Migrant terns in the Camel estuary. 3rd Sept 2014

Sandwich Tern

There were several terns perched on the shellfish floats at the Porthilley end of Rock on the Camel estuary yesterday.

The sandwich terns were easy to ID but the others we'll call "Comic" terns as although I think most were Commons there may well have been Arctic's.

Anyway here are some more images!

"Comic" Tern

"Comic" Tern

 

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Common dolphins in Cornwall Sept 3rd 2014

I was lucky enough to have another trip out watching dolphins off the North Cornwall coast yesterday.

My thanks to Will & Pauline for the invitation and I'll try to keep up the 100% record of seeing dolphins on every trip! That's 4 out of 4.

Mind you a GPS certainly has it's value!

There were lots of common dolphins around and many were feeding vigorously often with what looked like sprats jumping clear of the water in front of them.

Great to see, especially "on our doorstep"!

I might get used to this retirement lark!

Waders at Davidstow 2nd Sept 2014

Dunlin

 

A couple of hours at the disused Davidstow airfield this morning turned up very few waders on passage.

A few dunlin, a couple of ringed plover and unusually a Turnstone.

A peregrine hunting in the area didn't help though!

Dunlin

 

Juvenile ringed plover

Juvenile turnstone

Spotted Redshank on the River Camel

Spotted Redshank

This spotted redshank was showing well this afternoon amongst a flock of over 100 common redshank along the side of the island in the River Camel right in the middle of town.

Just a few images of the many I took.

As the incoming tide started to reach the bird it went a little crazy and flew / ran about dunking itself in the rising water and drinking and cleaning itself. Made for some interesting pictures in great light.

Water Pipit

Water Pipit

 

I came across this water pipit a few weeks back in the high Alps at Col de la Columbiere where we were just above 1618 metres.

I've always seen them before in Cornwall at sea level.... quite literally on the sandy shoreline at Marazion.

Note the long claws locked around the stem of the plant!

Water Pipit_

Foxes ..... near home!

A very slow shutter speed has created an impression of this fox running across a field.

I knew it was too dull to capture the photograph in crisp focus so I decided to go for the other approach. It always worked for the famous American photographer Art Wolfe so here's my attempt.

The two below are more traditional images taken in a freshly cut hay meadow before the farmer had collected in the hay.

Ring Ouzels ..... Lac de Roselend, French Alps.

Female Ring Ouzel carrying food

Still working through some of my images from the recent IFWP congress in the French Alps.

We spent quite a lot of time in a swampy area where ring ouzels were feeding and carrying food off to mobile young in a rocky scree.

It was pleasing to see them taking many of the large flies that seemed to like the taste of my Cornish flesh!

Female Ring Ouzel collecting food

Male Ring Ouzel