Had a great time there yesterday (Sunday) afternoon despite the odd heavy shower passing through! I saw 2 firsts which was exciting and many, many others!
When I arrived, there was a large flock of golden plovers and lapwings flying around and I hoped that they would come in to land! The lapwing did but the goldens flew round again and went off! Hoping to see them one of these days!
I stood outside the main hide for a while watching the redwings and blackbirds eating up the hawthorn berries; got a few pics.
Saw a fieldfare in front of the hide
Then I spotted dark fur; a mink!! Not popular with everyone but I was so excited as I'd never seen one before! My camera was on auto and I had no time to switch to shutter priority and set a higher speed, so I only got blurred pics!
The male kestrel was up on his 'favourite' perch again!
From the 'feeder' hide, I saw my first brambling of the year (female)
and after saying on Highland McHale's ID thread that I'd love to see a redpoll, well, I did!! I saw 3 altogether although I think there may have been more! This is the only pic I managed showing the red forehead! They were right at the top of silver birches!
Also saw a field vole, a stoat (both too quick for pics), robin, great + blue + coal tits, chaffies, greenfinches, goldfinches, wigeon, mallard, grey heron, mute swans, coot, moorhen, teal, rooks, jackdaws, crows, pied wagtails, great crested grebes, canada geese, wood pigeons, great spotted woodpecker, BH gulls and dunnock [also heard water rails] (that's all I can think of for now!!)
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Brilliant set MarJus! You got closer to the Redwings than me very clear well done, I will soon! the fieldfare is brill a large flock went over me today settled on a tree by the road and when I got there so did a car and off they went...!
Mink are cool, I don't care what is right, on that one. The Redpoll by me stay up in the silver birch too, except when they came down that once at the other end of the lane, 60 yards too far in bad light! Still I have them in my little collection now and quality will come.
I will make a point of never driving past Venus pool without stopping!
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
Lovely photos MarJus, you obviously had a good afternoon. I've never seen a redpoll but I'm keeping my eyes peeled now. What a delightful little bird. There is a large birch tree in the yard at work so I am going to take my bins in just in case. I love the brambling pic too. Well done, an excellent set.
There is something new to learn everyday...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylark58/
Great photos Marjus. Great afternoon well spent . Yesterday was dry and pleasant in Ayrshire but we didn't have the blue sky you had. After Saturday though, it was just great being out
Great photos MarJus and a lovely selection of birds.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Thank you all for your comments! Hoping for a few more bright sunny days to get better pics of the redpolls if they stick around and also of the redwings and fieldfares! The blackbirds took the lead in the hawthorn, then the redwings came in to feed. This particular tree which was popular with them was just on the path from the car park , so plenty of people coming and going, sending the birds off each time, but within a few minutes, the blacks came back and eventually the redwings! I stood still a few yards away and they seemed to get used to me quite quickly!
The feeder hide is really good but as it's all under the trees, it needs to be particularly bright to manage photos! The log book mentioned a bullfinch a few days earlier so hoping to see that one day too!
John - I agree about the mink! It's another one of these issues where it isn't its fault that it's there! They're certainly very beautiful with gorgeous, nearly black, glossy fur! Hope to see him again and the stoat too!
Very lucky indeed to have such a great place on my doorstep! I *could* even go in my lunch hour as it's only 10 mins away, but the problem there would be tearing myself away to go back to the office, especially if there was something interesting about which there nearly always is!!!
MarJus, I am just trying to catch up, having been away , but really wanted to thank you for theses photographs. Have never seen a mink in the wild, you really must have had to move fast with your camera.
Thank you Brenda! It is as much of a pleasure to share the photos as it is to take them! The mink was quick, but nowhere near as quick as the stoat! Lol!
Hi Marjus - what a great afternoon you had there - we have been tied up with family matters this month and haven't managed a trip at all so it was nice to enjoy it through your eyes and camera! I think they are having an open day at Monkmoor Pool this Saturday all to meet at 9.30 to look for wintering geese and swans - dont know if you saw it in the paper?
Thanks Lucybob!
Yes I did see that and I am tempted as been wanting to go there for years now (too much hassle to go & get a key from the WT and return it at the end of the visit! ). Wish they'd fit a keypad like at Wood Lane! I usually take my Mum out shopping on a Saturday so probably won't get there. Are you going?
Hi Marjus - Know what you mean about the key! Hope to go as its always nice to be around people with more knowledge than myself - there's always so much to learn - if we do I'll let you know how we get on.