Large, medium and small

Here are three birds I met recently.

Woodpigeon (600g)

I caught this Woodpigeon by accident. I decided to try putting up my recently purchased nets to break them in a bit (they are always a bit weird when you use them for the first time), so put one up in the garden in a really obvious position. But it seems this bird wasn't paying attention to where it was going...

Nightingale (21g)

Here's a Nightingale we caught during Constant Effort Site ringing at Paxton Pits.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (21g)

And here's a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (a juvenile female) caught in Sussex. I didn't get to handle it, but what a remarkable bird!

photos taken with iPhone 4S

Everything's all white

Well, OK, not all white, but this is the whitest Woodpigeon I've ever seen.

There have been loads of Woodpigeons around this winter, munching their way through local oilseed rape fields. Today was the first time I've seen this beast, with its white back end and wishy-washy head and breast.

It stuck out like a sore thumb from its grey colleagues - this looks like a case of leucism to me. Here's what a normal Woodpigeon looks like.

There can't be many Woodpigeons around that look like this. So have you seen it? It'd be really interesting to find out how far it travels!

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

End of year

Cow parsley


Flock of Woodpigeons


Ivy in a brief bit of sunshine


Wintry farmland

That was about it.

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

Woodpigeon gallery

This Woodpigeon visited my garden this evening, eyeing up some sunflower seed remnants on the grass. It made a good digiscoping subject in the nice light and didn't mind me being there (I was in the house with the patio doors open).

The same bird as last June? Check out the eye...

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

Ferry Meadows Country Park

A 'celebration' of the Black-headed Gull:









Gadwalls performing nicely on Lynch Lake






... and Tufted Ducks on Gunwade.


The best kind of red-eye (on a drake Pochard)


Grey Heron on the meadow of the same name


Woodpigeon dozing in an oak tree




Lesser Redpolls eating seeds (rosebay willowherb, I think)


Autumnal leaves... in winter




Goldfinch fodder

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

Woodpigeon

Woodpigeon, my garden

Some people would say that Woodpigeon is best seen on a plate accompanied by some roasted vegetables and a nice garnish, but I'd argue that it's an interesting, beautiful bird in its own right.

I hear they taste nice, though...

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