Happy Christmas....

Well first of all I would like to say a massive happy Christmas to all the views of this blog and I truly hope that you have had a wonderful time but it's not over yet, with the new year approaching a frightening speed many good times, feasts and beverages are yet to be had.

I have managed to get out a few times over the Christmas period, what with all the university work handed in and work finished for a short while I made a break for but unfortunately with all the other activities that happen at this time of year I've not had chance to update so there should be three blogs posed in quick succession if all goes well.

he first place that I ventured to was the remote wilderness of the Mere... Martin Mere that is, I want feeling to adventurous; generally it was quite quiet with the usually few million Pinkies, masses of Pintale and a few hundred Whoopers with all the other bits and bobs that you'd expect but this gave me a chance to settle down and take a few shots, I hope that you like them:-

"I thought this was a very interesting photograph, it shows the comparison between the old and the new bird, the older bird to the left will have been on the lake for at least a week and is very clean, although the newer bird to the right still has the peat stained plumage from the lakes of there summering grounds, (after a shot time this will get washed off in our clearer water but this is a good way to tell when they came in)"

"A few close up shots"

"I know that there not all Whoopers but I thought that a couple of flight shots wouldn't go a-miss "


"last but not lease this sunset, I sat watching the swans until the sun was no more, something I love to do, I feel that the true beauty of nature come out in the evening, the light sepia tones reflecting off there feathers, long shadows reaching across the landscape and the shy personalities showing more than ever "

I hope that you liked this blog,

thanks always Lee Harrison.

A Shore Thing.... or Not....

Well I had a day out last Friday, in hope of seeing the Shore lark that had been reported the day before, this was the fourth time that I had been out to try and see this bird, "I must see it this time, I can't be that unlucky" I thought but no, I set the alarm for some ungodly winter hour called 6 o'clock, it was pitch black but this meant that I was treated to a very special sunrise, which I took the opportunity to photograph;



On arrival, there was one other birder there looking for the Shorelark but he'd had no luck. Within 10 minuets of I came across a flock of 30+ Twite feeding between the pools on the car park, it didn't quite make up for no shore lark but it was a nice treat,




a little further along the path, I came across the same flock of Twite but this time having a bath, so I thought I'd do a bit of an experimental piece, hope you like it...

appart from these there was very little about, no sign or reports of the Lapland bunting that had apparently been seen the day before and know one had seen the Snow Buntings that were in the area but not to be put off I tried to photograph some of the easier species around the sand lakes,

Well I hope that you like the blog, something a little different,

Thanks always lee Harrison.

It's our nature...

Work, work, work, work, work, work, work work.... I was so fed up, I took my camera to "WORK" and as soon as I came on my dinner break I shot off to my local park to take a few snaps; you can't beat relaxing with nature on your break but it becomes so hard to reluctantly drag your self back, still it's the thing you have to do...

I know that these are all very simple species of birds and animals but I really enjoy taking out abit of time to spend with our more common wildlife, this is our nature, the things we see almost every day; it is so easy to take them for advantage, forgetting the true beauty and pleasure that can be taken from getting close to these creatures, I hope that you like the pics;

"Grey Squirrel"

"Robin"

"dunnock"

"Great Tit"

"Blue Tit"

"Black Bird, I'm not quite sure what was wrong with this male but I found myself feeling really sorry for it, even thought it was feeding away fine"

Thanks for stopping by, there nothing special but I thoroughly enjoyed taking then,

Thanks always Lee Harrison.

All Work and No Play....

"Causeway"

Well first of all I think that I should introduce myself, just in case you have forgotten about me, it's been almost a month since I last posted... so I think I owe you an apology, don't worry I've not given up on it, I've just been swamped with university work and working, I've not had a minuet spare but that changed this Friday and I made a break for it and sprinted up to Leighton moss, soon to be stopped by the massive quantities of water, turning my thoughts to the tragedy up in Cockermouth, I hadn't crossed my mind that I was headed towards Cumbria, on arrival things look ok appart from a few flooded fields but once I stared to walk around I came across a few Problems...

"footpath to Grisdale and Tim Jacksons"

They tried to pass the two above pictures off as footpaths but I weren't to sure, not to be put off, I splashed on and things just got worst, what can only be described as wading through 5" of water in low cut boots wasn't the driest idea but different creatures started to show them selves, just walking back from Grizdale hide a toad just decided to swim across my path as if to say "morning" it really made me laugh;

"Toad"

But it paid off in the long run, spending a bit of time down by the grit, I didn't have to wait long before the cetti's warbler showed its self no more than 2 metres away from me before flying off not to be seen again but occasionally giving a small burst of song, having a quick look around I spooked a Waterail which nearly gave me a heart attach after returning to the trays, I waited for around 20 minuets when 2 male Bearded Tits dropped onto the trays showing for around for a little while then disappearing, the best view of these little beauties that I've had for years.

"Bearded Tits, they aren't the best pictures but it's my first shot at photographing them"

After this delight, I headed around the rest of the reserve with much to show for it although meeting a very friendly Robin made my day coming to within inch's of my hands singing it's song and bobbing around I sat watching it for half an hour before moving on, such a simple bird but such an amazing one in my eyes;

"Robin, by far one of my favourites birds, I really do love them"

after spend a bit of time in Grizdale Hide, I headed out to Eric Morecambe's hide, really I was hoping for another stab at the Great White Egret but strangely there were only 4 Little Egrets around today and on others, after scanning around, all I found a single Spotted Redshank and a lone Black Tailed Godwit in with the Redshank, 2 pair of Red Breasted Mergansers diving around and a female Goldeneye were the only different thing I could scope out, a Peregrine kept causing mayhem over head scaring all the lapwing but very little else was around...

"Red Breasted Mergansers"

"Spotted Redshank,

Hope you can spot it..."Anyway, I hope that you like the blog, sorry about the long break but hopefully this will change, I have a lot of work to be handed in but I'll try and nip out from time to time if I can,

Thanks always Lee Harrison.

A Ruff Bit Of Weather...

Well I woke up this morning a 9:45 so I decided to get up and head out to see what I could see out and about; sat down stairs eating my toast, I glanced up at the clock 8:45.....? "confused" before my mum shouted from the other room, "so did you remember to turn your clocks back last night".....DAMN... an extra hour in bed and I forgot... But still I headed out in hope of photographing a few geese over at Martin Mere WWT. On arrival, there were lots of geese present but all very distant causing problems for a photographer like me that only uses a 300mm lens; not to be disappointed I carried on walking round soon to be rewarded with the opportunity to photograph 2 of my favourite winter birds, the first of these was a fine male Pintail that came cruising by very close to the hide; I really do think that these or one of the most beautiful birds that you will see over this season; I hope that you like the pics...

whilst I was there I also snapped up this very sorry looking female, obviously had a hard breeding season...

the second little critters that I got to photograph were a couple of Ruff my favourite winter wader, they come in so many different colours from all white to almost black a superb little bird; I hope that you like the pics, this is the first time I've been able to see these birds up close:-

Well I hope that you like the blog, feel free to leave any comments,

thanks always Lee Harrison.