Bird of the day!

[thebeard]

saw 3 jays squawking in an oak tree earlier. never seen them very well, usually just flying off, these stuck around and it was quite a sight, beautiful little corvids!

[Jason Claxton]

5 Crossbill today,also loads of Redwings and Siskins

[Trik]

Hallo, Jason : would you be willing to divulge the whereabouts of the Crossbills and Redwings, please? I shall quite understand if you are reluctant to do so...

Trik

[Deer Stalker]

Goldcrest singing near the garden this morning.

[wizzo]

On my very first 'official' days birding today, I spotted a pair of Little Egret, a Kingfisher, a Goosander and the prize winner for me....a Green Woodpecker. I've never seen one before and it was feeding on a grass verge. I stopped for a closer look and after a fleeting glimpse, it flew up into the trees. I was stunned by it's sheer beauty. As a beginner, what a day!

[agrumpycow]

Driving home from work on the westbound M4 this evening the sun was setting in a beautiful smokey orange glow and a grey heron flew slowly over the motorway in front of me. Quite magical! (Well, as magical as you can get for the M4 on a Friday afternoon rush-hour )

[PMG]

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

Driving home from work on the westbound M4 this evening the sun was setting in a beautiful smokey orange glow and a grey heron flew slowly over the motorway in front of me. Quite magical! (Well, as magical as you can get for the M4 on a Friday afternoon rush-hour )

Anything uplifting on any motorway is worth the looking
Pauline

[PMG]

Originally Posted by blacknest

BTW for those not aware already, we're celebrating down here because Alice Holt Forest has been finally included in the new South Downs National Park which comes into being in 2012! Hooray! Well done to all who wrote letters, signed petitions etc

See :Alice Holt Forest Hampshire - Home Page for more details

That is good news - I remember signing last year I think - a while ago anyway - and I remember visiting and 'fungi-ing' there during sev past New Forest hols ....... in fact thinking back it was where a large long-legged tabby and white cat appeared out of the undergrowth and came for a walk with us! She was very friendly and rubbed and miowed all around me, then sat on my back as I was laid on the ground photographing some fungi or other!
Pauline

[PMG]

Originally Posted by wizzo

On my very first 'official' days birding today, I spotted a pair of Little Egret, a Kingfisher, a Goosander and the prize winner for me....a Green Woodpecker. I've never seen one before and it was feeding on a grass verge. I stopped for a closer look and after a fleeting glimpse, it flew up into the trees. I was stunned by it's sheer beauty. As a beginner, what a day!

Enjoy these 'early' days wizzo - I still remember the early times and I'm now 40 years down the line (and would like to go back and do it alll again! And I still recall how it felt seeing things I'd never seen before - magic!) Enjoy!
Pauline

[PMG]

For me it was catching up with the Great Northern Diver on Hollingworth Lake near Rochdale yesterday ....... we went on our last days off and had around 90 seconds worth of viewing and no pics before it went and 'hid'

I don't often go chasing after things deliberately and have had opportunities with divers inland before and not taken them as it makes me sad to think that a lot of these 'blown inland' birds are often found dead weeks later ......

But something prompted me to go and look and having 'dipped' with the camera the first time, yesterday I went back and had better views, tho it was moving around what is a large lake at break-neck speed (and I was actually seen to run - well jog with a hop in it!) to try and get in front of the bird as it fished along the front of the lake






It was well worth the visit I thought even tho its in winter plumage and prob a juvenile bird but my mind can 'see' it in all its glory next year in full black and white dress ....... gorgeous birds
Pauline