Hi everybody! I thought I owe it to everybody who reads our forum to do an update on the stuff around at the moment, even though we are perilously close to disappearing as a user group there are still some members 'keeping the faith' , as they say in the Northern soul community.
The blame for the fall in the number of active members can be laid fairly and squarely on the introduction of the current interface. The previous interface was simplicity itself and inexperienced users could easily work out how to post, but I've spoken to many former regulars and they have just given up. Such a pity! If our subscriptions had been spent on paying the rental for the previous design and not wasted on the 'Giving Nature a Home' corporate re-brand, we may have still had those members and a thriving forum.
OK rant over! Here are some photos from Uskmouth and Goldcliff taken over the last couple of weeks in all different weather conditions. Hope you like them.
A pair of Redwings
Male Greenfich
Female Greenfinch
Record shot of a Goldfinch on a teasel.
A Chiffchaff, not showing any sign of of moving on now the Autumn berries are here!
Blue Tit, still feasting on insects.
A female Blackcap enjoying a Blackberry
A female Stonechat
Male Stonechat
A rather bedraggled Goldfinch chick which hasn't developed facial colouring
Linnet flock down below the sea wall
Linnet flock in a coastal path tree
A Linnet
A record shot of a Redwing
Robin in a Christmas card pose!
The understated beauty of the Gadwall
Meanwhile down in Goldcliff
The Little Stint is here, honest!
Record shots of a Hen Harrier
Avocet were more successful this year.
Curlew
Curlew in the meadow
Shoveler and Teal
Lots of Wigeon
Yes those are actual raindrops, nice weather for ducks!
Female Wigeon
Mixed Red and Greenshanks
Lapwings
Wheatear on the sea wall
Distant Kestrel
Redshanks
Record shot of a Yellow Legged Gull
Very much a record shot of distant Snipe
A real mixed bag but I think there's a Ruff in there!
A silhouette shot to end
Nice selection John and I admire your dedication to "getting the shot" in some adverse weather. Can I add a few more of the favourites. From Goldcliff, very distant, the Buzzard an old faithful down there.
And from Uskmouth reserve, The beautiful Pheasant.
The "Cafe" Kestrel, terrible light.
The tap dancing Cormorant.
Some great shots on here you two! Certainly hope this page doesn't go into meltdown as I always look forward to seeing what's around even though I'm not a local!!
I realise that posting was initially difficult but on a personal basis find it quite straightforward now ... It's the speed issue that's so dire, wish that could get sorted!!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Great shots David, I haven't seen that buzzard for a while now, so a nice reminder, and love your tap-dancing Cormorant!
Wendy it's very kind of you to help out with encouragement in what feels like a very under-used forum! Thanks a lot.
Thanks for the post John. Its been pretty much the same birds that I've seen down there recently. I haven't seen the Hen Harrier so it was good to see those pictures. Your sequence of images is almost as good as going down myself. Here's my own shot of a Robin along Perry Lane.
and one of the first Fieldfares that are beginning to hang around along with the redwings. I did forget that I was in manual mode on the camera and ended up with a very overexposed shot that I have dimmed down a bit.
I have still to see the Fieldfare and Redwing.
Great to see that Fieldfare Colin, I've caught glances of what may have been Fieldfare but they've not hung around long enough to confirm the ID. I was down in Uskmouth yesterday morning and there were lots of Long-Tailed tit, Redwing and Goldfinches around but rain and wind stopped play. I headed down to Goldcliff so that I could use the hide and the rain stopped long enough to get in. the instant I lifted the shutter I saw a Hen Harrier but it dropped behind some reeds and didn't emerge again. Apart from that I only saw Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck and Little Egret.
Hello John. It was sad that we lost some of our regulars, but those of us still posting will keep the side up. What a lovely set of photos you have there. Some I have never seen yet! One of my favourites, the lovely robin. Thanks for sharing.
David - nice snaps.
Colin - Lovely robin and a beautiful Fieldfare ( never seen one).
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
At last got a Fieldfare today, long distance and hugely cropped.
Well done David, they are so flighty!
Unknown said:At last got a Fieldfare today, long distance and hugely cropped.
A nice sight, David. I'm sure it was just a slip of the keyboard but it's actually a Redwing.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream