Birdtable Brambling

The covering of snow was enough to see my car unable to get out the drive, so a rare day off work meant I could see the birds using the feeders that are costing me a fortune to keep full. Since moving to Rothley a few months ago its been busy,with too much overtime at work and lots of projects around the house and on the land, all 1.5 acres of it. While in the kitchen chopping onions I noticed a Brambling on the birdtable the photos are all taken through the window so up to the usual standard.
Apart from some local walks and a visit to Big waters, a walk round Bolam lake with my niece Ellie and her new bridge camera were my only outings. My favorite xmas present was the homemade peanut feeder from niece Josie.

Josie's feeder

My new apprentice

The feeders on the lamppost 

The birdtable set up

A bit of bully

At Prestwick carr the other evening a Whinchat some Bullfinch and a Dragon or two. Big waters yesterday THE Kingfisher and THE Otter.

note the baby slug!

Darting about

Just a few pics from the last month or so which include a couple of new species for me, Black darter and Black tailed skimmer. Both were local, the skimmer at the waters and the darter at banks pond.

WhinWoodChat

A text from AJJ followed by one from PC Wanderings told of a Woodchat Shrike on the Carr so on a rare day off I got my change and left the shop. The twitch was on, I met Alan at mine and we headed off on the one minute trip to the carr. The crowd was only a small one and after a brief wait the faded Shrike and a Whinchat showed on the fenceline west of the viewing platform. After a while I went and hid in the hedge nearer the fence and got some shots the Whin at 200x zoom  the Wood at 100x .

A late start

A couple of visits to Big Waters and Prestwick Carr and the insects were the main things in camera range. There was a good number of duck broods at BW including 8 Gadwall in one brood. At Prestwick a couple of Redstart worked their way along the bumpy road hedges

taken through to windscreen

Farne Islands all day trip

Yesterday I took the chance to visit our mini Galapagos, I took over 750 photos. The birds seem to be catching plenty of food and as ever the smell, noise and frenzied activity will stay in my mind for a long time.

Orkney 2014

Got back 2 weeks ago from the Folk Festival on them magical isles, the weather was shite. I did not get too much birding done but the music and ale was top notch.