Aberystwyth

Ring necked duck












A great spotted woodpecker is now a regular visitor to the garden, however, a suprise was a pair of blackcaps, overwintering presumably or early spring visitors! Only seen feeding on pears and apples after the blackbirds had opened them. At least two black redstarts wintering around the old college buildings, one showing regularly near the entrance. Stormy seas most of the week with barely anything passing but a suprise bird turned up on a local woodland pool. This male ring necked duck showed so well but dismal light conditions, 1000 asa at an 80th of a sec, not ideal but a good record shot. Plenty of red kites and buzzards but just so dull. Still, the duck and blackcaps made up for it.

Mistle Thrush

Typical behaviour from this bird, anything landing on this tree was chased away immediately. Every berry is mine!

Desert Wheatear

A rare but almost predictable east coast november bird.This 1st winter male was found on monday pm near cromer point, exactly to the day of the last one and not too far away., about 15 years ago. Walking down the path towards the site this bird flew towards me, almost landed on my shoulder, and gave stunning views in perfect light for about 30 mins. My first pics with the canon eos 40d, hope they are all so easy, thanks dave for site details etc. Poor flight shots show rarely seen black auxillaries, what next i wonder?

Pallas's warbler

On a cold, blustery november morning, what a delight to see this tiny jewel of a bird. Yet again Filey has turned up a gem. Even though wholly overgrown, Arndale ravine has sheltered many a rare bird. This bird favoured the sycamores still with a few leaves, hovering for aphids and always typically highly active. All photos taken at 800 asa, the light was not brilliant, but a magical and one of my favourite birds.

Fieldfares etc

When the fieldfares are drinking, the hawthorns are visited by many common birds. Blackbirds, chaffinch, goldfinches and an inquisitive robin. Blue, great and l t tit, greenfinch, tree creeper, starling and mistle thrush all feeding around and within this berry feast.

Bullfinch

While waiting for the fieldfare flock to settle, listening to the archers and garderners question time, this gem of a bird emerged from some dying vegetation and posed for just a few seconds. What a great hide the car makes, unless you have mega powerful lenses your struggle to get close shots. So, its just sit, relax and wait for that magical moment! If only a merlin had swooped down and grabbed it! Too much to ask for i suppose, sorry mr bullfinch.

Fieldfares

Definate juv, outer g coverts unmoulted, still a white tip.








These fieldfares near Flixton gorge themselves on hawthorn berries and then move on. They appear here every year along with redwing and blackbirds. The first two birds above are obviously distinctive heavily marked dark faced males, black tails and dark centres to crown feathers. The rest are females and 1st year birds. Strange they are so timid, how nice to sit in your car to watch these beauties. The top bird, a redwing, is such a smart bird.