31st October 2011

A quick trip up into Notts today for the Juv Squacco Heron at Attenborough NR only my 2nd in the country a seemingly popular bird with plenty on site today & the bird performed well if a little distant for any really good shots & eventually flushed by a dog walking birder who just looked at us all & said 'well u've seen it' before walking off (Luckily the bird did come back but by that time i'd already left as the weather was closing in )

30th October 2011

After dipping the Pied Wheatear on Sunday i'd decided to stay local today picked Andy Jones up about 8ish & the weather was dull with drizzle however a quick call from good friend Steve Seal had us heading for Cannock Chase in Staffs where Steve assured me the weather was going to brighten up into a nice day & that the Great Grey Shrike was going to show well (He was right on both!!) The Shrike was soon around its favoured tree & we spent the next 3+ hrs photographing it More Photos can be found on my Website. Link at bottom of the page!!!

25th October 2011

With the weather forecast terrible for Norfolk i'd planned to stay local however after seeing some of the images on Birdguides of the Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike at Horsey,Norfolk i just couldn't resist telling myself it would be the weatherman who was wrong!! No such look about 50miles before i got there the rain started & by the looks of the roads had been very heavy! I didn't arrive on site till 1pm but the weather was bloody awful & to top it off the bird was distant,I spent the best part of 2hrs getting reasonable images before giving up & heading for the car,on the walk back which was a good mile or so i got chatting to 1 birder & was convinced the Shrike
had just flew past us & landed nearby & sure enough it had & what's more it was giving fantastic views. Some record shots from earlier in the afternoon for the best pics go to my New Website http://www.davehutton.zenfolio.com/ also had 2 Common Crane on the walk back to the car!!!

18th October 2011

With the weather bright but blowy decided to try for the White-rumped Sandpiper at Rutland Water a welcome year tick & my 1st for a few years!! on arrival at the hide i could see that it was going to be a challenge with the sun at a horrible angle & the bird distant & when it did come closer the noise from some of the locals in the hide was out of order!! After about an hr i gave up with no sign of the bloody foghorns shutting up or buggering off !! maybe another day........... record shots below

17th October 2011

Headed over to Draycote water again this morning with the weather turning,hoping something might have dropped in stopped to speak to Richard Mays on Farborough bank as he'd already walked down to the spit (nothing doing) when suddenly he shouts up Short-eared Owl just dropped out of the sky & headed into the country park where it seemed to drop,a quick dash & i'd soon located it sitting on the deck where it soon huddled up into a large tuft of grass with only it's head showing,we decided to wait for Bob to join us from the other side of the reservoir but unfortunately it was disturbed by a dog walker even with Richard trying to shepherd her away from it!!! Oh well so only a cpl of distant record shots below also had 11 Ringed Plover,8 Dunlin on the inflow with a (Greenland) Wheatear also present & 19 Grey Heron

15th October 2011

Back to Draycote this morning but the Spoonbill departed high at 09-30 1/2hr before i got there did find 6 Dunlin on Hensborough bank & a nice Brambling (my 1st of the Autumn in the picnic area) so off to Napton hoping that the grebe would show a little better? after 2hrs the bird finally ventured over for a 1/4 of an hr allowing some shots!!!!

14th October 2011

Well a trip round Napton Res was the plan this morning (whilst the car was in for repairs & with the courtesy car being limited to 100miles a day) I'd just arrived when the phone rings Kevin Groocock "an out of breath there's a Spoonbill at Draycote followed by i'm on my way" only my 2nd county record & my 1st since 1988!! 640 photo's later & i headed back to Napton but the long staying Black-necked Grebe stayed well out of range!! but theres always another day!!! Spoonbill pics below...........

October 3rd 2011

The chance of a lifer in the form of Sandhill Crane in Suffolk had me calmly waiting for news this morning & sure enough positive news at 8ish had me packing my gear & making my way east to Suffolk (with negative news coming thru on route just as i hit the A14 i headed back home intent on a days local birding at Draycote however after getting to Rugby news filtered thru that the bird was again showing so another u-turn had me on site for early afternoon a cracking bird but very distant & pics were a waste of time also had a lifer in the form of 2 Willow Emerald Damselflies!! Spent a few hrs on site but the bird stayed distant for all but 1 very lucky photographer!!! Love to know how he got there!! was i jealous!! like heck i was but hey i got the bird!!

September 24th 2011

Well not seen Steve Seal in a few months but we arranged to meet up again today at Grafham Water, Cambs for the adult Sabine's Gull  & Grey Phalarope good views were had but not brilliant as we were on the dam wall looking down on them but hey who's complaining 2 good birds just over an hr from the house!! also good to meet up with various photographers from my travels inc Jon Evans & Jim Almond (Top blokes & a pleasure to spend time in their company) cpl of pics below but most on my new website.....http://www.davehutton.zenfolio.com

September 23rd 2011

Been a little lazy in updating my blog due to work etc but last week saw me up in Lincs at Covenham Res for the Juv American Black Tern (my 2nd in 3 yrs but better views this time around!!!!) met up with my old wing man Steve Seal & had a cracking few hrs on site with 2 Little Stint also giving good views................
More photos can be found on my new website http://www.davehutton.zenfolio.com/