Stonechats on the Cornish coast. January 2021

It's always good to watch Stonechats on the coast but especially so when there's great light.

I got lucky and the late afternoon winter sun was just perfect for lighting these little birds as they took up their vantage points on the brambles and gorse.

One of the bird species that has decided to stay on in Cornwall to face the winter weather. Often a casualty of hard weather hopefully they can survive. 

 

A couple of hours on the Amble marshes this morning. 14th Jan 2017.

Drake and duck Goosanders

I spent some time in the new hide at the Amble marshes this morning with Iain & Dave.

The first time I'd seen Goosanders in our reserves of Walmsley & Middle Amble, 1 male and 2 females.

Also had a distant pic of one of two Snipe that were hiding in the corner of a channel.

A pair of Stonechat were also busy feeding on some of the many gnats and midges in the air despite the freezing temperature today.

Thousands of Golden Plover and Lapwing on and over the marshes this morning.

Snipe

Female Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Stonechats on the Cornish coast.

Male Stonechat

Privileged to be able to photograph a pair of stonechats that were feeding young at a nest on the North Cornwall coast near Padstow.

I was a bit annoyed by the fact they kept using the wire fence as their preferred perch but the nest was at the bottom of the fence so I guess it was a natural choice for them!

Female Stonechat with earthworm

Birding at Par ponds.

Drake Shoveler

Bright sunshine greeted us at Par this morning for the first Cornwall Wildlife Trust Photographic Group field trip of the new year.

Several members turned up and there were a few of the commoner birds about to photograph.

Here are some examples which look that much better when the sun shines!

Drake Shoveler

 

 

 

 

A Mute Swan in regal pose

Male Stonechat

Rock Pipit

Moorhen

Birds at Par pools today

Spent a few hours in the charmng company of Jeremy and Delia this morning at Par beach pool, then the dunes beyond and finally at St.Andrews pool.

The Little Gull was difficult to latch onto and my pics wer no better than my previous visit for this bird.
There were a few stonechats in the dune areas along with a meadow pipit.

Moving on to the St.Andrews pool brought  a failing light level along with a couple of bathing Mute Swans.

Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Mute swan bathing

Mute swan bathing