Pec 216

Dontcha just hate it when top photographers talk about a 'record shot', and all you see is immaculate feather detail, and all salient features radiating with perfect sharpness?
These are record shots!
This Pectoral Sandpiper has been the first truly twitchable one in the Peterbrough area since I've been lieving in the PBC area (ie since 2000). Yes, I know they are ten-a-penny at Grafham and Paxton, but those are foreign climes to a hardcore PBCer. PBC tick number 216 for me. Well found Brian The Natural Stone!


Pectoral Sandpiper, Maxey Pits, 29.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Convolvulus

Convolvulus Hawkmoth, Winterton, 24.9.06
Canon PowerShot A95


Anonymous A95 Moth-bullies. Un...



...believable!

Mallard study

Ferry Meadows, Cambs, 23.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Darter portfolio

Immature male Red-veined Darter, Maxey Pits, Cambs, 23.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95 (sometimes with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW)

Grey Heron

Ferry Meadows, Cambs, 23.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff, Ferry Meadows CP, Peterborough, 23.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Ticketyboo

I tagged along with Ray (ta muchly for the lift) and Will Bowell together with Kevin Durose to head to Norfolk yesterday (24.9.06) to pay homage to the superb juvenile Pallid Harrier at Winterton. While there, we popped over to see the juvenile Rosy Pastor by the dunes. It had already gathered a reputation as a manky bird, being complete with full-to-bursting ticks. Only one blood-fileld parasite was left by the time we saw it, and though not in the best of all possible health, the starling was still well enough to munch a few dozen craneflies and grasshoppers while we watched. It was typically bold and approached the gathering crowd of photographers waiting outside its chicken-wired 'enclosure', to a few feet. Showing well, as the cliché goes...
I quote: "These are private houses, you can't just go where you want, and I told you only one of you could come through at a time. Go back where you came from and leave us in peace!"

Click images for bigger ones.

Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Beauty is in the eye...

...of the beholder.


This reflects the nightmares of frogs.
Maxey pits, Cambs, 23.9.06.


Frog with tiny snail.

Small pong

Ferry Meadows CP, Peterborough, has been having a mini-purple patch in the last few days. Lingering from the weekend into yesterday were a juvenile Black Tern and a long-staying juvenile Arctic Tern (both on Gunwade lake), a first-winter Mediterranean Gull on Overton and Gunwade (plus a second-winter I found on Overton lake yesterday morning), and a juvenile Little Stint on one small edge of a little island on the smallest lake, Lynch. Last night (18.9.06), I tried to photograph this little sweety in very low light (using the Kevin Durose's patent elastic band technique). This is the result. Sweet dreams, Stinky.
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Red-backed Shrike

I took a rare trip up to Norfolk with Will Bowell yesterday morning. Just as we were giving up finding anything great at Burnham Overy dunes, , and we were leaving (had to be back early in Peterborough), we had a quick scope scan for a Great Grey Shrike which had been there the previous day. It was there, so on a whim we dashed off for closer views. As we got nearer, a friendly birder pointed out that there was also a Red-backed Shrike present, and we could do a quick pan to see both shrike species. Great stuff. Here is the RBS – a juvenile.
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Red-veined Darter 2

Close-up of female. Just don't ask how I digiscoped this!
Canon PowerShot A95 with Kowa TSN-823M + 32xW

Red-veined Darter

Red-veined Darter, Maxey pits, 12.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95 through someone else's scope...

Three close-ups

Greylag, Canada and Blackhead, Ferry Meadows, 3.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Wee stink

Little Stint, Maxey Pits, Cambs, 9.9.06. Click 'em!
Canon PowerShot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Quatermass Martians

The invasion is here, the pit was in my garden. They've arrived...
Peterborough, Cambs, 11.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95

Spot Flys

Spotted Flycatchers, Ferry Meadows, Cambs, 3.9.06.
Canon PowerShot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Images from Biscay

Blackcap (male). Pride of Bilbao, 5.9.06

Whinchat, Santurtzi, Spain, 6.9.06

Wasp Spider, Spain, 6.9.06

Mantis, Santurtzi, Spain, 6.9.06

Geranium Bronze, Santurtzi, Spain, 6.9.06
Canon PowerShot A95, Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER