I paid another visit to the superb woodlands at Calke Park, South Derbyshire. The Red Deer are now in Rut and there was one very obliging Stag posing well during the morning. Bird wise not a great deal at Staunton Harold Reservoir of note, but in Calke Park, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, […]
“Red-breasted Snipe” is an old name for the North American Dowitcher, split into two species, the Long-billed Dowitcher and the Short-billed Dowitcher. The Long-billed Dowitcher is a more regular visitor to Britain and one of these smart waders has been frequenting the tidal creek and small coastal pool at Saltfleet Haven in Lincolnshire. I managed
On Thursday 2nd November 2017 a Cory’s Shearwater was found at Rutland Water, Leicestershire. Unfortunately I didn’t discover the report on my pager until well into the afternoon, too late to get to see it that day. So I went on Friday 3rd November, thoroughly expecting to Dip on the bird. Sure enough, despite spending
This was the first weekend that Barrie & Anita could get to see the Rock Thrush. It was a “British Tick” for Anita, so I offered them a lift and we set off for the quarry at Pwll Du, Blaenavon on Sunday 29th October. The Rock Thrush was still performing in the disused quarry and
I am quite fortunate to have Calke Park on my doorstep, a National Trust Park that holds some excellent ancient woodland and is a good stronghold for Marsh Tit. Personally I think it is probably one of the best places in Derbyshire to view this species. Marsh Tit is described in the “Birds of Derbyshire” as
It is not often that I have “Twitched” a rare bird in Wales, but today was an exception as there has been a male Rock Thrush taken up residence in a quarry near Blaenavon, near Abergavenny in South Wales. Rock Thrush is a rare vagrant to our shores from southern and eastern Europe and should be
Always good to see our common birds, so here are a few portraits. Tree Sparrow – This bird is still around with the local House Sparrow flock. Maybe the only one left in the area – Tony Davison© House Sparrow – male – Above 2 images – Tony Davison© Chaffinch – Above 3 images – Tony
Hurricane Ophelia has hit the UK and brought with it dust from the Sahara Desert and debris from forest fires in Spain and Portugal. The dust has caused shorter wavelength blue light to be scattered, leaving longer wavelength red light to shine through it. Ophelia originated in the Azores where it was classed as a
