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.

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.