Macro Jungle

With the big lens broken and nothing much in the way of birds to photograph anyway,  i borrowed a Macro from a good friend and tried my hand at the smaller beasties in my garden. I was fairly pleased with the results! And thanks to Monty for his invaluable advice!

Night Shift.....

Spent dusk at Eagles Nest the other night. The sunset was stunning but obviously delayed the darkness meaning i had to stay out a bit longer than anticipated. Anyway, i was rewarded with a single churring Nightjar and a Grasshopper Warbler, which were both year ticks.

Viz Miggin' again

In charge of the rugrats yesterday and tempratures outside soaring i decided best place for all was the back garden. So sun lotion on, lounger out, bins and a beer at hand, eyes skywards in the hope of a passing Red or Black Kite.
No such luck today but Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard all got the resident Swallows and corvids excited. A few Swifts passed northwards and Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat were singing in the scrub behind the garden. The only other bird of note was a flyover Bullfinch.
The Great Tits have fledged, so all quiet in the box! Roll on Sunday.

Finally caught up with a rarity!

After night shifts is getting to be the only time i get to go birding these days! I could have got out this morning but Im now waiting in for the Tesco's delivery! Anyway, the Squacco Heron on Sunday morning was a stunner. Ive not seen one in Britain since the one at Thorpe Marsh, Doncaster in 1994? I think it was then? Might have been 1993? Anyway, the Par bird was even more obliging than the ones I've seen abroad. Also year ticked Mistle Thrush and Siskin whilst there. Lovely setting too. Met one or two birders who I have conversed with via Cornwall Birding but never seen face to face, Angie and Trevor and Nigel, nice to meet you!

Week on Scilly

Firstly, allow me to apologise for the quality of the following photos! I knocked my 500mm lens the day before i went to the Scillies for a week and the auto focus has packed up completly! So these are pretty much the best i could muster. We had a great week and the weather was very kind. Three Scilly ticks in the form of Wood Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and a fly over Red Kite. The latter was the one that got away as by the time i'd dashed into the room for my camera, it had gone. Bugger. I managed ten year ticks out of the 80+ species i saw during the week (better than last October!) I can definately recommend a week on the islands in Spring.

Porth Hellick Pool from Carn Friars. Lovely sunny morning after finding Red Kite!

Whimbrel at Deep Point

Linnets everywhere. This one was at Carn Friars

Gadwall on Porth Hellick Pool

Wood Warbler at St Warnas Cove, St Agnes

Basking Shark off St Agnes

Guillimot and Razorbill heads!

Puffin on the only rainy day of the week. Off Western Rocks, wet through on a boat!

Cracking adult female Woodchat Shrike. This bird was seen killing a Swallow!