Lee Harrison's Nature Photography.: Stonechat

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.

I haven't had much time recently, just enough time to go down to the local patch for a few short walks... so I decided to pop down to White Coppice and see what was knocking about...

I was pleased to see that the the Cuckoo was still around although it had chosen a different home to most year and has been spending a lot of time up the Nab, the Tree Pipits have returned and I even picked up a Marsh Tit which was a nice rarity down there, a massive number of Ravens around, my Dad and Me saw 4 together at once recently and a good friend of mine saw 8 on his walk around the surrounding area, a Peregrine has been reported although I haven't any raptors apart from Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and one unidentified raptor(that we were convinced was a Falcon(see earlier blog) myself but I do remember seen them over that area when I was very young so it would be fantastic if they had come back.

lots of different animals around as well, we have managed to get close to the local Rabbits and slightly more elusive Hares but talking to the local farmer be add that most nights whilst checking his livestock, he meets the regular Fox and Badger on him land although no sets can have been found.

Here are a few pics that I managed to get on the way around:-