Monday, November 5, 2012

I’m Late, Start Without Me

This is Sunday’s post, and like all posts occasionally do, it’s running a little later than it should, but hey it’s only bird news with pictures of our feathered friends, not life or death. 

Sunday was a fine old morning, cold with a slight frost, but clear and bright so an opportunity to see what might be occurring out on Rawcliffe Moss while checking the feeders. The Kestrel made me late, watching the stubble fields from a roadside pole then venturing off for a hover, a fly around and then a return to any one of a long line of poles, usually one out of camera range so as to frustrate my photographic efforts. This first year bird was one of three Kestrels seen during the morning, one on the moss and two at Stalmine/Pilling Moss later. 

Kestrel

Kestrel

Kestrel

The feeders were still quite full, not unexpected since most of the autumn Goldfinch have gone south to warmer climes, with a count of just 6 this morning. Better counts of though with 35ish Tree Sparrow and more than 40 Chaffinch, the sparrows congregated around the wildfowler’s pheasant feeders, the Chaffinches distributed more widely. A good number of Reed Buntings too, with 20+ scattered along hedgerows north, south and east. I got a couple of Reed Bunting photos today, along with a Wren, a species which always eludes me as a photographer but not as a bird ringer when they turn up in a mist net at the most undesirable times, usually dawn and dusk. Bird ringers often call Wrens “trogs” from its Latin name Troglodytes troglodytes, but they have other less complementary names for the species too. 

Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

 Chaffinch

 Tree Sparrow

Two Yellowhammers in the area of the shooter’s feeders today, another species which is extremely shy of being photographed at close quarters. It’s a brightly coloured bunting which is well able to melt away in the dappled light of a sunny hedgerow. The best I could achieve today, both cropped and un-cropped to show how an apparently obvious yellow Yellowhammer can be overlooked. 

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Other birds out on the moss: 6 Snipe, 25 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush, 8 Redwing, 2 Buzzard, 2 Jay, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker. On the way home via Pilling and Stalmine mosses I saw the aforementioned Kestrels,a Short-eared Owl, and on yet another wet stubble field, 70 Whooper Swans. 

This week Another Bird Blog is linking with Anni who'd rather be birding anytime, and also with Stewart an ex-pat who lives in Australia - Stewart. 

More news this week, so don’t be late for Another Bird Blog.

23 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Great bird news, Phil! The Kestrel are cool and awesome photos. And I love the cute wren and the pretty Yellowhammers. Do your Snipe move on there, I thought they would migrate too? Wonderful post and beautiful bird photos. Have a great day!

Isidro Ortiz said...

Muy buenas capturas Phil.Un abrazo

Stuart Price said...

I had no idea ringers were so anti-wren!

Choy Wai Mun said...

Better late than never, Phil. Love the shot of the Wren.

Unknown said...

Best for me, Phil, was the REEBU. Used to catch 100's twenty/thirty years ago, now just singletons.

Gail Dixon said...

You have the most wonderful variety of birds. The shot of the kestrel in flight is awesome!

grammie g said...

Hey Phil...I posted geese flying over my house, where were you "getting a late start" I needed help counting!
I do love those Pigeon pic's especially the in flight one! ; ) hee-hee!!
Those are some wonderful images of your birdie's,especially that cute little chatter box the Wren, and the overlooked fella is a beauty!!
It has suddenly turned down right chilly,10 degrees colder then normal for this time of year!!
Your USA friend "Grace"...who will vote tomorrow and help put the rest of the country out of it's misery
from all this crap I and many other's have been trying to swallow
without gagging!! : ))

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Yes, in that first picture the yellowhammer looks like a leaf hanging on that tree.

Fabulous number of birds. I don't think I quite understand the problem with the wrens. Do the ringers not like then because there are so many and they don't need any more?

Love all your birds -- and its OK to be late as long as you don't be absent ;>)

Russell Jenkins said...

Superb kestrel pics and love the wren, could pinch its cute little bottom. Why could it be so-so regarded?

Neil said...

Beautiful birds.

Mary Howell Cromer said...

I myself run eternally late it appears any more, for I cannot catch up. I just smiled from top to bottom and back to top again. The Kestrel, the Wren,the Bunting, which I adore...and all others wonderful. My morning is made, now I can go vote~

Vores have said...

Beautiful photo series showing various birds.
Hanne Bente

TexWisGirl said...

wonderful photos. love the reed buntings. so pretty!

Kenneth Cole Schneider said...

Very sharp photos! I especially like those of the bunting and the flight image of the kestrel.

theconstantwalker said...

Wonderful images Phil the Wren is a favourite of mine.

mick said...

Another beautiful series of birds but the in-flight Kestrel is perfect!

Carletta said...

A wonderful series Neil and that first Kestrel shot is an excellent capture!
Wonderful WBW post!

Carletta said...

PHIL - I'm so sorry. My apologies. Thanks for visiting me anyway. :)

Findlay Wilde said...

Great photos. I really like the first kestrel picture and the Reed Bunting pictures. From Findlay

Wally Jones said...

Terrific report and images! As a frustrated "Kestrel chaser", I appreciate your photos! - Wally

Dave said...

Wish I got to see Yellowhammers more often... lovely post

Modesto Viegas said...

Great post!!!

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Oh My, Oh My, had to re-visit, and so glad that I did after seeing you posted to Wildbird Wednesday. Your new banner/header image...what a gorgeous bird, a gorgeous image, really, wonderful~

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