Birdtracker

Buzzards

2011-09-16T18:49:00.000+02:00

Had a most enjoyable day with Alan. Target was to photograph the buzzards that have been coming over the past few days. We were privleged to witness two birds playing with each other...but there was three birds at any one time....the sun even came out for us!

Another shot, the pair were playing in the grass for atleast 10 mins before finding some food....more photos to follow.

After the playful antics, it's back to work hunting for the next meal.

Not long after this shot was taken the other buzzard flew right into it and literally knocked him off the tree to the ground, all part of the play I guess...so entertaining to watch!

Birds in Flight

2011-09-09T19:35:00.000+02:00

Have been trying some bird in flight photography recently, but the light has been really too bad to get the fast exposures needed. It's felt like Winter with the dark gloom up here in Scotland. Anyway the sun did come out for a few minutes the other day when I was at Lochwinnoch and so managed to capture these two images.

Black Guillimot

2011-07-29T23:12:00.000+02:00

Evening Wrens

2011-07-25T21:02:00.001+02:00

Red Kites

2011-07-09T21:55:00.001+02:00

Went to a feeding station today, but dont think I will be going again. This is the only picture I got of a kite WITHOUT multi-coloured tags on their wings. I know that research needs to be undertaken and its good to see the kites get a helping hand etc...but do the ringers really have to tag, not just on one wing but on both wings and in some cases attach a radio transmitter to the bird also! So my question is: Why two different coloured tags and why on 99.9% on the birds I saw yesterday. Has the ringing gone a little out of hand? I even see rings on blue tits!

Anyway, this was the only bird I could see without a tag. Hope you like.

This other photo is a cheat. I cloned out the 2 tags and the radio transmitter. I set it free to be wild :), although he looks a bit worse for wear...a real scavenger!

Slavonian Grebe

2011-06-12T22:40:00.001+02:00

What an amazing bird. Summer plumage turns this ordinary looking bird into a stunner!
Really pleased with the new tripod. Canon 40D, Canon 500mm f.4 IS USM lens. Feilsol 3372 Tripod, Manfrotto 393 Head,

Blue Tit (juvenile)

2011-06-08T21:57:00.003+02:00

Went out today with my new tripod and head. I have eventually decided to get a decent tripod, although I couldn't afford a Gitzo. I have a Feisol 3372 carbon fibre, and I am very pleased with it. I have a Manfrotto 393 gimbal style head attached to the tripod.
It was a very dull, showery day up here in Scotland and these shots were taken about 7am in the morning. I am quite please with the sharpness of them as the tripod seems to be rock steady.
1/320; f6.3; ISO 800;

Dipper

2011-06-04T17:23:00.001+02:00

Went to a location where the dippers were nesting. They were raising chicks behind a waterfall. Will the dry spell we had, the water was just trickling and so you could see the chicks in the nest. Every 15 mins the parent would come with some juicy bits of food and would cautiously work itself up stream to the nest. It was such a pleasure to watch. I had the camera mounted on a tripod as I had to take very slow shutter speeds as the light was patchy and dark, typical dipper habitat. I was covered with a camo hide...perfect!

Pied Flycatcher

2011-05-01T23:08:00.000+02:00

Linnet

2011-05-01T23:05:00.003+02:00

Dunlin

2011-05-01T23:04:00.000+02:00

Canada Goose

2011-05-01T22:56:00.002+02:00

Grey Heron

2011-04-11T01:33:00.000+02:00

Sparrowhawk

2011-03-21T18:10:00.000+01:00

Had a great day at a friends hide. Waited all day for him to appear and he didn't disapoint!

Nuthatch

2011-03-18T01:25:00.000+01:00

Headed South to near the English border to get these birds. Not very common at all in Scotland. Wanted the classic Nuthatch pose, sticking his neck out!

Crested Tits

2011-03-02T23:04:00.001+01:00

I went up to Speyside in the Highlands of Scotland. It is only here that you have any chance of seeing these wonderful birds in the UK. I had seen them before in Spain, but never in the UK.
I was very pleased with the outcome as the light was good but very harsh, and in the forest it became very difficult to read the light correctly due to the high contrast. Anyway, please tell me your thoughts.

GS Woodpecker

2011-02-26T22:09:00.000+01:00

Turnstones at Maidens

2011-02-15T23:31:00.000+01:00

Took a break and popped down to Maidens for an hour, and saw a couple of Turnstones. They are more tame than the Redshanks, letting you get a little closer, but soon they fly off.

Redpoll

2011-02-12T21:54:00.000+01:00

Dunnock & Robin

2011-02-06T01:05:00.000+01:00

Two birds in the garden today.

Meadow Pipit

2011-01-29T23:10:00.000+01:00

Headed down to Maiden again and there was a whole flock of these little birdies!

Shag under attack

2011-01-22T21:09:00.000+01:00

Went down to Girvan harbour and watched this shag catching dinner. He would spend a couple of minutes under the water and as soon as he surfaced the gull would try and steal his dinner, always unsuccessfully as the fish was down his throat so fast.

Redshank at Maidens

2011-01-19T23:31:00.000+01:00

It felt like a beautiful Spring morning today down at Maidens. No wind and the sky gave off a fantastic light. I wanted to try and get close to some of the waders down on the shoreline. The tide was coming in so I got myself into position just behind the sea-weed tide line. I laid down a plastic mat and lay down covering myself with the camo netting and had the camera resting on my bean-bag, and waited patiently.

Long-tailed Tit

2011-01-05T17:41:00.000+01:00

One of my favourite birds.

Pheasants

2010-12-17T17:13:00.003+01:00

Last Wednesday I ventured out in -4c! What a frost. I had a couple of hours in these artic conditions near the house so was able to go un-noticed by this female pheasant

Starlings but No Waxwings

2010-12-01T21:50:00.003+01:00

I was hoping the Waxwings would return to Kirkmichael before all the berries were eaten by the startling. I guess the starlings have got to eat the same as waxwings.

Waxwings in Maybole, South Ayrshire

2010-11-17T17:14:00.004+01:00

I was on my way to Ayr as their had been numerous sightings of Waxwings and so as I drove through Maybole I decided to take the back road and just as you leave the town, there on a tree were about 12 waxwings. They were there for about half an hour then another group of about 40 came, communicated to each other and they all flew off North toward Ayr...saving me a trip.
Next time I hope to get the ultimate shot of them eating the Rowan berries :)

Maidens, South Ayrshire

2010-11-15T22:45:00.005+01:00

I havent been posting blogs recently, just been too busy with other things but have still been trying to get out when I can. Here are a few images from the past month taken near Maidens.
Today I was in Maybole and got a few Waxwings photos so I will get these up on the blog as soon as possible.
Good to meet Angus Hogg today at Maidens also!

Turnstones. It was a pleasure to watch as the literally turn quite large stones over as thery walk along the shore.

Red Kite. This one was feeding on some roadkill and so as it saw me approach it took to flight.

Golden Plover. There are a couple of hundred of these guys at Maidens at the moment. The sun really shows why they got their name.

Lochwinnoch

2010-09-22T23:14:00.003+02:00

Popped down to RSPB Lochwinnock the other day. Not much about really, the day before Kingfisher, Osprey, and Buzzards were seen, but not today! Anyway, was chuffed I saw and got a shot of a Whitethroat before they start to move away from these parts!

Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Lochwinnock

2010-09-04T09:29:00.002+02:00

Just thought I would process these shots taken couple of months ago of the GS Woodpecker and its Juvenile

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Gannets at Troop Head

2010-08-24T12:19:00.008+02:00

Had a great time at Troop Head. This must be one of the most under-rated RSPB sites in the country! I feel it is better than Bempton Cliffs.

Ospreys & Chris Packham

2010-08-14T01:24:00.007+02:00

Had a couple of days up North of Scotland, to try and catch some good sightings of Ospreys before they leave our shores again, back South to Africa. First visit was to the Loch of the Lowes. Here the birds had nested in a most beautiful setting, high in a Scots Pine tree over looking the Loch. The adult birds had raised two chicks who were just as big as their parents but were still unable to fish themselves and so just sat around waiting for Dad to bring them breakfast. I was told this would gradually decrease so as to force the juveniles to learn new fishing skills and fend for themselves.

Next stop was to Loch Garten. Here again, one can see the nest from the RSPB hide, but personally didnt find this place too appealing. Although walking in the woods and walking round Loch Garten did provide some good sighting, not only of ospreys flying over the loch, but a bird I had wanted to see, and apparently this area is the only place in the UK to see these little birds...the Crested Tit. I had seen them before in Spain, but never in the UK.

As I was walking back to the car, I bumped into Chris Packham who was with a small BBC film crew, making a new TV program about bird watching. Speaking with Chris, he explained that he had witnessed about 5 ospreys coming together in this special place to fish that very morning. Obviously I asked where he had been and he told me. The next morning I got out of my tent at 4:15am and headed to be in this fishing loch for 5am....and just as Chris said, the ospreys were looking for early morning breakfast.

Unfortuneatly it was a dull morning and as it was still quite dark, I couldn't take any photos initially, as it was just too dark, but I didnt mind as I just watched in wonder as these birds went about their business. I had never seen an osprey catch a fish before so I was amazed at witnessing such an incredible spectacle in nature!
Anyway, here are the photos I did manage to get. They were shot at very slow shutter speeds and with the highest ISO my camera offered, and at the widest aperture.
(f5.6; 1/200sec; ISO1600; Canon 400mm lens)and no tripod.

Eider Ducks at Girvan

2010-07-27T23:00:00.004+02:00

Was glad I had my camera with me in the car, was able to get these two shots of Eider Ducks as they came in near to the harbour area.

Artic Terns - Farne Islands

2010-07-04T20:22:00.003+02:00

As well as plenty of Puffins on the Farne Island, there are thousands of Artic Terns. As we disembarked from the boat we had to run the gauntlet if being attacked by the terns as they protected their nests. Some were actually nesting on the wooden walkways. Quite an experience to get so close to these birds!

Farne Islands...Puffins Galore!

2010-06-26T15:14:00.004+02:00

Last week I went to the Farne Islands, something I had wanted to do for some time. Timing has to be just right. First of all their is only a small window of opportunity, as the Puffins are only present there a couple of months in the year. Then the boats doesn´t always sail if the wind is above moderate. Then even when the wind has calmed down it may take another day or two until the swell of the sea to calm down, to make landing on the islands possible! Then if you are taking photographs, the light has to be good to capture the birds in flight, so you need a fast shutter speed (unless you have a £5,000 low lightlens, which I dont have!). So a lot has to come together all at the right time....and so last Tuesday was one of those perfect days!
I only managed to get a place on the boat due to a cancellation, and when I boarded the boat it was jammed pack with what looked like a seminar of Canon photographers, all with their big 400mm, 500mm lens, Manfrotto Tripods, and hats. (Will tell you later why the hats...in the Tern Blog)

The Woods at Kirkmichael

2010-06-08T23:15:00.005+02:00

A few days ago when it felt truly Summer had arrived (not like today), I took off for a quiet meander through the woods. As I crossed over a field and entered another group of large trees a Buzzard took to flight from off the ground. It landed at a tree in the distance. I didnt pay too much attention as I entered the small group of trees and was able to take a few nice shots of typical local woodland birds. All the while, the Buzzard kept crying out and was joined by another Buzzard, I presume was its mate. Every now and then, one of them would make an inspection and fly away again to the tree. I tried to hide myself and sat for atleast an hour hoping that amongst the trees there was a Buzzards nest and I could get some nice photos. But they must of known I was there and stayed away until I had to leave as it was getting dark. I couldn´t see any nest high in the trees, so maybe I was wrong and was just wishful thinking. Anyway, while I was waiting patiently I was able to take these shots.

Goldfinches

2010-05-27T01:43:00.007+02:00

The Summer is here and the plumage on the Goldfinches is quite dramatic. Flocks appear everywhere feeding on the long grasses. I used my new bean-bag to rest the lens on and feel the shots are greatly improved by eliminating camea shake. Tell me what you think?

Lochwinnoch Lesser Redpolls

2010-05-16T23:33:00.009+02:00

Dropped the kids off at Ardrossan Ferry as they were going to Arran with some of their friends. I headed down to lockwinnock hoping to see and photograph some Great Crested Grebes. Unfortunately, there wasnt a Grebe to be seen. Not to worry though as I was able to watch a flock of Lesser redpolls coming to and fro to feed.

What amazing colours on these birds. Also their call is quite distinct so you know when they are about.

Spent about six hours in the hide waiting for them to arrive....well worth the wait!!
During this time too I saw over 20 species...more pics will be added soon.

Ken-Dee Marshes, Galloway.

2010-05-03T22:19:00.007+02:00

I had an early meeting to attend in Dumfries, and unexpectedly finished by 11am, so I was glad I had packed more suitable clothing and a light lunch as I headed off to RSPB Ken-Dee Marshes. When I arrived I quickly changes from suit and tie to more colours akin with the wilds. When I got to the first hide there were a few Red Sqirrels up at the feeders taking the nuts.

Then a Nuthatch flew in to watch the proceedings. On the pond there wasnt much to be seen except a few Black-headed Gulls nesting on the small island. A couple of lapwing were also about. In the distance I could make out a pair of Canada Geese, and a Redshank feeding by the reeds.
On the feeders were the usual tits and siskin, then all of a sudden a Jay appeared from the woodland and only stayed around for a few seconds and went missing again. A male and female Great-Spotted Woodpecker kept making a show. Just then an Osprey was flying fairly high over the loch, one could just make out the stripe across its eyes, and the familiar wing markings. He kind of flew motionless, and we all thought he was dive down but it must of been a false alarm, so he just took off into the distance...never to be seen (by us) again.

Photography was difficult as the light deteriated, and I was having to shoot a 1000ISO, and set to Manual at f6.3 1/400sec.
Anyway these are some of the better shots taken during the day, with 25 species noted.
Birdlist: Treecreeper, Swallow, Blackbird, Wood warbler, Blackcap, Shovelar, Red kite, Robin, Jay, Siskin, Redshank, Black headed gull, Great spotted woodpecker, Osprey, Blue tit, Great tit, Marsh tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Chaffinch, Lapwing, Buzzard, Mallard, Canada goose, Blackbird.

Wrens

2010-04-12T22:52:00.006+02:00

Yesterday I wanted to photograph the Wren. I had been walking regulary through the woods near the house and had noticed in one particular area a high density of Wrens. So I began to look for a hiding spot where I had noticed a number of sightings on one particular perch they liked to use. Early morning I went down but I didnt get any decent shots as the strong sunlight was too harsh. I returned later in the day when the light was more difused and so got my little tripod stool set up and covered myself in the camo netting I brought along. After about half an hour my hands got tired of holding the camera and wished I had brought the tripod, but anyway I lowered the camera to take the weight from off my arms. Just then...yes you guessed it, a beautiful little wren starting singing merrily from off the perch. I couldn't believe it, so I slowly moved the camera toward my face to take aim but just then he flew off! Typical. I began to go through the usual "why didn't I do...why didn't I do this.." I was about to pack up and go home, then thought to myself, I will give it 10 more minutes. This time camera up to my face and ready for action. To my suprise I didn't have to wait long, until the little fellow landed again and started to burst forth in song. I manage to fire off about 10 shots and get these images. Only thing I regretted was not having a faster lens. I took the shots at f5.6 the widest aperature my lens would give, hence the very narrow depth of field. Ah well, next time will be better, and will get the tail pin sharp also. Canon 40D, Canon 400mm; f5.6; 1/400sec; ISO 640

Dippers in Kirkmichael

2010-03-07T17:38:00.004+01:00

7th March 2010

This afternoon it was a dry and mild day. Sun was hidden behind light cloud and so I went down to the bridge in Kirkmichael to see if the Dippers were arouind. Over the last few days I have noticed them in this particular strech of river, and so yesterday scouted round to see a good position to hide myself and yet be as close to the river as possible. Eventually I found the ideal spot. I would be hidden from view by branches and ivy trailing down to the waters edge. I had to put my camo netting the other side of me to screen me off from view in case they flew downstream. So today, I got myself in position and sat and waited. After about 30 mins, I spotted the first dipper on a rock downstream. He was there just bobbing up and down and then occasionally jumping in the water. Next the other bird flew nearer to me and started to search for food in the water. All the while this little guy was getting closer to me. I was getting excited and hoped my patience in not firing off some quick shots earlier would pay off. It was wonderful to see these birds just plunge into the icey cold water and resurface again. They never quite made it to the ideal rock, where the green moss contrasted the dark brown water and would make a perfect shot, but I didn't mind. I was happy with what I saw and know that as the days get brighter and longer, I will eventually get that perfect shot.
Photo taken with Canon 40D, 400mm f5.6 lens. 1/320sec, f6.3, ISO1000.

Bellymack Farm, Galloway.

2010-02-14T01:35:00.007+01:00

13th February 2010

The weather was forcast for bright conditions so we headed down to the Galloway Forest park area between Ayr and Castle Douglas. This is a beautiful area of lochs and rolling hills, with much forest areas too. We wanted to check out the area that is called the Red Kite Trail. There is Bellymack Farm in the area that daily feeds a number of Red Kites. We had been to the feeding station in Wales at Gigrin Farm but not this one. On the way we saw a number of Buzzards and a few Kites flying high. We spotted a juvenile Buzzard in a tree as we drove past. Stopping the car I reversed and was able to observe this fine bird on a lovely moss clad tree branch. He just looked at us a I lowered the car window so as to rest the lens on the glass.

Getting to the farm the clouds started to gather and at the time of 2pm when the scraps of food are laid out in the field the light was quite poor. Having to shoot a ISO 640, with 1/400sec shutter speed, f5.6 aperture, nearly all of the shots where dull and out of focus. Sadly nearly all of the birds had been tagged on both wings and this showed up on the photos. The wind picked up and the possibility of getting anything good seemed to be vanishing.

Just then the sun peered out through a gap in the clouds and provided a whole new canvas to capture something half decent. I adjusted the ISO down to 400, and opened the aperture to f6.3.

The birds are truly masters in acrobatics. They would play with each other swirling around, even passing meat to each other. The sun stayed out about 5 mins and then we knew that was it. Frozen we headed back to the car to drive home. These are two of the best images....hope you like?

Mochrum & Maidens

2010-02-11T10:14:00.004+01:00

10 February 2010
Went for a couple of hours along Maidens beach. The sun was shining and the sea looked like the mediteranean! The temperature didnt match the Med though!
First stop was Mochrum to see what was about. There had been reported about 50 Whooper Swans the day before but tyhey must of moved on by the time I got there. Never mind. Saw the usual woodland birds next to the feeders, and was able to watch with amazement at a flock of Long-tailed tits, fighting over the peanuts. There was about 8 huddled together on one feeder in a frenzie! Also a couple of Curlew were in the adjacent field as I was walking back to the car. Along the Culzean road heading to Maidens were a number of Buzzards, and Kestrels.
The tide was right out when I got there, Oystercatchers, Redshank, Curlews and Sanderlings were on the beach.
I wanted to photograph the Curlews. I wish I had my old cloths on so I could get dirty in the sand. I wanted to lie down on the sand, but it was too wet. Anyway I found a large rock on the beach and hid myself behing that. I had the camoflage netting and was able to be quite hidden. I wanted the Curlew to walk up to me...and he was getting nearer and nearer. I fired off a few shows, all the while he was walking and feeding, coming in my direction. Just then a dog ran out on the sand between myself and the bird and yes, you guessed it, he flew off.

Lochwinnock

2010-01-29T20:17:00.007+01:00

Headed out to the RSPB reserve at Lochwinnock, about an hour from the house. On the way there were the usual Buzzards perched along the main road near Ayr. Also a female Kestrel was sitting on a post surrounded by about five Crows...poor thing!

Arriving at the reserve I went straight to the first hide near the shop. As soon as I was in position a beautiful Fieldfare flew in and landed upon one of the rocks in the field. He was perfect as was the lighting. The sun was still low and angled to the right enabling me to fire off some decent shots.

Around the feeders were the usual Blue tits and Great tits. Chaffinches were the most popular bird today. Laying low in the bracken was a charming Dunnock, although the light was too dark to get a good photo. I increased the ISO and hoped for the best. A few Reed Buntings were feeding in the grass, a cute little bird. Just then a Great-Spotted Woodpecker flew onto the pole erected by the warden. He was only there for a few seconds before he took to flight again.

I met a nice couple from Kilmarnock, the McCalls, who from the size of his 500mm lens were also into bird photography.

I was freezing so after a cup of coffee I went into the woods to the other hides. On the water I could see a flock of Golden Eye in the distance. Whilst walking I disturbed a Grey Heron. In the trees were a few Treecreepers. These little birds never stay still for one seconds so I found them really difficult to capture, along with the low light in the forest. One of the treecreepers was hiding behind the tree and I was watching him through my lens, hoping he would come into view. Just then he popped his little head over to see if I was still there, and I was able to snap him, before he flew to another tree.

Walking further I came across a flock of Long-tailed Tits, these are much more pinker than the guys I had seen in Spain. They love to congregate together and was able to get a very nice photo of one of them on the flimsiest of twigs....beautiful!

A great end to a perfect but freezing day!

Birdlist: Buzzard, Kestrel, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Long-tailed tit, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Reed bunting, Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Carrion crow, Grey heron, Goldeneye, Whooper swan, Treecreeper, Mallard, Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Loch Mochrum, Maybole

2010-01-26T15:15:00.006+01:00

Spent a few hours this morning out and about. Thought I would take a look at Loch Mochrum very near to Maybole and only a few miles from my house. The fishing club have built a small hide overlooking the loch with chairs and visitors book. Bird feeders surround the hide so there is always plenty of activity nearby. Mainly the usual Blue tits and Great tits, with the occasional Coal tits coming to have a feed. Dunnocks and Robins were at ground level picking up the crumbs as was a Wren. Also a pair of Yellowhammers were in the bushes but because the light was poor, I had to shoot at 1000ISO at f5.6, 1/400sec shutter, hence the noise on the photos. Anyway i was pleased to get somekind of shot as I had not photographed this species before. On the water were about 20 Goldeneye a few Mallard and some other ducks, may of been Pochard, but not sure as they were too far away for a 100% ID. I drove back via Straiton. This is a quaint little village with a lovely river running through it. Here I saw a Dipper and so crouched down to watch him feeding in the river. He would bob uop and down on the riverbank and then plunge himself in the water only to resurface some 2 meteres away from where he submerged. He would swin with his little head and white breast showing, not floating like a duck, but 70% of his body was underwater....then he would go under again. I was watching this for about 15 minutes, wish he would come nearer so as to get a photo, but he never did, as the current of the river was taking him further away from me.

Maidens Again!

2010-01-19T18:42:00.007+01:00

19th January 2010

I am afraid I havent been too adventurous with visiting different locations as you can see from my recent blogs, they have all been in Maidens and around the lovely harbour. Reason is...just havent had the time to travel far, there always seems to be things to do. Yesterday I managed to find a couple of hours so shot off to Maidens to see what was about.
The oystercatchers where there in there numbers as were the Mute Swans floating magestically on the sea. A couple of Shelduck in the distance, quite away from the shoreline, but could make out the red bills against the grey sea and sky. There were about two dozen Redshank feeding close to the shoreline, but ather than that not much else to be seen. I drove along the front only to see a kestrel perched in a branch. Was able to get reasonable close before he took to flight. On the grass by the beach came a Song Thrush bobbing along. He was glad the ground had thawed as he looked for his lunch. Other than the usual Blue tits, Great Tits nothing else to report. On the way home I did see a Fieldfare motionless in a field. He must of felt as cold as I did, so headed for home.

Maidens Harbour Again!

2010-01-02T22:18:00.010+01:00

1st January 2010

It was a lovely cold crisp morning so we took a spin down to Maiden's again to see what was about. There were already some twitchers with their scopes, looking for some rare species about so we got our gear together along with our hats with ear muffs to keep us warm and took to exploring the harbour and coastline. One of the first birds we saw around the harbour was a Kingfisher. I had never seen these birds on the coast before and used to seeing them on the ponds and rivers, mainly in the Summer. I was told that they head to the coast in Winter as it is milder and food is more readily found. We saw the resident Oystercatchers again and tried to get some flight shots. Redshank and Curlew were the other main waders about, but then we saw a flock of Brent Geese fly over our heads and land in the sea near the harbour. This was a first for us to see these geese, so we were quite excited! They look alot smaller than the other geese and were recognisible by the plummage and the white ring round their necks. Lots of Water Pipits and thrushes about with good sightings in the car of Fieldfare and Buzzards. seems to be Buzzards everywhere with every turn in the road. We stopped off at the pond near maidens for a few minutes to see Goldeneye and Whooper swan and Mute swan. Birdlist: Blue tit, Great tit, Buzzard, Pied wagtail, Robin, Blackbird, Brent Goose, Oystercatcher, redshand, Curlew, Kingfisher, Great Black-backed gull, Cormorant, Shelduck, Mallard, Water pipit, Thrush, Fieldfare, Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Golden Eye.

Maidens Harbour

2009-12-29T14:30:00.006+01:00

29 December 2009

Luke and I went out to Maidens Harbour this morning, along the coast between Maybole and Turnberry. It was -1c but felt colder due to the stiff breeze constantly blowing into our faces. Stopping the car near a small pond near Maidens we saw 2 Whooper Swans, with about 10 Tufted Duck. We first heard and then saw a flock of Curlew dart past us over the pond, I love the call of the Curlew. Back in the car we made our way to Maidens. On the way half a dozen Fieldfare were on the ground. Oystercatchers we in abundance on the grass areas aswell as the beach. Also there were groups of Dunlin and Redshank feeding in the sand. We arrived when the tide was fairly close, but soon noticed how it was on its way out as the birds got further away from us. Sightings of another two Curlew on the beach, along with Little Ringed Plovers. Out in the bay I saw my first Red-Breasted Merganser, a lovely looking bird, bobing up and down on the water. Two Shelduck flew in on the water, their bright red bills looked beautiful against the grey water. A lone Rock Pipit was exploring amongst the old fishing nets. It was getting too cold for comfort so we decided to call it a day. On the way home we saw a Buzzard perched on a pole, got good views as it took off, and swooped low over the snow covered field. Not too bad...26 species in 2 hours.

Birdlist; Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Red-breasted Merganser,Dunlin, Little-ringed plover, Rock Pipit, Curlew, Rook, Jackdaw, Crow, Mute Swan, Whooper swan, Tufted duck, Black-headed gull, Fieldfare, Song thrush, Blackbird, Redshank, Robin, Wood pigeon, Colared dove, Pheasant, Shelduck, House sparrow, Tree sparrow, Chaffinch.

Spain becomes Scotland!

2009-12-22T18:31:00.003+01:00

Kirkmichael, South Ayrshire.

Well just a note to mention the reason for the absence of blogs over the past few months!
I have left Spain after 7 gloro¡ious years and have moved back to the UK, well Scotland to be precise....well Ayrshire...South Ayrshire, in the South-West corner of Scotland.
Sadly I havent had much time for birding except on one occasion last week when I went out to what will become my 'local patch'. Its snowing here and is so different from Spain....but I'm loving it!
Will get back to the usual blog as soon as possible...so watch this space. In the meantime, here is a shot taken of the ever popular Robin taken earlier today.

Charca de Suarez Reserve, Motril

2009-09-28T13:33:00.010+02:00

28 September 2009 Last Fridays visit to Charca was really enjoyable to say the least. 18 members of the Axarquia Bird Group attended the special visit of the reserve and were all waiting eagerly as Manolo opened the gates to us. 48 species were recorded. To read a detailed account of the visit please go to Bob Wrights Blog: http://birdingaxarquia.blogspot.com/

Birds seen: Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Bittern, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Heron, White Stork, Flamingo, Mallard, Shoveler, Gadwall, Common Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Booted Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Coot, Snipe, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Rock Dove, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Wryneck, Crested Lark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Whinchat, Stonechat, Bluethroat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Red Avadavat, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow and Spotless Starling.

Tarifa and La Janda

2009-09-24T21:56:00.009+02:00

23 September 2009

Had a meeting to attend in Gibraltar so we decided to leave the day before and get a day's birding in near Tarifa and La Janda. We set off early at 6am and was at Tarifa by 9am, even with a stop for desayuno. We started to see the mass exodus from Europe of the migratory birds as we left Algerciras. We stopped first at El Algarrobo and could see many Booted eagles. In the thickets were the familiar sight of male and female Stonechats. We left this spot as the we had heard that good sightings were to be held at the other view point toward Tarifa. Here there were many birding folk all equipped with scopes and camera. There were a Dutch group taking detailed notes on the migration. Flocks of Alpine Swifts would come and go along with a few common swift. The mains raptures were the Booted Eagles and Short-toed Eagles, along with the occasional Sparrowhawk. A Kestrel perched on a post across the main road certainly caught the attention of many, until a Ruppel's Vulture stole the limelight. After a quick cup of tea made from our camping stove, we nearly missed the Osprey as it flew over us heading South. It was amazing to see just how high the Black Stork's soar far higher than the eagles on this occasion. The Egyptian Vulture is easily ID by his tail, think it was a juvenile we saw. Along with the Black Kites and Red kites, nothing else seemed to be in the skies. As we were about to leave for La Janda, everyone got excited as a Goshawk flew across and down the valley. This was a big bird...alot bigger than the Sparrowhawk seen earlier! So it was on to La Janda. This is a beautiful area of green rice fields with a majestic mountain backdrop. Flocks of Glossy Ibis flew to and fro over the fields. Little Egrets and White Storks stood motionless in the fields. Here we had lunch, fried eggs and beans, made from our stove. After lunch we drove slow along the canal to first hear a Kingfisher and then Luke spotted the splash of blue dart along the waters edge. A few Marsh Harriers were hunting in the distant field, but we really got excited when we saw our first definate ID Montagu's Harrier! The little white patch on the top of his tail. In one of the drainage ditches we saw through the scope a Snipe with his long beak. This was a first sighting for Luke. Lapwings, Purple and Grey heron occasionally flew past...yes this was a magical place at this time of year! Birdlist: Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Heron, Glossy Ibis, White Stork, Black Stork, Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Ruppell's Vultutre, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Kestrel, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Rock Dove, Collared Dove, Swift, Thekla Lark, Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Spotless Starling, Alpine Swift, Blackcap, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Snipe, Lapwing, Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Purple Heron.

Motril Marshes

2009-08-28T22:59:00.009+02:00

27 August 2009

Again I went down early to Motril, well, with the new motorway finished I can be there in 25 mins. Left at 7.30am and was at the Motril marshes by 8.00. Walked round the tracks and first spotted a juvenile Woodchat Shrike on the wire. Lots of Cattle Egrets were about this morning and were perch in various places. Looking upward there flew over 15 Grey Herons heading toward the reserve. Shame it doesnt open this time in the morning during weekdays...never mind. Walking further i disturbed a couple of Mallards, but just then I saw a bright yellow blob fly into the green reeds. I knelt low and started to creep closer so as not to disturb. It was the Yellow Bishop! I was able to get quite close until it flew away, but what an amazing little bird to see in the wild. The yellow is the deepest, purist yellow one could imagine! Fantailed warblers and Goldfinch were about and then I saw the Red Avadavat's in the reeds again. This is a guanteed place to see these little fellows. Beautiful to watch. I decided to get in the car and drive a little more along some of the tracks, often the car serves as a good hide. I wasnt too long in the car when i saw a rather large bird on a concrete post. Was it a kestrel? Well it kind of looked like one, but as I got closer and looking through the bins, I noticed it had some blue markings! Looking at the head it resembled a bee-eater, then it dawned on me it was probably a Roller. I drove ever so slow and got a good view to confirm it was, I think, a juvenile Roller. Took some photos and tried to get closer, and t he amazing thing was, that it didnt fly away. It just kept looking at the car and I was able to get about 3 metres from the bird until it eventually flew to the next post. Again I stalked it again and watched it for ages. I had only ever seen one once before, and that was high on a wire in Almeria. It was getting hot now so was happy to call it a day and get back to view my pics on the PC.

Charca de Suarez Reserve, Motril

2009-08-24T13:37:00.012+02:00

24 August 2009

Went down to Charca again today, especially as Bob Wright yesterday had seen a Yellow-crowned Bishop. Went to the Motril Marshes first and saw the usual Puprple Heron take to the air as it detected my presence. On the wire above me flew a juvenile Woodchat Shrike, then darted to the ground after its prey. Walking around saw good sightings of the Avadavats, but too far for interesting photos. These are wonderful birds to look at, the red is just hypnotizing! Few Cattle Egrets were about and a few Sedge Warblers. On the road were a dozen Turtle Doves, reluctant to move as I drove nearer to them. Next I went to Charca reserve. All was quiet here and as I approached the hide where the ducks rest, they sensed I was there and about 15 took to flight. Barn Swallows were skimming over the water catching the insects. In the reeds I noticed a Little Bittern in stealth mode. Just then a splash of pure yellow few over the reeds as the Yellow-crowned Bishop came into sight and then disappeared into the long grass again. I wouldnt of been able to make a positive ID, if not to have seen Bob Wrights excellent photos of this bird the day before. On to the main hide and there was plenty to see. Over on the right, in the far corner there were two Night Herons. In the tall trees I saw a flock of Grey Herons, some of them where flying into the lake and landing in the water. Just then I noticed something move right in front of the hide, it was a Little Bittern. Never realised just how "little" these herons are! He was amazing! Then I heard the familiar sound of the Kingfisher, then spotted him on a nearby reed. Shame the light was directly behind him as the photo came out as a silohette. Then he flew to the main island in front of the hide and I got a few shots. Couldnt stay long so it was time to make tracks, but an enjoyable few hours.

Guadalhorce

2009-08-23T20:14:00.005+02:00

Reported by Luke.

We met a friend of ours Marc Anderson at Leroy Merlin store at 7:30am. We headed off to the bridge where I heard a Robin and we saw two Spoonbills in the distance and a couple of Mallards floating in the water. Then we headed into the reserve and we got to the first hide were there was another Spoonbill and also a few Black-winged Stilts also two Little Grebes. We looked in the distance at the Osprey tree were we saw a bird that was in a shape of a Falcon, so Marc got his spotting scope and confirmed that it was a Male Peregrine Falcon, so we all looked at him and got very good views of the Peregrine sitting very calmly in the tree.

We headed off to the second hide and there were 6 White headed Ducks on the pond. Carrying on to the next hide we saw a beautiful view of a Juvenile Woodchat Shrike and then Marc spotted something in the bush and it was a Yellow and Black bird and he confirmed later it was a Black-headed Weaver bird. So continuing, we saw a Beautiful Female Kestrel sitting peacefully and then about 2 minutes later a Female Sparrowhawk flew about 3 meters away.

We got to the next hide and there wasn't much on the pong just a Juvenile Black-winged Stilt and a Coot. So again carrying on to the next hide we saw Kentish, Little ringed and Ringed Plovers, also Curlew Sandpiper and Stilts also Common Sandpiper with a really good shot of a Kingfisher perched and Little Egrets in the pond. We looked at the Osprey tree again and the sun was facing the other way and the Peregrine was still sitting there and we looked through the scope and got some amazing views of this bird of prey as it was hunting along the field and perching again, we were all watching him for about 15 minutes and then he flew up river.
And so we walked back to the car and as we were on the motorway going over the bridge when we saw the Booted Eagle flying over the river. Amazing day all together. 25 Species all together.

Bird List: Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Spoonbill, Mallard, Black winged Stilts, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, White headed Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Woodchat Shrike, Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Egret, Kentish Plover, Little ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Kingfisher, Booted Eagle, Monk Parakeets, Black-headed Weaver.

Charca de Suarez Reserve, Motril

2009-08-15T16:25:00.007+02:00

14 August 2009

Luke and I spent an enjoyable evening with Bob Wright at Charca de Suarez Reserve in Motril. We had never been there before, but had heard good reports about the place. The main objective was to see the Avadavat's or the Bengali Rojo. A beautiful small red bird! After a little wait for the reserve to open, the gates were unlocked and we set out in a anti-clockwise direction visiting the hides. Nothing exciting at the first hide, just a few Mallards in the distance. Walking to the second, a Nightengale flew across our path and hid in one of the bushes. Flycatchers were active in the trees above. In the second hide we came across three ringers who had been there all day, but they said it had been rather quiet. On the other side of the pond we spotted what was a Squacco Heron, but then deserned it was a Little Bittern. This was a first sighting for Luke and myself of this bird. We then got to the main hide. Quite a few people where watching from this location as there was more activity on the water. After a couple of minutes we saw a Kingfisher skim over the pond and land on a reed. From here he began to dive into the water to fish. In the far tree, there must of been 20+ Grey Heron's all roosting there. It was good to watch the Little Egrets fly in on the little island on the lake. Grey Wagtails were flying about low over the water in search of insects. Coots and Moorhens were happy doing what they do, while a juvenile Night Heron was watching the world go by. Did we see the Avadavat's at the reserve? No, but earlier we had seen them at a pond on the outskirts of Motril, very near the reserve. Maybe next time we will see them.

Birdlist: Little Grebe, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Heron, Purple Heron, Mallard, Red-crested Pochard, Moorhen, Coot, Common Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Black-headed Gull, Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Rock Dove, Turtle Dove, Collared Dove, White Wagtail, Barn Swallow, Spotted Flycatcher, Nightingale, Blackbird, Reed Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow and Spotless Starling.

RSPB Baron Haugh & RSPB Lochwinnock, Scotland.

2009-08-02T22:55:00.010+02:00

26 July 2009

As we had a week in Scotland, we thought we would check out some of the local RSPB centres in the area. The first stop was Baron Haugh near Motherwell. We arrived around 6am and walked to the reserve where there are 4 hides surrounding the lake. At the first hide we didnt see much until after about 15mins, Luke spotted a kingfisher in the distance. It began to fly from reed to reed, giving us beautiful views through the binos. We watched it as it plunged into the still water and fly out onto the reed. Fish in mouth it started to beat the fish on the reed before swallowing it. If only it was closer I would of taken the camera out, but still the next 20 mins gave us so much pleasure as we watched it hunt. All around us wrens were chirping away. So on to the next hide. Here we saw Lapwings and a lone Mute swan. In the distance were a couple of Oystercatchers feeding away. Onto the third hide and we were greeted with a treat as out of the reeds came a Waterrail. This was a first for both of us so we were over the moon to see this bird. All in all we saw 27 species here at Baron Haugh. Then on to Lochwinnock which is at the other end of Glasgow. The loch was very quiet this time of year. We were hoping to see some Great Crested Grebes, but only could see one about a mile away in the distance, even a scope would of had difficulty finding it! The RSPB centre had a photographic hide, kitted out with chairs and camo covering the windows. Again slightly disapointing as the weather wasn't good and the light was poor, but we still managed to get some shots of the usual garden birds. The highlight was when a male Sparrowhawk perched himself on a nearby fence and feasted his eyes on the tiny blue tits and Great tits. Another first sighting for us was in the form of a Lesser redpoll. He appeared for about 3 seconds before flying off never to return. I am happy that I just happened to have the camera ready and so got a half decent shot. We decided to have a walk round the trails surrounding the loch, and came across a Great-spotted woodpecker climbing up one of the trees. Back at the hide he came on a nearby post and I quickly was able to get a few shots off. These are beautiful birds with the red against a pattern of black and white. Here we saw 13 species and so at the end of the day we had totalled 40 species at the 2 reserves.

Birdlist: Lapwing, Magpie, Mute Swan, Common gull, Black headed gull, Wood pidgeon, Great tit Blue tit, Raven, Starlings, Wren, Kingfisher, Sedge Warbler, Mallard, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Oystercatcher, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, Waterail, Great Black-back Gull, Common Sandpiper, Wood Warbler, Long-tailed tit, House Martin, Greenfinch, House sparrow, Jackdaw, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Siskin.

Barn Owl

2009-07-30T21:48:00.008+02:00

19th July 2009

While visiting my home town of Liverpool, Luke and I met up with Tom Charles, a friend who has a real passion for nature that is reflected in his photography. Previously we had met up but the weather was dreadful and we couldn´t even venture out of the cars due to the British Summer weather. Anyway, we arranged another expedition to a location in Lancashire, were Charles had seen and captured beautiful images of Barn Owls. (www.tomcharles-photography.co.uk) Luke and I arrived about 15 mins before Charles and never really saw anything except for a lone Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a number of Starlings. Oh yes, a Curlew flew over us and landed in the nearby field. (Later we spent time walking near this bird just to hear the lovely call it was making). When Charles arrived, he spotted in the distance something white flying low over the field. All three of us took binoculars to hand and shouted out in excitement. Luke in particular had been waiting and looking for a sighting of a Barn Owl for over a year, so feelings were truly high! Charles told us to keep low and wait as it would fly toward us near the canal that was between us and the bird. It was amazing to watch this owl systematically hunt up and down the field looking for its prey. It then landed in the field, we think to have a rest. We walked further up the canal and it took off again, flying out of sight. Charles suggested we carry on moving. Suddenly under a small bridge I saw the Owl flying low and was coming straight toward us. Charles excitedly said "Get down lads, and hold fire". All we could do is watch this silent hunter as it amazingly got nearer and nearer to us! With cameras ready we waited until eventually all of us just had to go for it and started to shoot from the heart! The bird just kept coming nearer until it decided to land on the grass floor directly opposite us on the other side of the canal. We were amazed! Within 5 seconds it looked at us and flew off. We were on such a high! The light was now vanishing and was proving difficult to shoot in. Walking back again Charles (with amazing eye sight) spotted a Little Owl perched. As it was too dark to photograph we just looked at this little cute bird! All in all this was an amazing magical night, and as said one that will not be forgotten! Birdlist: Barn Owl, Sparrowhawk, Curlew, Greenfinch, Little Owl, Heron, Mallard, Lapwing.

Summer Bee-eaters

2009-06-26T23:33:00.004+02:00

26th June 2009

Been rather busy over the past couple of weeks and have not had much time to get out in the field with the camera. Today, though was an exception. I waited until evening as it was a little cooler to go out and see what the local bee-eaters where up too. Seems like the juveniles had fledged their nests and where happily taking out the insect population.
The sun was still intense at this time of the day, but hiding under an avocado tree, it provided just the shelter I needed. Quickly set up the tripod and got in position...wasnt long before a couple where in view and was able to get a few shots off.
Not much else about..except a flycatcher trying to compete with the bee-eaters.
Birdlist: Bee-eater, Flycatcher, Goldfinch.

Hoopoe's in Nerja

2009-06-11T15:49:00.008+02:00

11 June 2009

Last week I took Steven out for a mornings birding, he was on holiday in Nerja and had contacted me to hopefully see some Bee-eaters and Hoopoe's in the area. I knew where the bee-eaters are nesting so that was not a problem and generally one would nearly always see a hoopoe fly across the fields. I collected him at 9.00 and we set off. Steven is a keen birder and wildlife artist, producing some remarkable paintings of birds he has photographed. I took him to a place I knew for a certain had hoopoe's and before long we were watching them flying about. We noticed in one particular tree in the distance there was a lot of activity. As we made our way quietly we figured a nest may be near. We were able to hide near a old rustic wall and gladly I brought the camoflage sheeting with me so we set up our tripods and cameras and waited, covered by the camo. Not wanting to get too near the nest we just waited and hoped for the best. Not too long a hoopee flew onto the trunk of the tree like a woodpecker would do and within a flash entered a small hole in the tree. Amazing, i had not ever seen this before. Then a minute later he peep his head out and flew from the tree. Steven got some shots of all the action and was well chuffed. We packed away and set off to the bee-eaters. On the way Steven saw another new bird not seen before, a Blue rock thrush, there he was on another wall as we drove away. A couple of days later I returned to the nest and was able to get some photos myself, although I still am looking to photograph a hoopoe in flight...something that is proving very difficult!

Birdlist: Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Thekla lark, Blue rock thrush, Kestrel, Swift, House martin, Swallow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch.

Rio Gordo - Barn Owls?

2009-06-05T10:44:00.008+02:00

4th June.
Luke and I were invited by Bob (Birding Axarquia) to take a trip to the Rio Gordo area of Axarquia to hopefully see a pair of Barn Owls. Apparently they have been nesting in this same place now for the past few years. In fact the owners of the property had raised the chicks themselves and since them one of them keeps returning. We met Bob at the agreed location and as he arrived we were greeted by a Short-toed Eagle flying from pylon to pylon. He was of the white plumage variety and watched him hover just like a kestrel in search of prey. Along the track we saw a lovely Woodchat Shrike perched on the end of a olive tree. Thekla Lark were darting to and fro over the track. We arrived at the house which had fantastic views over the valley and were made very welcome by Mark and Kate. As we were scanning looking for the owls, we saw a big bird flying over the valley slightly toward us. I thought it was a buzzard, but both Luke and Bob felt it was a Montagu's Harrier. They arrive in Summer when the Hen Harrier's leave. The tail was rather long so likely was a Montagu's. This was a first for both Luke and myself. The owner had cameras on the nest linked up to his laptop so we could see the chicks inside viewed from his laptop, this was like Springwatch in Spain. Also there was another nest, this time of a Kestrel. It too had I think 4 or 5 chicks in it. We positioned ourselves outside and waited.....and waited. Scanning the countryside guessing where the owl may roost. After an hour still nothing, except the kestrel flying about. What kept us amuzed was watching a family of Stonechat in the bushes just opposite us. A chick had just fledged and still had some of the chick feathers (slightly blueish in colour) on its wing. As the evening fell, still nothing. We had seen in the distance across the valley another Short-toed Eagle perched on a post and noticed a fox walking toward it. Then the fox disappeared, then the eagle?? Ten o'clock came and it was virtually dark by now and still no owl. We packed up our things, said "goodbye" to Mark and Kate, hoping we may see it along the track using the car headlights...but No!. Never mind, still an enjoyable evening in the middle of Axarquia.
Birdlist: Short-toed Eagle, Kestrel, Montagu's Harrier, Stonechat, Thekla Lark, Woodchat Shrike, Goldfinch, Sardinian Warbler, Swift,

Bempton Cliffs - Razorbills

2009-05-30T17:11:00.004+02:00

The razorbills I think were really cute sitting on the cliff edges. They were quite content to watch the Gannets fly to and fro with only occasionally they themselves taking to flight, but would come back again to the exact location on the cliff.
At first glance you think they are just black and white, but upon a closer inspection you can see suble shades of brown merging to black. When they opened their beaks they revealed a beautiful golden yellow colour inside, that really stood out. What looked fantastic was the thin white line as though painted on their faces and beak...very artistic to say the least!.

Bempton Cliffs - Gannets

2009-05-26T16:51:00.008+02:00

26 May 2009

I know this is a blog on birding activity within Andacusia, but I had such a wonderful time over in the UK last week that I had to mention it in the blog. We planned to get to see the sea birds that the UK offers. I had never seen a Razorbill or a Guillimot, or a Puffin, guess its one of the down sides of living in Spain, well the Southern coast of Spain that is. But really it was the Gannets we really wanted to see.

We drove 3 hours from Liverpool to Bempton and arrived there about 10.30. It was a dull day when we arrived but could see clearer weather out to sea coming in from the East. We arrived at the RSPB shop all excited, greeted by a very friendly girl who told us the best locations to view the birds and so we set off. It is only a few hundred metres from the shop to the cliff edges. Therer must of been thousands of birds all huddled together on the cliff edges while hundreds of birds where in flight. Gannets by far where in the majority, followed by Kittiwakes. They glided past us on the sea breeze and then came into land on the grassy slops like huge 737's. There were many people here, from keen birders to families out for the day. A few photographers where hoping to get the perfect shot and it was good to talk to some of these.

The Gannets must be one of the largest seabirds with a wingspan of nearly 2 metres. Truely a majestic bird to watch, even though we never saw them dive in for the fish.
I will post another blog of the Razorbills and Puffins we saw at a later time.

Nerja Bee-eaters

2009-05-19T18:19:00.008+02:00

19 May 2009

Today I got up early at 6.00am as I was meeting up with Martin Hierck, a bird photographer from Holland. We decided to try to get some decent shots of the Bee-eaters that have arrived over the last few weeks. Last year I had discovered a nest site of about 30 birds, and so we went to see if they had returned. As we approached by car we could see a few sitting on the electric power lines looking down at us. We parked the car and made a strategy. We both agreed that photos of birds on power lines was not too good, so we found an old branch and tied it to the small foot bridge crossing the road. We had also seen them on this bridge and so figured they might like our branch. The sound of the bee-eater is distinct and we got excited. We both took our positions underneath some advocado trees and waited....and did we wait! One bird nearly landed but had second thoughts. After nearly an hour I said to Martin I would go on a walk about to see if I could try and move them from off the power lines toward our branch, but this had not effect. In the end we gave up, and decided to take a run in the car through the campo. After being towed out of an unusual deep ditch we set about our way. Plenty of Goldfinch and Serin, a few Kestrels flying overhead. On the road ahead of us we saw a snake about a metre in length, guess it was a grass snake, then slithered into the long grass. As we turn the bend a Blue Rock Thrush was sitting on a brick wall, sadly we couldn't get the cameras into position fast enough before it flew away. As time was pushing on, Martin had to leave and head back to Rincon de La Victoria. I decided I would have one last look at the bee-eaters. There they were again on the power lines. I took position under the same tree and waited. This time it only took 5 minutes before the first bee-eater landed on the branch we had erected, then came another and started to share his meal. It was wonderful to see them exchange bees together. It was a shame Martin could not have been there to share my excitement, but I guess that is what birding is all about...we just never know when the moment will happen. Birdlist: Goldfinch, Serin, House sparrow, Kestrel, Blue rock thrush, Bee-eater, Hoopee, Stonechat.

Guadalhorce

2009-05-12T20:01:00.006+02:00

12 May 2009

Thought I would get a real early start today as the Summer heat seems to intensify each day. By 12 noon it is quite hot and so I arrived at Guadalhorce when it was still dark at 6.00am. I had never been there in the dark before so ventured over the bridge into the reserve. The tall trees next to the river attracted my attention as I could hear an unusual screach coming from one of the trees. The moon was out which gave me a sillohette of the tree. I saw what looked like a kestrel, same size but the sound coming from it was not that of a kestrel. While I was looking at it another bird much the same size flew near it and both birds flew off and landed in the scrub in the field. Once they took to flight I reckon they were two Nightjars. When I got home I listened on the RSPB site at the Nightjar call, and sounded very similar. Never saw much else while it was dark but I could see the dawn starting to break in the East. When I got to the furthest hide near the sea hide the dawn chorus was in full swing. After sitting in this hide for about 10 mins I decided to go and as I left another Nightjar was flying straight at me. It saw me when it was about 3 metres away and veered to the left. I could make out the white undermarkings as it flapped it's wings. Great excitement. Other than this not much else happened. I waited down near the pond edge under cover for an hour and half and waited to see if any other waders would arrive, but the whole pond was taken over by the Black-winged Stilts. Other than a lone Redshank and a Little-ringed plover nothing else. It was now 10.00am so I started a slow walk back. I met Manuel Aravjo doing some digiscoping but on the pond was only a pair of White-headed duck. When I got to the hide overlooking the main pond there was a Grey Plover amongst the rocks. I had read Andy's blog report as he had seen this bird earlier, so this made up for the lack of waders, as this was a new bird sighting for me.
Birdlist: Nightjar, Shovelar, Black-winged Stilt, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Little-ringed Plover, Ringed plover, Redshank, Goldfinch, Swift, Swallow, Martin, Kestrel, Coot, Blackbird, Woodchat Shrike, White-headed duck, Grey Plover.

Rio de la Miel

2009-05-07T17:38:00.003+02:00

7 May 2009

Took the moto up to Rio de la Miel, just out of Nerja and past the pueblo blanco of Maro. The road twists and winds up the valley until you get to the top of the mountain range. From here one can see the snow still present on Sierra Nevada.
Not a great birding site, but one can easily expect to see the usual tits, blackbirds and serins. I stopped off near a stream and had a wander up a path to some pine trees. In the distance I could see what looked like a falcon of some sort flying near the crags, but too far for a positive ID. Could of been a Peregrine. Also spotted perched on a crag in the distance was an eagle. If only I had my spotting scope, maybe then I could of identified it. Walking back to my moto I saw a lovely Pied Flycatcher on a dead branch. He was quite happy letting me watch him and he would fly into the air and catch his meal. Also at this altitude there were Stonechat and Whinchat, normally I only see them in the Winter down on the coast.
Birdlist: Great tit, Serin, Blackbird, Nightengale, Pied flycatcher, Stonechat, Whinchat, Goldfinch.

Fuente de Piedra/Alhama de Granada

2009-05-05T08:28:00.010+02:00

5th May 2009

After last Monday's amazing birding day I decided to head up to the lagoon again at Piedra. I arrived at 8.45am and there was no one in sight. Great!, I thought. But to my disapointment there were not many birds in sight either. I couldnt believe the contrast from the previous Monday when there were flocks and flocks of waders everywhere! Now there was a few on the various ponds.

There was a group of flamingoes nearer to me than last week so I spent some time watching them and was able to get a nice flight shot. The pink underneath their wings is beautiful, an amazing looking bird!

There was a couple of Avocet, a few Dunlin feeding away, and the usual Redshank. Went to see if I could see the Red-crested pochards again, but they seem to have vanished too. The Curlew Sandpipers were still there, as were the Ringed Plovers, but really not much else. On the wooden bridge a very tame Swallow kept flying and landing on the bridge, and came withing 10 feet of my lens.
I think it was a Marsh Harrier that flew past in the distance over the lagoon, and then at 10.30 a coach load of school kids started to walk towards me. I decided at this point to head somewhere else....and so decided to go and see if the dipper's were still at Alhama de Granada.

I took the road from Antequerra to Granada instead of down to Malaga, passing Archidona. I had heard there are Short-eared Owls in this area, and thought about an evening visit there sometime. Turning off the main A92 toward Alhama the scenery this time of year is wonderful, rolling green fields of grasses and wheat. On the way saw Woodchat Shrike, Kestrels galore, and also a Sparrow hawk.

When I got to Alhama I excitedly started to walk the path through the gorge. I could hear the waterfall in the distance and as I got to the small pond saw the Dipper fly toward the waterfall. I got in position and waited. Had my sandwich and coffee out of a flask and was enjoying the sun on my back whilst listening to the sound of running water. The Grey Wagtails I had photographed some weeks earlier came to visit me again, this time they brought their new family with them. The baby one was so small and was happily churping away, waiting for his mother to come and feed him. Just then in the back undergrowth there was the dipper. I was looking at him through the camera lens waiting for him to get into a better position for a photo, but he was too busy bashing a small fish on the rock. He was trying to kill this fish for about 3 mins and when all life was hammered out of the fish he flew away again in the direction of the waterfall...fish in mouth. I saw the dippers fly up and down the river atleast 15 times but they never stopped on the rocks to where I could get a nice shot.

Just as I was about to call it a day, in between a rock and the log on the embankment, I noticed some movement. Just then a baby dipper appeared! I was so excited, I couldnt find him through my lens and when I went to have another look, he had gone. Just then his mother made a brief appearance on the log and flew off. I didn't even try to get a photo this time, just wanted to savour the moment, even though it only lasted 2 seconds! I was so happy I had been about 8 feet away from a dipper and it's chick.

Driving home just before Zaffaraya, I saw my first Azure-winged Magpie outside of Donana, so all in all a good day really with 30 species observed.

Birdlist: Black-winged stilt, Avocet, Redshank, Dunlin, Common Tern, Goldfinch, Corn Bunting, Pochard, Coot, Moorhen, Ringed Plover, Flamingo, Marsh Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Kestrel, Sparrow Hawk, Blue tit, Great tit, Dipper, Nightengale, Woodchat shrike, Sardinian warbler, Azure-winged magpie, Jackdaw, Grey wagtail, White wagtail, Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap, Serin

Fuente de Piedra

2009-04-28T22:01:00.015+02:00

28 April 2009

Yesterday I managed to get the time to take Andy's suggestion to visit Fuente de Piedra. He had emailed me to say the whole place was alive with every kind of wader and perfect for some bird photography. I couldn't wait to get up there and so early Monday morning was my chance. When I arrived the sun shone and there was no wind and the lagoon had a stillness that was amazing! There was thousands and thousands of flamingoes that covered the lagoon like a pink mist. I had never seen Piedra looking so spectacular.

I walked over the wooded foot bridge and was amazed at the variety of birdlife. I could see a good number Black-winged stilt. Many of them where flying about and 'playing' with each other, as they do in Spring. I could see quite a few Ruff and one particular with different plumage. Well, I think it is a ruff.(Please comment to confirm this is a Ruff)

I spent a good time here getting various flight shots. I found that if I lay down on the bridge, then the birds would forget I was there and start to get closer. Avocets were in good number, and I had fairly good opportunities to get them in frame and also in flight. These are wonderful looking birds, so elegant and graceful. They look fantastic when flying.

Just then a Ringed Plover started to be curious of me. He was hesitant at first, but gradually took the courage to come closer to me. I was rewarded with some nice close up shots.

I decided to have a look at the other parts and went to the indoor hide overlooking the small lake. I saw on the edge a flock of Gull-billed Tern, never seen these before. Also on the little island there was a orange headed duck with a red beak. A quick look and identified it as a Red Crested Pochard. I later saw a couple more on the small pond where the rabbits are. Again this was another first sighting for me.

This was definately the best day I have enjoyed at Piedra and thanks to Andy Paterson for letting me know. You can read Andy's review at his Birding the Costa blog. There is a link on the right of this page.

Birdlist:

Avocet, Redshank, Black-winged stilt,Sanderling, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Flamingo, Ringed Plover, Little-ringed Plover, Moorhen, Coot, Greenshank, Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Little stint, Goldfinch, Swallow, Red-rumped swallow. Yellow wagtail, Corn Bunting.

Guadalhorce

2009-04-20T09:03:00.009+02:00

18 april 2009

Today I had to go to the airport to collect my mother, so we decided to get a few hours of birding in at the ponds. There was definately more activity on the water with numerous White-headed ducks and Pochards about. In the main hide in front of the large pond we noticed seven herons flying toward us in the distance, as the got near we identified them as Purple Heron. They flew right over us, quite a spectacular start to the morning.

Working our way round the hides we saw the usual birds, but enjoyed watching 3 Bee-eaters playing about and landing on the long thin branches of the bushes. Many Woodchat Shrikes could be seen, never seen so many in one morning. The Osprey was feeding all morning on the same post, never leaving this position. I never take it for granted that he is still there and could be seen at any time, feeding within fairly close range. Such a sight would be spectacular in the UK. At the last hide before we hit the beach we saw Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Avocet and 9 Whimbrel.

So it was on the the beach and could observe 4 Sandwich Terns diving for fish where the river meets the sea. Also a flock of Turnstones came close to us on the rocks, they seemed quite tame. Looking over we saw Sanderlin and a Kentish Plover, but saw a different wader. Getting out the books it turned out to be a Dunlin with its black bit underneath. This was a first for both of us.

Altogether we saw 51 species that morning....a great mornings birding.

Birdlist: Monk Parakeet, Kestrel, opsprey, pochard, White-headed duck, Mallard, Goldfinch, Bee-eater, Sparrow, Redshank, Greenfinch, Serin, Swallow, house Martin, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Little-ringed plover, Cormorant, Chifchaf, Little Grebe, Black-winged Stilt, Woodchat Shrike, Gadwall, Common Greenshank, Great Tit, Blackbird, Green Sandpiper, Spotless Starling, Shovelar, Coot, Turnstone, White Wagtail, Whimbrel, Sandwich tern, Dunlin, Kentish Plover, Northern Wheatear, Avocet, Sardinian Warbler, Black-headed Gull, Fan-tailed Warbler, Swift, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Hoopee, Common Sandpiper, Crested Lark, Grey Wagtail, Sanderlin.

El Algarrobo, Nerja

2009-04-17T21:07:00.008+02:00

17 April 2009

With the weather being unsettled over the past few days I was reluctant to venture any distance so I decided to visit the hillside at the back of Nerja. Quite often a Short-toed eagle will put in an appearance and this morning was not exception. In fact on the ridge of the mountain there were three soaring in the thermals, showing off the white underparts in the morning sunlight.

Within one hour of walking this local area I saw 16 species, but the highlight was seeing a Whinchat flying amid the rocky terrain. At first I thought it was a stonechat, but no this was definately a whinchat! Further in the valley I came across a small flock of Linnets in the grassland, showing off their red breasts. I decided to hide amongst some trees and was rewarded by a family of Goldfinch feeding their new fledged chicks. As I went to higher ground, I was suprised to see a Black Wheatear, thought they were only here in the Winter. Spring is a wonderful season to observe the antics of all the birds, courtship displays, nest building and feeding chicks.

On my way home I startled 9 Hoopee from the ground, if only I was quick enough with the camera, it would of made a beautiful flight shot.

Birdlist: Black wheatear, Hoopee, Spotless starling, House sparrow, Goldfinch, Whinchat, Woodchat shrike, Kestrel, Short-toed eagle, Sardinian warbler, Serin, Swift, Swallow, House martin, Collared dove, Linnet.

Alhama de Granada-In search of the Dippers

2009-04-10T00:06:00.006+02:00

8th April 2009

We went to the small river running through the gorge at Alhama de Granada today in search of the elusive dipper. Sadly we only got a glimpse of him for about 2 seconds as he flew down stream. We sat patiently with cameras on tripods, camoflauged by the bushes and artificial netting we bought, but he just never came near the rocks and water we had seen him on previous occasions. All was not wasted as a lovely Grey Wagtail came within range and I was rewarded handsomely with some very detailed shots of this colourful bird.

We were suprised by just how many Wrens must be nesting in this location, all the while their song could be heard. Also heard but not seen was a cuckoo, a sound that Spring has definitely arrived. Also we heard the sound of a woodpecker, later identified as the Great Spotted Woodpecker flying through the wooded areas.
We had a pleasant morning counting a total of 26 birds before enjoying a pollo a la brasa at El Ventoro with a nice glass of Rioja. Life is good.

Birdlist: Coot, Chaffinch, Chough, Blackbird, Pochard, Kestrel, Magpie, Wren, Blackcap, Dipper, Blue tit, Great tit, Long-tailed tit, Goldfinch, Robin, Jay, Grey wagtail, Nightengale, Great spotted woodpecker, Serin, Little Grebe, Crag martin, House martin, House sparrow, Spotless starling, white wagtail.

Guadalhorce

2009-04-06T21:03:00.009+02:00

6th April 2009

Today Luke and I went to Rio Gualdalhorce. Upon arriving there we were suprised to find the whole area in like a fog or sea mist. Anyway it seemed to clear but came back again then clear again and went like this most of the day. We left at 2pm but were very happy to see 38 different species, despite not seeing the usual Booted Eagles and Marsh Harrier.

First birds to see were Greenfinch as we came off the bridge. Then a single Woodchat Shrike with a stunning brown head. On the ponds the usual Shovelars and White-headed Ducks, plenty of Black-winged Stilts both feeding and flying. Then out of the mist came the Osprey, flying over the hide we were in.

We had two birds we wanted to see, a Gadwall and a Black-eared Wheatear, the latter we didnt see, but a first sighting ever of a Gadwall.

The highlight of the morning was to see two Bee-eaters perched on a branch in the distance, but the colours when looking through the binoculars was amazing! I couldnt take my eyes from them and so was too slow in getting the camera aimed. We saw both Kentish and Little-ringed Plover ( I could distinquish them now with help from Bob Wright last week), Common and Green Sandpiper on the far hide. Then onto the beach, with Sanderling and a lone Oystercatcher flying low over the sea.

Along the path we came across a lovely little Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting Cisticola), and was able to get a few nice shots of him.

At this time the sea mist came in again heavy, so we decided to head home, but all in all, not a bad day.

Birdlist: Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Serin, House Sparrow, Sardinian Warbler, Little Egret, Blackbird, Monk Parakeet, Woodchat Shrike, Mallard, Cormorant, Kestrel, Shovelar, Pochard, White-headed Duck, Osprey, Grey Heron, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Little-ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Coot, Moorhen, Gadwall, Bee-eater, Corn Bunting, Common Redshank, Sanderlin, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Spotless Starling, Yellow Wagtail, Crested Lark, Fan-tailed Warbler, Hoopee.

Nerja Old Sugar Factory

2009-04-03T16:16:00.005+02:00

3rd April 2009

Today I got up early as I had a couple of hours spare so went to the waste ground between Nerja and Maro. As I walked the track to the building serens and goldfinches were busy in the fields. I love this time of the morning, hearing the chorus of birds all round me. As I was getting the camera ready I noticed a slightly bigger bird with distinct markings. I grabbed my binoculars and saw it was a woodchat shrike. He was watching me, then flew off. He landed on a dead tree with no foilage, ideal for a photograph. I spent literally ten minutes quietly and very slowly walking toward him, getting within shooting range.

Further up I saw a wheatear on the old sugar building. Again I was stalking him, until he landed on some rocks and I got in range for a photo.

Nothing else really, other than the usual blackbird, sparrows..but a nice hour well spent.

Birdlist: Serin, Goldfinch, Wheatear, Woodchat shrike, Blackbird, Sparrow, Hoopee, Kestrel, Starling, Flycatcher.

Caleta de Velez

2009-03-31T16:25:00.010+02:00

31 March 2009

This morning I took Andy Paterson's advice to go down to the harbour at Caleta, as I had asked him about locations for sea birds. This being the nearest to me and as I had a few hours spare I ventured out with camera.

I am still learning the names of all the sea birds, but recognised straight away that some of the birds flying around were not seagulls but terns. A quick look in the book to identify and I think they were Sandwich Terns. They were diving into the water which was a pleasure to watch. They are an elegant, attractive sea bird that photograph well.

Also I saw a Mediteranean Gull, with its dark head. As I walked along the shore line near the harbour a Kentish Plover was exploring the sand and pebbles. He turned his head and took one look at me and flew off.

It was all quiet and peaceful until a small fishing boat came in and this caused a frenzy of hundreds of gull trying to get in on some of the fish from the boat...very exciting and well worth a visit to Caleta.

Birdlist: Mediteranean Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Kentish Plover, Cormorant, Grebe,

Fuente de Piedra

2009-03-26T22:18:00.009+01:00

26th March 2009

Today I spent a few hours at Fuente de Piedra as I had to be in Malaga later in the afternoon. On the coast it was a pleasant 19c, but inland at the lagoon the temperature had reached 23c, and felt really warm. First sightings were of four kestrels near the visitor centre flying about. Before getting to the car park I pulled over the car and saw a male Ruff in non breeding plumage in the pond to the left, also plenty of Black-winged stilt.

I decided to walk over the wooden bridge/pathway where there was two Avocet in the grass. On the main lagoon there are many flamingos in the distance and a few flew over to land at the rear pond. Nothing really spectacular but a fine way to spend a morning.

Birdlist: Flamingo, Yellow wagtail, Avocet, Black-winged stilt, Ringed plover, Ruff, Coot, Moorhen, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Tree pipit, Common Tern, Black-headed Gull, White wagtail, Swallow, Hoopee, Goldfinch.

Alhama-tracking the dipper

2009-03-22T21:46:00.011+01:00

March 23 2009

Yesterday I was determined to get a photo of the dipper I had seen on previous occasions up in Alhama de Granada. Last week I had seen him along the river that runs through the gorge between the town of Alhama and the lake. Another birder Bob Wright had also gone to find this elusive bird last Friday but sadly failed to get a glimpse of him. So the challenge was on!
Previously I had seen him at the footbridge, so I waited there for over an hour, but no dipper. So I decided to walk a little further into the gorge. I could hear a Wren singing heartedly away, so I scanned the area but couldn’t see anything. Then suddenly I saw something fly onto a rock. Quick look through the binoculars confirmed it was a wren. I watched him for about 15 mins moving about. This was a treat as these little birds are not that common here.
I waited again at another opening where you can get a good view of the stream, but still no dipper. Long-tailed tits, blue, and great tits where in the trees. I walked further up the path deep into the gorge, I could see the town in the distance, and notice the stream was getting bigger and louder! I left the path and climbed over the rocks and immediately in the distance through green foliage was the dipper. Only saw him for about 5 seconds then he flew away from me. I waited again, but he never returned. Saw a lovely Blue Rock Thrush in the distance. I decided to walk on and get into a new position. Again went over some more rocks and there he was again – flying from rock to rock with the big crashing waterfall behind him. This time there was a pair of dippers! I couldn’t get the camera into position in time, so never got a shot. Anyway I waited here for quite some time, then he flew back into position. I had the camera set on the tripod as the light was falling, so needed to use a slower shutter speed. Looks like he was gathering material for his new nest. Just then a Grey Wagtail landed on a rock. Click...another good image. All in all a great day with some nice shots. More images on the website.

Bird List: Magpie, Reed Warbler, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Wren, Robin, Blackcap, Dipper, Sardinian Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Rock Thrush, Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Cormorant, Pochard, Coot, Kestrel, Black Wheatear, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Fuente de Esparte

2009-03-19T20:58:00.011+01:00

19 March 2009

Today I took my moto up the dirt track behind Maro to Fuente de Esparte to the pine forest of El Pinarillo. There were many Chaffinch around, and the forest was full of the sound of Serin. One particular serin came rather close singing away and enabled me to get a half decent image.

The birds were all busy collecting materials for their nests. A couple of Long-tailed tits were busy pulling the fibre from an old rope tied to a tree. On the ground some distance away was a Crested tit. I love these birds and long to get close enough to get a photo, but today wasn't the day. A Robin was perched on his favourite post but was chased off by a Redstart. Later in the morning I saw my first Blue-tit at this forest, along with the many Great tits. Another favourite of mine is the Treecreeper, not sure whether it was the short-toed kind or the normal treecreeper. As I was leaving, a few noisy Crossbills appeared, but I had to leave, but not a bad morning.

Bird list: Chaffinch, Serin, Long-tailed tit, Crested tit, Great tit, Blue tit, Robin, Redstart, Treecreeper, Crossbill.

http://www.markmedcalfphotography.com/

Zafarraya & Alhama de Granada

2009-03-17T22:58:00.003+01:00

Saturday 14th March 2009
Today we got up early and drove from Nerja to Zafarraya. We had heard that peregrine falcons are nesting in the area so we were hoping to catch a glimps. Unfortunately we never saw any, but saw plenty of chough's flying high between the gorge. A pair of kestrel were also flying about. I had gone there to see Blue Rock Thrush, and I saw plenty flying all over the craggy rocks. A lovely Rock Bunting was sitting happily on a rock which allowed for a very nice photo.

A highlight was actually seeing a Wren. We had heard him first and waited patiently for him to appear. We never see these tiny little birds down on the coast, so this was a real treat for us.
Birdlist: Kestrel, Buzzard, Chough, Serin, Stonechat, Black Redstart, Rock Bunting, Crag Martin, Blue Tit, Sardinian Warbler, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Goldfinch, Robin, Wren.

Next we drove to Alhama de Granada to where there are a few hides overlooking the lake. Nothing much on the lake except Coot and a couple of Pochard, one Shoveler, Little Grebe and a Red Knob Coot. The highlight was when we walked through the gorge toward the village along the small river and saw to our suprise a Dipper, diving in and out of the water. These are one of my favourite birds! Also saw Blue Tit and Great Tit, along with Blackcap.
Bird List: Kestrel, Coot, Red Knob Coot, Shoveler, Little Grebe, Pochard, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackcap, Cormorant, Blackbird, Chaffinch.

www.markmedcalfphotography.com

Rio Guadalhorce

2009-03-17T18:32:00.008+01:00

Friday 13th March 2009.

Welcome to my new blog. I will try and keep it updated with various field trip in Andalucia. Last Friday I went to Guadalhorce and enjoyed a pleasant day there. I saw in total 26 different types of birds. The highlight was seeing the osprey come from nowhere and swoop over my head about 40 feet in the air. I was able to get my camera on him fast and got a decent shot.

The ponds were rather quiet but enjoyed watching a couple of white-headed ducks. I walked over to the beach and strolled along and saw a couple of sanderlings trotting along the sand. I was able to lie flat on the sand and they approached quite near, enabling me to get a low-angle shot, with shallow depth-of-field.

I look forward to when the water levels drop and hopefully see some more different birds

List of birds: Kestrel, Booted Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Goldfinch, Crested Lark, Corn Bunting, Garden warbler, Swallow, Hoopee, Stonechat, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Mallard, Greenshank,, Black-winged Stilt, Coot, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Shovelar, Cormorant, White-headed Duck, Pochard, Little Grebe,

http://www.markmedcalfphotography.com/