Norfolk. October 2009.

Mid month Sarah and I spent a few nights in Norfolk for our first anniversary, staying in Blakeney we ranged from cromer to titchwell, enjoying the beach walks. The weather was not too good but on a couple of occasions it brightened up giving me the opportunity of some photography.

I love to work with the waders along the shoreline and with patience and careful stalking I am able to get fairly close, and they soon feel at ease with my presence. I sometimes find it frustrating when people come bounding up to where you are because they think there is something special to see or think that you can just walk right up to the birds as quick as you can and then wonder why they've flow away. After taking 20 minutes to approach just a matter of feet I am well chuffed when that happens, take your time and let the birds get used to you there.

I love to work with Turnstones, after careful approach and some time they become most confiding, feeding just feet from you. And for the first time I was able to get some feeding shots of these busy little birds.

Watching them find small morsels among the sponges was great to watch, amazing how they can pick them out tucked away in the pockets. And when one found food the rest soon came in.

There were a couple of grey plover around but one came close and seemed to be inquisitive as too who I was and would move along behind a mussel bed only to peer over and study me before moving along again stopping to peer over at me further down.

A couple of Eider ducks were hanging around the beds and shoreline, feeding and then resting. They too took little notice of my presence after a short time and came in a channel to feed closer before resting up on the beds. The colour on the adult bird was so pastel like but stunning especially the pale green nape.

Whilst photographing the eider my attention was drawn to a Herring gull feeding nearby. After finding a crab he proceeded to detach the legs before devouring the body meat, careful of those claws mind you.

A fight broke out between two curlew, and although a tad distant I grabbed a couple of images. They would wrap their necks snake like around the other avoiding those large bills.

And the last images captured were of a small party of Dunlin, that flew in just a matter yards away. Myself and Sarah edged closer a couple of footsteps at a time with Sarah directly behind me and mimicking my steps until we could just see a couple of them resting behind a small mussel bed. And here we stayed for some time, with the birds totally at ease sleeping and resting quietly, and a great feeling when more fly in and join them, silently interacting with them as if part of the group.

And with sights such as Hen harrier and snow buntings and a couple of swallows still feeding over the water before that long journey south, we headed home too happy after a glorious weekend.

Staines Moor. Surrey. October 2009.

***MEGA***MEGA***MEGA***

.BROWN SHRIKE.

Titchwell, Norfolk, September 2009.

I needed to get down to Norfolk to get some new wader images and so I set off to Titchwell and worked my way towards Thornham point. Below is a selection of some of the images obtained. Most of the time the beach was left to me and the birds, alot of the time was spent carefully stalking the waders as they fed and grouped together. After plenty of time and pigeon steps I was able to get reasonably close and to the point where they were happy to rest up with me close by taking pictures, new birds would fly in and join the group with no concern of me at all. What a great feeling that is when, after all that time moving in carefully that, they accept my presence alongside them, awesome.

An additional bonus was a few Snow buntings that were feeding along the ridge edge. they too were accepting in my presence and were happy to feed alongside me, these lovely little buntings are a favourite of mine, so petite and a reminder winters around the corner.

A change from the norm'.

Cuban Cigar Walk 19th Sept 2009.

Not my usual type of diary entry but another passion of mine, namely CIGARS'. Too good a day not to put it in my diary, this was an organised trip around the notable cigar shops in London with fellow members of the UK Cigar forum.

Starting point for the Brothers Of The Leaf.
And not being able to remember everyones name, it was easier to go by everyones forum name, now we could put a face to all the members. This was around a part of London I had not seen before and with all the history Nic was relaying there was plenty to take in and see.

We stopped at the Jack Barclay Bentley dealership and on entry the smell was more akin to a leather sofa showroom. There were some beautiful cars in there for sure. Oh to be rich! or sell the house and live on the back seat, very luxurious.

Sarah picking one out with a sumptuous red leather interior, 'sorry love you'll have to make do with our brown chesterfield'.

First port of call was Dunhill's. Here is Deano inspecting the Por Larranagas that soon made us queue up to obtain one. And just off the walk in humidor was a great private viewing room for screening films, oh to have a room like that.

Nic and I outside Sautter of Mount Street.

We stopped in Linley to view this stunning limited edition humidor. And what a beauty it was too, the flag ripple effect was stunning.

And of course somebody had to hold the cigars outside the shop whilst we looked, 'cheers Nic'.

Then it was time for a pint and 'sarnie' at the Red Lion, whilst Sarah and I chatted away with Cigarsmoke and Son of Cigarsmoke the rest of the BOTL puffed away outside.

A stop off at Davidoff where Sarah purchased a couple of cigars for my pleasure, thankyou, and a selection that had you walking around and around again just in case you missed something the first or second time.

And finally to JJ Fox, and downstairs to view the Churchill memorabilia which was great to view, and in the 'old mans chair' too. Some fascinating stuff down there. We also got the chance to view the cigar 'carousel' holder that Nic had told us about and what a great piece of work too, mind you it wouldn't fit most of our cigars in, they were too big.

Exhibits from the Churchill collection showing telegrams and cigars.

And so as the cigar crew reached the Churchill War room it was time for Sarah and I to part. It was great meeting everyone and an interesting fun day with lovely weather too, excellent.

Oh and not to change things too much I grabbed a bird shot at the end...

even if it was tame.

Farmoor Reservoir. Oxfordshire.1st September 2009.

White winged Black tern and American Black tern.

After my shifts had finished this morning I could not resist going for the WWBT amd ABT at Farmoor. I knew it would take me just under a couple of hours and I had not slept since sunday night, but it needed to be done. So I battled the traffic and on reaching the causeway was greeted with distant views of both the terns accompanied by a juv Black tern.

WWBT
The WWBT stood out against the other two with its whiter plumage and obvious lack of smudges'. It wasn't long before they were up and luckily for me headed in my direction giving me the chance of some record images. The wind as in true reservoir fashion was blowy so I was more than happy to capture something. But the ABT when overhead and distant stood out as the darker bird and of course the smudging on the flanks showed well on the images.

WWBT

BLACK TERN

The 3 terns ventured from one side of the reservoir to the other and actively fed for some time before returning to rest on the calmer basin. They continued this circuit for a few hours, and after getting some shots and good views through a birder scope, from south Devon, I called it a day.

ABT

ABT

ABT

ABT

ABT

ABT

Black Terns at Grafham Water. August 2009.

There had been a report of 40+ Black terns at Grafham, so I started the search just after 7am. After picking out a couple of Black terns and time taken capturing other stuff on camera I decided to concentrate my search for the Black terns. I set up next to a hedge line and waited. Most of the terns were travelling against the wind from just beyond where I was, and feeding their way across to the opposite side of the reservoir before flying back across and starting again. They would eventually pass me in the hope of being close to capture on camera.

They were not to venture as close as the Common terns, tending to stay further out on the water, I had definitely seen double figures but could not be definite on the numbers due to their moving around. They had a definite 'jizz' as they flew and fed, totally different to the Common terns and harder to pick out due to their smaller size. I did manage to get some images of a couple of Black terns that were using the floating buoys alongside the Common terns, most were content on feeding though. A great few hours and my first images of Black tern to date.

Grafham Water. Cambridgeshire. August 2009.

Being able to get a few hours out and about I decided to head to grafham. Knowing there were Black terns present I thought I would try my luck and see if I could get some images. Before I set up for the terns I tried my luck in with the Sand Martins as they skimmed across the waters surface picking off insects. Not an easy task I can tell you, trying to track them was hard enough let alone getting an image.

But I stuck at it and came away with a few images worth keeping. I had a juvenile Great crested grebe showing well giving me some images and I grabbed a couple of shots when one of the parents came towards it offering a fish. The Black headed gulls were noisy with one individual especially so, and claiming rights to one particular perch would see off any gull that came too close. But as it scrapped with one bird it got hold of its bill and they both tumbled down only for the victorious gull to entangle on a length of barbed wire for a few seconds before freeing itself.

Close to the car park I viewed a Spotted flycatcher as it flew around catching insects, a sight I hadnt seen for a long time, and getting less common every year. There were good numbers of juvenile Pied wagatils everywhere, taking advantage of the huge numbers of insects present.