Shutlingsloe, Xmas 2012

Its always a walk Liz and myself do over Christmas.... just to blow a few cobwebs away. A few years ago we abandoned due to the deep snow, no chance of that this winter due to the very mild weather.

 

Half way up

 

 

The adjascent moorland

 

 

 








A new found friend at the summit (with the iconic Cat & Fiddle Inn on the horizon)

 

 

 

taking shelter from the howling wind

 

the tricky wind assisted descent

 

navigating the flooded peat moorland

 

 

Merry Christmas

Have a wonderful Christmas of 2012 to all my fellow Bloggers

 

 

 

 

these are from last years local frozen pool in the village, however this year is so mild and wet there is no ice to be seen

 

Garden Sighting

Red Kite.

 

 

For the second time in a little over two months a Red Kite has flown over the garden here in East Cheshire, a rare visitor to this part of the UK. This second fly over saw it circle quite low before gaining height and drifting off towards Lyme Park and the moorlands.

In a split second .....

....................  the mealworm will be devoured.

 

Not the sharpest pin in the box, but a great split second still of the mealworms last throws of life
 

Desert Wheatear on Rhyl beach, N Wales

 

 

Desert Wheatear

A very late departing Northern Wheatear or something else.

On a cold windy beach in North Wales the finder of this bird certainly made the right choice when he questioned weather it should actualy be here at this time of year or weather it should actually be here.... at all.

Anyway A Desert Wheatear it is!
 

 

The Desert Wheatear would normally be migrating from somewhere in western Asia or the Middle East to Saudi Arabia or Africa. How she ended up here could be due to a number of factors: Some say Global warming is having an effect on birds moving even further northwards and out of their normal locations as it slowly gets warmer, some 50 plus birds are seen on our shores each year which is 10 times more than 20 years ago. The probable factor for this individual is that she may have been blown off course in the recent bad storms that have enveloped large parts of the world and ended up 3000 miles away here on a sandy beach.

 

 

with a very inquisitive bird like this I am glad I made the effort to record my 

221st UK bird and 776th world bird

 

 

 

 

She was certainly Lively and was happy to feed close by. Dog walkers and loose dogs didnt even disturb her as she kept returning to the same stretch of beach give stunning poses like these.

 

Cameras at the ready......  A happy band of Twitchers!

 

She may try to get back a little nearer home, possibly southern spain, whatever happens I hope our winter is kind to her if she doesnt move on soon.

 

 

Green Woodpeckers

Whilst on route to visit family a whistle stop visit to rspb Burton Mere Wetlands brought me a nice suprise in the car park. a single  Green Woodpecker sat perched on top of the car park gate post but quickly flew to a distant tree, however much closer came a call and the distant bird returned this time flying to another tree that had its partner calling from. I saw both together for a split second before a car disturbed them both. A small band of observers gathered to witness the male feeding on the floor while making a few flypaths.

 

unfortunatly I didnt have time to see them return and perch any closer

A Beautiful bird

Speckled Tanager.

Right outside our guest house at Casa Maria (Venezuela)

Casa Maria (Bugs Paradise)

 

she is certainly worth a post for herself

 

 

 

Pacific Swallow

Malaysia 2011

 



Waxwing invasion 2012

so it has arrived, and even better fairly close to home. Only a 30 minute drive to an industrial estate in Cheshire. The weatherman had promised clear blue skies however when I arrived it was overcast, wet and very gloomy... immediatly a couple of Waxwings flew from the tree that I had parked nearby. No chance of any photos even if they had stayed. I took the time to watch the Winter thrushes feeding on the berry laden bushes.

Blackbird

 

Fieldfare

 

There where plenty of other twitchers about who had seen roaming flocks of Waxwings further down the estate, after a short wait the sun came out, the cloud cleared and then they descended onto a nearby tree and spent the next 20 minutes enjoying the sun, inbetween preening and hawking for flys.

wheres all the colour gone?

monochrome Waxy

 

 

Kestrel

This female Kestrel hunted in front of the new hide at rspb Point of Ayr. She caught a few small mammals but chose to eat from a distance, however she did come close enough for these images.

 

 

 

Snow Bunting

A Stunning species

 

Taken while on a trip to Norfolk where around two dozen birds were giving incredible views although we were using the car as our hide.

 

 

Gloomy morning

A quick walk around the local park this morning, although the weather was mild the light was poor. I think this image of a Black Headed Gull in winter plumage against an almost grey background set the scene nicely and gives a good indication of the  morning mood.

Wild Bird Wednesday #16

Elephant Beetle

Now this fella is a real big beast. To get a size comparison it is sat on a clenched fist!

 

 

 

This was from the garden of our guest house at Casa Maria, NW Venezuela March 2012

 

Gold - Box

This postbox is situated just around the corner from where I live and has been painted Gold in recognition of the acheivements of Sarah Storey in the London 2012 Paralympics. Sarah who although is from Disley, attended Poynton High School and chose this Box to mark one of her Gold Medals.

 

Royal Mail testamony 

 

 

 

about Sarah Storeys acheivements