through many books and also online, and I think I've nailed this particular gull down to be a juvenile first winter Herring Gull. I am more than willing to be shot down though. I never feel confident with these birds, but I am growing to appreciate them a lot more and dare I say it, enjoy watching them. It's great to scan a large group and pick one out that's slightly different and then try to decide what the devil it is.
Anyway, this bird was seen at New Brighton on the Wirral a few months back. Please advise if you believe this to be something completely different. I can handle the truth.

Juvenile first winter Herring Gull