Bird of the day!

leifus · #**2281** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunnydale

Wow, what fantastic sight! I'd be happy to get a glimpse of 1 Waxwing, let alone a flock like that!

same here!

aeshna5 · #**2282** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoed73

leifus, I probably clicked off between 50 -60 photos that day, and (as usual) most of them were only "delete worthy"! That one was one of the best I managed to get ~ it has only been slightly cropped from the original.

Here's another pic showing a bucketload of them on the lawn beneath the tree having a picnic on the fallen white Rowan berries >

That is an awesome sight. I've seen hundreds of Waxwings over the years + have seen breeding birds in Finland, but have never seen a flock on the ground like this. You are so lucky!

With c10,000 in the UK at the moment I'm hoping some will come my way through the winter.

John · #**2283** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 03:55 PM

I'm the same as you, having never seen them on the ground. That would be an awesome sight and also better for Waxwing photos as their colours would really stand out against the grass.

As yet the nearest to me have been about 50 miles away (apart from one that apparently flew about 100 yards away from our office).

We have plenty of time yet as they will be here for at least another three to four months.

John

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

That is an awesome sight. I've seen hundreds of Waxwings over the years + have seen breeding birds in Finland, but have never seen a flock on the ground like this. You are so lucky!

With c10,000 in the UK at the moment I'm hoping some will come my way through the winter.

Goatboy · #**2284** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 05:13 PM

Had a cracking morning at Gayton Sands today watching a Peregrine go about his business. He was perched on one of the many posts out on the saltmarsh, eyeing the thousands of waders as the tide pushed them in. He made a few half-hearted flights at Redshank but never got close. It was all the more enjoyable when the sun appeared to thaw us out.

MagpieMick · #**2285** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 05:45 PM

Forcaster's got it wrong today !! Bright with some sunshine .... yeah right !!

So went and birded the Isle of Sheppey to photograph S.E.Owls later ..

Did Shellness, then drove to Harty Church and walked out to the Swale NR where finally found the Hooded Crow

Which was my bird of the day !!

Then back to Capel Fleet till dask ..

Pam_M · #**2286** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoed73

leifus, I probably clicked off between 50 -60 photos that day, and (as usual) most of them were only "delete worthy"! That one was one of the best I managed to get ~ it has only been slightly cropped from the original.

Here's another pic showing a bucketload of them on the lawn beneath the tree having a picnic on the fallen white Rowan berries >

I would also be chuffed with 1 Waxwing!

Great photo's of great birds......that hopefully I will see one day this winter!

pressld2 · #**2287** (**permalink**) 14-12-2008, 07:43 PM

Goldfinch fro me today. I've seen them singly or in pairs in my garden but have never seen them in a flock before. There must have been about 30 of them at Crossness this morning.

Dave P.

Pam_M · #**2288** (**permalink**) 15-12-2008, 12:22 PM

A lovely sight to see a Charm of Goldfinch!

Great photo's, Dave!

PMG · #**2289** (**permalink**) 16-12-2008, 10:06 AM

Finally after the trauma of the bathroom light switch (took both days off to fix last week....) and weeks of chesty colds and spluttering - finally we had a day out yesterday!

The weather was supposed to be wall to wall sunshine and blue in North Wales so we went to N Wales (it was my mother tells me - glorious here at home yesterday........ N Wales was sort of almost sunny - grrrr!)

Anyway too late - we were there - the big high tide was due to be full at 12.30pm - we got on the car park at Aber Ogwen (The Spinnies) opposite Baumaris and I've never watched water rush in as fast - it was up to the car park banking by 10.30am and all the birds were pushed off! We made our usual comments of 'wonder if a hide near the outfall pipe would produce anything?' I think the answer is 'wet feet' or 'drowning' depending on how slow you move!

All the usual species were around and about: goosander and merganser, a greylag, a big raft of displaying (mainly male) goldeneye, Gt Crested, flocks of scoter way out at sea, and all the usual waders - curlew, redshank, dunlin, greenshank, oystercatcher plus a number of little egret.........

I sat doggedly in the first hide waiting for the kingfisher to land in front - since I have had the new 500 lens this kingfisher has never got in view here - but still I go every now and again and try my luck (bad luck?!)

I was fascinated to watch the roosting shanks tho and suddenly realise that spotted redshanks are now wintering with the greenshanks here!

The grebe I have photographed before but when it gets in front - well you have to click don't you?!

And finally caught the blue tit in the reeds - which makes a bit of different shot of a blue tit!

Not a bad day........ a relief to have been out and had the camera in my hands and have some pics to play with when I got home - normality restored before the madness of xmas.........

Pauline