Go (North) West! Pt. 1, The Birds

Yes, split it into two posts, as there are too many pictures to properly stick in one without messing up the flow.


So, here we have the interesting bit, where you see the pics of birds I managed to get and scoff at the birds whose pictures I didn't get..
[probably]

But let's open up with some gratuitous showing-off;

Goldeneyes

:)

Eyeing a light aircraft, btw

"No mate, I'm looking at you"

2cy GC Grebe

Ok, to the geese. The vast numbers of pics I took didn't come out as well as they looked on BOC, but nm, eh?

Yes, I resorted to digiscoping, which doesn't work well

The best individual shot, the one with some white at the bill base.

One, two, three, four.

Ok? 

Getting all four to stick their heads up at once proved impossible, at least with camera in hand... Never mind shooting across a reservoir while maintaining some fieldcraft [those geese are twitchy], they wouldn't stop moving except to feed with their heads down. Or hide.

Without scope.

Two on land, two on water

Ok, ok, enough already

Four Pink-footed Geese, 2 and 2, with 133 Canadas and that Canada x Farm Goose hybrid thing. Also 2 Goldeneye [you may have noticed :) ], 3 GC Grebes, a Little Grebe, 2 Shoveler, a scattering of Wigeon and Teal.

Let's look at smaller and closer [isn't that right, Dougal?]

Goldcrest action shot!

Finally my first Green Woodpecker of the year, and a Common Sandpiper along the shore towards the dam a way. Other assorted woodland and farmland spp. as you may expect.

Onwards towards the north!

After the good ones in Fremington Pil had snuck off while I was getting back to them..

Glossy Ibis and Spotshank having proved mobile,

here's a Redshank

I moved on to get a decent view of the main estuary. Found a nice spot [Mr Taylor's bench] as the sun westered. I could hope for a Spoonbill [no sign of either Isbis or Spotshank, of course], or just see what came by;

BHGs, lots of them!

The odd Common Gull mixed in

The usual spp. on the mud - including a nice Barwit close to Fremington Quay, which I was unable to photo due to Mundanus Interruptus at the usual most inconvenient time, but hey, you know what they look like, right? - with fading light and range making things hard to photo. But the scenery was ridiculous in the dusky sunshine.. :D

In the pink..

Another Redshank.

Sunset Spoonbills

Actually moving!

So, with a final surprise yeartick, the setting Sun pointed out it was time to go...

I'm looking at the birds. Really.

I took a slightly scenic route back, hoping for something nocturnal [Woodcock? Barn Owl? even a LEO???] , and was shocked to actually get a nicely pale flypast.. Tawny Owl. Drat.

They are the Buzzards of the night, so variable. Oh well, worth a try.


Anyways, it was a great day, I hit all my targets and saw, well, not just this [I mean, those Goldeneye!!!!] but also the scenery you'll be seeing in part two.

Not that pictures really did justice.


Be Seeing You...