Fieldfare, Shoeburyness, Essex, 24/2/2013

The weather today is going to be the same as yesterday ! Dark grey cloud all day !

The day started with meeting up with M.S, Kevin and Jono.We had a look round at a couple of locations, then with little prospects of any photography we headed off to Shoeburyness to have another look at the Long-tailed Duck at Gunners Park.     (it was not there !)
Luck !    the Fieldfare was !    in the same spot as yesterday, doing much the same, and once settled was happy to allow close up views and a few more photo's.

Thanks to Jono for a great day out and looking forward to Thursday 28th ! ! ! ! ! and a bit of blue sky !

Gulls, Fieldfare & Long-tailed Duck, Essex, 23/2/2013

The weather forecast today is for a very cold, grey day, there could be a touch of snow, very cold winds with chill factor -* !   everywhere !

Southend-on-sea, on the end of the Pier, to see the Mediterranean Gulls.

Mediterranean Gull, 1st, 2nd & Adult winter, 15+      to include Adult Med   White Ring / Black E494

it is only midday, the light is bad, it is very cold, the wind is icy ! time for a move,
driving along the seafront towards Shoeburyness

Black-headed Gull,   Yellow Ring / Black 2BRA

Common Gull, 1st winter

Common Gull, adult winter

Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter

In the car park at Gunners Park,

a single Fieldfare, feeding continually in the grass, very close, the light even brightened up, gave a fantastic photo opportunity ! You do not get this close to Fieldfare to often !

Fieldfare

Over on the lake,

Long-tailed Duck

Swan

Days out don't come better than this ! !

Great-crested Grebe, Hyde Park, London, 19/2/2013

Great-crested Grebe, Hyde Park.

Ringed-billed Gull, Gosport, Hampshire, 17/2/2013

With good weather forecast for the day, M.S., Kevin and myself headed to Gosport to have a look at the Ringed-billed Gull that has been returning every winter for several years.

Bonaparte's Gull and Dark-breasted Barn Owl, East Sussex, 16/2/2013

The weather forecast was for a bright day !

M.S., Kevin and myself headed to Eastbourne, East Sussex hoping to take a few images of the Bonaparte's Gull in this decent light !

Well, no decent light, it was grey cloud all day !
Images, all in the bin except one for the blog !
Highlight of the visit was meeting up again with Peter & M and the chat to all others present.

Bonaparte's Gull

14.30 hours, light is deteriorating, nothing more to be gained !

We head of to Rodmell, still in East Sussex, some 20 miles away hoping to see the Dark-breasted Barn Owl. Meeting up here with P.S. who basically wrote the script for what happened next. Cheers Paul !

In the rapidly fading light !

Barn Owl, 3

The Dark-breasted Barn Owl was seen first as it crossed the river, it turned left towards us, hunted along the edge of the reed bed to dive for prey, did not catch anything, then briefly landing on the post in front of us !

We watched both the Dark-breasted and the 2 other Barn Owls until near dark !

Super day out in East Sussex ! !

Bearded Tit, Hyde Park, London, 15/2/2013

Bearded Tit

Black-bellied Dipper, Thetford, Norfolk, 10/2/2013

Rain, sleet and then snow is the forecast for most of England today !

There is a faint chance of a dry part to the day in Norfolk.

07.00 hours, M.S., Kevin and myself set off for Norfolk in the rain.

We arrive at Thetford, in the rain, it is dull, it is wet and muddy, and no Dipper.

The rain stops ! A wander along the river seeing Otter, one seen on the flooded meadow of the house over the river then another sighting, one came up out of the water to the bank not 6 feet from me.

The Black-bellied Dipper was seen first, at distance, about a half mile up river, then after a short time flying off to return to it's favoured stretch of the river !

The water level in the river was at least a foot higher today,
a Goldcrest was feeding in the bushes,
the Black-bellied Dipper continued to entertain by posing, preening, all its usual feeding habits and behaviour patterns for the remainder of the day.

Black-bellied Dipper

1/80sec, f4, Iso 400

1/50sec, f4, Iso 400

1/60sec, f4, Iso 400

1/80sec, f4, Iso 400

1/80sec, f4, Iso 400

1/80sec, f4, Iso 400

1/40sec, f4, Iso 400

1/80sec, f4, Iso 400

a little battle with the whites and the slow shutter speeds.

at 13.30 hours the there is no light left, it is now very dull, it begins to light rain,
it has been the most wonderful day and we take a easy drive home in the rain.

''A Super Crop'' ! !