The Sun Is Shining

The birds are singing, there's songs goi- Wait, wrong one.




Ahem.


Right then, after yet more distractions [still ongoing but maybepossiblyhopefullysoontoberesolved...], Sunday saw a determined effort to get out and see some birds.

With Golden Oriorioles and Woodchats seeming to have done bunks, I figured to do the proper thing for the time of year and catch up with some favourite arrivals.. So it was I toddled up onto t'Moor and spent much of the day ambling about Vitifer and Challacombe.

Vitifer

There were Cuckoos, oh yes, and there were Whinchats, in numbers most pleasing to the heart [unless you're a Mipit, I suppose..]. Reed Bunts, Wheatears, Spot Flies, Siskins, Redpoll [I know those two aren't migrants, but they are so very pretty], Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, and a Garden Warbler singing its little heart out oh yes.

Not just birds, either;

"Grrrrr!!"

There were also lots of birders about, including the odd familiar face. Speaking of familiar, lets get the pics going with this character;

"I migrate when I want to, got it?"

Not as rare as a Woody*, true, but a shrike is a shrike.

Also grey, long-tailed and mobile...

Far off

Up close and personal

Showing off

[Horribly blurred, don't expand]

Those last two were the benefit of sitting and waiting [and yes, getting {almost} very lucky].

The Whinchats were numerous and glorious, but also very hard to photograph, as they either turned their little heads away or blurred themselves [definitely them, not my shaking hands..]

Not quite sharp

Nice crisp..back

Again, leave as thumbnail..

Just look at the Gorse instead

The psychic head turn

Ok I'll stop with the Whinchats. I know five awful pictures is a bit much [[stop saying "one is a bit much!"...]], but they're just so lovely.

There were other birds too slow to dodge my lens, and yes, here they come;

Reed Bunt gets in on the fun

Ditto the Lesser Redpoll**

But the Spotted Flycatcher didn't get the memo

Stopped clocks and all that...

Again, I was just sitting about minding my own, [having some lunch - nothing like sarnies to attract birds' attention!] and this little thing practically flies up to me and holds the pose while I scramble for my camera. I only got one shot, but it was enough.
:D


Meadow Pipit, I thank you.


It was hard to tear myself away, but the real life demands, and what can you do?
[[I think there's this lottery thing for that...?]]


Be Seeing You..




[[*It's one of those quirks of birding that I've seen more Isabelline Shrikes** than Woodchats]]
[[**Yeah, yeah...]]