A day on the moor

 Decided to have a day out on Bodmin moor, mainly to look for and hopefully get some photos of Cuckoo. I knew where to find them but getting close enough was never going to happen. At least five males flying around the area calling and one female heard bubbling but always too far away. There was also a pair of Green Woodpeckers in the place I have always seem them but I just cant find where they have made their nest, I'll find it one day. A nice surprise though was at first hearing a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and managing to creep up and see it at close quarters. The other usual moorland species were in good numbers including Wheatear, Redstart, Stonechats and Linnets. I also happened on a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young in a nest beside a small stream and sat watching them for some time. 

Robin bathing

 I reckon the garden birds will be glad of the rain that is forecast, it will have been hard finding food for their young in the hard ground. Here's a Robin enjoying a dip in my pool which I have made sure  has been kept topped up during the recent dry spell.

Little Ringed Plover

 Thought I'd take a quick look out around Crowdy reservoir to have a look for the reported White Fronted Goose , but no luck with that, so took the compulsory drive around Davidstow airfield thinking  I may find some Whimbrel, but no birds at all except for this nice surprise ,a lone Little Ringed Plover feeding around the small pool.

Grey Mining Bees

 Small mounds of earth on the lawn alerted me to a colony of Grey ( also called  Ashy) Mining Bees ,  Andrena cineraria. The small mounds have holes in the top which are the entrance to the females nesting cavity. I lay on my stomach for a while trying to get a few photos.

Female Brambling

 This female Brambling has been a recent visitor to our feeders, staying around for four days alongside the resident Chaffinches, Yellowhammers etc. Only the second I've seen here. Lovely subtle colours.

Reed Bunting

 It was good to find this female Reed Bunting joining the Yellowhammers at my feeding station. Don't see them here too often.

January .Birds at home.

I have been staying close to home in this latest lockdown ( unlike most of the building trade it would seem, but my decision) and so have spent more time with the birds in our garden and small piece of land. I was hoping for a bit more wintry weather but had to make do with a couple of days of hard frost. I still enjoy being close to even our commonest species and try to improve on past photos or at least in different settings and poses. Dunnock, Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Yellowhammer, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Robin.