Sun Bathing Waxwings - This time the weather behaved

Took a quick hour break whist leaving the roast in the oven, and went on a mission to try an track these rather addicted guys down..and did with 10mins left before I had to get home the get the sunday lunch sorted...The sun and light was perfect..... These guys are so close to work, it would be rude not to try and find them one lunch break next week..

Hope you like them

They're back - Them there Northumberland waxwing that it...........

About 25 around Ashington this morning........great to see them back - just wish for much better light next time...

The 1st of many more images........I hope ;-)

A Good day of but bloomin grey - Oh and Short eared Owls - Again.........sorry

A day off yesterday (14th ) proved fruitful with some great views up the Northumberland coast of the now well know GreaterYellowlegs

Then leaving the hide (which I only stayed in for 25mins or so as the yellowlegs shot off across the pond) a guy was on the path pointing a video camera at the bushes, and look at what popped its head out to say 'hi'

Weasel

Saw 1000,s of geese flying over head around Druridge bay, but no Bittern..Shame!

Then headed off to PC early (due to rubbish light) and there as I walked up the lane was a really big flock of mixed tits (longtailed, willow, blue, great, marsh and goldcrest) togther with a dozen or so bullfinch. Here's a couple of shots I got before the highlight of the show arrived.

Marsh or Willow Tit



Female Bullfinch





Long tailed Tit

And Ok the highlight, some great Short Eared Owls again, the light was rubbish but think I got away with it. They arrived at 2.30 ish and I was on my own photogprahing and to be honest just stood watching up to 8 or 9 owl in the air, both sides of the track. Flippin amazing and hope you like the images of them.

Holding tight to its catch and watching me!

And still looking at me

and hunting again

Until next time, cheers Will

I was only there an hour and what an hour; Prestwick Carr

Ok arrived and within 5 mins saw this guy, the reason for popping over to be honest. Great Grey Shrike, at some distance thanks for the guy who let me look through his scope..

Then straight over our heads was a very special bird, seen a few this year, this time being chased by a Raven

Then from where I was I could see the owls hunting down the lane, so headed down (should have gone earlier as the light dropped) and got a couple of OK shots.

 

Then walking back to the car I could hear a little group of Long Tailed Tits that seemed to be following me along the lane, then I spotted them

A great mini Saturday afternoon mission.....

Never ever get enough of seeing this place!

I so love going down to 'our' lighthouse as my 3 yr old daughter calls it!

Sometimes to photograph it, usually at sunrise or sunset; sometimes to go photograph birds on the island; sometimes (in the past) for a run; sometimes for a bit of fresh air and to clear the head; and sometimes for a walk with me girls; Beth my wife and Izzy that 3yr old (you can see them both, just crossing over on the causeway.

Hoep you like this.
Will

WOW - such a nice bird to find

And I didn't even have to travel to Scotland to see this one!

Great few weeks of Bird finds and many firsts!

A Firecrest on my local patch

Short Eared Owl 5mins from work

My 1st ever Water Rail - out in the open to top it off

A wild Mandarin Duck in Tynemouth!

My 1st ever view and rubbish image of a Bittern.

My 1st Northumberland Hen Harrier

AND SOME OLDER IMAGES OF KINGFISHERS, AS I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

'A night with Chris Packham'

and of course the week did finish off on a highlight (why did I not add this in the post below!!!!!!!!!!) with an evening with Chris Packham http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/   http://twitter.com/#!/ChrisGPackham

 Wasn't sure what we would see or hear or what time we would finish but thanks for a tweet back form Chris, (Cheers Chris) we were able to arrange babysitting for Izzy.
It was  a great night, a talk through some of his favourite images and the story behind them, some with natural support, and some with the help of man, machine, painted wood and string, all to get the perfect image, that ever for Chris, like the rest of us, this alludes him;........one day! Thanks for a good night Chris, and all for a good cause, supporting http://www.nwt.org.uk/

Oh, and on the way to the theatre we came across this, not something I wouldn expect to see in Newcastle, even on a Friday night - IRONMAN

Busy Week

Busy week this week at work and home (Izzy starting nursery, wow she's a growing up and Beth returning to work, nearly a year after we hear those horrid words). Only headed out on Tuesday after work and headed to Prestwick Carr for the opportunity to see and phtograph the Short Eared Owls - managed to grab a few images of these wonderful birds. Experienced an amazing rainbow after a heavy shower, just with I had my wide angle with me!!
We here's one of the images - hope you like

But got me to thinking, I've not seen my favourite bird  in quite a while and I'm missing that blue streak and shreaking call of the Kingfisher...

Need to go see if I can find one over the comming weeks I think, especially as I will not need to set the alarms so damn early. (i'll keep you all posted).

OK - Time to start again!

Hope you like my recent image of a Short Eared Owl in Northumberland - down low and hunting.. So so so great to watch this one and 7 others in one night!

OK finally back to it

Can now focus on the blog.

went in search of the elusive Kingfisher again today hoping to improve on last weekends results....sat in the hide for 2hrs in the pooring rain and decided to call it a day - and you can guess, as soon as I turned around I heard the call of a Kingfisher! There were 2, so I grabbed my camera and missed them, just this grabbed image to show. Oh well there's always another day

OK 2011 already - better start blogging again.

Here's a nice image captured over the Christmas and New Year break..

The Winter Solstice Sunrise over Earsdon.

and the Tyne at Sundown in the snow