A BRUSH WITH A CUCKOO.

As the sun was shining and the wind had dropped this morning I thought I'd go over to a local patch to get some exercise. With the camera and bins of course.

As soon as I got there I heard a Cuckoo calling. As I'd not seen one let alone getting any shots for a few years now I was keen to find it.

It was not on the local patch but across the road in another area. Luckily I soon found it high up on a distant tree but unluckily the bright sun was right behind it and as soon as I tried to reposition myself it flew off and all I got was this crappograph.  

Had a bit better luck but not all that much when it flew off.

Certainly no keepers but so great to see one at long last . Thought I'd post a shot of one from yesteryear. This was taken at Brandon Marsh close to the Ted Jury hide.

SHOTS FROM THE PAST - 6

Some more shots from the past beginning with some Owls which are some of my favourite birds and some shots of Short Eared Owls probably my favourite of all the Owls.I've been lucky enough to see them and various sites after a bit of travelling. These were shots taken in December 2011 at a site in Northants.

Cannot leave a section on Owls without a couple of shots of Barn Owls. The second shot was taken at Marsh Lane where for a few weeks one payed regular visits in March 2010. It's my best shot of these birds

Little Owls are another favourite. Pity that they are pretty rare these days.The first shot was taken in Shustoke and the second one at Maxstoke one in May and the other in August 2008.

I've only ever seen a Long Eared Owl once and that was hidden deep in a Hawthorne bush next to the Carlton hide at Brandon Marsh in November 2007. I waited a very long time but it would not move.

I've only ever seen a Tawny Owl twice and both times at Marsh Lane. The juveniles were taken in June 2011 and the adult in May 2017.

Water Rails are seen at many local sites but are very skittish and not easy to get a decent shot of. The first shot was taken at Brandon Marsh on July 2015 and the second one at Marsh Lane in July 2018

Took the Meadow Pipit shot in the Donkey paddock at Earlswood in September 2017. The Rock Pipit shot was taken in October 2016 only 100 meters away where one had been flitting round the causeway on the lakes. I had struggled to get any shots for quite a while but after all the other togs had given up and I was about to do the same it appeared just below me and posed for a few shots.

On the shingle beach at Cley in March 2010 someone nearby shouted  "Arctic Skua" and luckily I managed a couple of shots. 

Walking along the Farborough bank at Draycote in September 2009 I spotted to me what was a strange bird about 30 meters out on the water.Having learned the lesson don't dither if you can't ID a bird just take the shot. It was a Manx Shearwater . In September 2011 one was reported at Hatton Locks I eventually found it not looking too well on a grassy bank the other side of the canal. I reported it in and I believe it was rescued later on. 

In April 2011 a Spotted Crake was reported at Brandon Marsh in the channel to the left of the EM hide. Got there mid morning and entered a crowded hide but by mid afternoon there had been no sightings and there was only three of us left. I was thinking of giving up when the shout went up "The Crake is showing". Managed a couple of shots.

BUZZARDS OVER THE BACK GARDEN.

Well this shot is not of Buzzards but I've only included it as these Goldfinches are the only regular visitors now to my feeders all the rest have deserted me.

Just after lunch today I'd just settled down to read my book when I heard what I thought was a raptor calling. I grabbed the camera and after a struggle locating them I managed a few shots. No great ones as the pair of Common Buzzards annoyingly showed with the sun behind them but interesting as there was a bit of upside down flying.I'm assuming an adult with a juvenile ???

SHOTS FROM THE PAST - 5

I've tried to cheer myself up in this lockdown by reminding myself of happier days when I used to go to distant spots to take shots of some better birds.

At the end of July 2014 I got a call from my good friend Kath Everitt who informed me that a Night Heron was showing at Seeswood Pools not far from Nuneaton. As I'd never seen one before I shot over there. It was on the other side of the pool often lurking deep in the shadows of overhanging trees. You had to be very patient for it to show. 

In May 2011 whilst strolling along on the shore at Cley I came across a small flock of Shore Larks flitting around on the shingle.They were very nervy and kept flying off.They were very well camouflaged on the shinge and very hard to spot.

Early in one morning in August 2016 I was out birding locally when I received a call from a good friend Pete Walkden asking me if I would like to join him on a trip down to Otmoor to try for the Purple Heron. You bet I did. We got there mid morning and soon settled down near the spot it was last seen.We had to be very patient but it eventually showed (just as I was eating an apple) and we both managed some shots before it dropped down again.

I was just coming to the end of a trip to Norfolk in September 2012 when I heard that an Osprey was showing well at Upton Warren.Worried that it had gone as I drove over there the following Monday I was very pleased it was still there.The first shot below was taken at Marsh Lane in May 2017 the rest at Upton Warren.

For a few years till recently I would have a day at a village in the Chilterns called Watlington where Red Kites were everywhere. These shots were taken in May 2016.

Luckily locally at several reserves Kingfishers can be seen regularly.These shots were taken at Marsh Lane and Brandon Marsh.