"Odds & Sods" (old version) - please add to the new thread 2020 instead !

Great pics Paul, lovely to see the Nuthatch collecting for it's nest.

Black Tailed Godwit already showing his Summer Plumage, taken yesterday.

Great set of photos Alan and good to see the blue sky as we sit under a thick dark blanket of cloud with rain and hailstone in-between. It's pretty cold too so not surprised you have snow ! Roll on springtime and the warblers return :)

At last, a photo of a Jay, it had to happen eventually.!!  :-)

This is actually a good sighting for me. They're very, very shy where I tend to see them.

Well done Paul finding your Jay, they are such attractive corvids but they have to have one of the worst sounds I've heard with their typical screech lol

Not seen any migrant Chiffchaffs, yet, Alan, let alone any singing.

I'm with you, Paul, the local Jays are extremely secretive and it's only at Leighton Moss that I occasionally get close.

Unknown said:

we sit under a thick dark blanket of cloud with rain and hailstone in-between

This is what greeted me on my way out this morning - an imminent but rather spectacular hail storm over a local reservoir. The two gulls are Lesser Black-backs by the way

In fact, I don't think I've taken a bird photo all week (a part from the gulls above) with the incessant wind and storms but I always think that's when to go and do landscape photography (no blue skies here please!) Earlier, while exploring migrant hotspots on the moors in readiness for next month I also got this stormy shot of a local landmark in the West Pennine Moors. It's only a stone's throw from where Flycatchers (both), Cuckoos, and even Ring Ouzels are supposed to stop over, so fingers crossed!

 

Both shots are obviously heavily done in Photoshop, to recreate traditional B&W darkroom styles.

Maybe I'll get some birds next week!

Paul your patience has paid off at last, I have heard quite a number of Jays and seen them flying away screeching, but yet to see any perched,

Hope you had your waterproofs with you Nigel, your photos are very dramatic and who can believe we had such glorious weather a month ago:-)

A big flock of about 10-12 Yellowhammer in Brixham yesterday with 3-4 Cirl Buntings landed in a bush for a few minutes, giving me just enough time to get closer and photograph the ones that were not obscured.

One of the Cirl buntings.....