It's time for something new...

Well once again, it's been a long time, due to university and work but this has given me the chance to do a bit of thinking and I have decided that my blog need a bit a refresh, so out of the many pictures that I have got to upload, this is just a small practise sample, I hope that you like it, please feel free to leave any comments and for anyone who has struggled leaving comments due to the word verification, I have recently removed it...










Thanks always Lee Harrison.

Bit to cold for comfort...

Well I headed out this weekend as I had no work to do, Friday I shot over to Marshside, in hope of seeing the Bitten that has taken up residence for the last week but I lasted about 15 min. scanning over Crossens before I gave into the cold and headed inland, silly me forgot my hat and gloves, thought I was getting frost bite although this little male Stonechat did make me feel a bit warmer for about a second...

"Stonechat"

Firstly I headed over to Mere Sands Wood, where I got the opportunity photograph a few our smaller birds and winter visitors, I hope that you like them...

"Robin"

"Redwing"

"Fieldfare"

Lastly but definitely not least this little beauty brightened up the day, it so nice seeing these Mandarin Ducks turning up in unexpected places.

"Mandarin Duck"

As I got home I decided to head down to my local Common Bank lodge where I have been watching number the number of Goosander increase over the past week form a single pair to 28 birds, I found this very strange as I have never seen Goosander on this lake or any other in town lake before, many times on the larger water around Rivington but never here, a very nice surprise...

"Goosander"

Saturday Came and when, unfortunately I couldn't get out but on Sunday I headed out for a walk round another local lodge for an hour, there wasn't much around due to the re-frozen lake but it was still nice to get out, I took 4 more pics so I hope that you like them...

"Meadow Pipit"

"Shoveler"

"Canada Goose"

"Mallard"

Well I hope that you like my blog, please feel free to leave any comment,

Thanks always Lee Harrison.

So Snow Beautiful...

Well I had a day out on Friday and I decided a twitch was in order, I started the day early and headed over to Crosby Marina in some ungodly temperatures and despite what the Clock says, it was the morning. Crosby was a place I had never ventured to before, so on arrival I was full of anticipation and hope of seeing the Black Necked Grebe, that has been providing fantastic views very close to the edge for the past week or two, on seeing the lake all I could notice was the large covering of ice and snow that seem to be suffocating all life from the lake, on a closer look, here were two very small pockets of open water, holding a mainly Mallards and Coots with a few Tufies and Pochard mixed in but not sign of the Black Necked, around the lake small numbers of Snipe where roosting up, a few Meadow Pipits scurrying around for food and a single Stonechat flitting around, as I was scanning around three Goldeneye did a low fly by, providing a good photo opportunity...
From here I drove down to Ainsdale Beach in hope of seeing the two Snow Buntings that have returned for there winter residence, last year I spent many many freezing hours searching for these little beauties, thankfully this year proved to be a bit more successful; my first trip out for them and my first tick for 2010, there they were feeding ravenously along the tide line, I lied down in the snow on the high tide line and wait for them to come to me, they fed all the way along and came to within 4 feet of me before taking flight and feeding further down the beach, it was an amazing experience and something I will always remember, I hope you like the pics...

I think that this is my favourite picture, I don't think that it's the best but when looking at this picture, I get the feeling that the Bunting is staring off into the distance reminiscing about the day and I know that this picture will always remind me of the joy and pleasure that I felt this day whilst watching these two beautiful little birds...

After this I headed up-to Hesketh Out Marsh, to try and connect with the Bewick's that have been seen around but there was nothing to be seen when I got up there but nothing could break my spirit, so I headed down to Mere Sands Wood, there wasn't much around but a very ambient light coming through the trees, so I'll leave you with these three pics, I hope that you like them...
Well I really hope that you like this blog and that you will stop by again,

Thanks always Lee Harrison.

Snowy Bit and Bobs...

Well here's a random selection of a photographs that I have accumilted over the past couple of weeks during the snowy conditions, mostly landscapes but there might be a few birdies dropped in just for good measure, I hope that you like them...

"Couple of birds, just for good measure"

Well it's only a short blog this time, but I hope that you like them,

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.