New Years Day

Happy New Year everyone.

Right - first New Years Resolution is that I will keep this blog up to date. We will see if I manage to do it.

First trip out of the year was on a freezing first day of January over to meet my friend Martin Dyer at Slimbridge. As it was very cold, most of Slimbridge was iced up, and so after a relatively fruitless morning, we moved to a site that Martin was familiar with to look for Short Eared Owls.

The light was grey and flat, but everything was covered in a thick frost which provided to the most wonderful backdrop to the farmland.

We spent 3 hours watching these wonderful birds who were joined by a Kestrel, Peregrine and a Barn Owl.

Rainham Marshes 6 February, 2008

Managed to grab a couple of hours at the Marshes reserve today. Plenty of Lapwing taking flight, plus several Pied Wagtails were working the margins of the lakes.


On the feed tables, there were a few of the usual Blue Tits and Great Tits, Gold and Green Finches, plus a solitary Reed Bunting who looked like he needed his spring plumage !







Saw an Egret too, which was a bonus:















Off to Fingringhoe Wick, Isle of Sheppey and Minsmere at the weekend, so keep watching for more images................

Rainham Marshes 6 January

Made it to Rainham Marshes (http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/r/rainhammarshes/index.asp) on what turned out to be a lovely, sunny morning. A chill in the air, but nice and bright. Goldfinches and green finches were showing well on the feeders near the vistor centre and on the start of the walk, a Stonechat was showing well and posing for the camera (picture to follow). Also saw a water vole, but didn't get a chance to get a snap of him as he made his way through the reed beds.

On the lagoons, saw a lone Godwit of some sort, but didn't get a firm identification. Lot's of lapwings, shellducks, some barnacle geese, widgeon and various other assorted wintering birds.














I will be back there this weekend for another photo session, weather permitting.

More photo's to follow shortly.

Looking forward to the weekend

Hoping to make it to the RSPB site at Rainham Marshes this weekend - weather permitting. I'll post up some piccies if I make it .................

















The Stonechat's show really well at Rainham.........