Thurleigh. Bedfordshire. January 2008.

I visited this site for the first time in the hope of seeing short eared owl, but unfortunately there was no sign. But views of the ringtail Hen Harrier made up for it and nice views of a barn owl hunting between 2pm and 3pm was a bonus, i never tire of watching them. Good numbers of Kestrel were present and a group of 3 Grey partridge was a welcome sight, a few stonechat were showing too.

New feeding station. January 2008.

Just set up a new feeding station on a farm near me and on the first day photographing the place was busy straight away, hopefully i'll get some different species as the year goes on.

Feeding Station. January 2008.

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

White -Crowned Sparrow

Cley.Norfolk.January 2008.

Little Paxton and St Neots. Cambridgeshire. December 2007.

Myself and my dad travelled to both sites to look for the, firstly, Great white egret at Little paxton. On arrival the news that it had flown out of sight greeted us but not too long after it appeared out of nowhere on a sandy shoreline giving good views throught the scope. Getting a photo was awkward due to looking through bushes but i grabbed a record shot before it once again vanished. We waited a while with no luck and so decided to move onto nearby St Neots to look for the Cattle egret that was part of a huge influx in the country at this time. We were greeted with good scope views on arrival but after a short spell it was spooked by the kids from the adjacent travellers site and disapeared out of sight and wasnt relocated until later in the day before eventually returning to the same field, but we had departed by then. This was the second only for me and both in cambs' and a new tick for my dad to end the year on.

Amwell GP's. Hertfordshire. December 2007.

I visited my old patch with my dad to look for the drake smew that were reported here, on arrival a lovely stonechat was near the viewpoint. The 3 drake smew were a bit distant most of the time but i was able to get some record shots.

Welney WWT. Norfolk. December 2007.

Although most of the reserve was flooded i was still able to get some photos from the main hide/wings. I was here to get some shots of the whooper and bewicks swans there and also any wildfowl showing well. The bewicks stayed further out on this occasion but i got a few early morning shots with the rising sun making them a lovely orange glow. I also grabbed some photos of two moorhens fighting for what must of been hours.