A surprise today,. well for me anyway.

I never expected to see a bullfinch Today 

A Mistle Thrush my first thoughts were a fieldfare but Mr B

put me right.

This is a Gull as are the rest of the photos Birds in Flight this 

one looks like it’s been to Specsavers 

Holidays are Coming, Holidays are Coming.

  • Another brilliant collection ILR.

    Though no holidays are booked, not even planned or thought about (think we'll give them a miss this year), March 29th ain't gonna come fast enough for me, assuming things go to plan....

  • Thanks for replying Mike, your very kind, The bullfinch photo was one of about 10 photos but the branch on the right came into focus and out of all of them only one was worth posting and that one wasn’t great, the Mistle thrush was in a field and I crept up to take a photo it was about 60m away when I took the photos and before I could get nearer it flew off. That’s two years running, same field rubbish photo, ah well better luck next time. The gulls were in the same field and were flying about so the practicing of birds in flight was the order of the day. No other birds were seen. It maybe a bit early but last year I saw on the same walk white throats,, stonechats, Reed buntings, Yellow hammers, and Whinchats. But maybe a bit later April May time ? No holidays booked either Mike, I get my second Jab in May and will feel a bit safer when I have had that. I have not risked going to the reserves and I have been staying local on walks near me and where it’s quiet. It will be nice to get out properly again and see my brother and sister who I haven’t seen for over a year and the grandchildren of course. Keep safe Mike
  • Always a lovely surprise to see your pics and outings ILR, weather didn't look too bad either. Bully looking very vibrant, well done on the mistle thrush too Wink
  • Thank you Linda you say the nicest things, apart from the bullfinch and the Mistle thrush there was nothing else to see apart from a few gulls, I think I may have expected too much too early maybe March and April might improve things.

    Hopefully in May I might get back to the rivers and the reserves if everything goes right with the government plans and people stick to the rules ???
    I have been going to venues close to home within walking distance where it is quiet. I know that the parks and reserves are packed with people that’s why I am staying close to home.
  • Nothing wrong with taking gulls in flight. I generally feel the need to do it fairly regularly Relaxed You can still come up with interesting shots. The Stonechats, Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers can appear all year round but the others you mention won't come back until migration gets underway, so probably end of March if you're lucky or early April they'll start to show

  • Nothing wrong with taking gulls in flight, your right Nigel, i was practicing birds in flight and to me they looked better than the ones i posted last time so i was happy about that. I was i admit dissapointed i didn't see any other birds but thats nature, some days are better than others. But at the end of the day i had a nice walk and the weather was fine. Today was a gardening day, tidying up from winter and ready for spring.
  • i love robins said:
    Thanks for replying Mike, your very kind, The bullfinch photo was one of about 10 photos but the branch on the right came into focus and out of all of them only one was worth posting and that one wasn’t great, the Mistle thrush was in a field and I crept up to take a photo it was about 60m away when I took the photos and before I could get nearer it flew off. That’s two years running, same field rubbish photo, ah well better luck next time. The gulls were in the same field and were flying about so the practicing of birds in flight was the order of the day. No other birds were seen. It maybe a bit early but last year I saw on the same walk white throats,, stonechats, Reed buntings, Yellow hammers, and Whinchats. But maybe a bit later April May time ? No holidays booked either Mike, I get my second Jab in May and will feel a bit safer when I have had that. I have not risked going to the reserves and I have been staying local on walks near me and where it’s quiet. It will be nice to get out properly again and see my brother and sister who I haven’t seen for over a year and the grandchildren of course. Keep safe Mike

    A bit uncooperative the mistle thrush!

    I had a similar experience at the start of the year with redwings, each time I positioned the camera to take a photo, whoosh, they'd gone.

    What I tried, and it worked, was to set the tripod up, point the camera at where the redwings were feeding, and wait. It paid off brilliantly. My guess was the movement of raising the camera spooked them, but having it fixed on the tripod, no real camera movement = no spooked redwings....

    As for the jab, I'm still waiting my first, but then I'm not vulnerable, so the order of calling is fair in my books.

  • Hi Mike Thanks for the tip, I didn’t have my tripod with me and the field was lower than the ground I was standing on down a banking I spotted the Mistle Thrush in the field and crept towards the top of the banking to take the photo, the bird was around 60m away and it’s amazing how they know of your presence, it soon flew away and I was lucky to get a photo, I had the same scenario last year, same venue same field better luck next time ?
  • i love robins said:
    Hi Mike Thanks for the tip, I didn’t have my tripod with me and the field was lower than the ground I was standing on down a banking I spotted the Mistle Thrush in the field and crept towards the top of the banking to take the photo, the bird was around 60m away and it’s amazing how they know of your presence, it soon flew away and I was lucky to get a photo, I had the same scenario last year, same venue same field better luck next time ?

    You're welcome.

  • Another lovely set ILR, you were very lucky to get the Bullie, I have not had them in the garden, neither have I ever seen one, don't know if we have them up here? Now don't you be getting any ideas about holidays until at least into the second half of the year, and even then! A nice staycation, I am sure there are lovely places to go to, in our own country. Once we all get our jabs and immunities have kicked in, we can hopefully get out and about, safely once again. Not yet though, another few months to hang in there. Disappointed relieved