Olive Backed Pipit

2022 ended very much as it started with a 'lifer' Pipit. In January it was the American Buff Bellied Pipit at Prawle and now in December a very showy Olive Backed Pipit in Exmouth. It took me a while to find the park which it had taken a liking to, but once located the PIpit was easily found right beside the road , feeding among the leaf litter under a big Oak tree, with a few admiring folks watching and photograping it.

Slimbridge

At the end of November I took my annual visit to Slimbridge WWT in Gloucestershire, although the forecast was'nt great it actually turned out to be quite a nice day with some lovely afternoon light. As always seems fairly typical of my visits here I just missed out on would have been a lifer after the recently staying Collared Pratincole had flown. Never mind still a good day with great views of the usual species, with Pintail, Teal, Mallard Shelduck,Lapwing,Snipe,Black Tailed Godwit,Avocet, Coot, Common Gull and Woodpigeon all posing nicely.

Fieldfare invasion

Back at the very end of October we had a large number of FIeldfares (200 plus ) visit the Hawthorn trees in our garden, gorging on the berries, small goups were coming and going all day, eating their fill before giving way to others,I'd never seen so many together. Lukily the trees are easily viewed from a bedroom window, and with just a beanbag to rest my camera on, I was able to snap awy to my hearts content.

Waders on the Hayle Estuary

Last month I visited the Hayle estuary( Cornwall) on a lovely sunny day to try to see the two Lesser Yellowlegs that had taken up residence here for a few days. They were pretty easy to find as I met one or two other birder/photographers that I knew and was pointed in the right direction. One was feeding in the mud close to the main road accompanied by a Greenshank and photographing them was relativly straightforward. This was the second time I'd seen Lesser Yellowlegs at this site. Later in the afternoon Bar Tailed Godwits and a Curlew were feeding very close to the road and I spent an hour in the wonderfull light watching and photographing these super birds which were unconcerned by me sitting quietly on the grass just a few feet away.I think they are quite used to people walking past. I do like waders.