Shag at Dog in a Doublet

This is probably the most reliable location in the area for Shags but it has been a while since the last one here. This one was also seen feeding at Eldernell Lakes and may also be responsible for other brief local sightings. Previous occurences here have stayed for a while and this one is no exception. It may have stayed longer had it not been for its untimely demise, probably a casualty of the adjacent road on 4 Jan 2004.

Along with Red and Black-throated Divers, Guillemot and Kittiwake it makes a fine set of recent seabird records for the PBC area's own bit of "coast".

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
 

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Common Buzzard, Elton

This is an extremely pale adult and has been present in the Elton area since at least December 2001. In flight it even shows a tail with a pale base leading to possible confusion with Rough-legged Buzzard.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
 

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Dartford Warbler, Stanground Wash

A most unexpected find and an unusual location. I check out the Sewage Works and outfall here for Green Sandpipers and Grey Wagtails and always take a look at the washland opposite where Short-eared and Barn Owl are regular as well as Stonechats and the like. What I didn't expect was what looked like a brown Long-tailed Tit bouncing towards me through the vegetation along the River Nene. As it passed just below me I couldn't quite believe I was having point blank views of a Dartford Warbler. The bird stayed on the bank next to me for a while but typically, just as I went for the camera, it flew to the far side of the opposite river bank and gave me 20 nerve racking minutes before Steve Dudley caught a brief glimpse then I saw it again in the middle of the wash. Views were more distant but I was extremely relieved that there was something for the arriving hoards to see. It showed well enough to provide these record shots, most of which were taken at long range or in low light.

This is the 270th species for the PBC area and there are also no other records for Huntingdonshire. There are two other Old Cambs records, neither of which were twitchable - one from 1870 at Great Abingdon and one in a garden in Cherry Hinton in February 2001.

Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata
 

Pushing the limits of digiscoping with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 32x eyepiece.

Greenland White-fronted Goose, Hampton North Lake

This adult Greenland White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons flavirostris) with very dense barring and rather dark upperparts was initially located on Orton Brick Pit with a group of mainly Greylag Geese, which also contained a Pink-footed Goose and the regular Barnacle and Bar-headed Geese. Part of the flock containing these geese then headed off to Hampton North Lake where the White-front posed for these pictures. 
 
 
 
 
Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Hoodie

Another Kevin Du Rose special and a long-stayer. This was at the beginning of its stay near the rubbish tip at Tanholt Pits. The species is a recent split from the common Carrion Crow and is not annual in the Peterborough area.

Conditions were terrible for photography but here is a distant shot taken through the mist and gloom.

Hooded Crow Corvus cornix

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 32x eyepiece.

Lesser Whitethroat ssp.

This bird conveniently favoured some trees in front of the offices of Nene Park Trust along Ham Lane near the entrance to Ferry Meadows Country Park west of Peterborough.

A remarkable late date for this species - the latest for Cambs. There have been two overwintering birds, one of these was in the PBC area at Bainton from Jan-Apr 1991 and resembled the Siberian form blythi. The Ham Lane bird does not appear to be of the usual nominate curruca form either: it appears too brown-toned above, has a weak face mask, rather sullied underparts and the grey head does not contrast very strongly with the upperparts. It may also be rather short-winged and has rather pale outer tail feathers. It is possibly the halimodendri form but would perhaps need to be examined in the hand to be sure





Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Robin at Ham Lane

While waiting for the Lesser Whitethroat to put in an appearance I got a bit of digiscoping practice in the difficult conditions under the trees and captured this Robin.

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Black Redstart, Wash Northey

A regular visit to the area near the new foot/cycle Millenium Bridge over the Nene at Wash Northey, normally only good for the large winter thrush flocks that are sure to turn up something rarer one day. This time luck was in as two scarce migrants were present. The Black Redstart was using a small paddock and a Brambling was with a building finch flock nearby. I couldn't get a pic of the Brambling.

Female or immature Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
 
 
 
Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Most photographed bird in Cornwall?

As it frequented the boating lake and adjacent car park, where this was snapped, it was a favourite among birders passing through.

Second calendar year Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

Nikon CP995

The Wandering Whistler

This little fellow spent some time in the area normall associating with a Greylag flock and seen over quite a wide area. This was a long-range stretched digiscope effort at Prior's Fen.

Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 32x eyepiece.

Stonebridge Corner insects

Often a visit to Prior's Fen is just as interesting for the insects at the start of the footpath at Stonebridge Corner.

Male Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta)



Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Nikon CP995

Common Snipe, Ferry Meadows

This snoozing Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) provided a bit of digiscoping practice.

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Garden hover-fly

The garden pond is only a couple of months old but is producing insects like this hover-fly that likes to sunbathe on waterside vegetation.

Helophilus pendulus

Nikon CP995.

Brown Argus in cop.

A real treat these especially as I didn't expect to find them on the banks of the river Nene near Elton Bridge.

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)

Nikon CP995.

Manx Shearwater, Baston & Langtoft Pits

Could this be the worst photo so far? Probably. But its one of the best birds I've ever seen in the area. I have a thing about inland seabirds and Manx Shearwater is right at the top of the list. Josh Jones was the finder and got the news out lightning fast. You had to be quick as the bird only stayed the one evening. It was bizarre and unforgettable to see this bird shearing over the flat fields of the fens.

Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)

Digiscoped (badly in very poor light) with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Wall Butterfly

It was a devil of a job to get this butterfly to sit still long enough to get the shot. It was a hot day at Orton Brick Pit.

Wall Butterfly (Lasiommata megera)

Nikon CP995.

Migrant Hawker laying eggs

There were loads of insects about on this very warm day during a family outing to Burghley House. Silver Y moths and Hornets were particularly obvious but this female Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) laying eggs in the pond was the only one to sit for a photo.

Nikon CP995.

A few garden visitors.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria)


Hawthorn Shield Bug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale)


The rather wierd-looking larva of the hover-fly Epistrophe eligans.


Common Pond Skater (Gerris lacustris).

Nikon CP995.

Pectoral Sandpiper

A great find for Steve Dudley but unfortunately only a couple of people had permission to visit the private site the bird favoured. Another bird or perhaps the same one appeared on the High Wash of the Nene the day after during a large influx of the species into the UK. A difficult subject for digiscoping.

First winter Pectoral Sandpiper (Caladris melanotos)


Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 32x eyepiece.

Mandarins, Ferry Meadows

Mandarin are not often seen around the Peterborough area and certainly not right in front of a hide at the country park. A perfect digiscoping opportunity and some nice images from the party of five birds. The group included adult female, eclipsed male and juveniles but the species is hard to age with certainty.

Mandarin (Aix galericulata)
 
 
 

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Tayside Dragons

Visiting family in Tayside provided an opportunity to see some insects we don't get in the Peterboroughb area. Among them were these:

Black Darter (Sympetrum danae)



Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea)


Female Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)

Nikon CP995.

Prior's Fen waders

When the habitat is right Prior's Fen excels at drawing in passage waders. On this occasion a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, a Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers were together there.

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferrugnea), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)


Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferrugnea)

Digiscoped with the Nikon CP995, Leica APO77 and 20x eyepiece.

Holly Blue

One of my first shots taken with the Coolpix 995 and the first really fine macro.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)

Nikon CP995

Grey Heron, Ferry Meadows

One of my first shots taken with the Coolpix 995

Nikon CP995

Lunar Hornet Moth

On a visit to Ferry Meadows Mike (World of Nature) Weedon and I came across what at first sight appeared to be a Hornet. Such a beast would naturally attract our attention as we tried to get a closer look it became apparent that this was no ordinary Hornet. In fact is wasn't a Hornet at all but one of the clearwing moths. This is the Lunar Hornet Moth, a large Hornet mimic that lays its eggs in Willows, where the larvae burrow into the wood.

Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis

Video grab.