Twitchers Anonymous

[MJB]

I have no idea what this chiffchaff wanted the dead leaf for but it put a lot of effort into getting it.

ccmaybe by Martin Bone, on Flickr

[kate]

That's stunning! So well done you Martin!

[peterob]

I'm positive that I saw a great spotted woodpecker disappear into this hole.   I need to go back with a chair (there is nowhere convenient to perch otherwise) and lay siege to this.  They nest from mid-April so if I was correct it should get quite lively.  The hole is actually hard to see from the ground. I would not have found it without the glimpse of movement.  Fingers crossed that I will have more to show over the next three weeks or so.

DSCF3499.jpg by Pete, on Flickr

[peterob]

ABC  - another blooming chiffchaff. I'm getting good at spotting them

DSCF3486.jpg by Pete, on Flickr

[peterob]

A total failure as a photograph but an interesting challenge even if I didn't get a good shot.  

There were two blackcaps engaged in mutual chasing. i didn't have any binoculars, only the camera so the id as blackcaps comes from this shot.  I was absolutely amazed to get a picture.  Good enough for id but nothing else.   They were just blurs as they flew around, at some distance, one pausing just a moment in this bush. 


DSCF3508.jpg by Pete, on Flickr

[gray1720]

The industrial estate I work on has a lot of water features, and a pair of Canada geese regularly nest on pne of them (and match their brood round the place like they own it, how they've never all been run over is beyond me). On Friday I spotted the first egg head been laid, yesterday mum was quite obviously brooding... oblivious to the grey wagtail vigorously inspecting the floating platform the nest is on.

[peterob]

No woodpeckers today but an silhouette (even with +1 compensation) turned out on the computer to be a blackcap, which is nice. I was cursing later after missing an identified blackcap in another tree.

DSCF3515.jpg by Pete, on Flickr

[peterob]

Also got a carrion crow that was keeping an eye out while drinking from a pool, before it and out of sight. Shame I didn't notice the out of focus plant that gives a yellow-brown streak [top to bottom] across the picture.

DSCF3518.jpg by Pete, on Flickr

[gray1720]

Fairly certain I've just spotted a peregrine on Oxford's Tom Tower... just as my bus arrived!

[peterob]

No woodpeckers in the hole.  Not much showing other than a very flighty blackcap determined not to be photographed.  A juvenile blackbird (female) stopped to have a look while  I was resting on a bench.

DSCF3532.jpg by Pete, on Flickr

[MJB]

I had a great afternoon at RSPB Ham Wall (Glastonbury) today.

In Jesus's footsteps:

jesus footsteps1 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

My first BIF with the R7. Something really easy, a Bittern at distance with a very heavy crop:

bittern1 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

bittern2 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

Blackcaps were in full song:

blackcap1 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

blackcap2 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

As were the Whitethroats:

whitethroat2 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

whitethroat by Martin Bone, on Flickr

The Hobbys were about, but I was still getting to grips with the R7 and moving targets, so could have been much better, but still my best Hobby pic to date:

hobby by Martin Bone, on Flickr

The Marsh Harriers were busy hunting Plover and Lapwing at extreme distance (heavy crop again). This one even had a crack at raiding a Bittern's nest:

marsh harrier by Martin Bone, on Flickr

I finally got to grips with the BIF pics with this Great White Egret:

great white egret by Martin Bone, on Flickr

While mum's away, the kids will play. Then mum came back with a snack:

heron chicks by Martin Bone, on Flickr

heron feed by Martin Bone, on Flickr

Moorhen with one of her chicks:

moorhen and chick by Martin Bone, on Flickr

Robins are always obliging:

robin by Martin Bone, on Flickr

[peterob]

Apr 28, 2023 21:23:33 GMT MJB said:

I had a great afternoon at RSPB Ham Wall (Glastonbury) today.

Didn't you just!  Brilliant day out.  I'm jealous  You are getting excellent results with that R7.  To get a hobby in flight is amazing. 

[MJB]

Apr 28, 2023 22:17:39 GMT peterob said:

Apr 28, 2023 21:23:33 GMT MJB said:

I had a great afternoon at RSPB Ham Wall (Glastonbury) today.

Didn't you just!  Brilliant day out.  I'm jealous  You are getting excellent results with that R7.  To get a hobby in flight is amazing. 

Thanks Pete. Ham Wall is where they shot most of the footage of Hobbys for the recent BBC Wild Isles series. They say they get around 30 birds there as Summer comes along.

[JohnY]

Apr 28, 2023 21:23:33 GMT MJB said:

I had a great afternoon at RSPB Ham Wall (Glastonbury) today.

In Jesus's footsteps:

jesus footsteps1 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

My first BIF with the R7. Something really easy, a Bittern at distance with a very heavy crop:

bittern1 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

bittern2 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

Blackcaps were in full song:

blackcap1 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

blackcap2 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

As were the Whitethroats:

whitethroat2 by Martin Bone, on Flickr

whitethroat by Martin Bone, on Flickr

The Hobbys were about, but I was still getting to grips with the R7 and moving targets, so could have been much better, but still my best Hobby pic to date:

hobby by Martin Bone, on Flickr

The Marsh Harriers were busy hunting Plover and Lapwing at extreme distance (heavy crop again). This one even had a crack at raiding a Bittern's nest:

marsh harrier by Martin Bone, on Flickr

I finally got to grips with the BIF pics with this Great White Egret:

great white egret by Martin Bone, on Flickr

While mum's away, the kids will play. Then mum came back with a snack:

heron chicks by Martin Bone, on Flickr

heron feed by Martin Bone, on Flickr

Moorhen with one of her chicks:

moorhen and chick by Martin Bone, on Flickr

Robins are always obliging:

robin by Martin Bone, on Flickr

All nice photographs but the great white bittern stands out as excellent.

[peterob]

Apr 28, 2023 22:43:36 GMT MJB said:

Apr 28, 2023 22:17:39 GMT peterob said:

Didn't you just!  Brilliant day out.  I'm jealous  You are getting excellent results with that R7.  To get a hobby in flight is amazing. 

Thanks Pete. Ham Wall is where they shot most of the footage of Hobbys for the recent BBC Wild Isles series. They say they get around 30 birds there as Summer comes along.

I omitted to mention the Bittern too, also amazing. I've never seen one, nor knowingly a hobby.  There is a peat marsh not so very far from us which is supposed to have hobbys but if there is a car park it is well hidden.