Another year and another blog 2024

 Hard to believe we have been doing the blog since 2009 - we started with enthusiasm, which over the years has tailed away. Each year we have started off with good intent but something always diverts our attention away. Lets hope that this year is the start of something a bit more interesting..........................

Well here we go again - we keep promising to keep our blog up to date, but fail miserably. 2024 has got off to a quiet start and the miserable windy, wet and grey weather has not encouraged us to get out birding very often. Some of our photographic sightings are shown below, but nothing particularly startling. A visit to Scotland was an excellent break away from the mundane day to day routine.  

GS Woodpecker

Little Owl

Fieldfare in our garden

                                                         Long-tailed Duck at Berg Head

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Crested Tit

                                                                          Crossbill

Crossbill

Crossbill

                                                                Snow Bunting at Nairn

Snow Bunting at Nairn

                                                            Black Grouse on Cairngorm

2023 so far (January through until mid-March)

 The months and years pass so quickly, didn't realise I had not posted so far this year. Below is a pictorial sample of some of the birds we have come across this year. Starting from January through to mid-March. Now looking forward to the spring migrants (birds only!!!) arriving on our shores.

Jay

Yellow Hammer

Chiffchaff in February.

Great Egret

Waxwing

Waxwing

Barn Owl

Common Buzzard

Hawfinch

Ruddy Shelduck

Hawfinch

Hawfinch

Hawfinch

Hawfinch

Green Woodpecker

Egyptian Goose

Pink-footed Goose

Pink-footed Goose

Ring-necked Parakeet

Brambling

Brambling

Little Owl

Little Owl

2/10/22 Lesser Yellowlegs at Saltholme

 Visited the Lesser Yellowlegs, which was very distant, also saw Spoonbill, Ruff and Barnacle geese

Record shot of Lesser Yellowlegs

Ruff

28th September Back home and a Nightjar at Saltholme

 Visited the Nightjar that had taken to roosting on a fence at RSPB Saltholme - love these birds.

26th September Red Kite

 Located at least 7 Red Kite gathered together impressive site and, in a location out of Nethy Bridge, we had not seen them before - noticed that one adult bird was equipped with a transmitter.

Spot the transmitter