Rainham Marshes 2nd Jan

Well I have decided that I must put the clock radio alarm on on Sunday or I will not drag myself out of bed early.
Meant to be there (RM) at early opening....nope so didn't worry!

Left just before 10 and arrived at 11 - knew Penduline Tits had showed this am
- serin 1 had been seen early -

well short story I dipped again! The birds PT had been seen, then they flew away but had not been enough time for most to take pics and certainly not the fantastic ones from the 1st!

Then there was no sign again...we looked and we searched and searched I met up with Paul Jnr and Paul (Dad)...we birded together in companiable silence and occasionally conversation...but often - Snipe son...where? or did you say a Pintail? where? (me)
Theres a raptor up there(Dad) - I got on it with my scope - a Peregrine!
They had light weight travel scope...so my scope was jolly useful and birders all around were sneaking a peek!
Got my pintail.(thanks to Dad relocating it!)
..wonder if Paul jrn ever saw the snipe...they kept flying but where he wasn't looking!

saw all sorts of little reedy birds....including this delightful Chiffchaff!

no PT....

so when a dip is on what do you do go look at gulls and Rainham has planty!

Soon Common Gull added and Yellow-legged gulls as well....seeking a Caspian well if there was one it was amidst 1000's !


Very cold now and light falling.....its about 1...or so...cuppa tea? good idea...
well we got separated as you do and I found some siskins merrily singing or calling away!

Then hallo we met up again and shared coffee/tea and cakes!

Some Essex birders chatted away all very friendly.

They decided to go back for another hour (but no more reports of PT were on the pagers!) I changed my mind and headed home!Saw PT reported at 11.20 - couldn't have been then as we were looking then!

Great driving conditions today...home just over the hour...

I think total today was 21 new birds.

Thats about 60 in two days....not the 200 some wag text me today! got your 200 yet?

haha obviously quality birding over speedy birding!

Bird of the Day on the first - Rough-legged Buzzard
the second - Peregrine

A new year means I look again at usual birds that I see often. The first Reed Bunting, a female but you look again. Lesson for this year if seeking my own rares look once twice and thrice at each bird!

This is going to be a busy year - politically this year and next! So I shall have to ration the birding selectively.
Bob is back from Espana by end of next week so we will have to think where we go birding over the next few weekends.....Sussex,Kent,The Home Counties and longer trips to Norfolk,The Forest of Dean and I think Dorset and West Wales....
perhaps even Cornwall? Who knows .....depends on time and what birds are about as well as finding our own!
Local patches need to be watched as well as the BOU tetrads......oh and that garden needs to have some more wildlife friendly shrubs added.

2009 1st January

Well the best laid plans of mice and corinna went well wrong today. So the drinks will be on me Seth as you must have gotten more year ticks than me today!

Forget the plan...out the window when i didn't get to sleep as early as planned on New Years eve and therefore didn't get up and be at Oare for first light! Another day!

So once that all went wrong other things conspired!

So a Garden list that I didn't expect to be doing...first birds seen and heard fly over BH and Herring Gulls and oh yes a couple of LBB - then a bunch of starlings over the back garden then crows and wood pigeons. Whats the hurry birds none stopping!
Oh yes in my tree an unfamiliar sight a Dunnock! Not the expected bird at all!
Then oh yes Mr. Blackbird - hear and see RN Para(greenrats)keets- and a bunch of Feral pigs. Great list eh?
Magoie heard first and seen later
Finally the House Sparrow gang - great and the Blue Tit pair then Robbie Robin and yes there is the Mr Blackcap! feel much better now! 15

of to Kent - through Bushy Park and spy
Coot
Canada Geese
Egyptian (count for now until I go to Norfolk and great the real McHoy!
Jackdaws a plenty and yes there is a BGreater Black Backed and he is sperched on Diana's head!

on through Esher and Oxshott nothing added! M25/26 and 20 - tho gloomy grey weather affecting all except Feral pigs and Woodies!

To Elmley and Kestrels great....up the long drive to the toilets....almost nowt a few Mute swans....
over the wall at the T block no Little Owl...but zillions of whistling Wigeons feeding frenzy
and Teal, Moorhens and Tufties.

Brent and White fronted Geese......

on way back - Stonechat (Mrs) and a Little Egret
out to Harty Ferry Inn Road and yes Cornbuntings on telegraph wires!
then a flashing Merlin
lots of fiels full of Dizzies- whoops Lapwings to most of you!

At Capel fleet - birders...now pager had already reported the presence earlier of RLB
- I asked is the RLB about? Yes said a friendly Kent birder!
Parked the car and scope in hand rushed to the birders.
You wont see it - have a look in my scope...its well hunkered down.
Yes there was a bird....but at that distance and a shape. Well thats not good enough -yet.

We loked around I got my scope into the correct position and checked on the landmarks.
Now to see what else is around a Grey Heron huddled on a metal fence!
A very white fronted (chested) Common Buzzard and Marsh Harriers harrying.
Oh yes Mallards! Looking daper.

It was cold and grey and grey and cold..but not as biting a wind as usually is the case here.

The RLB is strtching "her" wings called a birder....on straight away and there she was flapping wings and off she lifted and flew showing off that broad white rump against the tail! Great.
Then she sored a little and flew some more showing the under and upper sides to her wings and her massive head..pwerful birdthen she flew along beside a fence and down!

Wat time is it I asked to be told after 2...quick phone my neice I'm late! no answer at least I tried...I dallied a little thanked the Kent birders - dragged names out of the most helpful two to discover one of the Kent Recorders there!

Thanks must fly! Off I was ---gone!

In my neices road to greet me was a Song Thrush......

yet more starlings perched on the wires as ever but no Pheasant or WP ...no matter!
I was warm and able to change out of the birders gear into smart comfortable gear!
Cup of tea most welcome as was the greetings of my great-neice!

Lovely scrumptious Christmas Dinner and I was full!

A lovely day made better as there was not a lot of traffic on the motorway and coming back it was travelling smootly!

Total birds seen 40

not the soughtful nearer 100! That would have been possible if I had got up earlier and started at Oare!

So drinks will be on me next time Seth and meet up...help I feel a bank loan coming on!

To Rainham for the Penduline Tits 31st December

Well I had to go. I have dipped these before so I need to end the year on another high!

Well it came on the pager they were there in good views. I went and I didn't dip it was after 2pm but they were showing! Great a lovely bird and these were well stonking!

(No camera --- but plenty of good pics on the net!)

In the New Year I shall return with camera.

2008 UK Year ticks 306 - great over the magic 300.
Help I have to sort out the Western P total...trip to Picos - where did I put that list?

World total seen this year well 306 plus extra Espana birds plus SA birds which was at least 300+ .....303 I think - 609 + picos over 600 birds well!

Sunday and waxwings!

Trip to Folkestone.
Waxwings and coffee at friends who are so struck by the pretty waxwings they will be seeing them tomorrow on the way to work!

The above is a cropped pic, I will need to look at the others....

Christmas Birding!

Went to Cornwall to see a Snowy Owl!
Stayed over just outside Penzance and returned on Boxing Day via a Hooded Marganser.

Two lifers (if the Hooded is recognised as a wild one!)...302 year list!

(further details to follow)

Tuesday 23rd December

A trip to Barnes, nice quiet day as far as people went!

Birds were a bit quiet too - still we went primarily to take photos, I had a little surprise up my sleeve for my friend...some newly arrived birds. Ok so they are in the collection...but what birds! Brilliant!
Here are 3 Demoiselle Cranes - they arrrived from Martin Mere and will spend the next three years at Barnes - going back to breed as part of the captive breeding programme.They arrived on the 26th November - this was the first time I went to see them- thinking Pat will really enjoy these. She did and took lots of photo's _ I didn't take that many - Pat had my 100- 400 lens - I had her - up to 300 lens which ius brill but you can get as close!
Sometime in 2009 Barnes may also get some Eurasian Cranes...I prefer to see them in Norfolk!

Well I went on a dip today!
Non showing Penduline Tits at Rainham Marshes!
Yes I really wanted to go round the M25 today - still what we do for our art!

So to cheer myself up I had a look at my SA pics and thought ahh dragons....so i give you




Later this week I will visit Barnes to see what might be about with cameras and friend...who wants to see a Kingfisher. We never see one - altho I have seen them at Barnes when she isn't with me and there are other local places where I see 'em and guess what? Yup they hide when she is around.

So lets see.

Oh yes Waxwings are on their way to West London (I hope!! Talons crossed!)

Swan at Slimbridge in December

Well lets have another go!

I took this Swan at Slimbridge about 4.20pm on Saturday 6th Dec in the last rays of the light.I have cropped the swimming swan as I was trying for reflection.
The flying swan was just lucky - a bird just happened to flying in from the fields and I tracked it I took two shots, this was the one I liked best.
As ever I forgot to start with the last photo so these are not in the right order...I will do better next time.
I have a couple of Goldeneye photo's but I need to do something with one of the male as it is too dark. Have to wait until I can sort out photoshop! (Thats scary as I usually only crop!)

Anyway any good shots and its thanks to a few helpful hints from Andy Rouse (in the seminar) any rubbish shots thats down to me!

A couple of Swans

Well there will be when I can sort out my pics...arrrghhh!

They wont load on blogger at mo...so i edited the post.

Will be back soon!

There will also be more SA photo's!!

Rare Gull on Shetland

A 1st winter Ivory Gull has been found on Fetlar, Shetland.

For Hugh Harrops photo's see here


The finder posted pics on Nature Shetland here

his name escapes me at mo.....Brydon Thomason his comment
"Rather astonishingly it turned up on a small beach I've been intentionally baiting since mid November!"


Thats a stunner.......

A Bagpuss Clanger with Noggin

Oliver Postgate who entertained me as a school then college student and a young teacher, has died. I am sure nobody in the UK has missed this news. Strangley - well perhaps not after my initial "oh, thats sad" - I immediately smiled as I remembered my favourites "The Clangers".
Their little knitted bodies and their perfectly understandable "whistles" with expressions - ears and noses can say the most wonderful things!I thoroughly enjoyed them.
Then I remembered Noggin the Nog - that was at Secondary school. So very clever!


Now I saw very little TV at college itself - little time but The Clangers!
a lovely obituary here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/09/oliver-postgate-bagpuss

pics here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/gallery/2008/dec/09/oliver-postgate-bagpuss-clangers-ivor-the-engine?picture=340522087

A UTUBE tribute here

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Jisqle37uWI
That was the very first then came
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pTcStBUW2Ao



I'd forgotten Pingwings!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JwL9DA84Wus


Bagpuss came much later to my notice than the TV series.There is a small Bagpuss sitting in my car keeping an eye on me when I drive!

They all make me smile! with a little tear in the corner of my eye!
Thank you Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin

I will edit this later so the links click through but I have to go now!

Visions of Light Seminar - Andy Rouse

Well I went to Slimbridge on Saturday. Of course I was birding!
On route Red Kites in the Chilterns - and Buzzards from the Chilterns to Slimbridge.
Kestrels.
Corvids but no Ravens -sigh.
On arrival in the fields outside the centre - Bewick's and what a racket they were making...a lovely racquet!(LOL) I just love Bewick Swans.
Later I took some pics of some Bewicks and Mute Swans.Also BHGulls and lots of Ducks.
I tried taking a Water Rail but it was too far away.
There was a lovely perching Peregrine a great way off visible in the scope!
I dont have my list with me -will edit this later.

But we went there for a Seminar with top Wildlife Photographer Andy Rouse.

Biog if you need one!- http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/about.asp

but you will recognise his photographs....front cover of BBC Wildlife Mag this month! Tiger.
http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/blog.asp
on first page.

Well remember I am an amateur with the old pics....but I have now been on a couple of Photography workshops involving animals with John Wright of Photographers on Safari - which were good as I had some hands on help.
Still too technical for my brain but John saw I loved my Birds and Big Cats and gave just the right help with my limited knowledge for meto get some good shots-well one or two, of course Pat being a brill photographer (IMO) picked up loads and had some stunning images.

So when I was asked would I like to go on this seminar I said yes, then thought afterwards help - its a seminar and i will get talked at and I will not understand the technical stuff...help!
Pat instructed me to take notes to help me get better photos and write down anything you need to ask me afterwards.

Well if you get the opportunity to go on a seminar or even to a talk by Andy Rouse - just do it - to quote a famous phrase.(Actually, thinking about it - dont all of you book up - in fact dont go- he mentioned that there was a waiting list for our seminar of 300 -yes 300!- I might never get on the next seminar that I do want to go on!)
He was brilliant and funny, very funny and so totally fresh. He has opinions - strong ones and expresses them with a refreshing enthusiasm.
Now all of you who know me, know I like enthusiasm!
He also debunks a lot of the myth of the "professional" photographer.
I shall leave you if interested to read an interview I found on the net he gave a while back and the message is in there too!

see here
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Andy-Rouse-on-Wildlife---exclusive-interview-1

He illustrates his seminar with his photographs. He explains what he was doing, he answers questions fired at him including technical stuff.

A lot is simple stuff.
Warehouse Express were there as well - they sponsor Andy (he does a lot of the reviews of new stuff....cameras/ lens)
One of the staff a guy called Ben who has helped me order stuff in the past was there -" I dont do technical" - used to be my cry when I was teaching ITC - "thats why I have a Network Manager!" Ben used the expression KISS - Keep it simple stupid.
Now I like that.
Andy knows all that stuff but he does keep it simple. The questions from a lot of the men there was full of technical jargon, I didn't understand a lot of the questions - but I certainly understood a lot more of the answers!

I learnt a lot - simple phrases are running round my head.

We were so fortunate that the weather was clear and the light was good no, great!So we had a 2 hour break in the afternoon to go take some pics!

Andy was going off to some remote area of the reserve with James Lees one of the Reserve Wardens- to do some photography.He was highly complimentary of James photography.

I took Pat to the Flamingo's- we saw the Cranes but they are so carefully
shielded from the public that no opps there. We walked through the collection...Pat said - if you want to go and look at your birds I'll catch you up - so off I went to the Zeiss Hide.


We returned to the seminar (I'll put some comments on Corinna's pages about the birds seen) and Andy showed us his technique for photo shop....very basic stuff that even I followed most of!
By now I was very tired in my brain.

A fantastic experience - Andy Rouse rocks! Yes I like the guy -he tells it like it is and I do like that!


S'funny another wildlife photographer I like is another guy who can be controversial - Hugh Harrop.
What do these two have in common?
A passion for wildlife and doing everything that puts wildlife first.
They also spend time with amateurs and pass on their knowledge.

I spoke with James at the end of the seminar - Andy was surrounded by people- he said "He is different in the field, nothing about camera's just wildlife!" I expect he can talk cameras but clearly the Wildlife comes first!

I had a great time.

Guess what? When we got back Pat asked me if I had taken many photos.
No said I not many at all. Yesterday I down loaded over 50!
I surprised myself. Some are actually quite good...I think I was influenced by what I had heard.
Cant say fairer than that!

I will post a couple later, these have had nothing done to them except I might crop one or two. But they have my copyright. (I learnt that from the seminar).

Elephants and almost a close shave!

After the mudbathing Elephant, some more Elephants doing what they do best...eat! 20 hours a day well a very long time anyway...leaves and shoots! So trees with new shoots on get knocked down and the new leaves and shoots - ah delicious get eaten!

Well we came across a group doing just this and a lovely baby ahhhhhhh!
Then I realised that another Adult was coming straight at us and as you see trumpeted! We removed ourselves, clearly this Ellie wasn't in the mood for photographers!
As we left I managed a final ahhhh pic!











Elephants!

More Elephants (mud bathing)

We then came across this group of Elephants having the time of their lives! They were mud bathing and having great fun!

Unfortunately most of my pics were on my compact and they didn't come out well on the pc - they look ok on the camera screen but not converted!

Elephants

The first group of Elephants I saw in the Kruger - were fantastic
every sighting had that wow factor!
I like Elephants!

Some pics from Kruger

I will never get used to the fact that the pics go on backwards in the wrong order.

First Giraffe I saw, the first Elephants and the view from the little plane from Jo'burg to Phalaborwa.

I realise that i just havent got the time at the moment to write up my trip report in detail so i am going to do a quick version and then do it in more detail later!

Its very interesting when you return from as action packed a trip as the one to SA.There are memories that are at the top of your list, there are others that lie dormant until something triggers them and others that I expect will only arise when speaking to one or two of the other trip birders!

Well as I have gone through the photo's I remember things.

In the Kruger - just how tired I was on our arrival as we travelled overnight so didn't get much sleep - SAS have some of the least comfy seats in Economy and that was having two seats to myself! its the design of the armrests they do not go right back so which ever way you attempt to get comfy some part of you has a hard armrest digging into you!Then we reach SA and excitement - at the airport at Jo'burg watching the first southern african birds.....the small plane to Phalaborwa...was interesting - with its propellers!
My luggage didn't arrive - drat to not putting a long sleeve shirt into my hand luggage - the last min T-shirst was good!Mike also didn't have his luggage! However it came on the next fliht which we didn't know until the next morning - as the gates to the HP closed after that flight comes in ...but not having suntan lotion or anti bug stuff was a bit disconcerting and I had to buy stuff - that a) i only needed for a short while and b) was not the same quality! THe long sleeve lightweight jacket I bought was a really good buy tho - so not all bad.

Some pics!

Sean the Sheep

Sean the Sheep has won a major prize

An International Emmy.

Just thinking about SA Birds.

This is a Grey-winged Francolin. We saw several together in Lesotho not long after we entered that Country from the Sani Pass.

The story of the Sani pass will wait for another day.
It was interesting to say the least!

Now the pic above (or where ever it will be on the page, was only a half recovered pic but I was able to crop it. I have a limited range of tools at my dispersal at present. Until ican down load more software on my new pc.

So mainly pics will be raw except they are not technically RAW.

I am particularly pleased about this pic. The birds were spotted and then called in nearer to the 4x4 and one came really close.
Well the real urpose of 4x4 was brought home on the Sani pass both going up and coming down. Fog we would call it here in UK there its cloud cover!

LOL! I was in the passenger front seat and had to keep an eye out for Lorries as at each hair-pin bend there is little room for manouvre - sometimes there is a bit but you go very near the edge!

oh and a Hornbill - I grew quite attached to the antics of the Hornbills.

South African photos recovered!

Well what clever software we can now purchase! My deleted photos are now recovered - mostly!

Some are lost but majority are now on my hard drive and being copied. They are all read only but I can sort that out and then maybe some will need cropping ...whatever!

Very happy Eagle!

300th Bird UK 2008 year list

I was going to Folkestone for lunch anyway...so whats about? Do I see the bird before or after lunch? Before would be good.

A Night Heron at Hythe - well the same place as the Green Heron!


So in the weather that was Sunday I drove to Kent. Snow, rain, sleet, hail, fog and wind where there was not fog! Great driving conditions but it was forecast to clear up late afternoon so on I pressed!

I stopped on route for the coffee and petrol required for moi and car.I looked at pager
Bird had flown south! Oh not in this weather wonder where its gone. So lets get to the turn off and see if its relocated?

At the turn off not been seen since.By now I was going to be late if i went to seek out the bird so i decided that the bird was an extra add on and my friends were expecting me so on I drove to Folkstone. Here I had a delicious dinner and chat.
Recalling my South Africa trip with pics from the compact camera seen through the camera! Look good there!

I got into my car for the drive home in the light and thought is anything about? Pager - showed the Heron was back!

Well I just had to stop to see and yes there was the Heron....no 300 for my year list!Great.But how interesting that the same canal held both a Green and a Night Heron within a month of each other!

Home was rain and rain but we were able to travel at a faster pace than the morning trip!


299

Steppe Grey Shrike - what an impressive bird it has been wowing birders since 7th November (when I was in SA). I got back shattered and unable to go due to committments until the sat evening for early sunday morning viewing (talons crossed) I also wanted to go to Donna Nook to see the seals!

Photos to be posted here later......

Birding in South Africa

Well where to start?

Truely amazing trip with over 300 lifers. Not as overwhelming as you might first think as i had done lots of research and tried to learn as much as I could from videos before I went. Being in the field is where its at and i was soon learning faster than a cheetah runs!
We saw over 350 birds - and that helped, seeing birds I was familiar with.

(I learnt my lessons from my trip to peru in 2005 - I was overwhelmed there - but since I thought there was a bird called a College Cleaner are you surprised? It was of course Foliage Gleaner! I was very tired when it was called and I did spot it!LOL!)

As well as the birds we saw lots of Mammals - well not lots of different species but lots of individual species...lots of Elephants, Lions, Buffalo's and a fair amount of White Rhino's (1 Black Rhino) + 2 Cheetah's (defo the stars of the trip!), all those "deer" now I know they are "Antelopes" ...I had given up trying to learn which was which before I left but now i can tell a Kudu (I grew to be impressed by this ante) from a Sable (http://www.african-safari-pictures.com/sable-antelope.html) and as for the fast food for all that is the Impala.(or pyjama bottoms)

My big regret was not seeing a Leopard. They were everywhere apparently. We missed one in Kruger by 5 mins or so....where we stayed in St Lucia - there was resident male who frequented the garage roof, not when I was there alas!

But Giraffe are as elegant (and very pretty) in the wild as I thought and Rhino are scary! Elephants just cant help but be endearing.....except when they sway at you......get out quick...they didn't at me but....respect!
It was surreal though looking out of the minibus to see Giraffe by the window and then later a Rhino looking at the front of the minibus and spraying!

Hippo's lie about, submerge and reappear with no noise at all, we did see one trotting off about his business, on a Game Drive, this was just outside a camp.Moving remarkably quickly!

Crocs - yes there were a few - some huge ones - I must admit I as happiest when they were not to be seen , altho come to think of it actually it was better when you could see them!

Warthogs I found surprisingly endearing!

Gnu/wildebeest were there...might find something to say about them......

but ah yes the Duiker -( http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_duiker.html)the Red the most attractive little Ante. and the best of all - really liked this little ante- the Steenbok (http://www.underwater.org/mermaid/tanzania/images/steenbok1-800.jpg) how could you not be when they look like this?


Thats it for this afternoon!