Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 2013 - Black Redstart photograph

My copy of the Norfolk Bird Report for 2013 came through the letterbox this morning.  Along with the usual quality that you would associate with such an esteemed organ, I was chuffed to see one of my photos within the esteemed covers!

This one!

Juvenile Black Redstart in the Norfolk Bird Report

There are a fair few Black Redstart photos kicking about on my hard drive, but due to their breeding status they don't get circulated much.  Nonetheless, while we are on the subject, here are a couple more from the session with the now famous bird...

Juvenile Black Redstart

Juvenile Black Redstart 

Juvenile Black Redstart

Got to be one of my favourite birds.

Migration, then not, then an Owl. Weekly highlights 19/10/2014

The beginning of the week was filled with migration, which is brilliant, even when everything is grey.  Thousands of Brent Geese moving past, thrushes overhead, finches coming in off the sea and a couple of out of place Robins to name but a few.

This Wheatear wasn't doing what the usual Wheatears do where they normally do what they do.  Which may or may not be significant, but I suspect it was due to its very recent arrival that it just sat about for a bit.

The next day the sun came out and another Wheatear did much the same thing somewhere else.

And the migrants continued.  This little fellow was still damp from his exertions across the North Sea but seemed very happy with the local fare.

The local population of Meadow Pipits was also swollen by newcomers.

And then the wind turned direction and it all stopped.  Which was rubbish.  So at the weekend I went to see an Owl with long ears.  Didn't manage to get shots without something in front of its face, but nonetheless it was a cracking bird and had views that bettered anything I have had before of one of them.  It was big too.

I dare say that if it hangs around for a couple of days some obliging chap(s) will clear the bracken, put a suitably gnarly perch out with a smorgasbord of freshly killed small mammals available for the bird in order for it to perform for the big lenses gain sustenance in view of all this horrible weather what we are having. 

Oh, and I saw a Phalarope too.  I like Phalaropes.  Anyway, here is a picture of a feather.

Some Geese, a rainbow and a rare bird - weekly highlights 13/10/2014

A funny old week, for various reasons outside the scope of the blog, but with regards to pictures and birds, two things stand out.

Firstly, I took a picture of some Brent Geese and distant waders flying through/past/in/by a rainbow.  This has proved to be very popular.

Secondly, on Sunday I went to see a rare bird, which did a poo and ejected a pellet.

Steppe Grey Shrike, Burnham Norton

My poo list now stands at 42 or thereabouts and is quite eclectic in its contents.  My pellet ejecting list stands and one, and is currently awesome.  Here are some more pictures of a rare bird that I took in poor light, and one of which was taken at 1/80 second.  Don't listen to everything you are told with regard to photography...

Steppe Grey Shrike, Burnham Norton

Steppe Grey Shrike, Burnham Norton

Steppe Grey Shrike, Burnham Norton

Wheatears and after dark twitchering - weekly highlights 6/10/2014

That 'work' thing has been getting in the way of things.  Those things are birds in front of my lens.  This is not good.  At the beginning of the week, before the getting in the way of things was in full swing, Wheatears did do what I had been waiting a couple of weeks for them to do.  Come close, sit still and pose.

Then on Saturday, after things that had been getting in receded far enough for there to be a not getting in the way for a bit window, I made a reckless dash into Suffolk to see a bird.  The only reason I went was that I know the area, it had been there for ages, and people kept saying 'confiding' when discussing it on my internet.  The combination of these things adds up to my kind of twitchering - i.e. EASY.  Unfortunately I had, in my haste, omitted to remember that it is now October and thus the sun don't shine until bed time no more.  So there I was, sitting in a dodgy car park, next to a fish finger factory at the most easterly point of mainland UK looking for a small brown bird in a large selection of brown bushes. 

In the dark. 

However, just I had accepted my folly and had decided to leave, guess what happened? A bird appeared at the top of a bush - the little cracker decided that feeding under a streetlight was quite the most apposite thing to do, and I couldn't have agreed more.  It then proceeded to 'show well' and was, as it was hoped, 'confiding'.

And here he/she/it is...

Red-backed Shrike, Ness Point, Lowestoft

For those that like the nerdy settings details stuff - ISO2000 f6.3 1/10s  - yes one tenth of a second (and no tripod)!