Waxwings

Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th January 2017
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 29th January
A nice museum of Waxwings arrived and settled in Quedgeley over the past week and I made a couple of visits to see them over the weekend. On Sunday morning I had them all to myself as they came to feed on Rose hips next the the footpath opposite the moat at Manor Farm. I counted 28 on Saturday and there were still at least 20 on Sunday.
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 28th January
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 29th January
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 29th January
The hedge at Kingsway, Quedgeley
With Andy on Saturday we finally caught up with the White-front flock, 180-strong, when they flew in to the Dumbles during the morning, illuminated by the sunshine.
Russian White-fronted Geese, WWT, 28th January
A Dunnock showed well next to the Holden Tower:
Dunnock, WWT, 28th January
Snipe, WWT, 28th January
And Snipe, Water Rail and Long-tailed Tits around the feeders at Willow Hide:
Water Rail, WWT, 28th January
Long-tailed Tit, WWT, 28th January
The previous weekend's birding with Andy saw us doing the rounds in the forest, picking up Hawfinches at Parkend (but no Dippers), Crossbills at Gorsey Tump, Siskins and Lesser Redpolls at Woorkgreens (but no sign of the GG Shrike), and nice views of birds coming to seed at Cannop Ponds (but no Marsh Tit):
Great Tit, Cannop, 21st January
Blue Tit, Cannop, 21st January
Nuthatch, Cannop, 21st January
The Sunday we went to Frampton, finally getting the Great White Egret at Court Lake:
Great White Egret, Frampton, 22nd January
We finished at the Splatt Bridge where a Water Pipit was at the north reed-bed scrapes. A confiding Redwing was encountered near Frampton church:
Redwing, Frampton, 22nd January

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gran Canaria

Image
Saturday 1st - Saturday 8th October 2016 Hoopoe - Maspalomas A week in the hot sunshine of Gran Canaria at the start of October produced some good birds despite this island not getting much representation in the available range of published bird guides. This isn't surprising since it doesn't hold any populations of the endemic Canary pigeon species which can be found on Tenerife and La Gomera, and Blue Chaffich is much easier to find on Tenerife; next to impossible on Gran Canaria.  Based in Maspalomas at the southern tip of the island, my birding was incidental, or confined to the occasional short solo exploration on foot, in between simply being on holiday. A brackish lagoon, La Charca, stretches behind the beach at Maspalomas, cut off the sea by the beach, and with the dunes along one side. La Charca was always interesting to visit and turned up some good birds. The highlights included (no particular order): Canary Island Chiffchaff - common and vocal virtually ever
Read more

Cotswold Orchids and a Garden Hobby

Image
Monday 7th - Tuesday 15th May 2018 Sword-leaved Helleborine, Cephalanthera longifolia Recently I have caught up with Fly Orchids and Sword-leaved Helleborines in the Cotswolds, the latter being a threatened and particularly scarce species in the UK. I have only previously seen Sword-leaved Helleborine, also known as Narrow-leaved Helleborine, in Switzerland, where it more common. Fly Orchid, a close relative of the Bee Orchid, are more widespread but with a localised distribution and not one I have seen before. Both are exquisitely beautiful and very special plants. Fly Orchid, Ophrys insectifera       On 7th I had a Hobby fly over the garden and managed a couple of hurried record shots of this garden tick. A Coal Tit was a surprise garden visitor on 15th as I haven't seen one in the garden since the early spring. Flyover garden Hobby, 7th May Coal Tit, garden, 15th May
Read more

Todd's Canada Goose

Image
Saturday 16th January 2010 The Canada Goose showing characteristics of the race Branta canadensis interior , commonly known as Todd's Canada Goose , was in the Rushy Pen at Slimbridge WWT this morning (photos in poor light above and below) , before flying off with other Canada's at 9:40am. This is a very interesting bird, showing several features which together set it apart from its feral counterparts. My observations of the differences are: it is slightly smaller with a more slender neck; shorter bill; narrower white cheek patch; the black on the chin is linked to the black of the neck; at the bottom of the neck at the back, the black joins the brown of the mantle, with no white in between; the pale fringing on the scapulars etc. is much less distinct; the tertials are more contrastingly paler, giving the effect of a pale wing panel; it has a pale eye-ring; and if these features don't help - it has a limp! Other sightings this morning included: Sharpness Docks A female/imm
Read more