Oriental Turtle Dove. Chipping Norton. February 2011.

Oriental Turtle Dove

.Chipping Norton.

(All images taken through glass window)

Well as my dad and I set off for Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, I couldn't help but feel like this was not going to be my day, with dull misty skies and constant rain I thought the OTD would be a case of 'Dove - not form above' instead sat up somewhere keeping dry. But alas I was wrong and with a warm and hospitable greeting from Steve we were watching the OTD on the bird table. The bird fed for a very brief moment then moved into thicker bushes, almost invisible to the eye, where it preened before alighting to another garden. What a great garden watch it turned out to be and with some lovely birds on show myself and Steve's son Rory we sorted our way through a cast of:Brambling,Chaffinch,Bullfinch,Goldfinch,Greenfinch,Siskin,Blackcap,Blackbird,Robin,Great spotted woodpecker,Blue tit,Coal tit and a new garden tick for Rory - a pair of Reed Buntings.

A very different twitch - but a most enjoyable one at '41.

Bramfield Village Hertfordshire. February 2011.

My dad and I headed off to try and connect with the Hawfinches at Bramfield. On arrival the news that a couple had been seen around an hour before, so they were still visiting the churchyard. The day turned out to be a raptor day rather than finch. With numerous,6+, Common Buzzards, a Red Kite, 2 Sparrowhawks. A couple of Hawfinches put in a brief appearance for about 20 seconds, just to coincide with the cloudiest dullest part of the morning so far, then a single bird a couple of hours later. A couple of Goldcrests and Treecreepers were seen around the churchyard but no sign of a Firecrest.

Bird Ringing at Beeston. February 2011.

Unfortunately the weather was not good for netting, with strong winds and a cold feel to it. Just a few birds were trapped mostly Chaffinch with a couple of Great Tits and a Robin and Greenfinch, roll on the spring and the hope of some warblers.

The Lodge RSPB. Thursday 3rd February 2011.

Despite the forecast being clear and sunny it took till midday for the cloud to clear, but it was not going to be as fruitful as the previous visit. The highlight of the 7+ hours sat in the hide was a Weasel seen hunting around in the undergrowth nearby, first thing in the morning. The first time I had been able to get an image of one of these little sprites. A stoat is hard enough to keep track of but the smaller Weasel is more difficult so I was pleased to get anything. The Redpolls did put on a show but not in the numbers or frequency as before. Below are a few from the previous visit and from this one.

Finally! Waxwings and Redpolls on the same day.

After missing out Waxwings at Shefford,2 locations in Sandy,2x at Clifton,and a couple of hours in Potton I finally nailed a group of 20 in Potton. Viewing was hampered by a wire fence but being so close to these as they fed was great. They were feeding on whatever berries they could find and before taking flight finished up on some conifer crop.

I then moved onto the Lodge RSPB for Redpolls which were showing better than normal, and with a few Siskin thrown in the next 3 hours were most pleasing. Mind you I wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion and spent all 3 hours shaking, if Sarah had brought me a cup of tea I think I would off poured it over my feet!

Below is a large selection of the Redpoll flock that came down a few times to drink, amongst the Lessers were some Mealies too. I was in the company of some nice people and one photographer from Northampton, I believe, was with me when at least 30+ landed all at once. We did not know where to aim first, you don't realise how small they are when close up but they were quite flighty and when one got up they tended to all follow. But a great experience and some new Redpoll images to boot.

Thornham and Titchwell. Norfolk. January 2011.

After my last nightshift I picked my dad up and we headed off to Norfolk. I wanted to get some images of the Northern Harrier so we headed off to Thornham first. And as this year was proving already, my luck was not going to change. We saw the Northern Harrier again but I did not get even a glimmer of a chance to get a shot. Mind you there was not much else for me to photograph, lovely weather albeit cold, the highlight was watching a Kestrel hunting voles, two Chinese water deer and feeding a Robin by hand.

Well the New Year is well under way and I'm still awaiting to get out and get some images,the weather and days off are not colliding. I took a trip with Sarah the other day for a hour or so, to look for the waxwings at Shefford, but they were not to be seen so we stopped at Sandy on the way back home and didn't connect with them either ! Not a taste of things to come I hope, but perhaps it is... on going to the farm to top up the feeders, my car became stuck in the mud due to the under sill coming away and wedging me tight in and keep me wheel spinning. So I had to clamber in the mud to eventually free myself.

Yesterday whilst at work I saw my first butterfly of the year, a Red Admiral. Not unusual, I've seen one in January in years previous, but it didn't stay on the wing for long before disappearing into roof space but nice to see after all the harsh weather.