Backward Birding: This, That, and Some More of That Harrier

17 November, 2016

This, That, and Some More of That Harrier

So I was looking through my harrier shots - oh the joy to say that - and I noticed something I'd missed at the time;

Looks like a vole?

It was hunting - both sides of the river - and while it did drop several times, I hadn't noticed it pause. I suppose that little thing's just a snack..
While I'm at it with the harrier shots;

Ok, I'm done.

Last weekend wasn't just the funky bit with all that Harrier Action.

Friday; I did what I was intending to do the previous Saturday and got to Yarner for lunch [as opposed to tea..]. This time I did not try another futile attempt at Marshie photos and headed up to a spot I'm fond of for [admittedly a bit limited] vismig. There was very little passing; not entirely a surprise, this was more an exercise in going somewhere nice than seriously expecting birds. So a couple of alba Wags, a couple of Herring Gulls and a male Crossbill- wait, a male Crossbill? Decent bird! Shock!

Otherwise it was as quiet as a wood full of tit bands can be. So here [as tits are gits to photo] are a few other things that caught the lens...

Trees!

Tracks!

"Mmmmh, Birch roots taste good!"

I love that sign.

The high clouds were moving at 90° to the low ones

Yeah, lookin' at clouds...

Time to change the scenery;

Dusk again..

Saturday saw some more Patch action, though with not even a male Crossbill to report. The most interesting things were a bunch of Block'eads. Here's an awful low-light action shot;

Nope, not deliberate - except on the part of the 'intelligent' autofocus - but it sort of works. Maybe. A bit?

Due to Circumstances Possibly Involving Shortbread Creation, I was too late down there and missed the good light to look for seaducks. They might have been out there. A band of 11 LTT and nothing else* was there earlier [on Patch, not out to sea].

Going back again to Sunday, a few numbers;
300+ Fieldfare, 265+ Redwing, 3+ Mistle Thrush.A group of 21+ Chaffinch - loosely with some of the thrushes - included a Brambling and a couple of Bullfinches.
Other expected species were much as expected, with the 'First Human of the Day' snipe a pleasant surprise - for me if not them - though I suppose they must get used to being turfed off the paths, [what's the version of 'hetch!' that's Snipe for 'oh not again...'??]
Notable by absence was an utter lack of Golden Plover - though I didn't get over the the best areas for them - and a marked paucity of Yellowhammers. What is normally a great location provided only one, lurking with thrushes and not feeling photogenic. :(

Cutting on to this week, the much-heralded SUPERDUPERMOOOOOON!!! was inevitably shrouded by cloud. This didn't stop me from trying, and while my camera did it's very best to mess up - I really wish it had a 'Full Manual' mode.. - it didn't quite succeed.. [Yeah, here it comes...];