Little Stint at Maxey pits

This juvenile Little Stint was found this morning by John Saunders. Maxey pits are again looking wader friendly (now the pump is working again), so who knows what will be next?

Drake Common Scoter at Ferry Meadows CP

Found by Paul Taylor today on Gunwade Lake. The last I saw in Peterborough was a very similar drake, also found by Paul, also on Gunwade Lake on 16 October 2009.

Peregrine, Deeping High Bank

Redstart at Ferry Meadows CP

This lovely Redstart was first found on Thursday by chief Ferry Meadows CP birdfinder Matt Webb (who also found the Garganey below). It is now Monday, and the bird is still favouring the hedge near sandy patch alongside the hedge between Overton adn Lynch Lakes. At least it is on sunny mornings. Where it goes the rest of the time is at present a mystery, as it wasn't seen on Friday or Sunday at all (days notable for their lack of sunshine).
It looks to be a first winter male, based on the fresh plumage, including a whitish throat, with just a hint of black feathering showing through at the base of the bib (most obvious in the photos when it is perched on the gravel/sand); also the richness of the orange on the underside is prbably too much for a female. Above the bill and eye, there is also a hint of the pale marking which will become white on an adult male.

Garganey at Ferry Meadows CP

Sneaky Green Woodpecker

A male trying to hide behind a slope and a rock (digiscoped at Ferry Meadows CP)

Starling count, Eldernell

More than 5,000 Starlings in this flock alone, coming into roost at Eldernell Pit last night. The clusters of coloured dots are in 100s. I saw a not dissimilar flock soon after this one had descended, so estimate between 6,000 and 10,000 birds are roosting at Eldernell Pit at present.

Wildlife Mashup

A mix of some of the wildlife videos I have made on my travels and close to home in the last few years, set to one of my recent tunes. Enjoy

Dancing Flamingos

Greater Flamingos plus a cheeky Spoonbill, Salgados, Algarve, Portugal

Three humbugs: an update

OK, it wasn't so very long ago I posted this photo of three young Great Crested Grebes just offshore from the Watersports car-park at Ferry Meadows, CP, Peterborough. Well, the three are still around, though much larger and still being fed by their parents. What I hadn't realised when I took this shot was that the bird on the left is much paler than the other two. Now they are larger, the bird's pallidity is obvious in the field, and it clearly is a bit leucistic, or has some form or schizochroism which has made it sepia-toned rather than black and white. Last Friday, I noticed that this pale individual was not being fed by its parent nearby, who was feeding one its begging, normally coloured siblings. Indeed, it was even being rather viciously pecked as it approached its parent. I feared for its survival. However, it is Wednesday, today, and it seems to be thriving and growing, along with the other two. So, perhaps the apparent persecution was a temporary blip, and the little pale grebe will make it. It would be interesting to see what it looks like when fully feathered. I don't remember seeing a Great Crested Grebe with aberrant plumage coloration previously.

Another wee ditty

Zundchorus by Weedons World

Canary on my finger

Canary-shouldered Thorn, new for the garden, last saturday (night of 18th)

White-spotted Pinion

This lovely moth is pretty rare (pRDB), but a bit of a speciality of the neighbouring vice county of Huntingdonshire. It was a great addition to my garden list on the saturday of the Birdfair (night of 18th). Also, on saturday morning, I had my first Canary-shoulded Thorn (which was perched on my shoe!) and a fly-over Tree Pipit, new for the garden and only my second PBC record. Not a bad morning.

Common & Grey Seals, Blakeney Point, Norfolk

Three humbugs

Baby Great Crested Grebes at Ferry Meadows CP, Peterborough

Seal pup stretch

Goldfinch on barbed wire

Avocet in English rain

Two new garden moths

Golden Plusia. Look at the palps on that!

Maple Prominent

Duckling rescue!

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull at Beeby's

This juvenile Med Gull was my first of the year locally (even though it was a very good winter and early spring for the species, and other birders can't stop seeing them!