Red-crested Pochards, Ferry Meadows

On Overton Lake.

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
Male


Female


Canon EOS 500D EF 70-300mm IS USM

Castor Hanglands Tits and Nuthatch

A good selection of birds, mainly tits visiting the feeder at Castor Hanglands this morning and excellent views of a drumming male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Nuthatch Sitta europaea


Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus


Marsh Tit Poecile palustris


Coal Tit Periparus ater


Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus


Great Tit Parus major


Canon EOS 500D EF 70-300mm IS USM

Nordic Jackdaw

Working from home today and saw two of these striking Jackdaws briefly under the feeders. Jackdaws never seem to stick around for long, especially when trying to photograph them, so the pic is a bit ropey but you can see the silvery collar distinctive of the Scandinavian/East European race. Compare with the one in front.

Nordic Jackdaw Corvus monedula monedula

Canon EOS 500D EF 70-300mm IS USM

Stoatally fantastic

OK so this pic is not of the Stoat, which didn't stick around quite long enough for a photo. But a Stoat in ermine is a fine thing to behold and this was my first since I was a nipper and the undoubted highlight of the year so far. It showed really well at the SW end of Orton BP and was white except for some yellowing of the fur to the rear and a black 'mask of Zorro' and of course tail tip.

The Roe Deer was one of five that appeared nearby. At least two were males with full antlers. They were a bit distant but a record shot was just possible.

Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus, male

Canon EOS 500D EF 70-300mm IS USM

Ferry Meadows this morning

At last the sun comes out. Took the opportuntity to exercise the new camera on the way to work through Ferry Meadows this morning.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea hunting





Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
One of two males sparring every morning in front of the first hide on the reserve.


Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
A ringed adult saluting near the visitor centre




Canon EOS 500D EF 70-300mm IS USM

Barcelona Wildlife

A great weekend in Barcelona. In addition to those photographed there were also Serins, Firecrests, Ring-necked Parakeets and plenty of Hummingbird Hawk-moths.

Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus



Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus





Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros


Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis


Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis



Carpenter Bee Xylocopa sp.


Canon EOS 500D, 18-55 or 70-300mm

Stoat

On Oak Meadow at Ferry Meadows this morning. Don and I were able to watch this for some time before it spotted us and legged it.

Stoat Mustela erminea

Canon EOS 500D, 70-300mm IS USM

Lesser Redpolls

One of eight feeding in birch trees in the garden today.

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret

Canon EOS 500D, 70-300mm IS USM

Elton

Some more fun with the new 500D and 70-300mm. These all taken in and around Elton.

Alder catkin Alnus


Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto


Woodpigeon Columba palumbus


Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus


Tree Sparrow Passer montanus


Elton Church


Canon EOS 500D, 70-300mm IS USM

First day with the 500D

New toy arrived yesterday so, with the wind finally died down and the sun out, I was keen to get to Ferry Meadows for a go. The first shot was taken at home before the sun came up and is of the heron that has taken to perching on the roofs here.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea


Mute Swan Cygnus olor




Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus


Canon EOS 500D 70-300mm IS USM

Garden Moorhen

Canon Powershot SX30IS

January Moths

Some mild conditions encouraged me to try a bit of winter mothing and three species resulted. Second Mottled Umber for the garden and first January records for Winter Moth and March Moth (previous earliest 11th Feb.).

Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria


March Moth Alsophila aescularia


Winter Moth Operophtera brumata


Canon Powershot A640

Nordic Jackdaw, Ferry Meadows

Feeding at lunchtime today near the visitor centre.

Jackdaw, Corvus monedula monedula

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77x20

The worst Waxwing photo?

Cycled up to Werrington to see the flock of Waxwings here today and counted about 120. Photography was hampered by the fact that the birds were staying in the tops of the trees and I had left my camera on settings more suited to midday in the sahara than midwinter in Peterborough. Hence this rather ropey attempt.

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77x20

Climbing Bank Vole

The cold weather has made the Bank Voles in the garden much bolder. One has taken to climbing an ivy-covered fence to get at some fat balls in a feeder hanging nearby. At least three others feed below it.



Videoscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77x20

The Biking Birder

Well it was excellent to be able to meet up with Gary yesterday and offer him somewhere to stay. Gary's epic journey around the UK visiting every RSPB and WWT reserve, not to mention a fair few ECO Schools, continues through Cambridgeshire and I was able to join him for the ride to the Nene Washes this morning.

There were not that many birds on show and nothing to add to Gary's 242 species total (chasing the record of 251) but it was a fabulous morning; icy cold and still with a cracking sunrise.

Keep going Gary and good luck:
http://www.bikingbirder.co.uk/
http://bikingbirder2010.blogspot.com/

Office Short-eared Owl

Waxwing in the morning, Short-eared Owl in the afternoon. Crikey!

Sitting at my desk I picked up a distant group of four high-flying birds heading towards me high in the one small patch of sky I can see from here. When I put my bins on them I was astonished to see one was an owl. I scrabbled to get a scope but by that time it was getting closer and too high so I stayed on it with bins and watched as it passed directly over the office heading WNW shadowed by three Carrion Crows. It stayed fairly high but was clearly a Short-eared Owl, the pale belly and solid black primary tips being obvious with bins.

61st species seen from this office window following the 60th this morning. What next?!

Office Waxwing

Spent this morning searching the Nene Valley from Castor Meadows eastwards following yesterday's sighting of a Great Grey Shrike at Ferry Meadows. There were a lot of birds around, especially winter thrushes moving west. The highlights were two large gangs of passerines mobbing birds: the first was near Lynch Bridge, which led to very close views of a roosting Tawny Owl in a yew and the second was a Sparrowhawk at the north end of Coney Meadow. Plenty of Siskins were around the NVR Yacht Club crossing and there were a lot of Goldcrests around generally.

Of course there was no sign of the shrike but on arriving at work I looked out of the window to see this beauty sat on the treetop behind the houses opposite. No doubt attracted by the rowans on Park Road this was a very welcome office tick.

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 x20