February 11th 2011

Had a trip over to Draycote Water Friday hoping for some better photos of the female Scaup but just as she was coming into range the motor launch came out & spooked the birds! Had 8 Raven over the outflow (a good local count) 15 Goosander by the inflow but photographic chances were ziloch so myself & Bob Hazell headed back to the old visitor centre to check for Moths,we were delighted to find at least a dozen Dotted Border(Light & Dark versions) 2 Spring Ushers (New for me) 3 Early Moth & 3 Pale Brindled Beauty! so a good trip in the end (Thats if you like Moths of course?)

Spring Usher

Pale Brindled Beauty

Early Moth

Dotted Border

10th February 2011

Long-billed Dowitcher
Ring-billed Gull

Well finally made it down to Poole,Dorset for the Long-billed Dowitcher & Ring-billed Gull (both 1st winters) & the weatherman just for a change got it wrong (It promised rain till 6am) by 11am totally soaked i gave up! 2 cracking additions for the year & both photographic ticks (Digitally anyway!) A cracking site with Godwits,Redhanks,Oystercatchers all real close for photography (so def a trip back in better weather?)

Long-billed Dowitcher

Ring-billed Gull

Black-tailed Godwit

February 6th 2011

Well i was hoping to get down on the South coast this W/E but the high winds put me off so just had a lazy few days! ending up spending a cpl of hrs at Draycote Water sun afternoon in search of the female Greater Scaup (Year tick) soon found the bird in Rainbow corner & she showed well just a pity about the weather! also seen was a very flighty female Smew.

January 31st 2011

Went back over to Clayhanger Marsh,W.Mids for the Black-throated Diver, arrived in glorious sunshine but was left with only distant views & no chance of any photos as the pool was 9/10 frozen with only a small patch open by the island,so a few more from Sundays trip below

January 30th 2011

Out early this morning with my old friend Andy Jones destination Clayhanger Marsh,Walsall,W.Mids for the Juv/1st winter Black-throated Diver,after seeing the mutterings on Surfbirds & questions being asked on it's ID & some even going as far as saying Pacific Diver (I just had to go & have a look) the last 2 days the bird has been called as Great-northern,Pacific (by some) & Black-throated (which is what it is,a bog standard BT Diver) The bird is small but with all birds there's always a marked difference male/female runt etc!! Anyway the bird showed well in the early light but having to get Andy back for a prior appointment we left early & headed back to Nuneaton,on route we had 3 Waxwing on Castle Rd,Hartshill (a welcome year tick for Andy) After dropping Andy off i headed straight back over as a 2nd Winter Iceland Gull had been reported at Stubber's Green (Many thanks to Steve Evans who came across & pointed me in the right direction) after having good but distant views decided to have the last hr at Clayhanger with the Diver which showed well in the sunshine (photo above,3 from this morning below)

Black-throated Diver (Juv/1st Winter)

Iceland Gull (3rd Winter ?)

Tufted Duck (female above,male below)

Common Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

January 25th 2011

A walk out with the dog this morning & a quick check of the local rowans produced no Waxwings so headed upto the woods on the way back though the distinct sound of Waxwings could be heard with at least 50 birds feeding on Thorntons Way on Rose hips by the old subway,the same place as back in Dec,popped into the local shop & 5 birds were back on Kingswood Rd briefly! A quick check on Seeswood produced the 1st winter White-fronted Goose with Greylags in the field 1 back from the fishermans carpark! Driving back from town & a single Waxwing was on telegraph wires on Tomkinson Rd just up from the Cock & Bear jnc.

January 24th 2011

Still at least 60+ birds present on Kingswood Rd this morning apart from when Max came went just 1 bird was present but showing very well (just a shame about the light) still quite a few people coming to visit the birds from as far away as Stratford so pleased that the birds are putting on a show! Took a trip up Seeswood Pool to have a look for the 1st Winter White-fronted Goose with mssrs J Liggins & A Burton & sure enough the bird was still present,went back in the afternoon where i met up with Terry Southgate,Mo & Dennis Woodward & the conclusion is that this is the recent Marsh Lane bird going on the bird showing a juv belly plumage but 1st winter face!

White-fronted Goose

January 23rd 2011

Seeswood Pool

Decided to check on the pool this afternoon,been a birdless place for the last few months & i seem to have neglected it,so a friendly word in my ear Fri night (Thanks Steve) that i might miss something if i didn't keep a check on the place had me up there with the dog!! straight away 6 Goosander (3m 3f) a good site record along with 9 Pochard a quick scan thru the Greylag Geese & bingo a 1st Winter European White-fronted Goose,only the 3rd record for the pool (1st record 1/3/1960 2nd record 15/4/1990) So well worth the visit! took the pooch home then went back to get some record shots above.

January 23rd 2011

Waxwings Galore!!

Decided to stay local today,checked out my local Waxwings at 08:30 when 30 birds were present by 09:30 upto 148 birds were present!! A superb sight & sound!! It also produced probably Grove Farms 1st mini twitch with at least 10 birders at any one time!! Hopefully they all went home happy!! Photos above from Y'days session as the light is not really good enough today!