Lakeside CP

On Sunday 25th November my Birthday we had planned to go to Lakeside CP to try and get some better pics of the Slav Grebe and then onto Keyhaven to look for some Long Tailed Ducks but this didn't happen coz we tried for the Imm White Tailed Eagle that had been present near Andover but we missed that aswell however we did manage to get to Lakeside for the Slavonian Grebe.




Slavonian Grebe taken at Lakeside CP



Slavonian Grebe taken at Lakeside CP.

Click them for larger pics

Hampshire Birding

This morning my Dad and I decided to travel around Hampshire to look at some of the decent birds at this moment in time. First stop was Lakeside CP which is just a few minutes drive from us to look at the Slavonian Grebe which has taken up residence there for the past few days. On arrival it was showing well albeit distant but after about half an hour it was showing down to 30ft which allowed some photographs to be taken.

And then the views were even better down to about 10ft but unfortunately the light was poor throughout our stay. Next stop was Blashford Lakes HWT to look for the Black Necked Grebe and Great White Egret. On arrival we spent some time looking at the feeders which held Siskins, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Nuthatches, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Chaffinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

After this we headed out onto Ibsley Water to the Goosander Hide to look for the Black Necked Grebe and straight away we picked it out amongst lots of Wildfowl which included Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Ruddy Duck, Pintail and Gadwall. Other birds on show were Avocet and an adult Yellow Legged Gull.

We then moved onto Mockbegger to look for the Great White Egret and as soon as I got out the car there it was walking left but unfortunately viewable for only 2 seconds before dissapearing behind an Island.
However we then went round to the next viewing screen where it flew in and landed fairly close giving excellent scope views but a bit too distant for bird photography. Other birds seen were 10+ Goosanders amongst the usual.
Before heading home we dropped into Eyeworth Pond to have a look at some Mandarin Ducks. We had two (1Drk) which showed well, we then went home.

Click the link below for pics of Slav Grebe and More...

http://pic6.piczo.com/leefullers-birdphotography/?g=48025443

Walpole Park

Yesterday I went to work with my Dad and luckily he was working right next to Walpole Park so I took this oppotunity to go and photograph the Ring Billed Gull. I arrived at Walpole at half 8 but couldn't find it on the boating lake so after about an hour of waiting I decided to go to Haslar Creek as all the gulls were on the grass eating some bread and sure enough there he was however he flew back out into the Creek so I didn't get any pics. I then decided to head back and tell my Dad the news.

After a well earned tea break I set back out to Walpole Park at about half 11, I then had to wait a full 3 hours for the bird to reappear but this time it was on the lake and showing extremely well down to about 20ft. After getting some pleasing shots of the gull on the water I wanted to get some action shots as the light was good and the sky was blue so I nipped over to the nearby Iceland and got some ham and bread.

At first the bird wasn't interested but as the feeding got more frantic it soon couldn't resist and it was then squabbling with the Black Heads and Commons. Therefore it allowed me to get some really good pics of it in flight. Other birds photographed were Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Black Headed Gull, Common Gull and Little Egret which all allowed a close approach.

After a total of about 5-6 hours at this site during the day my Dad joined me at 3pm after a hard days work to watch the Gull in the fading sunlight.

Click the link below to see pics of the Ring Billed Gull and more. Trust me there are some good pics on there.

http://pic6.piczo.com/leefullers-birdphotography/?g=48023240

Western Isles

Left Southampton at 7.00pm and arrived roughly 12 and half hours later at Uig after picking up Hugh Price and Mark Payne. While waiting for the boat to dock we managed to see Red-Throated Diver and a Summer plumage moulting into winter plumage Great-Northern Diver with plenty of Hooded Crows around. Also we had a Golden Eagle which flew across the harbour just as we were docking the boat. Birds we had on the boat were 2 more Golden Eagles as we were going out of the harbour, 3 Pom Skuas, a few arctic Skuas and not much else.Once on the Island we went straight to the Mourning Dove to find that it hadn't been seen for 25 mins so we then had a scan of the nearest loch which held lots of wildfowl which included Whooper Swans and we managed to find the R-n Duck. We then had to wait a full 1 hour and half to get our first glimpse of this beauty but it didn't stay long. Then we went round the island to look for the Arctic Redpoll but no such luck but we did find a large flock of Barnacle Geese which Mark searched through but couldn't find the Lesser Canada goose like Archie Archer did.Later that afternoon we went back and had another look at the Mourning Dove which was then showing extremely well down to 20ft.We then spent the rest of the evening in the Dearg Hotel sinking a few Beers and having a good old chat.The next morning we were up nice and early and we wandered around the immediate area looking at all the bushes trying to find something, the best was a Brambling which was flying around and a Black guille flew out of the harbour. We went and had a quick look at the Mourning Dove and the Ring Necked Duck and here thrushes were plentiful. Then we headed back to the Boat.The boat journey back was alot more productive with Arctic Skuas, 3 Poms, 4-5 Stormies and a Little auk all being seen. We also heard that some other people had Grey Phal and Leach's Petrel.Once back a Uig we had another Black Guille and 3 more Golden Eagles but the Best bird on the way home was a pair of adult White-Tailed Eagle's which flew over the Mountain tops near to the twon of portree Harbour.So all in all a great trip with some top birds and also some good company. We arrived home at 4.15am this morning.

Click the link below to see the pictures from this trip.

http://pic6.piczo.com/leefullers-birdphotography/?g=47750616

New Forest

Whilst driving through the forest we came across a heard of Deer which turned out to be Red which are quite unusual in the Forest but then an even more unusual sight was a huge buck which I haven't seen in the New Forest yet so I was quite pleased.






Red Deer buck with his Females.

Click for larger image.

Black Gutter/Pitt's Wood

Today my Dad and I went down to Black Gutter in search of the recent Great Grey Shrike and despite dreadful weather we managed to see fairly well along the path to Pitt's Wood. Also we saw lots of Thrushes like Redwing, Song, Mistle and a few Fieldfares but the most unexpected bird came in the form of a Woodpecker. Yep you got it a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that was feeding quietly underneath a tree trunk. We then returned home in the increasingly poor conditions.

Isles Of Scilly

Yesterday my Dad and I went to the Isles of Scilly for a couple of things, these were Wilson's Snipe and Blackpoll Warbler. We arrived at Sennen village at 7.30am for a brief search for the Blyth's Pipit before we had to depart from Penzance on the Scillonian 111 and as expected we didn't see the Pipit. After a dreaded two and half hour crossing we finally arrived on the St Mary's but on the crossing we had the following birds lots of Gannets, 2 Bonxies, 4+ Arctic Skua, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Puffin and 2 shearwater sp.

Once on the Islands we headed straight for Lower Moors where a Wilson's Snipe had been Present but hadn't been seen since the day before. On arrival there was plenty of Snipe one of which was showing very well but no Wilson's until a Snipe sp flew in and landed in front of the hide and there it was. A very distinctive bird by it's plumage as it was so much greyer than the supporting cast of Snipe. There was also a very confiding Greenshank present.

Next stop was the Blackpoll Warbler which in previous years had eluded us but would he make it a second time running? Well we looked for the Higher Moors trail but instead ended up in the Carreg Dhu Gardens looking at a stunning 1w Red Breasted Flycatcher which showed extremely well at times.

Then we finally found where the Blackpoll Warbler had been present and the news from people staying on the Island/Locals was that it hadn't been showing since morning and wasn't showing well but this wasn't the case. We arrived to be greeted by stunning views and towards the end it came right out in the open and down low allowing some photo oppotunitys.

We then headed back to the Carreg Dhu Gardens for some lunch and as soon as we put down our bags a superb Song Thrush flew and fed out of our hands. A few more great views were obtained of the R B Fly before we headed back to Lower Moors to try and get another view of the Wilson's Snipe however just as we entered the hide we heard news of a Pallas's Warbler just opposite to where we were. We ran over but there was no sign however we did have a cracking Siskin which showed to 10ft.

Then we returned home on the boat after a cracking day out on the Scilly's, the only thing I regret is not staying over there because the birds were extremely tame and it was a shame about the light. Therefore I was shooting all of the pics at a shutter speed of 160 or less which means it is crap for action shots which gives blurry shots.

To see my pics from the Scilly's click on the link below.

http://pic6.piczo.com/leefullers-birdphotography/?g=47474109