Whos keeping an eye on me....

Monday 30 December 2013

Mealy Redpoll

Great news, the Mealy (Common) Redpoll Carduelis flammea have been visiting the garden for three days now and even better news is the numbers have increased to three , a garden record!

Some ropey images here but with a little luck they will stick around long enough to let me get them in some sunshine .... here's hoping.

Mealy Redpoll and Lesser Redpoll

 
2 Mealy Redpoll (1 Partly Hidden) and a Lesser Redpoll
 
 
2 Mealy Redpoll (showing the white rump very well)
 

Saturday 28 December 2013

A good birding day

A twitch to the Wirral for 2 new birds:

American Buff Bellied Pipit - # 238 UK # 1051 World

Siberian Chiffchaff - # 239 UK #1052 World



And to add the cherry on top Mealy Redpoll has returned to the garden feeders for the first time since April 2011

Friday 27 December 2013

Part 2 - 2013 in pictures (August to December)

some of my favourite images and not so good images that depict my favourite moments of 2013

A month by month guide part 2: August to December.


Kruger Park - August:
Southern Yellow Billed Hornbill

 
Pearl Spotted Owlet

 
Lilac Breasted Roller

 
Southern Ground Hornbill


 
Hammerkop

 
Cheetah

 
African Fish Eagle


Orange Breasted Bush-shrike

 
Giant Kingfisher


African Elephants


September:
juvenile Dotterel - Great Orme (a twitch with a good friend, Phil)

 
October:
Glossy Ibis- Horwich (another localish twitch with Phil)

 
November:
Parrot crossbill - Holt CP (a long jaunt to Norfolk for this)
(I have had to cadge this image from Phil as mine were poor, cheers Phil)

 
December:
Lesser Redpoll - Winter returns .....Happy Days

 

Baikal Teal -  what no image!
 (however it didnt take away the feeling of euphoria when I got to see this mega rarity)

and (not quite) the last twitch of the year.....
Hoopoe - Abergele.

 
 
the last twitch of the year.... which also included the American Buff Bellied Pipit
Siberian Chiffchaff - Burton
 

 
To all my readers, thank you for dropping by over the course of the year, enjoy your festive season and best wishes for 2014
 
Dave

Thursday 19 December 2013

Part 1 - 2013 in pictures (January - July)

some of my favourite images and not so good images that depict my favourite moments of 2013

A month by month guide January to July.

January:
Hawfinch - Derbyshire
 
 
February:
Waxwing - very local and only a few minutes drive to see 120+
 
 
Twite - Flint Castle
 
 
March:
Black Redstart - Little Neston
 
 
Sparrowhawk - although he is a garden regular this was a close encounter
 
 
April:
Short Eared Owl - Cat and Fiddle
 
 
May:
Red Flanked Bluetail - Finland
 
 
Stellas Eider - Norway
 
 
Siberian Jay - Finland
 
 
Tengmalms Owl - Finland
 
 
 
Pine Grosbeak male - Finland


Pine Grosbeak female - Finland

 
Bluethroat - Finland (a chance find while stopping for a comfort break)

 
June:
was it really that quiet!!!!
 
July:
 My first ever attempt at garden mothing produced this stunner - Buff Tip

 
and this one... Elephant Hawk moth
 
 
and into South Africa and an attempt here to keep it to only 7 images for July
African Penguin

 
Spotted Thicknee

 
Knysna Turaco

 
African Black Oystercatcher

 
Spotted Eagle Owl

 
 
Blue Crane

 
Part 2 to follow soon

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Lesser Redpoll - December 2013

Pt 1

They are back in good numbers, 18 today. Hopefully the 40+ will be a daily occurrence as the weather turns colder during the winter.

Makes winter far more bearable with these fellas about the garden.

 


 
 
 
 
 
and not to be out done a Blue Tit got in on todays photo shoot