Blute

I'm borrowing a camouflaged hide at the mo' and have it in our garden. As it happens, a Great Spotted Woodpecker visited the other day, taking nuts from our Hazel and wedging them in a small apple tree to open them. This is only the second record actually in the garden, and the last time, a few years back, one was doing exactly the same thing for a week or so. So, naturally, I set the hide up to see if the pecker would return. But I am lazy and could only stand an hour and a half of freezing my arse off before I returned to the warm. This Blue Tit is all I had to show for it.

Ibis in flight

Glossy Ibis, Take 2

All photos digiscoped.
Much better views of this chap, today. Barring a few days off, it enters the Maxey Pit complex's Etton Road site from the south in the afternoon (this afternoon from 2.50), bathes and preens and feeds for a bit then heads south again to who knows where. It was first found more than two weeks ago, so nearly all locals who want to have caught up with it have done so...
Today, it also spent a bit of time among the Black-headed Gulls on the shore of the slurry pit of Woodgate Lane, Maxey (usually the domain of a battery of the grumpiest dogwalkers on earth, and some fishermen), so I could watch it up close.
As you can see from these shots, it varies in appearance from utterly gorgeous, shiny and for want of a better expression, glossy, to (especially when bathing) a bit manky and patchy (exposing some pink skin), with the odd wing feather missing.

WWF

Every year I must post at least a few photos of Chinese Water Deer at Woodwalton Fen. So, in order to fulfill this contractual obligation, here are three.

It was a dull but still morning at WWF NNR on Sunday (18.10.09) – perfect for listening for stuff. And stuff duly performed, notably at least four Water Rails and at least one Bearded Tit (a female towered above the reeds and narrowly avoided being a Sparowhawk snackette); and at least three Bramblings.
The BT and the B took my PBC year list up to 187, just two short of last year's record. Will 2009 still be the year?

Maxey stuff, 16.10.09

Glossy the Glossy Ibis and a briefly visiting Knot share a puddle




This apparent male Greenland Wheatear has a problem with its left leg or foot, and was usually standing on one leg or sitting down

Glossy Ibis at Maxey Pits

A nice PBC tick...

From the Archive... No. 17

Digiscoped Cranes

Even more from Shetland

Wet Otter

UK's most northerly house, at Skaw, Unst


Martin Garner, the man with Jesus on his hat

Halligarth habitat



American Golden Plover, Lambaness, Unst

Pot-bellied mini-horse

Birding at Halligarth

Working Valyie, Unst




Otter prints and action

Otter-watching

Otter spraints


Lambaness Land Rover


Bus Stop