Weekend shenanigans

I had a weekend of dipping stuff from the north of the PBC area. Without my own car I scrounged lifts from Kevin Durose, and Katie and Darren and headed for Woodwalton Fen (no Green-winged Teal, no Bittern, no Garganey, no Lesser Spotted Woodpecker), the Nene Washes: Merlin plus the first Black-tailed Godwits on territory, nowt much else, plus a twitch of Little Stint at Deeping Lakes and the northern pits (no Sandwich Tern, Grey Plover, Rock Pipit, White Wagtail, Shag or Sand Martin). Still, mustn't grumble.

Marsh Harrier (male) at Woodwalton Fen (25.3.06)

Teal (drake) at Woodwalton Fen (25.3.06)

Little Stint at Deeping Lakes (26.3.06)

Yellowhammer (male) at Maxey.
Canon Powershot A95, Kowa 823 + 32xWLER

Watch at Ferry Meadows

Cormorant on guano-painted trees on Overton Lake

Robins in Bluebell Wood. Perhaps this bird was ringed at Ferry Meadows by Chris Hughes and Katie Fuller (Bogbumper). Unfortunately, it was rudely wearing its ring in such a way that you can't read the number...


Great Crested Grebe on Overton Lakeon Overton Lake

Wigeon and Snipe on Heron Meadows
I had a very interesting morning at Ferry Meadows (19.3.06) today, helping lead a group of young wildlife enthusiasts from the Oundle Watch group, along with my friends Katie, Darren and the group's usual leaders Rupert and Hilary. We saw some great birds, including getting scope views for all of Kingfisher, and loads of people seemed to have digital cameras, and one or two definitely seemed to have picked up the digiscoping bug. Here are some of the bird shots I took – most if not all clickable for big versions. Enjoy.
Canon Powershot A95 though Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Same Ice, new shots.

Second-winter Iceland Gull, CEGB Reservoir, Peterborough. 18.3.06
Canon Powershot A95 though Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Another Iceland

I found this second-winter Iceland Gull at CEGB yesterday evening, which made getting freezing cold worthwhile. When I got out of my car in the fading light, I thought "Do I really need a camera? Probably not, but you never know..." The pic is ropey, but it is better than nowt, methinks (and not that bad for 1/25s, ISO200 and miles away in the dark!). I really went there to see Med Gulls, but found none.
Here is the caption I wrote for the PBC Gallery.

"Thousands of gulls, predominantly Black-headed, come down to the water of the 'Teardrop Lake' of CEGB Reservoir in the Fletton/Hampton area of Peterborough in the fading light of evening. This one shone like a beacon from the masses. It is much paler and purer white than the rather creamy-brown first-winter Iceland Gull that has been seen at Dogsthorpe Star Pit since 12.3.06, and also seems to have a less-butch bill and a gentler expression. This CEGB bird is a second-winter, with only light streaking, pale grey feathering in the scapulars and a much more contrasting black-tipped pale bill (and doubtless a pale eye). All would be visible on this shot, if only it hadn't been such poor light! This bird was probably the one seen distantly by Brian Stone at Eye Tip on 14.3.06. This shot was taken on 15.3.06."

In the last couple of years we have been getting more Iceland Gulls locally and they have been lingering well into the spring. I think last year, there was one into May at Flag Fen (Ice would make a cool bird-race bird!).
Canon Powershot A95 though Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Little Owls

Pair of Little Owls, near Deeping Lakes LWT, 11.3.06.
Canon Powershot A95 through Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Iceland Gull

This first-winter Iceland Gull at at Dogsthorpe Star Pit, Cambs, was found by Peter Herkenrath and friends at the wildlife trust reserve yesterday. The tip and this pit remain easily the best places for gulls in the PBC area.
Canon Powershot A95 through Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER.

Shelduck

Sleeping Shelduck, Deeping lakes LWT, 11.3.06.
Canon Powershot A95 through Kowa TSN-823 + 32xWLER

Grebe

Great Crested Grebe, Maxey pits, 11.3.06.

Saw a Sora

Sora, Gibraltar Point, Lincaolnshire, 7.3.06.
All photos Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER
Not great shots, but a very pleasant pre-waork twitch. If only I hadn't gone off with my wife's car keys, it would have been a very smooth operation... Thanks very much for the lift and company, Brian and Tony.

Frozen Woodwalton

I had a brilliant early morning in the frost today (4.3.06). I headed down to Woodwalton Fen, which is always at its best when frozen (at least at this time of year). On the way, I passed Holme village and slammed the breaks on to enjoy a pair of Grey Partridges just by the side of the road. These are rather scarce locally, so always a treat and looking magnificent in the low morning sun.
The Great Raveley Drain was frozen solid when I arrived at Woodwalton, and a Kingfisher was perched on the concrete bridge over the only bit of open water – an ideal opportunity for digiscoping. Here are a few of my best shots. Click for monsters.




After filling a couple of memory cards, I went into the reserve itself and immediately had a close view of a ringtail Hen Harrier being mobbed by a couple of crows.
The reserve itself was buzzing with small birds. In a month's time the woods will ring with the sound of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps . Today, though, the woods reonated with two distinct sounds – the drumming of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and the compelx song duets of Siskins, dozens of them.
I photographed one of several Muntjacs I bumped into. I presume it is a doe, as it is antlerless.


In my favourite woodepcker spot I watched a pair of Great Spotteds courting with curious snake-charmed twitst of the neck. I stood and listened (without success) for Lesser Spotteds, and as I stood still a Weasel popped out from the base of a tree a few yards away (sorry, not photos).
I wandered back to the mers thinking that it was a pretty superb morning, when I flushed Woodcock, one of my favourite birds.
Back at the meres I counted 140 Teal on Rothschild's and finished my photography off with a shot or two of a pair of Dabchicks.

After a couple of minutes enjoying Lesser Redpolls at the entrance Iwas off, but as I passed Holme Fen once more, I picked up a Red Kite close to the road. As I said, a great morning.
All photos Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER

Kestrels

Kestrels on a fence, Peterborough, 26.2.06. Click it for biggy.


And here by unpopular lack of demand is the blurry Ortonised artyfarty version. Also clickable.
Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER

Redhead

This redhead Smew was the only one visible on The Lake at Deeping Lakes LWT on Sunday (26.2.06) in a relatively brief visit. However, the wind was strong, and many ducks were sheltering. The redhead was with sleepy Pochards sheltering by the island in front of the hide.
Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER

Nene Washes

Stonechat, 18.2.06
The Nene Washes RSPB reserve is far and away the best place around these here parts. I'm not sure why I don't go there every week throughout the year. At the moment, a stroll down that way brings masses of wildfowl (still plenty of Bewick's and Whooper Swans), huge flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plover, Stonechats galore, one or two Water Pipits and Marsh Harriers and Merlins to gobble them up.
Saturday was gloriously frosty (though a little foggy), and I had brilliant views of a male Merlin perched on a fence. I don't think I'd ever seen one well enough to see it had yellow eye-rings before. As I was watching it, a Stoat in partial ermine trotted along toward me, but vanished before I could photograph it.
I also had an excellent look at a Water Rail prancing about making a 'kick' racket in a ditch. But my highlight of the morning was when a flock of at least 500 Golden Plovers took off and flew over, each one appearing to twinkle on and off in the bright sunshine. The sound of these birds' wings as they go over is also pure magic.

Woodpigeon

This Woodie was in our garden. Just thought I'd post it... [click for bigger version]

Arty manipulation

I've been dibbling on other websites and, looking at one my favourites, Mike McDowell's blog (www.birddigiscoping.com/blog.html he is a master digiscoper, who uses a Coolpix 995 to brilliant effect), I notice he refers to Orton Imagery technique. I clicked on the link on his site (www.naturephotographers.net/articles0106/dw0106-1.html) which took me to text by Darwin Wiggett about a technique pioneered by Michael Orton. Basically, it is a way of artifying your pics by combining a blurry layer with a sharper one, somehow bringing out sharper bits and blurrifying less sharp areas.
Here is an example using the Great Spotted Woodpecker I photographed at Eldernell a couple of weekends ago. The artyfied Ortonised pic comes first, followed by the standard version. I'm not saying one or the other is better or worse, its just a different way of looking at the image. As usual, click on the images for whoppers.

Toothless sabretooth

The UK holds a quarter of the world's population of Chinese Water Deer (now rare in its native domain). Woodwalton Fen is a good place to look for them (and listen to their terrifying roar). The males which have long projecting sabre-teeth (canines) and no antlers. This individual is a bit short in the tooth and is a female (photographed 4.2.06). It somehow reminds me of something out of Dr Seuss, when viewed head-on... Click as usual on the images for bigger versions.
Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER

Toothy grin

A couple of years ago Bird Watching magazine published a photograph by Nigel Blake of a Shoveler with its bill slightly open, displaying the baleen-like 'teeth' within. Here, I hope you can see a similar array of 'teeth' within the bill of this drake Mallard (if not, click it for a larger version). The bird was on Lynch Lake, Ferry Meadows, 5.2.06.
Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER

Moorhen

Moorhen, Lynch Lake, Ferry Meadows, Cambs, 5.2.06. Click on image for biggy.
Canon Powershot A95 with Kowa 823 + 32xWLER