Author: martintayler

  • 18th April 2016

    18th April 2016

    Eastville Park

    Late afternoon walk around the park. Nothing much of note other than a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff. No ducklings on the lake – were they hiding on the island or had they met their fate?

     

  • 16th April 2016

    16th April 2016

    Eastville Park

    Too much chatting and not enough photography – but very enjoyable. First ducklings in the park. Lots of Lesser Black-Backed Gulls waiting in anticipation of an easy meal. Sometimes forget how beautiful Mallards are. Blue Tit and a Great Tit on the way home. Goldfinches too.

  • 14th April 2016

    Dyrham Downs, Bristol

    Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jackdaws and a Cormorant flying along the Avon.

  • 12th April 2016

    12th April 2016

    Eastville Park

    Walks and bird watching opportunities have been very limited in recent weeks. Also struggling to get used to a new camera and lens but enjoying the challenge.

    Grey Wagtails are looking quite bright now.

    Took the easy option of photographing a Heron to get used to camera i.e. sitting on park bench and studying the menu options.

    Long-tailed Tits, and Chiffchaffs nest building. No Kingfisher at all today!

  • 3rd April 2016

    Eastville Park

    First walk for a fortnight due to Wendy’s broken leg.

    Not really concentrating but lots of sightings of Kingfisher and a good view of this Willow Warbler (or is it a Chiffchaff?) on the island in the lake; however, only a very poor photo .

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  • 19th March 2016

    Shapwick Heath

    We found Shapwick Heath disappointing compared with Ham Wall: the distances between each hide were quite considerable.

    The highlights were Bitterns booming, a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrow Hawk (no photo though).

  • 18th March 2016

    18th March 2016

    Portland Bill and Weymouth

     

    On a bitterly cold day and, for the most part, in poor light we spent the morning at Portland Bill and the afternoon and early evening at the two RSPB sites in Weymouth. We were treated to well over 50 different species. The highlights on land at Portland Bill were Wheatears and Meadow Pipits (even a ChiffChaff in the net at the Ornithological Centre) and a Short-eared Owl and at sea Guillemots and Razorbills. At Weymouth of special interest were Sand Martins, Spoonbills and a Marsh Harrier.

     

     

  • 17th March 2016

    17th March 2016

    Portesham, Dorset

    On our way to Portland with friends we stopped off at Portesham in Dorset to see if we could see a Pallas’s Warbler that we had been told about. We weren’t disappointed as, with the help of some obliging twitchers, we soon spotted the Pallas’s Warbler and got a reasonable shot.

    Not much else of note – I was too embarrassed to be photographing the Chaffinches, Long-tailed Tits and Great Tits on view in the company of experienced twitchers with huge lenses!.

     

    The last shot was of a very distant shot of a Kingfisher on a fence as we walked behind Chesil Beach towards the Abbotsbury Swannery.

  • 16th March 2016

    16th March 2016

    Snuff Mills

    Several sightings of male and female Kingfisher but only one poor photo. Wonderful display of pair of Dippers preparing a nest and feeding.

  • 15th March 2016

    Eastville Park

    Morning walk; spent ages looking for Firecrest but to no avail. Blue Tits, Great Tits, Wrens, even Sparrow Hawk, but only photos of Robins, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Heron and Grey Wagtail. Having difficulty getting used to new lens on Fuji camera – but good fun anyway.

  • 14th March 2016

    Eastville Park

    Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Wrens, Robins, Heron, Moorhen on its nest, male and female Muscovy Ducks and a female Kingfisher.

     

  • 13th March 2016

    Tyntesfield
    A beautiful Robin