#My200BirdYear 2017 Day 2

Black tailed Godwits

I went down to the Amble marshes this afternoon to boost my ongoing count (that's lasted all of 2 days now!).

I did actually see Black tailed Godwit yesterday on the estuary but they were a lot closer today and the sun was shining!

Also got Water Pipit feeding along the edge of a ditch which is another good record.

Water Pipit

To finish off I got a Green Sandpiper in the same ditch!

Green Sandpiper

So the additions for today are:-

Water Pipit,
Blue Tit,
Long tailed Tit,
Chaffinch,
Dunnock,
Green Sandpiper,
Collar Dove,
Shoveler,
Teal,
Rook,
Snipe,
Wren,
Stonechat,
Little Grebe.

That's 14 more making my total 47 and I've still not seen a wagtail!

I have however seen Kingfisher on both days but only counted it once!

#My200BirdYear 2017 Day 1 1st January

I thought I'd give a go to the Bird Watching magazine #My200BirdYear count for the New Year.
I'm notoriuosly bad at keeping records and as I was helping Dave Thomas lead a walk on the Camel trail on New Years Day morning I thought it might be a good idea.

Anyway I started off with 33 species for Day 1 so only another 167 to go!

It was crappy wet weather so my only photo is "one I took earlier" of a peregrine which put on a great show coosing the group of ravens that looked to have been on a sheep carcass in the fields.

I now know the group of ravens to be "an unkindness" of ravens! Thanks Mike Scawin!

So here are my first birds from 1/1/2017, not necessarily in the order spotted!

Starling,
Blackbird,
Magpie,
Carrion Crow,
Jackdaw,
Raven,
Robin,
Greenshank,
Redshank,
Shelduck,
Mallard,
Wigeon,
Oystercatcher,
Blackcap,
House Sparrow,
Cormorant,
Grey Heron,
Little Egret,
Black headed Gull,
Herring gull,
Great Black backed Gull,
Black Tailed Godwit,
Curlew,
Peregrine Falcon,
Buzzard,
Kingfisher,
Goldfinch,
Lapwing,
Turnstone,
Canada Goose,
Dunlin,
Wood Pigeon,
Mute Swan.
33 and counting........

The great Cornish sardine mystery! Marazion 22.12.2016.

Rumours are rife about the cause of all these fish being washed ashore in Cornwall this winter.

Whatever the cause it's an awful waste of both life and food. Whether they ended up on plates, in tins, in the stomachs of dolphins, tuna or whales, or even better swimming free in the Atlantic ocean anything would have been better than this!

I'm not sure whether the gulls were sated or are waiting for the storms to break the fish down into more palatable pieces but they weren't eating very many despite the high numbers of both dead fish and live gulls!

I doubt we'll ever know the real reason!

Nevertheless it is an interesting event and one I've not come across before.

If it's Penzance it must be Purple Sandpipers! 22.12.2016.

Purple Sandpipers... one of the "must see birds" if you're in Penzance in the winter!

Super birds!

Eastern Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides) at Mousehole, Cornwall 22.12.2016

I had a day "down West" yesterday when I caught up with the beautiful Eastern Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides) that has been spending its days looking at the famous Mousehole Christmas Lights!

Instantly recognisable as a member of the Robin / Chat family but very different from our usual over-wintering Black Redstarts.

Well worth a visit for those with time to spare over the Xmas break!

Bearded Tits on the Somerset Levels 25th October 2016

Male Bearded Tit

I had a great day yesterday tracking down these beautiful birds on the Somerset Levels.

There were quite a few pairs and they were coming down to grit and seed that had been put out in different areas of the Avalon Marshes.

Such a treat to see despite having to lie flat out on the ground to get my best images!

Male Bearded Tit

Female Bearded Tit

Female Bearded Tit

Female Bearded Tit

Male Bearded Tit

Dalmatian Pelican on the River Camel 24th Sept 2016.

The much travelled Dalmatian Pelican turned up on our river yesterday when it was spotted off Porthilley.

This morning I photographed it on the Dinham flats from the Camel trail opposite Whitehouse, Tregunna.

I saw it in Penzance a few months back but it's always great to see it on the Camel.

With a wingspan of between 9 and a half and 11 feet it's an impressive sight!