Sunday 21 April 2013

Weekend photos

Just a bunch of bits and bobs over the weekend.
As usual click on the photos or here for larger versions and more photos.

I spent some time by the Kent at the bottom of Sedgwick Saturday afternoon. Settled in by the river I had a couple of Pied Wagtail come in nice and close.
Pied Wagtail Pied Wagtail

After enjoying the Wagtails for a while I moved up from the river bank into the field, initially spotting a pair of Blackcap that did a disappearing act on me before I could get anywhere near a photo, but I did get a Willow Warbler in the same bush.
Willow Warbler

I then turned my attention to the skies with a mixed hirundine flock, first of the season so shaking off the rust a little - especially the House Martin but as I had the full set I wanted to include it anyway.
Barn Swallow Sand Martin House Martin

I then picked up an early Swift among the hirundines, it was only a couple of weeks ago I was taking photo's of Fieldfare & Redwing just a couple of hundred yards away from this spot.
Swift

Sunday morning I saw a Siskin on the feeders again with the Goldfinches, so while the weather stayed dry I decided to see if I could get a photo of one. I had a few practice runs with a Goldfinch, but the weather turned decidedly damp before the Siskin showed again.
Goldfinch Goldfinch

Saturday 6 April 2013

A thrush sort of a day

I had a thrush sort of a day yesterday.

I glimpsed, or at least I thought did, a Siskin (not a thrush I know) on the feeders in the garden. I grabbed my camera and settled down in the car on the drive to see if I could get a shot of it. All I got in half an hour was a Blackbird, so I decided now that I had my camera out that I'd have a look at Sizergh, see what was about in the car park.

Blackbird Blackbird in the garden

In the event I never made it to Sizergh as I bumped into Fred Gould on route, scanning a field which as it turned out was full of thrushes. I stopped for a bit of a catch up with Fred and the thrushes seemed quite unfussed about our presence, if anything coming closer as we chatted, so I grabbed my camera and settled down for some photography with the Thrushes. They were mostly Fieldfare with a couple of Redwing and the occasional Mistle Thrush thrown in. I really noticed how variably marked the Fieldfare were, with some well coloured and marked individuals, presumably coming into breeding plumage, while others were quite pale and less marked in what I took to be first winter plumage.

Fieldfare Fieldfare Fieldfare Fieldfare Fieldfare showing the variation in plumage

Redwing Mistle Thrush
Redwing and Mistle Thrush remained a little more distant.

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Monday 1 April 2013

Red Squirrels

Spent a very pleasurable, if somewhat fresh, couple of hours with the Red Squirrels at Shap Wells this afternoon.

Click on any of the photos below or here for larger versions and more photos.

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