Craigs UK Bird Photos

31st July

Now a message came through on the phone Possible Steppe Grey Shrike Alston , WHAT!!!!!no way, i had seen a Great Grey Shrike in the same spot in April, it must be the same bird, so i wasn't too worried. I thought i would go and sort it out, or at least get some pics and getting others opinions. So after work i drove the 45min to Alston golf coarse, when i arrive Bill was already on the bird sitting on pylons fairly distantly (the bird not Bill) . I took a series of shots, and felt it was too dark for Steppe, although the bird was in heavy moult, very tatty and nothing like it had been in April. I had little experince of Steppe Shrike except last years long staying lincs bird, which this looked nothing like!.  Once i got home i circulated the pics and did some research and all came to the conclusion that it was a Summering GG Shrike, I did feel the primary projection was quite long and longer than i would imagine for a nominate GG Shrike, could it be of another race?(beyond me). Nice bird and a good id challenge, you can see why it was called a possible Steppe shrike. Certainly a learning curve.  This is possibly the first August GG Shike in the UK for many years.

29th July

Siddick ponds, 3 Reed warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Gropper, 4 Raven.

Workington, 5 Sandwich tern on beach, 1 Kittiwake on beach, 15 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Seal and 2 Rock pipit.
From Maryport nice views of 2 Kingfisher as they flew through the harbour.

I tried Soddy gap and the geese had returned, 142 Greylag Goose, 12 Canada Goose, 60 Mallard, 11 Tuftie, 4 Kestrel, 4 Tree Sparrow, 2 Redpoll and 2 Cormorant. So not a great day but a good number seen.

26th July

Did a seawatch from Workington in a Southerly wind, so very poor, Few gannets, No Kittiwakes, 1st Summer Med gull on Beach, 42 Mute Swan and 2 Rock Pipit.

18th July

Had a weekend in Ravenstonedale. Nice views of Tawny Owl outside my bedroom keeping me awake all night, this bird was begging for food and making a strange noise.  The fat lamb nature reserve gave us good views of a male Redstart.

17th July

Had an hour sea watch in North Westerly's, typically very little, just 23 Manxie North and 3 South. Few Gannets and Kittiwakes but very little else.

12th July

Couple of hour sea watch was fairly productive from Workington

3 Med Gull 2 Adult summer 1 1st Summer. Lingering in outer harbour First 30  min up to high tide produced 90 manxies, 2nd 30 min just 29 manxie and 3rd 45min just 19 manxie 1 Adult sum plum Shag flew into inner harbour and out again. 1 Summer Black Guillemot still in outer harbour 2 Guillemot, 12 Dunlin flew past in 2 small groups, 1 Sandwich tern, 1 Drake Common Scoter, Plenty of kittiwakes, Gannets, 1 Grey seal.

12th July

Had a trip along the Solway, which was still pretty poor, at Anthorn, Not a great deal but     4 Dunlin and 1 Golden Plover. At North Plain 52 Golden Plover flew past then onto Port Carlisle numbers building with 250+ Dunlin 1 Winter plum bird and 42 more Golden Plover

11th July

Tristan took me looking at some of the scarcer Dragonflies and Damselflies in Cumbria, with great success, it was a red hot day. First stop was somewhere near Brampton for White-faced Darter and Large Heath Butterfly, lovely. Both a first for me.

Other species here were Common Hawker, Blue-tailed, Common Blue and Large Red Damselfly. 

Next site was to Wigton for incredible views of Banded Demoiselle, although i struggled to digiscope these. There must have been 20-30 insects flying around.

Next stop was Borrowdale for my third new species of the day Keeled Skimmer.

Also here we had brilliant views of Golden Ringed Dragonfly, one of my favorites, This is one species i see regularly in the summer on the hills where i work.

We also saw Small Pearl Borded Fratilliary here and a few Orchids such as Heath Fragrant Orchid and Heath Spotted Orchid.

Then to a Bog Orchid site where we found 8 spikes, most that have been seen in this site for a few years now.

A nice finish to an excellent day.

8th July

Soddy hosted 25+ Swift, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Long-tailed tit, 1 Kestrel, 2 Little Grebe, 5 Lapwing  and 1 Grey Heron. 3 more Emerald Damselfly.

1st-5th July

Well Northern England Sucks!, Cumbria Sucks even more. Birds What F*cking Birds, non here mate, but if you travel 400 miles South or North you ll find the birds! Thanks a lot!!.

The Weathers been far too hot for birding anyway. But this weekend i decided to get out for the first time in weeks, Soddy was shit! Workington Shit! every wheres shit. So OK i Got Black Guillemot on a sea watch from Workington and a few Manxies.

Soddy hosted a load of Warblers, Chiff Chaff, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Redpoll, Gropper etc. 2 Little Grebe, Mute swan with young but that was it.

So did a few plants with Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids, Yarrow and Common Broomrape. 

Dragonfly's at Soddy were good with Rare for Cumbria 3 Broad-bodied Chasers, 2 males and a imm/fem, and my first ever Emerald Damselflys.

Quite a few butterflies knocking around but nothing special, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath, Painted Lady's and Red Admiral were the pick of the bunch. Loads of 6 Spot Burnet moths were about.

Lets hope for a decent bird soon, im starting to go Mad!!!!