Cover

It's hard sometimes getting near to birds without disturbing them, but getting quite close to this Ringed Plover and trying to keep the lense dry was alot more harder from the rain and the sea spray. So I've learnt from my mistake and now getting a rain cover for the camera.

Little Gulls

Little Gulls are small delicate, elegant stunning in 1st winter plumage and very smart in Adult plumage and one of my favourite Gulls to watch. I've seen a few lately on sea watches but these have been the nearest for photo opportunities and the first time to appear on this blog and with the Gull season just around the corner there will be no doubt be more pictures of Gulls in the weeks/months ahead. I don't understand when birders say "I don't do Gulls" for me I can't get enough of them!

1st Winter

1st Winter

Adult

Adult

1st Winter

Snow Bunting

This confiding male Snow Bunting certainly made my day at Reculver yesterday. It was a bit difficult keeping the camera dry and steady in the high winds, but what about the birds?. They have to do this day in and day out!.

Snow at Reculver

Went along to Reculver in Kent this morning for a bit of sea watching in very high winds, so was expecting a little more quality than what we did get ie: Leach's or a Little Auk and by the number of people there at the crack of dawn, I think everybody had the same idea. The highlights were 21 Little Gull, 9 Bonxie, Gannets, Kittiwakes etc plus the normal fair for a good sea watch. After 3.5 hrs sea watching I made a move Weast and walked along the beach and come across 2 Snow Bunting, below is one of them. No doubt I will show more when I've got more time. They are lovely little birds and one of them moments you get, when its just you and the bird.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The morning couldn't of started any better at Barking Bay as me and Paul found 3 Ring Ouzel in the tops of the bushes at first light. They are always a good bird to find locally even if I haven't found one at the Valley after 18 years!. Anyway, I have now at Barking. The idea was to tag along and watch the other two ringing. Emma and Paulboy set up the nets for a mini ringing session. Not high numbers of birds were caught but it's really enjoyable going through plumage details and is something I'm very keen on doing more of in the future. A bit of Viz-mig with Redpolls,Siskins and pipits over and a few Chaffinches too. It's not often I get to see/find 3 Ouzels together so I was well chuffed this morning!!!

1st year Robin

A Wren looks even smaller in the hand, although they are common it's always great to see them up close!

Privet Hawk moth Caterpillar

Most people would probably think of Caterpillars as things that fall off trees and make you "itch" but these which I saw around Steve Smith garden are just stunning!.

Trying

Spent Saturday 29th September up at Norfolk with Martin Redfern, where we started the day with a large group of Pink-footed Geese crossing the sky line at Happisburgh. We were hoping to see the Buff breasted Sandpiper that was there on Friday, but it wasn't to be. The only birds in the field were Ringed Plover and a Wheatear. Off shore we had a cracking Adult Little Gull and a good passage of Auks,Gannet and 3 Jays come in off the sea and a late Swift. Next was Waxham and then finally ending up at Horsey where we tried to find some migrants in the bushes and in the dunes but with no luck everything had moved on from last weekend. In the bright sunshine and calm looking sea we had some great views of Red throated Divers some still in breeding plumage which were very smart. No migrants to find but still enjoyed the day as always!

Lighthouse at Happisburgh

It was such a shame to see a young seal pup dead on the beach at Horsey.