More twitching

News of a Yellowthroat had me heading off to South Wales. Didnt get there till mid morning but managed to catch up with it only a few minutes after arriving. Unfortunately people had been chasing it all around the fields for the past couple of hours continually flushing it so by the time I had arrived it had been decided that everybody had to stand way back in the field. This was clearly a better arrangement but meant photos were distant.

Straight from here down to Devon to connect with the Red-breasted Goose at Exminster. Still havent got the hang of my pocket Canon settings so things here a bit burnt out

Grey Wag in Dawlish car park

Another one of those extremely ropey record shots. Can you see what it is?

Continued south to Cornwall

Eventually managed to track down the rather elusive adult Glauc at Newlyn Harbour

Kittiwake hanging around

Loafing adult GBBG

Here are the best shots I could manage of the female Bufflehead at Helston Loe Pool which remained stubbornly on the opposite side of the lake. Did try and gain access from the other side but access roads were private and didnt have time for a long walk.

Hume's again

Third trip to try and photograph the Hume's today. Although seeing it on the first two visits, never got close to getting a photo. Today's visit started promisingly for a decent photo as I had located it in the camp site after about 10 mins. However as last time it just wouldnt show properly, keeping very low and out of sight. After over 2 hours of chasing it around the light was soon fading, however it did become more active. In the last throws of dusk eventually managed to grab a couple of images. These have been severely lightened from the very dark original shots but you can kind of see what it is

Bird number 90.

14th Feb

Spot Sand at Fishermans Bank. Clean unmarked tertials, rather broad based fleshy coloured bill and yellowy legs showing well here.

You can see the shorter wing bar here, although the line of pale covert tips could possibly give the impression the bar was continuing further toward the body

This rather more distant shot shows the feature better

Dark markings can be seen here around the vent/lower belly area. I assumed that it was starting to moult into summer plumage but apparently this is normal for a winter plumaged bird. Mind you they are not exactly nice black spots, more like brown mud splashes really

Off to Harbridge for some Swans. This Bewick's seems to be enjoying itself

Now its trying to conduct an orchestra

Whooper rather less active

One of those other ones

Also had a look in at Blashford where Lesser Redpoll and Siskin were also additions to the photographic yearlist

This Mealy also made a brief appearance

Ooh, what a grey day!

Managed to grab some yeartick photos in between surveys today

Shore Road

Continental Cormorant Poole Park

Gular angle thing just over 90 degrees on this one

Holes Bay

New birds here Spoonbill + Common Gull

11th Feb

Another go for the Paddyfield with the same result. This is the 'tyre bush' where all the reported sightings had been coming from. Didnt realise it was so far away. Wouldnt have bothered if i'd have known. A wren caused a great deal of excitement for a while until somebody pointed out it was a Wren. Needless to say none of the people hoping to see the bird actually looked anywhere else, just stared into the bush all morning stringing Wrens Cetti's and even a Stonechat at one point.

It was very cold again, bringing out the odd Water Rail

Lots of Brent Geese

Off to Blackdown to look for the putative Parrot Crossbill. On driving north it soon became apparent that there had been a fair amount of snow. The pond that the bird had been coming to was completely frozen over. There were a few Crossbills about but all standard size bills

6th Feb

Back to Pagham to try for the Paddyfield but it didnt show.

Confiding Pochard at Chichester gravel pits

Cattle Egret Warblington

I really must clean my number plate, not!

Great White Egret Thorney Island

Shorelark Hayling Oyster beds

One of 3 Snow Buntings on beach at Sandy Point, Hayling.

Pagham, first few days of Feb

Few days of surveying. Absolutely bitter on first morning with a ne wind.

News of a Paddyfield came through the day before my visit but unfortunately round the other end of the harbour so couldnt go for it.

Turnstone doing its Ptarmigan impression

A few more birds for the list