FIRST CHIFFCHAFF OF THE YEAR.

Last Wednesday on the way back from getting some food shopping from a farm shop in Balsall Common I stopped at one of my regular spots hoping to get some shots of a Common Buzzard that sometimes can be seen there.

As soon as I got out the car I heard a Chiffchaff calling close by. Just hearing it cheered me up a lot but 45 minutes later I only saw it once for 5 seconds and once for 10 seconds so no great shots but wonderful to get the first shots of the year.

Saw at least 3 Common Buzzards but they were so high I could not get a decent shot.Pretty pleased with this shot as it was a long way off.These micro 4/3 cameras are very good.

THE MALE BLACKCAP PAYS A VISIT

Getting less and less visitors to the back garden feeders now the weather is getting better.The good news was that the female Blackcap which has been a regular visitor this winter was joined at long last by the male.

I've been out a few times to some very local viewing spots but birds have been very thin on the ground. Only a few years ago these same spots gave great opportunities to use the camera. All I've managed is a distant shot of a Mistle Thrush alongside a Redwing and a shot of a Common Gull.

BIRDS FROM THE PAST - 3

Had to wait ages at Shustoke Reservoir in October 2016 for a distant Red -breasted Merganser to come close and when it suddenly appeared very close it took us all by surprise. The other shot was taken in January 2014 but I am not sure where.

I'd had to travel a long way to see a Hawfinch  before and then had only a glimpse so very poor pics. I'd also seen one many years ago in the old car park area at Draycote Water but then had not got a camera. So when a few had been spotted in the churchyard grounds at Berkswell in December 2017 I raced over there. I went several times as it's pretty close and I remember it being very cold and you had to wait ages before they showed after the berries in their favourite tree.

I had seen many Black-necked Grebes at local sites over the years but had never seen one in Summer plumage so when one was found on the Engine pool at Earlswood lakes in June 2016 I went over there as soon as I could. I managed some decent shots of one in Summer plumage at long last.

One of my very favourite birds of the Summer visitors are Spotted Flycatchers.I've been lucky enough to find them every year locally for many years now often in churchyards where they use the gravestones as perches. I've taken so many shots of them I've lost count of where I've seen them.I'm pretty sure these shots taken in July 2016 were in the churchyard at Baddesley Clinton 

I've only ever seen a Crossbill once in all the times I've been birding and I was lucky to see that. A friend and I were at Marsh Lane when we bumped into another friend who volunteered to take us to see some. It was March 2012 and they were at to me an obscure part of Cannock Chase. Only managed a few shots as they were very flighty.

Another favourite bird is the Firecrest. Don't see them very often as they are pretty scarce.These shots were taken both in February and one in 2008 and the other in 2009. One at Alvecote Pools and one at Hams Hall.

I've never seen a Pied Flycatcher locally and have had to travel miles to go and seen one. Back in May 2014 I headed to a little reserve called Gilfach NR not far from Rhayader in Wales to break my duck.It was quite a drive but out in the wilds I saw the reserve sign and turned down a steep narrow road.At the bottom of theroad I saw a hide so I parked in a gateway and entered the hide opened the flap and just a few feet away I saw a male Pied Flycatcher enter a bird box loaded with flies in his beak.After that excitement I drove the rest of the way up to the reserve centre and was greeted there by some Common Redstarts. What a place.

Took me ages to catch up with a Turtle Dove. I finally did in June 2014 at Titchwell in a tree just off from the main path.

In January 2008 among the many Lesser Redpolls that were feeding most days along the reserve road at Marsh Lane was this bird that caused much discussion and quite a crowd on some occasions.The ID discussions were way above my head but seemed to between an Arctic Redpoll or a Mealy Redpoll.

  During a lot of the Winter 2008/2009 a Red-necked Grebe was at Draycote Water .It often showed very well and it was nice to see it's plumage changing.                                          

A Slavonian Grebe was reported to be on a fishing lake in March 2010 at Grimley in Worcestershire. I went over one morning and found the lake eventually.As I walked round a gruff voice said "You are not going to get any shots wandering round dressed like an idiot" . There was a photographer lying down at the edge of the lake covered from head to foot in camoflage including hands and face.

I headed off to the other side of the lake whereupon the bird slowly headed my way and started fishing only a few feet away.I of course gave the other birder a wave or two.

A TRIP TO BRUETON PARK.

The other day in the morning I drove the couple of miles to Brueton Park to do some birding and to test out the camera.

The reason I wanted to test the camera which I've had for a couple of years now and should know it by now was that Panasonic had issued some new Firmware for my Lumix G9 camera. Firmware updates the software in your camera and you have to go to their website download the firmware to your laptop then transfer it to a SD card then insert the SD card into the camera and download it. 

I'm am always amazed how new firmware can change your camera so much and this firmware included some major changes. The one I was interested in and wanted to check was the addition of a new auto focus mode that claimed to lock onto animals and birds.

As soon as I got there I turned on the new setting and had a go. It was very good.As soon as the camera focused on a bird it locked on and as long as you had the shutter button pressed half way down it tracked the bird.This was indicated in the viewfinder by a yellow rectangle around the bird. I was impressed. It worked well.

Didn't stay long as it was very cold.Found a Little Egret on a distant tree and a female Goosander at the top of the lake.Not great shots as the trouble with Brueton Park in the morning is that the sun is in your eyes when trying for shots on the lake.

SOME MORE GARDEN BIRD SHOTS

Some more garden bird shots taken recently plus a few shots from a brief visit to Brueton Park.