Grey Phalarope - R.I.P.

Yet another Grey Phalarope was discovered in Bucks - this one, a juvenile in partial moult, was at Startops reservoir, Tring. A very confiding bird, it swam and fed close to the bank. The light was flat under the total cloud cover, but at least it had stopped raining. The bird was seen to be pulled under the water by (it was presumed) a Pike. It then was reported to be harrassed by a Black-headed Gull and flew off to be re-found at Wilstone reservoir. It met an untimely death - taken by a Hobby as it tried to take off ...

Local Patch - 01/09/08: Waders after rain

You would expect to see something after the torrent of rain we experienced yesterday, and a visit to Dunstable STW did not disappoint. While not quite the same as the halcyon days of the nineties (or earlier years), two Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank on the wader scrape, together, were notable !

Backyard Nature...

...red in tooth and claw.

This Sparrowhawk spent ninety minutes plucking and devouring a Starling on the lawn this morning.





Over at Dunstable STW two Spotted Flycatcher were doing what they do best from some dead elms.

New Camera meets Reed Warbler

I received my new camera a few days ago - a Canon 40D. Overall, this camera scores highly, especially in the 'bang-for-buck' category. So now all that's needed is a sunny, windless day !

Reed Warbler at DSTW. This adult was still taking food to a nearby reed bed for the kids.

Maulden Woods

A distant pair of "cronking" Raven circled up over the woods.

Extremadura, Spain, May 2008 - Part 4

A Woodchat Shrike.



A male Golden Oriole - virtually impossible to stalk !

Spanish Imperial Eagle - less than four hundred individuals of this large Aquila exist in Spain and a few in Portugal, but numbers have increased over the last two decades. This appears to be an adult showing white shoulder blazes and pale nape.

After a bit of experimentation, it was possible to capture a digiscoped image of European Eagle Owl. I used the 50mm Canon kit lens on the 350D DSLR and took the shot through my ageing Kowa 'scope - hand held ! The image shows two well grown chicks, still with downy plumage.

Extremadura, Spain, May 2008 - Part 3

Two Red-rumped Swallow rest for a while. No -these birds are not in a museum, nor are they stuffed !



A Little Bittern - the red bill-base indicates breeding plumage.



Squacco Heron


A male Subalpine Warbler.

Extremadura, Spain, May 2008 - Part 2

A male Montagu's Harrier



A curious Southern Grey Shrike



A Calandra Lark in song flight



Corn Bunting



Do you get White Stork here ? :~)



Common Stonechat

Sandhouse Lane NR and surrounds

A bright sunny day with a slight breeze. Very few butterflies about, so Odonata were the order of the day.

Downy Emerald - Cordulia aenea
Only recently have these been rediscovered in the county. I'd missed them in previous years but there were a fair few to be seen today. I did not see any perched individuals making photography more challenging !








Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata
More obliging - frequently seen perched.





Red-eyed Damselfly - Erythromma najas



Azure Damselfly - Coenagrion puella





Large Red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Red-footed Falcon @ Coronation Pit

Finally caught up with the Red-footed Falcon at Coronation Pit, Stewartby, although eleven Hobby proved easier to photograph due to sheer numbers and, therefore, opportunities.

Extremadura, Spain, May 2008 - Part 1

An adult Great Spotted Cuckoo showing silvery-grey crown and ear coverts.



Here, the juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo has dark crown feathers and sepia coloured upperparts with rusty-brown primaries.

Male Lesser Kestrel perched on the roof of the Bullring, Trujillo.



Male Lesser Kestrel showing upperwing in flight.




Male Lesser Kestrel showing underwing in flight.

Female Lesser Kestrel showing underwing in flight.

Montagu's Harrier @ Broom

Another county lifer after a twenty year wait - Montagu's Harrier - a bird that asked questions. It was considered to be a juvenile/1st-Winter male melanistic form (another first for me).









A Red Kite wandered over as the crowd dispersed

Wood Warbler @ Octagon Farm Spinney

The two Black-winged Stilt found at Willington yesterday evening had departed for Abberton Reservoir, Essex, so another chance to photograph Wood Warbler at Octagon Farm Spinney was second prize. This one, however, was not so easy !





A walk past the Sandy Warren heath restoration area at the Lodge produced nothing too exciting - so Robin and Blue Tit will have to do !