Sunday, November 24, 2013

Long-tailed Duck

I assume this is a first-winter drake as there is pink coming through on the bill and the whitish new mantle feathers;









Wednesday, November 20, 2013

roosting Marsh Harriers

checked one of our satellite roosts this afternoon; the adult male was in at 14:50 and settled to roost at 14:59 never got up again; a 2cy male roosted at 15:10 and two juv / females came in at 15:20 with one not going down until 15:55; watching a roost from a distance it is easy to overlook birds that drop in early -- 14:59 is 58 minutes before sunset and although it was a bit dull and with odd showers it seemed early for birds to be going down --








Marsh Harrier and Starlings



harriers and reeds




sparring Peregrines

good feeding areas are contested in winter and this adult male was not keen on a juv male trying to help himself to a meal



Sunday, November 17, 2013

Shorelarks

there is so much more to a Shorelark than a black and yellow head -- quite a few years since I saw any in winter so the Lincs 9 were well worth a days viewing; about 70 Snow Bunts, 70 Twite and a Lapland Bunting completed the beachside seed eaters -- a truly dull and dismal day but brightened by these crackers --