UKC

Whilst waiting for a stonechat to pose in the sunny frosty morning, I noticed, from the corner of my eye,  a bird flying straight towards me speed. It caused me to momentarily blink, then I heard those load ‘swoosh’.  The bird was a pigeon, the swoosh was the peregrine that nearly caught it five feet above my head !!!!!  Amazing. I’d been behind a bank, and partly hidden by a bush. The pigeon flew straight into a tree, the peregrine arced skywards.  Five minutes earlier, in bright sunshine, I disturbed a barn owl which landed on a post on the shade of a bush. I went back to the same place at dusk, and saw either the same barn owl or it’s mate, in the fading light (in the  photos).

Hen and marsh harrier, buzzard, merlin and Sparrowhawk. But no kestrel. 

Early morning had great views of redwings and Fieldfares. Bramblings as well yesterday. Huge nul era of wigeon, whooper swans and lots more. The recently weather has really lifted the spirits, and looks good for another week or two. 

Watched a Barn owl catch prey and then a Kestrel came and mobbed it. The Kestrel got the prey and then went of to eat it on a post. The Barn Owl went off (probably a bit annoyed) and hunted again.

All on Burley Moor above Menston. We had just parked the car and were getting ready to go for a walk. Luckily we had our binoculars with us.

Excellent. Barn owls are one of those extra special birds, and my list would include kingfishers, nuthatch, treecreeper and Sparrowhawk. See them regularly, but I always love watching them.  Perhaps throw in a kestrel perched in the sunlight. Maybe close ups of long tailed tits. The first skeins of pink feet, when you hear their sweet honk before you see them. Sanderlings as well. And the first whitethroat of the spring, and blackcap. 

You have got me thinking I need to get out bird watching again with all the birds you have been seeing!  Been a while since I’ve been out unfortunately, and missing it alot.

A few photos though from a month or so ago. Saw my first Great Northern Diver at an inland loch where the kingfisher and cormorant were on a really cold day early in December.

I keep on hearing Nuthatch at home, and yesterday walking just round the corner I heard one and stopped to actually locate it - can be tricky as you'll know since they tend to stay high up - there were 3 of them! Also heard loads of them when orienteering in a wood near Leeds today - but no Red Kite even though they are in that area, which are one of the birds I always like to watch.

I was mulling on this only last week- birds that are common but an absolute joy to see. I’d add Bullfinch, Goldcrest, GSW and Snipe to your list.

Seen loads of Redwing recently but I've not managed a good close up view this winter that properly shows the red underwing like you've nicely captured - not helped by them always being up high against the light.

I was in Anglesey over new year, on new year's day just before coming home, decided to go back down to the beach/shore and have a scan over the sea, see what's about - Eider and Common Scoter out to sea, Shag fishing, same as 3 days before, then I saw a different bird; is that a diver? But difficult to get a really good view as the light was fading, scurrying around trying to get closer. Pretty sure it was a Red-throated and I'm counting it as such (mainly because grey&white rather than darker with bill generally upturned and not looking like a massive dagger, and they're the most common of the 3, and lastly because I've seen one of them before so I'm not trying to "sell" myself a new species), but wish I'd seen the BTO Divers ID video before rather than several hours later. I suspect it wasn't adult because from what I saw on the web it most looked like a cross between a juvenile and winter plumage - still an exiting but rather nerve wracking end to the long weekend.

Bullfinch was another surprise on Anglesey - driving out from an urban area (up to 40mph limit) and there's a male Bullfinch sitting about a foot off the ground in the hedge by the road as we went past - unmistakable and unexpected.

Snipe, trouble is they're usually just flying away fast as they can.

I sometimes think about which common birds we'd be wowing about if they were rarities that we only saw once a year; Magpies, Mallard, Canada Geese, probably all the tits,. Some really stunning birds that we basically ignore because we see them all the time.

Yup I discovered the Redwings are usually high up, though I was on a raised path which helped for that photo 🤣. There were about 20 or so, but that was the only one with a clear enough shot.

The diver I saw I was helped ID by another birder telling me it was a G Northern! I did look at the BTO video afterwards to learn more and confirm ID.  It was in its winter duller plumage. Still to get the photos processed and see if any are reasonable. It was just 20 mins before sunset by the time I saw it and was getting low light, but still hopeful.

Birding has been hit and miss all autumn/winter - the weather has been utter rubbish. 

Good additions. Especially snipe. I’m lucky in that Martin Mere affords superb views of snipe. Saw a bullfinch yesterday. I’ve seen chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, bullfinch and brambling this weekend. 

Redwings can be a pain to get views of. My theory is that they are usually in flocks, hence many eyes and hence flighty. Good views today though, and fieldfare. And I’ve seen and heard lots of singing robins and, yesterday, a few singing song thrush. 

Missed seeing a red kite today - others saw it but not me. Over marsh side a few mins before I got there. Uncommon round those parts. There’s a snow bunting took up residence near Southport pier, but I’ve seen loads and see them in Fife in winter. Bewick’s swans as well, but I manage to avoid them. Used to see them loads in winter at Martin Mere when I was a teenager - quite uncommon now. But there’s a group of 22 cattle egret hanging about. Crazy climate change stuff.