Add your "Odds & Sods" here thread ... 2020

Beautiful bird and fabulous pics TJ, the eye is so scary, I know when one has been in the garden as the birds just freeze where they are for ages, then you hear a small peep from somewhere deep in the hedge and one by one they start to move around once more.

What do you mean you can't see a bird in the photo below ?  !!!    

 Well it was that sort of day when you needed Jodrell Bank to see anything !        Look closer .................

It was my first glimpse of a Common Redstart for a couple of years,  just a shame they didn't come closer 

Saw this too and assume it is a Meadow Pipit  ?    any help much appreciated 

We had taken a walk near Wildboarclough near Clough House and headed up the drovers path towards the main Buxton Rd before turning round and heading back to car park.     Within less than ten minutes we saw the Common Redstart/s and a Dipper scooted up the river below before it could say hello to the camera, there were Pied Waggies, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinches.    All birds were pretty distant for photographing so just enjoyed the walk ............there were Stonechats, what could be Willow Warbler (need ID from very distant pic)  and there were two Kestrels high in the distant sky plus a Common Buzzard.   Further along the rocky path were the mippits and there were a few butterflies such as Meadow Brown,  Small Tortoiseshell and another two I didn't get more than a nano second to spot which looked like Red Admiral and something like Small White.     Pretty hot day so we didn't do the full circuit but it was amazing what we saw in the first ten mins.   

Now what could this be,   I was more inclined to think Willow Warbler with that more olive back and long supercilium but not certain at all.

Once again distant record shots......   just for ID purpose 

  

Great to get the Redstart. It seems to have been a good year for them in the north, at least I've seen more photos than in previous years! The photo of the Willow Chaff shows the wing reasonably, so you should be able get the P-T ratio - I can't really tell on the small laptop, although Willow looks reasonable.
Did you hear there was a Red-backed Shrike down your way yesterday? Well, near St. Helens I think but close enough. No idea if it is still about today (Friday)

Lovely Redstart Hazy, sounds as if there were plenty of birds around, I have been finding it quiet here, even the butterflies have more or less disappeared, glad you have found another nice area to walk and explore.

I've missed these guys this summer although they seem to have done as well as ever without us - there were two of them briefly

Not the best photos as there was a waving reedbed between us so there was never a completely clear shot

pretty clear shots to me Nige.. Super shots super jealous!

Ages since I've seen a kingie, nice shots Nige :o) I might have to revisit the old river lol

Unknown said:

Did you hear there was a Red-backed Shrike down your way yesterday?

No, I wasn't aware of it Nige but thanks for the info;   been pretty much occupied with getting the new place sorted and working out where we're going to put the rest of the household items when they come from store on Wednesday - I haven't been keeping much of an eye on sightings so its great to hear this Shrike is in the area.    We had a break in-between sorting yesterday with the promise of tropical weather and headed for the cooler hills  lol     

I see you headed out and caught lovely pics of the Kingies, nice to know they are around.   Keep the photos coming and the updates !

A few random assortments from the last 3 weeks or so.

Stags below White Edge, starting to lose their velvet.

One of the local valley lottle owls, sunrise giving him a bit of a golden glow.

Chiffchaff I think.

Curlews on Burbage.

Blackamoor doe and fawn.

Meadow pipit on Big Moor

Came to join me whilst I was sat in a field eating my sandwiches.

Female black cap in the local valley.

Another lovely variety of beasties Bob :o) Super stuff