Moustached Reedlings (et al) on a gloomy grey day

Bearded Tits or as I prefer to call them   Moustached Reedlings which seems more apt   !     We've headed up to Silverdale for three days break and although it's a little quieter than we used to experience, we did see a few different birds.      Still struggling with my poor eyesight as I miss many more birds than I manage to capture on camera so I don't take half as many photos as I used to and its pot luck in the end to see what I did get when I look at them on the computer screen.      I'll add a few of what I have taken yesterday and today ................

Little Egret at the salt marsh area 

on the main reserve a flock of Black-tailed Godwits came in ............. but can you see an odd one out  ?  

closer capture ......       what I think is a Knot  ?

and then the same bird landing just below the Godwits  ......

and a bit of a scruffy looking Pintail drake ......

Teal .....

Black-tailed Godwit still showing some breeding plumage .......

and now for the moustached reedlings  (or maybe we should nickname them Groucho's  )    !!!  

a look of surprise at the paparazzi   !  

Hoping to get better pics before I leave as it was too dark today with thick cloud.

and couldn't leave without posting up one of the robins;     after all the lockdowns and lack of human traffic along the pathways the regular birds are not quite as confiding as they used to be but its still nice to take a few live mealworms for these feathered friends  

  • Glad you got back to what seems to be a favourite area Hazel, you have my sympathy with sight problems my macular degeneration is getting worse and I would miss more birdd if Chris was not my spotter. Great set of pictures by the way as usual, We are on the Northumberland coast this week and we wefe over run with Goldcrest and Stonechats today

  • Glad you and Chris are having a nice visit on the Northumberland coastal area as its really important for our health and sanity during these challenging times; I love both Goldcrests and Stonechats so I'd be in my element there ! I have my bird spotter too with me thank goodness :) although Mike's suffering at the moment with persistent headache (and it's not me to blame this time ! ) he had a CT scan yesterday morning just before we headed to Silverdale and we are now awaiting the results with fingers crossed that all is well. Sorry your eyesight is worsening; at least I should be able to get mine sorted with lens replacement once we get Mike back to full health again; good job we're not racehorses or we'd have all been for the knackers yard by now !!
  • Lovely set., Hazy. Moustached reedlings does make sense but it's a bit of a mouthful so I'll stick to calling them bearded tits. Gorgeous little bird, either way!
  • I hope Mikes results are promising Hazel good luck to you both
  • So good to see your photos Hazy, lovely shots of the Godwits in flight, and no I didn't spot the odd one out until you pointed it out! Beautiful little Beardies, I know the male has the startling teardrop more than beard for me, but the female are totally gorgeous.
  • Lovely set, well captured in the gloom Hazel. It's been a while since I've seen any beardies even with trips to Radipole and Lodmore :o( Thanks for sharing :o)
  • It may have been a gloomy day but you've captured some nice images. Leighton Moss always delivers something special. Great to see and photograph the Beardies, a bird I've yet to capture on camera.
  • Wow!

    A brilliant set of photos Hazel, dull day or not, and I love the "Moustached reedlings" definition. I'm inclined to agree on the "odd-one-out", a knot

    Fingers crossed for Mike's results.

  • Thanks all, sorry, no photos today as weather was even more grey and Beardies didn't show very much so didn't bother with the camera, however, one more chance on our last day tomorrow before heading home in the afternoon so will see what's about and if the sun comes out to play !
  • Lovely photos but my favourite have to be the bearded reedlings. They are such amazing looking birds.

    Can I ask what part of the country you would see these birds??

    I am in South wales, would we have them down here??

    Kath GrinningGrinning