For some reason my “Birding Year 2016” has got off to a slow start. Little Photography so far this year, primarily due to the really poor weather, with endless rain and grey skies. The last two weekends have been dreadful and despite taking out my cameras, so far they have never been removed from the […]
My last day of twitching rare birds for 2015 was spent in North Norfolk, on 29th December, when Glyn and I went to see the juvenile Pallid Harrier that has been frequenting fields around Abbey Farm at Flitcham. The bird showed well but distantly in the early morning sunshine. It disappeared several times across distant fields
I decided to spend some more time with the Short-eared Owls at Shipley, Derbyshire, these images were taken on 28th December 2015. As I’ve said previously, it is not often that we get such good photographic opportunities in Derbyshire, with these endearing owls. I’m hoping they stick around for a few more months yet. There
This morning, 26th December 2015, I decide to go and check out the brand new hide at Willington GP, a Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Reserve. The hide was only completed last Tuesday and, as hides go, I must say it is an excellent addition to the reserve and for the local birders. I can imagine many
At last, the arrival of some local Derbyshire Short-eared Owls. It’s really great to have a few of these superb owls local to me. This autumn and winter period has seen an exceptional arrival of birds, spread right across the country, but many have been found dead due to starvation. I guess due to the
A wintering Hoopoe has spent the last week or so in a small quarry area, on landscaped reclaimed land, at Wall Heath, Kingswinford near Dudley in Staffordshire. During mild winter weather there is often a wintering Hoopoe somewhere in Britain, so it was rather good to have one 50 odd miles from home. The bird
On the 12th December, Glyn & I decided to try for Bearded Tits at Alkborough in Lincolnshire. It turned out to be a very Cold, Grey and Frosty morning, with some fog lingering over the meres and reed beds. Although we heard numerous Bearded Tits, during the morning, none were performing at close quarters. A
Saturday 5th December, Glyn and I visited North Norfolk. Storm Desmond had hit the west side of Britain with devastating impact and Cumbria taking the brunt of it with over 300mm of rain falling and large areas of the county were very badly flooded. North Norfolk was only feeling the wind and it was blowing a
