Spring

Damson blossom being enjoyed by a) me and b) a Peacock butterfly

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

Rooks

The past few mornings have seen a dozen Rooks gathering on our lawn. Some of the braver ones have copied the Jackdaws and now stuff themselves full of sunflower hearts from the feeder. I think things might get expensive if the whole rookery finds out...

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

Snow

We finally had snow, but it hasn't lasted. Mostly melted by lunchtime.

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

On a day like this

- violently windy, with hailstorms interspersed with blizzards of sleet - there's not much else to be done, other than sift through old photos. I took this back in 2004, when I first got my Coolpix, but I don't think it's made it onto the blog before.

I'm looking forward to spring.

Needless to say, you can buy stuff with this image on from Photobox!

photos taken with Nikon Coolpix 995

Now available: prints, cards, mousemats

It's far too windy, rainy and cold outside to be doing anything, so this afternoon I've taken the plunge into e-commerce. You can now buy prints (choice of three sizes), postcards (packs of 16) and greetings cards (packs of 8) and mousemats from my Photobox gallery.

I ordered some prints from Photobox a few weeks ago and I was impressed with the quality and speedy delivery. So, please get shopping! Feedback appreciated (leave a comment or send an e-mail), and let me know if you'd like to be able to order different images or products.

Thanks!

HawkVision

Sorry to keep boring you with these dark, dark videos of one of our local Sparrowhawks. I think it's probably the same young male who keeps coming back to have a go at the finches and tits coming to our feeding station (he can keep his claws off the Reed Buntings, mind you).

Isn't he the picture of pent-up tension? He's dying to catch something!

Hmmm, perhaps the concrete post isn't so comfortable after all

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

Another meme

I don't even know what meme means.

Anyway, I've been tagged by Richard of the eponymous Birding Diary (note: I didn't know what eponymous meant until I wanted to buy the R.E.M. album of that name):

1. Write your own six word memoir

2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you like.

3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to this original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere

4 .Tag five more blogs with links

5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

My memoir is:

Red hair: I'm a genetic aberration

I'll tag: Pluvialis, Mike, McKinney, Malc and his pigs, and Amila.

Cockfighting

These two male Pheasants were having a bit of a fencing match in the garden this morning, to little avail

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

Hayley Wood

Today I did something I'd been meaning to for a long time: I went to Hayley Wood. It's not far from where I live and I've been reading Oliver Rackham's book about it, titled Hayley Wood: Its History and Ecology.

Apparently, Hayley Wood might be a remnant of the prehistoric wildwood which covered much of this area, and its history can be traced through old documents showing how important it was for local villagers - for fuel and building materials, and also for pannage (that's browsing pigs).

I also thought it might be interesting to check out whether there were any of the typical ancient woodland bird species. The Wildlife Trust website mentions Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Redpoll. Of course, I drew a blank there, I didn't even see a Marsh Tit, and it was too early for flowers, too. It was hard work for not much, to be honest, but perhaps if I got back in a few weeks, I'll be impressed. Must swot up on my flowers and trees...







photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Set-aside

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Spring, springing

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Storm from the north

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Nucivore

Our Jackdaws are getting pretty good at using the peanut feeder now

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

Hawk

A young male Sparrowhawk has been in the garden again this afternoon. After another unsuccessful raid, he retired to consider his next move and to have a preen.

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

Playing around

photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

The Frenchman

Too dark and through a pane of glass, like all my videos. This Red-legged Partridge accompanied his mate on a visit to our garden this morning. It would be nicer if Grey Partridges came instead, but that's not likely around here. Red-legs are funny to watch and they usually end up sitting on the fence at some point.

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

Meme

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people

"Moult. Adults have two moults each year, the 'spring' moult (mainly Jan-Apr) which produces summer plumage, and the 'autumn' moult (mainly Aug-Nov) which produces winter plumage. The spring moult is partial (head, body and variable amount of inner wing-coverts), and the autumn moult is complete (including wings and tail). Waders thus change their body plumage twice each year, but the wing- and tail-feathers only once."

I was tagged by Pluvialis. Rather predictably, it's the Collins Bird Guide which is sitting closest to my computer. I suppose I could have cheated and chosen something more intellectual, like Svensson, or er, the 2008 AA Pub Guide, but it's the truth.

In turn, I'm going to tag: Weedon of Weedon's World, Old Scrote, Malc on the Edge of Nowhere, Tom McKinney and Charlie Moores.

Salthouse

Turnstone

Snow Bunting

Black-headed Gull

The first stop of the day for us was for the Bittern at Beeston Regis. The bird was visible with the naked eye as we approached. I grabbed some digiscoped record shots (which were hardly worth downloading from the camera) but I was dragged away after only 10 minutes. The Bittern flew off shortly afterwards.

By the time we showed up, there was already a large crowd, virtually all toting long lenses. Most of them were standing around chatting and not even watching what was an outstandingly showy Bittern. If they'd cleared off out of the way and continued their conversations down the pub, there would have been enough room for everyone to get a good view. Mine was through some reeds.

If you want to see photos of it, please go to Weedon's World of Nature.

We also stopped at Cley to try for the White-crowned Sparrow (surely Britain's most-famous bird?) but it didn't show in the 30 minutes we were there, despite the fact that I'd made a donation to the church fund.

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

Holme

Dunlin

beach pebbles

whose footprint?

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, Extender EF 1.4x II

Brancaster

Black-headed Gulls

Common Gulls - one thinking ahead to the breeding season, the other not

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D, EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, Extender EF 1.4x II