Slimbridge

21st January.Having relations at Dursley in Gloucestershire is handy for me to go to nearby Slimbridge WWT for a day while Joyce and her sister go shopping somewhere. So on a cloudy with some sunny spells Thursday I headed off for the reserve, largely ignoring the collections of wildfowl and heading out for the hides to look to see what wild birds were around. Good numbers of Bewick's Swans were in and I got some nice shots of some standing on the ice with reflections. Also a pair of Scaup and a few White Fronted Geese (with five of the Greenland race alongside them). On the South Lake a free flying Ruddy Shelduck was present. apparently not from the collection but these are always considered an escapee.I always enjoy a day here and if I get a few decent shots than that's a bonus.

Adult and two young Bewick's Swans on the ice

Bewick's Swan preening

Bewick's Swan

Bewick's Swan

Bewick's in flight

Female Pintail

Sparring Moorhens

Ruddy Shelduck

Ruddy Shelduck

White Fronted Geese( and I think the two back Geese may be of the Greenland race?)

The classic Goldfinch on Teasel shot

Long Tailed Tit

Willow Tit

16th January
Found  what may hopefully will be a reliable site for Willow Tit at Roadford Lake, and a delightful little bird, calling and showing well at times As its so close to home will visit regularly and add more photos.

Willow Tit

Penzance & Marazion

13th January
Arrived in Marazion early morning in the hope of finding the Hudsonian Whimbrel which has been around the local area in recent weeks and then to look for the returning Pacific Diver, both these birds would be lifers for me although I did think I found a possible Hudsonian Whimbrel a few years ago down near Treen, and I try to locate the Diver every winter but with no luck as yet ,and no different this year no sign of either bird, just got soaked through when caught in a very heavy rain/hail downpour with only a rock to shelter behind and more concerned about keeping my camera and lens dry than myself. However I did have a good day out and got a few photos as well.

Oystercatcher at Marazion

Ringed Plover and Purple Sandpiper at Penzance

Purple Sandpiper-Penzance

Purple Sandpiper bathing at Penzance

Great Northern Diver in Newlyn Harbour

St Michaels Mount from Sandy Cove

American Wigeon

12th January
I spent the best part of the day around the Topsham area of the Exe Estuary in Devon to look for the American Wigeon which has been mixing with its European cousins. On entering the hide at Bowling Green Marsh there were a couple of birders already onto it as it was showing very well close in. I took a few shots and then went outside where I knew there was a gap in the hedge where I found the bird showing even closer allowing for some better photos. I also found a Brambling at nearby Darts farm.

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

American Wigeon

Out for a Duck

I spent the morning of 6th January watching a female Smew at Siblyback resevior in East Cornwall, it remained a little bit distant for any decent photographs, but I took quite a few record shots anyway as it dived and caught small fish. Always nice to catch up with one of these scarce ducks, ( a male would be nice). In the afternoon I drove over to Dozmary pool for the Lesser Scaup which has returned for another winter, as expected it was on the far side of the lake, but I did manage to get a little closer by approaching from the far bank, where I had better views and got a few shots as the light started to go and the rain started to come in.

Female Smew

Female Smew

Lesser Scaup with Tufted Ducks

Ring Necked Duck

Just spent a week in Perthshire on the shores of Loch Rannoch, more of a family break than a wildlife photography trip really, beautiful scenery but the weather was wet most days. Wildlife was hard to find, did my best to find a Capercaillie but failed and even the local

View from Allean Forest

River Tay

Lots of Fungi around

Male Ring Necked Duck at Pitlochry

Ring Necked Duck

Ring Necked Duck

 Red Squirrels hid away every time I got my camera out .But an enjoyable week in good company.
We were not far from Pitlochry, where I saw on birdguides that a Ring Necked Duck was present, so took the chance to see it (even though it was raining and getting dark when I photographed it)

Pied Wheatear_the trials of trying to I.D a rare bird

We had friends down to stay last weekend for the Joyce's birthday, and they wanted to go down to West Cornwall to see where Poldark had been set, well I don't need any excuse to to visit that area, especially in mid October, peak rare bird season, and I thought I may be able to include one of the valleys into our itinery,and I took my 500mm lens along 'just in case' .We didn't arrive at St Just until mid morning ,so bought some pastys and headed to Botallack to see the mining area .After  a while   we settled down at Wheal Owles,where I took a few photos of a Kestrel ,so I had my camera ready, when I noticed a small flock of Meadow Pipits and with them a Wheatear, I knew straight  away this may not be the usual Northern Wheatear as the throat was blackish and the upperside was very dark,it came very close and I got a few nice shots before it carried on along the stone walls where I lost sight of it, and could,nt see where it went.I tried to relocate it but couldn't find it again, there were no other birders around .Anyway the bird was playing on my mind for the rest of the day ,but I couldn't get to download the photos until the next day, when on looking through all the fiedguides etc I came to the conclusion it was either Desert ,Black Eared or Pied Wheatear, I tried e-mailing a photo to a top birder in Cornwall, but for some reason the message was'st getting through, so the next day I sent a pic to the county recorder who confirmed that the bird was indeed a 1st winter Pied Wheatear, and went over to Botallack to take another look but with no luck. Pied Wheatear is a new bird for me, having seen

First winter male Pied Wheatear at Botallack

Pied Wheatear

Pied Wheatear

Pied Wheatear - a bit blurry but shows it head on

Black Eared at Nanquidno a few years back and a Desert at Looe a long time ago.I apologise for not getting the photos downloaded and the i.d confirmed sooner to any Cornish birders out there.