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 photo but it is a Redwing rather than a Fieldfare. I have been trying to get a photo of one of these on my recent visits but they always seem to sit behind a few branches and move away quite quickly after being spotted.
I must have got both then and posted the wrong picture.
Spot on David, that's definitely a Fieldfare! nice to catch one out in the open instead of hiding behind the branches as Colin says.
Catlady thanks for your kind comments and for 'keeping the side up!