Buff-bellied Pipit x 2 Berkshire

Finally decided today was the day to venture South to try to see not one but two Buff-bellied Pipits - we were up before dawn arriving on site at 9ish to the poor news that the birds hadn’t been seen - not a good start and it didn’t improve until 1 ish when from  half a mile further round the reservoir (Queen Mother Reservoir, Berks) came the news that they were there, so walking as fast as possible which isn’t easy with two bad backs and sciatica we trundled off only for them to fly away just as we were getting into position!  Luckily someone had followed their flight path over the road  to a patch of gravelly puddles about half a mile away so without further ado we trundled back to our car and as you can see from below had very good views of both birds serenaded by airliners every 30 seconds landing at Heathrow.

Buff-bellied Pipits, Horton, Berkshire, view video here http://youtu.be/FmrXFiG5ZxU

Buff-bellied Pipit tail pattern..

Frosty Normanby

A beautiful sunny, frosty morning brought a few welcome sightings in the park this morning - as soon as I entered I could hear 2 Nuthatches calling and then as I was hoping for I found the female Goosander down on the fishing lake and a Kingfisher on the duck pond - both recently new birds for me in the park.  Also in the deer park was a Roe Deer (not sure how he got in or how he’ll get out) and I flushed a Buzzard up from the ground and as usual a small flock of Siskins were feeding in the Alders by the fishing lake.

look carefully below and you’ll see the Roe Deer on the far side of the lake between the 2 interpretive boards!

New Year’s Day Birds of the Day!

Happy New Year to one and all.

Sparrowhawk preening

Great Northern Diver, Ashbyville

Another Normanby Park First!

I can hardly believe it but I have had another first in the Park this morning that's 2 in a few weeks who would have thought..anyway today's bird was a female Goosander down at the fishing lake.  I can't imagine it will be there long as it is very skittish and took off as soon as it saw me however it came back a couple of minutes later when it presumably thought the coast was clear.

Great Northern Diver

A few stills..

Great Northern Diver, North Lincs

One of those occasions when the light is non-existence and the bird is just too close - almost tame!

Great Northern Diver (1st Winter)

Christmas Greetings from Normanby

We would like to send Christmas Greetings around the world from here in Normanby and wish everyone a peaceful and nature filled 2013.

Scunthorpe Waxwings

Just driven back from Scunthorpe and had 13 Waxwings along the side of the Li-Lo factory on Normanby Business Park - no camera so no photos!

Another Waxwing tragedy

Click on this link http://theshadoxhurstgarden.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/waxwing-roadside-casualty.html

I can only say drivers need to slow down particularly on the road from Normanby through to Burton, Coleby, Thealby, West Halton and Alkborough.

A deceased Waxwing!

Whilst watching a couple of hundred Waxwing between here and West Halton we were dismayed to see this first winter male taken up into the air in the updraught of a car and then fall into the side of the road - it wasn’t hit by the car but was dead non the less.  They are easy pickings for drivers and Sparrowhawks as they seem to have no fear or road sense.

Waxwings

Well they’re still here in ever increasing numbers - these images were taken by my father this afternoon.

More Waxwings

Our local Waxwings are still around and we estimate there to be around 250 having said that they were a little elusive today and seem to have broken up into smaller groups - this group were settled until a Fieldfare took fright and spooked them - the local Sparrowhawk is still stalking them also and must be taking a couple a day!