Thetford Otters

A few shots of the Otters in Thetford, taken in poor light (!).  Expect them to appear on Springwatch in the near future...

Ring Ouzel, Breckles

Today.

Work, Rest, Play.

This is the play bit, NICE!!

A male Ring Ouzel doing his thing in the shadows.

Great Grey Shrike, Egmere

Eventually found after nearly giving up, this mobile shrike was well worth the effort today.  Other birds in the area included Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, Barn Owl and Grey Partridge.  Pictures of Barn Owls will follow, of that I have no doubt.

Great Grey Shrike, Egmere Norfolk.  Another one of those 'record shots'.

Cranes over Norfolk

Common Crane over Acle

Seven cranes

Reportedly five cranes knocking about by Acle Bridge.  Five, no.  Seven, Yes!

This is a "record shot" which translates as 'rubbish photo of some birds that you can just about identify'...

Gull pictures and tongue strangeness

Gull watching is not just about sifting through Herring Gulls and stringing all the 1st winter birds into rare Eastern subspecies, no it is not.  Well not generally anyway.  

This unfortunate looking thing is neither here nor there, but most certainly on it's way there.  The remnants of the winter plumage and the summer plumage at the base of the beak not catching  up with the rest of the moult give it a bit of a scrappy feel, but this is a very healthy bird.

Black-headed gull doing close up

And it kind of rolled its tongue too, strangely...

Black-headed gull doing some weird thing with it's tongue

Herring Gull calling

Gull watching yesterday lunchtime, nothing much to report. Good enough reason for some recycled Gull photos, from late in  2012.

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Med Gull with wings

This weather really is getting boring now, no point taking the camera anywhere as the light is so poor.  

Here is a picture of a Med Gull in flight that shows some nice details on the primaries that are not always seen.

Stand off

Two Herring Gulls having a tiff about who is standing where.

Goose head

Kittiwake, Walcott

A couple of record shots...

Black-headed Gull II



Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus



Black-headed Gull

Another of those nearly images...

If only, if only etc etc

Snow Buntings

Snow Buntings are very flighty, and will take off with the slightest of excuses.  Been trying to get close to this flock over the last couple of weeks and hopefully well get the shots I want before they head north.  Here are a couple of 'nearly' shots...

Herring Gull

Light wasn't on my side, so the shutter speed is a little low but I like the contrast between the blurred wings and the fixed head.

Ennionesque Sanderling

Played about with this and thought it looks a bit like an Eric Ennion painting...