Friday, February 2, 2018

Updated.

Sorry I’m late. Windows decided to bring me up-to-date me with the latest enhancements that I can’t live without.

Mr Gates, you need to know, my Sue has been trying to modernise me for years and failed miserably.  Yet it appears that Windows 10 does automatic updates whether the user wants them or not and by clicking constantly pressing “no”, all I did was delay the inevitable.  Like a fool and worn down by the constant messages on the screen I clicked “go”. Three hours later here we are trying to update the blog. 

February and every birder I know has been looking for signs of spring in the extra daylight hours despite the constant Arctic winds headed our way. There’s been a few pointers at home with Blue Tit and Great Tit popping into nest boxes, Blackbirds hanging around the ivy covered hawthorns, and the annual Nuthatch visit following a burst or two of song. I’m still hoping that one of these years the Nuthatches might go further than simply practice their nesting skills in that mostly neglected box. 

Nuthatch

I’ve watched a Treecreeper search the apple tree on a couple of occasions and noticed an increase in Goldfinches after a distinct lack during December and January, but I think those latter two are more related to food. 

This morning I set off in the usual direction and soon hit upon a Barn Owl in the half-light. As I watched the owl a handful of calling Fieldfares rattled over having just left their overnight roost. 

There was nothing doing until I got to Gulf Lane where I waited a while for Linnets to arrive for the seed I dropped. Just 100 or so today their numbers and persistence tested to the full in recent weeks by the constant battering of rain and wind. There was a Snipe, the inevitable Little Egret, a Kestrel from the nearby farm buildings, and just over the fence a gang of Lapwings with muddy bills. 

Lapwing

Around Moss Edge I found the male Stonechat that’s hung around for weeks along a line of fence bordering a few straggly reeds. There were Fieldfares here, about 80 or 90 but looking into the light and very flighty. Brown Hares were about this morning. I saw a couple on a circuit of Jeremy Lane tucked in close to the ground, motionless and with their ears pressed flat along their backs, trying for all the world to look like a large clod of earth. 

Brown Hare

“Bits and pieces” between Jeremy Lane, Moss Lane, Slack Lane and Cockersands included 150+Starling, 90 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 20+ Meadow Pipit, 1 Merlin, 8+ Skylark, 7 Greenfinch, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Pied Wagtail and 1 Stonechat (female). The Stonechat appears to have parted company with the male Stonechat that was along the same stretch of foreshore for several weeks. The two of them could always be found with a few yards of each other until now, but now just the one. 

Stonechat

Starling

 At Glasson I noted just 11 Goldeneye and 1 Goosander although of note, a single drake Pochard was still in residence. 

Conder Green was relatively quiet but still approximately 200 Teal, 22 Redshank, 18 Lapwing, 10 Curlew, 5 Snipe and 1 Greenshank. Of note here was a pair of Oystercatchers on territory close to last year’s nesting site that failed at the busy roadside. 

Curlew

Don’t forget. Stay tuned to Another Bird Blog to see the new updates.

Linking today with World Bird WednesdayAnni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday Blog.



21 comments:

Daniela said...

I so love your shots, dear Phil, they truly speak to my heart, thank you for sharing them with us!

Wishing you a beautiful end of your week

XOXO Daniela

David M. Gascoigne, said...

We never did load Windows 10 and I am not sorry we didn't. It seems to have been quite problematic. As for Sue failing miserably, I find it hard to believe that she could fail miserably at anything. But then again, who is she married to? That's right, Phil Slade. Perhaps therein lies the answer. Maybe she just needs to install automatic updates, taking her guidance from Mr. Gates. All in all, however, I suspect that she is well satisfied with the original version and your respective programmes will be in sync forever.

Stuart Price said...

One Windows 10 update totally bricked my PC and I had to do a full reset and install from scratch...............

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

the birds are now in their best bib and tucker and you have photographed them well Phil Have a super weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, Phil! I have not been happy with Windows 10! I wish we were seeing signs of an early spring here. But, no luck! I love the cute hare, adorable photo. The Nuthatch is cute and the Lapwing is my favorite bird. Beautiful colors on the Starling. Great photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your day and weekend!

Lea said...

Nuthatches are such fun little birds to see. The Hare seems to be doing a good job of hiding out in the open!
Have a great week-end!

Jo said...

Hi Phil, Windows 10 and I aren't the best of friends at all! But... we have to have it to continue with what we love to do. Your bird images are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Jo

Breathtaking said...

Hello Phil,:)Lovely images of all the birds, and I enjoyed seeing the hare. So sorry you have a bad experience with windows 10. We updated to windows 10 months ago, and so far everything is fine. I hope nothing unfortunate has happened to he male Stonechat. I love these little birds, and see a lot of them in the Algarve.

Jenn Jilks said...

I'm a Mac woman, so I don't know your pain!!!

Your photos, as ever, are amazing!
(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

It's crazy the way Windows 10 takes over! But you've shared beautiful bird photos and I like that hare too! We saw an Egret with breeding plumage today....ready for Spring! Enjoy your weekend!

A Colorful World said...

Wonderful birds, Phil and a sweet brown hare. Yes, those Windows Programs make you do what they want eventually!

Hootin Anni said...

Oh...that dapper lapwing! How I wish to see one. The tree creeper is a new one for me (as far as I know, Texas has only the brown creeper). And yes...windows updates are a total pain!! lol I too put it off longer than I should!

Again, thanks so very much for sharing all of the feathered nature with us birders at I'd Rather B Birdin' this weekend.

Linda said...

Lovely bird photos. I gave up Windows years ago couldn’t stand all the unnecessary updates all the time.

Jean said...

Windows 10 seems to be constantly updating on my husband's laptop. I put some hack on my computer to be stuck with Windows 7 (sure I'll regret it at some point but so far I'm happy being stuck in the past with 7). Such amazing bird photos and how exciting to have seen a barn owl. The Lapwing is beautiful. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Adorable little nuthatch and I love all of the birds. I can't even complain about Windows around here, because Bill went Mac a few years ago and he thinks it is so much better ... I can't bear to change (I've tried his and it is worse than getting used to Windows upgrades.).

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

They are all wonderful but I love the little Lapwing.

NCSue said...

Your nuthatch and ours look different as well - yours has a rusty colored breast, but not ours. So interesting to see your photos, which are consistently outstanding.
Thanks for linking up at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2018/02/some-african-ceremonial-masks.html

Fun60 said...

My favourite is the lapwing. Love to see them in the fields. Great photos as always.

mick said...

All beautiful birds but I especially like the little stonechat which appears to be watching you over its shoulder.

Lady Fi said...

What lovely bird shots!

Betty J. Crow said...

All of your birds are wonderful, but the lapwing really catches my eye.

Related Posts with Thumbnails