Bird of the day!

John · #**1491** (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 09:32 AM

Nice action shots Graham. You were definitely in the right place at the right time for this image

Jiohn

Quote:

Originally Posted by glsammy

Mine today had to be this pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, fighting for access to their food. A rare treat!

GuyF · #**1492** (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 03:28 PM

My birds of the day today are Siskins.
Last weekend a pair turned up on the feeders. I was happy enough to see 2 of them, but then on Friday a flock of 7 turned up to the feeders, with the same number yesterday.
Then this morning when I looked up into the silver birches beside the garden there was a flock of atleast 23 Siskins

For the rest of the day I've had large groups visiting the feeders, 14 birds is the maximum number that I've seen on there at one time. Before today the largest number I'd seen in the garden was 3, but today they're the commonest bird out there. I really hope that this flock sticks around (and maybe brings in a few Redpolls

)
I've got some record shots, but they're very poor as they're through the window and it's been dull all day!
Here's a group of mostly female Siskins

And here's a group of mostly male birds, some very colourful!

Guy

sleipnerofasgard · #**1493** (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 07:40 PM

I decided to have a rest from taking pics today and took the dog for a walkand as i was passing some farm machinery a kestrel flew up and disappeared into a tree,as i had seen what i believe to be the same bird around this area almost every time i go out i didn't take too much notice until it flew back in front of me and landed on a grid in a field.well this is where the old fieldcraft comes in handy i thought and so i started sneaking towards said bird till i was eventually lying face down at the edge of the field as close as i dare with the dog throwing the ball at my head and wondering what the hell i was doing

10 minutes later i am trying to sneak up on it as it was now perched in a tree still with dog trying to break my neck with the aforementioned ball by dropping it in my path

oh yes ,i forgot to mention it was very windy and the camera was not very steady even with the IS .so to cut a long story short

my bird of the day after 180 or so shots 177 of which were useless
a kestrel

Pete Collins · #**1494** (**permalink**) 04-02-2008, 05:02 PM

Sorry for the very poor quality of the photo. This Water Rail was my Bird of the Day for Saturday. A friend and I had a nice weekend bird watching in North Norfolk (I've written an entry on my blog about it). On Saturday morning, we were walking along the path through the reserve at Titchwell Marsh when, amazingly, this bird suddenly appeared only just about 20 feet from us! It was on a small 'island' in a lagoon, and immediately swam/paddled even closer to us before disappearing into the vegetation at the bottom of the bank we were standing on. Even more amazingly, I had my camera in my hands and switched on at the time (I'd just failed miserably to get some shots of Goldeneye) so it's really disappointing that this very blurred shot was the best I managed.

My Bird of the Day for Sunday would have to be the Sacred Ibis we spotted at Holkham! OK, its a cheat as it's obviously an escaped bird (I've since seen that it's been spotted regularly at Holkham and Stiffkey for a few months now) but it just came as such a shock, seeing it will live long in the memory. My friend just said 'Oh, there's another Little Egret up' (we'd seen 60 come in to roost there the day before) - I couldn't believe it when it turned in the air and I could see its black head/neck and curved bill!

nutmeg · #**1495** (**permalink**) 04-02-2008, 07:01 PM

Lapwings, in a field on the outskirts of Boston. Close to the road, but no photos because no camera in the car.

coasty · #**1496** (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:58 AM

Mine has to be the Barn Owl that was hunting at along the River bank this morning... I stopped the car on my way to work to watch it,,, They really are ghostly how they float along..

agrumpycow · #**1497** (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 08:41 PM

Another first for me is seeing 2 water rails at a nearby nature reserve. I've heard them plenty of times but they've been very elusive until today!

DaiTheDragon · #**1498** (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 10:28 PM

The Curlew is one of my favourite birds but the only photographs I have are from a distance, until today.
My intention was to try and photograph a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. I decided to check a few other locations first before I settled down to wait fo the GSP. When I spotted the Curlew I couln't believe my eyes, it was about 20ft from me, busy feeding. After taking about 100 shots I went to look for the GSP but I just wanted to get home to see the curlew shots so I didn't get the Woodpecker but what a consoliation prize the Curlew was. One very happy chappy.

Dai

Deer Stalker · #**1499** (**permalink**) 10-02-2008, 11:11 PM

Out on the Forest first thing in the morning yesterday, my bird has to be a singing Hawfinch.

Today, doing some conservation work in the Forest it has to be a Sparrowhawk flying through the trees.

tich007mt · #**1500** (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 03:34 PM

My bird of the day was this pic of a tufted duck. I've taken many pictures of them before but have not got close enough to get detail of the eyes and beak with my limited equipment and experience.

Cheers

Tich