All things bright and beautiful

Though I've lived here for three and a half years now, this garden still amazes me. It's just not normal. Yellow Wagtails aren't meant to have a bath in your pond, and then finish their toilette while perching on your garden table! It's not normal and I'm glad it's not.

These digiscoped-through-double-glazing photos (and video) aren't up to much technically, but they capture the moment for me. There were so many interesting poses and postures. And look at the length of those hindclaws!

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640 + Leica Apo Televid 77 with 20x eyepiece

Yellow Wagtails

Female Yellow Wagtail, Vrisa

flava (central Europe), near Faneromeni

thunbergi (destined for northern Fenno-Scandia), near Faneromeni

You can have hours of fun sifting through groups of Yellow Wagtails on Lesvos. Many different races pass through on their way north, and there's always the possibility (perhaps, likelihood) that what you're looking at is a mixture of two.

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Flava flava

We stopped at Grafham Water on the way home tonight, to see the 'Blue-headed' Wagtail which had been present all afternoon. Here's a photo of it. It's a Yellow Wagtail of the continental race Motacilla flava flava.

There had been a hatch of flies from the water and this bird had gathered, along with a decent-sized group of other wagtails - Pied, 'White' and Grey - to enjoy something of a feeding frenzy.

It's great to see Yellow Wagtails again - they're as much a sign of spring as daffodils are.

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 77 with 20x eyepiece

Andalucia: Day One

These are generally in chronological order. More details will be added later. Sorry it's a bit photo-heavy, but then this is a photoblog...

Kentish Plover. Digiscoped from the back seat of a Fiat Punto!

Slender-billed Gull

Blue-headed Wagtail

Woodchat Shrike

Short-toed Lark

Collared Pratincole

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Little Bittern

Finished the day with Red-necked Nightjars

digiscoped photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 62 with 16x eyepiece

Nene Washes

Snipe






Yellow Wagtails

Went for a stroll down the Nene Washes with Toadsnatcher. It was very pleasant, but could have been even more so if it wasn't so flippin' cold. The wind has turned north-easterly and it's still not very warm out there.

There were no unusual birds but all the regulars (Garganey, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Marsh Harriers, Barn Owl, Redshank, Meadow Pipit) were doing their spectacular stuff. Hopefully it'll be a good breeding season.

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995 + Leica Apo Televid 62 with 16x eyepiece