Image on my camera

I was just looking at my camera and found that it had some images. Here are two of them which are of a Male Goldeneye and a Mute Swan.

Goldeneye

Mute Swan

From Divers to Warblers

I met up with Chris and Brendan at 6:30 and we went straight off to catch the Great Northern Diver which was at Theale Gravel Pits. We arrived just as some light was beginning to come through the dense clouds. We walked along the bank trying to find a good viewing point and after a bit we found one. It took us about half an hour and the help of a local to locate the GREAT NORTHERN DIVER (life tick). It was on the other side of the Pit from us so we headed off with the car to a different viewing point. It took us about an hour before I relocated it and when we did we had a nice scope view but unfortunately no chance of a photo. After looking at it for a bit we had to go. We then headed off at 11 again down to Dungeness to see the Pallas's Leaf Warbler. By this time Paul had also joined us. I was also hoping to connect with the Glaucous Gull which was also seen there. After a 2 hour drive we arrived and we rushed to the garden that the Warbler had been seen in. After waiting for about 10 minutes the PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER (life tick) gave us a very quick show and then darted back in the hedges. From then on we saw glimpses of the bird but only once saw it for longer then 5 seconds when it hovered and it revealed its lemon yellow rump. After this success we had a quick look for the Glaucous Gull but we were fruitless and we headed off for Harty Ferry Lane for the raptor watch point. When we arrived at the point it was already beginning to become dark and by the end of the watch it was almost pitch black. On the point we saw a dozen Marsh Harriers, a Merlin which was a nice surprise and a Barn Owl before we left.

A few pics

Today I decided to take some pics of the birds in our garden. A squirrel also decided to join in (they are a complete pest on our feeders).

Jay

Magpie

Grey Squirrel (a none native species to the UK which came from America)

Two dips and two year ticks.

Today me, Chris, Brendan and Paul went down to Pagham Harbour to try and find the female Hooded Merganser which had been staying there for a while. Unfortunately when we arrived no one had it and after a few hours of scanning still no one had it. While we were scanning news came in on a Black Brant on the reserve. Sure enough after a bit of scanning I was shown the BLACK BRANT (life tick). On the reserve we also saw a large number of wildfowl such as Wigeon, Pintail and Teal. We also saw the odd Grey Plover with Redshanks and a few flocks of Black-tailed Godwits flying over our heads. After a while we decided to head back home and on the way stop off at thursley common for the Great Grey Shrike. Half way down a motorway news came in of a Penduline Tit in Beds so we changed our route to the location and set off. When we arrived we bought our tickets and went in search of the right hide. We missed the turning for the hide but as we walked we passed a flock of 2 WAXWINGS (year tick) my first for the autumn/winter after that we scanned over the reed beds but we were unsuccessful and we decided to go home.

Cornwall (31/10/12-4/11/12)

31/10/12
On Wednesday I went down to Cornwall with my Mum and my Dog to visit my brother who is now studying in Falmouth. On the way down I planed with my mum to stop off at some places to see some birds the first stop being the Hoopoe which has been staying in Somerset for a while now. When we arrived we found ourselves at a beach were my mum took the dog for a walk and I went in search of the bird. After coming out onto the beach I immediately saw a bunch of birders who were huddling together. When I came over they said they had seen it fly across but it had hardly been showing over the last hour. I stayed with them (with my lucky hat on) and looked for a minute or two and then the HOOPOE (year tick) flow up and onto the ground. Other birders were in a different position where you could actually see the bird properly and I headed over to them. We waited for a while before it came out and showed itself properly but when it came out it stayed out for a while. Unfortunately I was unable to get any good pictures because of the harsh winds and the over clouded day which only allowed me to get a shutter speed of 1/200 at a ISO of 800.

Hoopoe

After the Hoopoe we carried on until Plymouth were we stopped to see a Lesser Yellowlegs this is a simple story I didn't see it.

While I was in Cornwall I went on two birding trips one to the Lizard to see Choughs and another to Lands End.

First stop Lizard

On Lizard I decided to try and look for the well known Choughs which live there. As I was walking on the path four CHOUGHS decided to show themselves and flow up very close to me. After that we headed on where I saw more Choughs infact I spotted 10 together at one point which I think is a nice number. On the Lizard I also found a mystery warbler which only made one short appearance, a Stonechat and a half minute sea watch brought a Gannet and a Common Scoter. But by then it was time to go seeing that the sea was pelting us with water and so where the skies.

Lands End
I made a journey with my brother and parents to lands end where we first stopped off at St Micheal's Mount were I found a 2 PURPLE SANDPIPER ((life tick) living in Hertfordshire has made it very hard to get one of these on my list) amidst the Turnstones. After that we headed off to Lands End but it was already late afternoon and we were hoping to find a Richard's Pipit or a Lapland Bunting but unfortunately it was not to be and we were fruitless in our search.

Me after findiong my first Purple Sandpipers.

Purple Sandpiper

We also found a Great Northern Diver washed up on the shore.

St. Micheal's Mount

Me at Land's End