tree sparrow – tonydavisonphotography.com

A Surprise County Tick

2012, Birds No Responses »

Dec 022012

A Velvet Scoter in Derbyshire – A fairly mediocre kind of day turned out rather good, with an unexpected County Tick. We had decided to visit Carsington Reservoir, as there was a Slavonian Grebe and Great Northern Diver and there is always a chance of finding a good bird at this site. We eventually saw the Slavonian Grebe from the Wildlife Hide, along with a couple of Willow Tit at the feeding station and a few Tree Sparrows – but the GND's (two of them) were from Millfields, so we decided to head-off there later. From Sheepwash Hide there were […]

Winter Returns – Briefly – 18th March 2012

2012, Birds, Birds of 2012, Year No Responses »

Mar 182012

Winter Returns - Briefly - 18th March 2012

The weather this morning was a complete contrast to last weekend. Upon arrival at Carsington Water this morning, we were met with a freezing cold mixture of snow & heavy rain. The front lasted for well over an hour, then grey but very calm conditions and Carsington turned into a “Mill Pond”. The day did however produce my first spring migrants for the year. We were hoping for a Kittiwake dropping in but no such luck. In fact apart from the long staying Great Northern Diver, the numbers of wildfowl were very low. Five Goldeneye; 5 Oystercatcher; […]

An Over-wintering Desert Wheatear – 28th January 2012

2012, Birds, Birds of 2012, Year No Responses »

Jan 282012

An Over-wintering Desert Wheatear - 28th January 2012

A superb & very obliging male Desert Wheatear has been over wintering at Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve in East Yorkshire. I have been wanting to see this bird for sometime and some 12 weeks into it’s stay I eventually managed to see it to-day. It was found on the 19th November, a typical time of year for Desert Wheatear to arrive in Britain. They are often the last good rare migrant of the autumn to turn up. One of my favourite Wheatears. Also plenty of Fulmars were taking up residence on the cliffs. A couple of year ticks moves […]

A Day of Changing Plans – 15th May 2011

2011, Birds, Birds of 2011, Year No Responses »

May 152011

Carsington Water, in my county of Derbyshire, has held several Great Northern Divers during the winter of 2010-2011and one of which has now attained full summer plumage. A bird that was well worth seeing, stunning and showed very well but just a little too distant for the camera. The above image is well cropped but shows the distinctive features of a summer plumaged bird. Also here a very photogenic male Tree Sparrow. A Black Stork had been frequenting a river valley in Northamptonshire, so when the news on the “Pager” confirmed that the bird was still present, […]