From the Archives... No. 28

Long-eared Owl, Star Pit LNR, Peterborough, 5 December 2005

Today, I added Long-eared Owl to my local year-list with two birds on the island ont he main lake at Deeping Lakes LWT. Luckily, these birds (presumably the same pair which were there last year), haven't completely abandoned the area despite the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust volunteers carrying out some extreme pruning a matter of yards from their spot on the island. These people are among the most misguided conservationists around these parts... Anyhow, the viewl was distant but good, not unlike this bird, but further away.

Another Waxwing in frost

Fieldfare in frost

Barn Owl, Baston Fen

Barn Owl fly-past

Monochrome Short-eared Owl

Backlit Short-eared Owl at sunset, Baston Fen, Lincolnshire

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

This male was at the 'usual' site in Old Sulehay, this morning, another 'elite' year tick for my ever-growing list...

From the Archive... No. 27

Hawfinch (digiscoped), Ferry Meadows CP, 1 January 2006

Little Egret, Deeping High Bank

Blue Tit at our nestbox

The pair of Blue Tits have been interested in the nestbox outside our kitchen window since January 18th.

A tune from early 2013

Barn Owl, Deeping High Bank

Dark-bellied Brent Goose

A rare bird in these here parts, this was my fifth ever in the PBC area. This one was found yesterday on the High Wash of the Nene Washes by Charlie Kitchin of the RSPB.

Frosty Long-tailed Tit

Garage door mouse

Who's this peeking out of the bottom of our garage door?

Ah, it's a little Wood Mouse

...getting bolder

This is what he is after: black sunflower seeds

Frosty Waxwings

Check out the backwards-forked tongue!

Waxwing (yup, another one)

Did you know you have some berry pulp on the top of your bill?

Marsh Harrier (male) at dawn

Barn Owl at dusk

White-wingers at Tanholt

Iceland Gull. This bird has been called a second-winter, but I think it may be a third-winter. It appears to have a grey mantle and forewings, and there is a bit of adult-like head streaking. I'd like a closer look...

First-winter (ie juvenile) Glaucous Gull

I Spent a freezing morning at Tanholt pits/dump gulling. After about an hour of not much happening, the Iceland Gull appeared. Next to make an appearance was Jonathan Taylor of the RSPB Nene Washes, who immediately pulled out a first-winter Caspian Gull. A while later we moved to a different part of the complex and immediately found this seemingly female first-winter Glaucous Gull. Later we found a darker, butcher first-winter which looked like a male. Not a bad haul of gulls 15 minutes from home

A Waxwing from yesterday

There were only five Waxwings at Ferry Meadows CP yesterday, that I could find in the Coney Meadows area. Unfortunately, they weren't playing ball and stayed quite high in the trees not doing much; so, photographic opportunities were very limited. This is the only pic worth looking at...

Machu Picchu

Cool longhorn beetle

White-winged Black Tyrant

I'm not sure what this large insect is, but its Spanish name translates as 'scissor insect' and it is reputed to give a mean nip from those big jaws.

Torrent Ducks