Craigs UK Bird Photos

29th-30th

Nice weekend at home, Soddy's highlight were 14 Twite on both Saturday and Sunday. The Usual Wildfowl were on the pond a Flock of 35 Pinks flew over with 1 on the pond with the hundreds of greylags.

Bullfinch's were in evidence as were plenty of Tree Sparrows, Yellow Hammers and Long-tailed Tits. 

2 Barn Owls and 2 Tawny owls were nice and a Tree Creeper was a rare bird for Soddy. Lastly at Soddy it was nice to see 3 Roe deer.

Had a very Quick trip to Keswick and thought i would have a quick look in Bell Close Car park, i was VERY surprised to see 28 Waxwings feeding on the bush's. This is a really popular site for Waxwings this year. It was getting dark so i only managed this 1 record shot.

28th

RIP Cyril The Steppe Grey Shrike taken from us by a predator in the night!!!!!

24th

Back to work on the Monday and back to checking the car parks in Keswick. Id been checking them all week. Waxwings were the target, now ive been having a rough time with Waxwings as of late missing them EVERY where i go. But on this day i arrived at Bell Close Car Park and BRILLIANT 15 Waxwings feeding on yellow berries, what wounderful looking birds, these stopped about all day and 7 still the following day but then there was 1 at Soddy gap NOOOOOOO! and not seen by me damn damn damn!. 

23rd

Tristan rang to say he and Chris were off to Potteric Carr in Yorkshire for a Caspian gull, did i want to go, naaa its only a Caspian ive seen loads!!!. Oh were going for the Shrike too. NOW thats diffrent coarse im coming. So i got to chris befor 7am and were at Tristans just after, we were now on our way, by 11 am we were at the Steppe/Southern Grey Shrike in Lincolnshire. I was nervous all the way down due to NO news even though someone had put an RFI out. Luckily it was still here showing really well including sitting on peoples head and scope, some unruley people had there cameras in its face, no word of a lie withing 2 cm of the bird!!!!! Felt like saying the get F*ck out of its face. Digi scoping i had to stand well back. Wounderful bird, i didnt actually think i would get the chance to see it, thanks to Chris for driving all that way. More pics in my Gallery

A big flock of Dark Bellied Brents were a bonus.

After our fill of this outstandingly showy bird we made our way to Covenham Reservoir where a Grey Phalarope had been reported, after a 15 min walk we had the bird showing well in the heavy swell.

We were running late by this time so it was back up north towards Potteric Carr where a Caspian gull had been reported for the past few days. Another long walk 20 min got us in the hide just befor dark, there were a couple of hundred Lesser Black-backed gull and only a dozen herring gulls so it wasnt long befor we found the 3rd winter Caspian gull and 2 nice Yellow legged Gulls, an adult and a 3rd winter, it was soon pitch black so we made our way in the dark back to the car and home.. A great day and every bird ticked!!!! 

22nd 

First time back at Soddy since the 1st, so what am i going to see today, well i got me wellies on and hunted through the wet area, when i flushed a Short-eared Owl, Brilliant!!!!. A few Snipe flew out too but little else. Feeding on the berries were 5 Male Bullfinch, there was not to much on the pond, a couple of Cormorant, Goldeneye, Pochard and usual wildfowl.

 8th and 9th

So i disowned Tristan for the weekend and took the wife to Scarbrough. (romantic break not!). On the Way dropped into Garfitts Farm near Bilsdale in North Yorkshire for a Two Barred Crossbill, this was a lifer for me. On arriving at Garfitts Farm slipping and sliding, a couple of birders said it aint been seen since 8-10 it was now 11am s*it. But as i joined the group of birders iT turned up on the feeder only feet away, but typically on the wrong side of the feeders, although i did feel very privaliged to see this bird so quickly.

When we got to Scarbrough we decided to take a look in the harbour where a Great Northern Diver was showing well, also a Merlin was dodging in between the boats.

Next stop was North of Scarbrough Castle for the reported Pallas Warbler and Yellow Browed Warbler but befor i could look i heard news of a Pied Wheatear this would be my Second Lifer. So of we went to Reighton Sands Caravan park and again this bird was so easy showing well by the caravans, although at this point it was nearly dark, it seemed like it would roost underneath one of the Static vans.

So the next day we decied to go back for another look, this time the light was much better, although too strong now (winge winge winge). Again it showed very well but was chased around a lot, also over were 5 or 6 Common Crosbill. We had  alook in the ravine but nowt!.

Another look at the diver in the harbour where i noticed a Long-tailed Duck too.

This time i managed to walk around the north side of the castle and eventually managed to see a Yellow-browed Warbler, a very Dark Chiff-Chaff but no Pallas Warbler.

It started to rain about half two so we made our way home. A great Weekend had!

2nd

Tristan and i went looking for Rarities in the North east, It was s*it!!!

First bird of the day was a Nordic Type Jackdaw in a village near Tynemouth????

Tynemouth and the leas hosted a Richards Pipit, giving lots of brief flight views, and in Hartlepool its self was a Firecreast and we missed Black Redstart! Good god Birdings difficult!!!!

1st

Well the dark nights have drawn in and im unable to do soddy as regular as i would like. So i gave Soddy gap a good grilling.
1 Water Rail calling, 80+ Fieldfare, Redwing, 6 Bullfinch over calling, Tree Sparrow's were in the usual garden, 1 female Goosander, 23 Wigeon most seen here this winter, loads of greylags with the feral Snow goose, 28 Pinkfeet dropped in with them and a Male Sparrowhawk gave brilliant views sat in the tree.

Next i tried a sea watch off Workington the highlights if you can call em that was 1 Adult Med Gull, 7 Common Scoter, lots of auks mainly Guillemots, 8 Red-throated Divers and 11 Purple sandpiper on the rocks.

In the afternoon rach and i had a quick trip to Bassenthwaite lake, I gave it a good grilling but only thing of note were 5 Pintail. I was hoping the Female Ring-necked duck i found last year had returned but there were very few Tufties to bring it in. I then noticed it was found the next day (Sunday) on Bassenthwaite bloody Typical!