TOUGH GOING OUT THERE.

The visitors to the back garden feeders has dropped further especially when the weather is good but did have one good showing when a Bullfinch made a short visit one morning. Otherwise it was slim pickings.

There was one huge disappointment yesterday. It was late afternoon and I was reading Liddle Hart's " History of World War 2 " ( Thanks lockdown)in the conservatory when I glanced into the back garden to see a male Sparrowhawk perched on top of the bird table. My camera was a few feet away. Could I reach it and get a shot ? No it flew off as soon as I made a move. Not seen one in the garden for a couple of years now.

Another walk round the local churchyard was rewarded with some more shots of the Goldcrests but no other birds.

SHOTS FROM THE GARDEN AND A CHURCHYARD.

Been having trouble with my recent blogs photos have been removed and replaced by a no entry sign.I understand several people have had the same trouble but the Blogger people just say "We know there is a problem and we are trying to fix it" . Great. So if any photos are removed it's not me doing it.

One of my walks took me to the local churchyard again. It was much harder to get shots of the Goldcrests this time they were very active. This is all I got plus a shot of a Coal Tit.

As expected the number of birds using the feeders in the back garden has reduced a lot now it's much nicer weather. A pair of Dunnocks still visit and a lone Chaffinch. This morning a very brief visit was made by a Nuthatch which was nice but no shots.

DELETED SHOTS ON LAST BLOG

Shots have been deleted from my last blog with the Goldcrests.Don't know why so I am trying to post them again.

GOLDCRESTS

On the walk this morning I spotted a pair of Goldcrests.As usual they were flitting around like crazy and I had so much trouble trying to get any shots at all. Taking shots of Goldcrests is not a game for old goats like me.

Lots of the shots I managed were like this one a back view.

I took loads of shots lots of them were terrible but I did manage some decent ones luckily. Cracking birds I love them to bits.

CAUGHT A CHIFFCHAFF MATING.

Birds are still visiting my feeders but in far less numbers now.These are still visiting.

Back at one of my very local patches this morning I managed some shots of the Linnets.

I was hoping to see the Common Buzzards again but was not having any luck. It was pretty cold there this morning so I was just about to leave when one flew in and landed on one of the electric pylons.

On the way back home I called in to another local patch where I had seen the Chiffchaff a few days ago.I was not confident as the last few trips had resulted in no sightings so I was caught unawares when it briefly called out. I found it in a distant tree but there seemed to be 2 birds flitting around. 

This bird started to flap it's wings but remained stationary. 

Suddenly the second bird zoomed in. 

After some frantic baby making the male flew off and left the female on her own.

Not great shots by any means but good to see. Immediately after all that action I spotted another rarity flying high overhead. I live on their migration route and it's hard to believe that not that long ago they were very common and now a rarity hardly ever seen.

SOME LINNETS.

After another trip to the farm shop I stopped off on the way home to check on the Common Buzzards I found a couple of weeks ago. I soon found one in it's favourite tree and managed a few shots. Quite pleased with these shots as the tree is the other side of the field and is about 70 metres + away.

The first shot shows it spotted me straightaway. 

I then went to the place I found the Chiifchaff  a couple of weeks ago but had no luck with the camera although I could hear it calling. Back at the Common Buzzard site I did have a bit of luck as I found a pair of Linnets.

THE BUZZARDS REVISITED.

Needed supplies so early this morning I shot off to the farm shop in Balsall Common again hoping it would be open again. It was. I always get there before the official opening time as it's usually empty.It was this morning so I was in and out in a couple of minutes.

On the way back I checked out the spot I had seen the Common Buzzards yesterday. One of them was perched on an electrical pylon. 

It soon flew off to join it's mate in a distant tree before again flying off presumably to find some food.

On the way back I called in at the spot I'd seen the Chiffchaff. I soon heard it calling but despite a bit of a waite it did not come close.I did manage some shots of it very high up on a distant tree.I was impressed with the shots I managed as it was so far away.These micro 4/3rd cameras keep on impressing specially if like me you have a decent 100-400 zoom lens (This equates to 200-800 lens when compared to a full frame camera) .