March 19th 2011

Another chance to get out locally this morning despite only getting to bed at 7:30 am this morning i was up & out by 10ish not wanting to miss out on the good weather,destination Whitacre Heath again gettin back to basics with the commoner species + the Mealy Redpoll (again makin the most of the extension tubes!)

 Willow Tit

Willow Tit

  Lesser Redpoll

 Mealy Redpoll

 

Lesser Redpoll

March 17th 2011

A chance to get out local this afternoon to test out my new Extension tubes on the camera at Whitacre Heath
which worked well & allowed me to photograph the birds from the hide at a closer range than would be possible using my standard set-up! At £150 a set not cheap but cheaper than buying a new lens.

 Mealy Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

March 8th 2011

Stayed local again today with a few hours spent at Whitacre Heath NR photographing some of the woodland species coming into the feeders with the usual suspects at least 2 Mealy Redpoll (Photos below) & a superb Sparrowhawk a bird ive never managed to photograph up until now,the added bonus was having a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feeding in the trees above us

March 7th 2011

A txt from John Judge alerted me to the fact a Avocet was out in the centre of Draycote Water (Only my 3rd record in Warks) despite spending hours waiting it kept it's distance so had a walk around picking up the male Smew of Farborough bank & the 1st winter Drake & female Scaup off Hensborough bank

March 6th 2011

Yet another trip up North,this time the destination was Scarborough with a short diversion to pick Mandy West & Rich Dawkins up from Barton-upon-Humber,1st stop was Filey Brigg but the tide was in & high but managed Eider,Common Scoter,Bar-tailed Godwit,Knot & Rock Pipit,next stop was Scarborough for the Mediterranean Gulls with at least 3 ad Summers a quick check of the harbour produced 25+ Purple Sandpiper,last stop of the day was back at Worlaby Carrs where we had 3 Short-eared Owls & 1 Barn Owl ending off the day!!

March 5th 20011

Finally after my 3rd attempt i managed to see the Oriental Turtle Dove at Chipping Norton,Oxfordshire & what good views,even better getting some decent photographs but thanks must go to Mr Stephen Akers & his wife for allowing so many of us into their kitchen to view the bird, their hospitality was fantastic & much appreciated.

March 4th 2011

A pleasant few hrs at Draycote today with Bob Hazell & Bob Duckhouse photographing the 2 Greater Scaup (with the male now moulting more into adult plumage) & a Continental ('Sinensis') Cormorant told from our Cormorant by the angle of the Gular patch

Continental Cormorant ('Sinensis')

Greater Scaup (1st winter Drake & female)

Teal (Drake & female)