Showing posts with label swifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swifts. Show all posts

Tuesday 23 October 2018

Late summer into autumn, migrating birds, lakes landscapes and late butterflies.

I'm secretly glad to see the departure of that steamy hot humid Summer we've just had, one of the warmest on record and even now we're having record breaking temperatures into October .. where will it end! Surely there can't be anyone bar Donald Trump that can be any doubt that global warming is becoming more and more noticeable.

I'm off to the Linconshire coast next week on a camping trip so thought I'd post a few of my more memorable pictures of the last few weeks ...late summer turning to early autumn before I get another shed load of pics to sort and post. No particular order to these and nothing mind boggling but as ever, a story attached to each and every one.

These Southern Hawker Dragonflies get easier and easier to photograph later on in the day when they're less active and erm preoccupied!

Coupling Southern Hawkers, Askham Bog, 1/09/18


Small Copper butterfly, saw several of these round and about my local area late summer but this rather ragged looking individual was my first record for Askham Bog.
Small Copper, Askham Bog, 29/09/18

Closer to home (quite literally), I spent 3 weeks of September looking after my father whilst my mum had a well deserved break and during much gardening I spotted 2 good butterflies on the trusty old Budlea ...
Painted Lady and Comma on Budlea, York garden, 03/09/18

Common Swift in with migrating House Martins, Wheldrake Ings, 07/09/18
There's still a few Barn Swallows and House Martins knocking about on the coast and I hope to see a late one next week but my last Swift was on the 7th Sept at Wheldrake Ings. Rubbish pic but always try and get a record shot of my last and first birds!

A few days later I was in the company of good friend Mikey who had pointed me in the direction of some late Hobbies in the York area. We saw just the one but were treated to some fantastic aeriel dispalys of this juvenile bird hawking insects.
Juv Hobby, Brockfield Hall, York, 12/09/18

Juv Hobby, Brockfield Hall, York, 12/09/18
Another notable bird for me in the York area recently was this nice female / juv Whinchat in with several juv Stonechats on Strensall Common.

Fem / juv Whinchat, Strensall Common, 05/09/18

Juv Stonechat, Strensall Common, 05/09/18


A week in the Lake District with my children and was a superbly relaxing and enjoyable break. I've posted all the family pics elsewhere so with a couple of exceptions here are a few wildlife / landscape pics from a hugely memorable family holiday in one of the most picturesque places in the country.


Lakeland fields and walls, Nr Winston, Cumbria, 23/09/18
Wast Water, 24/09/18

Wast Water, 24/09/18

South Walney nature reserve & Piel Castle, 27/09/18

Common Seal, South Walney, 27/09/18

Slow Worm, roadside, nr Winston, Cumbria, 24/09/18

Me, a bit knackered after a climb! 24/09/18
My son, same climb, less knackered!

A couple of trips out so far to the Yorkshire coast for autumn bird migration and with slim pickings so far there'll be more to come! This early morning Short Eared Owl at Sammy's Point, Spurn being the highlight so far. 2 on the peninsular that day and great to get good and regular views of them. Bit gutted I never got a decent flight shot though๐Ÿ˜ข

Short Eared Owl, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

Short Eared Owl, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

Day I was there I couldn't stay long but I saw plenty of common migrants flying in over the north sea, 100s of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Redwings could be seen making landfall and whilst I ducked out on Yellow Browed Warbler, Ring Ouzel and an Olive Backed Pipit, I did bag a probable Richard's Pipit and a handful of migrant goodies including Bramblings, Whinchat, a late Swallow and several Common Redstarts.

Common Redstart (juv male?), Spurn, 11/10/18

Like many migrating song birds seen in autumn, a pale shadow of the the brightly coloured thing you might see in a quiet wooded glade somewhere in late spring. This Redstart looks like a juv to me but adult birds can look remarkably similar in their 'drab and worn' post breeding plumages.










Smashing early morning light for one of many Curlews on the Humber estuary.
Curlew, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

The long staying Rose Colured Starling once again evaded me but the big influx of Common Starlings into the country are already impressing their presence on our autumn landscapes .. I've never been a huge fan of wind turbines, mainly because of their 'blot on the landscape' effect but from a photographic viewpoint this works!

Flocking Starlings, Spurn, 11/10/18
Pink Footed Geese, Flamborough headland, 04/10/18


Talking about flocks there have been some impressive skeins of Pink Footed Geese over from the north as they head for their wintering grounds around our northern estuaries and veg fields, so many more I think than in years gone by. They've been flying over the York area since the middle of September and hearing that chattering honking call, looking up and seeing a massed v formation overhead always reminds me of my time in France and the annual migration of Common Cranes ....happy days!๐Ÿ˜„ This small group went over Flamborough early Oct during an overnighter there in dismal weather and precious few good birds!




Danes Dyke looked good the next morning though, through a shaft of sunshine before the clouds really started to gather ....
Danes Dyke, 04/10/18
 ....and I'm never too proud to snap a common bird if the light is good!
Herring Gull, Flamborough Headland, 04/11/18

Back around my own patch at Fangfoss Park I'm witnessing the arrival of the first Redwings and Fieldfares in the hedges, all typically skittish, and the first big flocks of Lapwing over the fields.

Northern Lapwing, Fangfoss Pk, 02/10/18

Northern Lapwing, Fangfoss Pk, 02/10/18


These magnificent Sloes and the many other berries on the hedges around me are a magnet for winter thrushes. They'll all get eaten within a month or two and once again I'll probably not get around to picking a jug full for that Sloe gin I keep promising myself .. so much else to do!๐Ÿ˜



















Comma butterfly, Fangfoss Pk, 03/10/18




I thought his would be my last Comma butterfly but I spotted another at Askham Bog a few days later and a happy looking Brimstone the week after at Moorlands nature reserve!






















Red Kite, Bishop Wilton, 10/10/18


On the 10th of October I was laid flat on my back on top of the Yorkshire Wolds near Bishop Wilton. Down to a T shirt and snoozing beneath the sun in 22C of heat, this Red Kite was one of 4 that suddenly appeared circling over my head!

















I love a good ariel battle and these last pics from my local patch are from the ageless 'Corvid v Raptor' series, in this case one of my local Kestrels getting the runaround by a Carrion Crow.

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18







Thursday 13 April 2017

A week around El Pinet, El Fondo & back up to the Pyrenees

Road Trip to Spain - El Pinet, El Fondo, Pyrenees and all the bits in between. March 17th - 27th
So here's the post I would have published 2 weeks ago had I not managed to trash my laptop on my travels. Covering the 10 day period from arriving at El Pinet to all the way back to the French side of the Pyrenees, there was enough here for 2 posts but I want to get back on top of the blog - so a brief round and then the pics.

The salt pans nr El Pinet was always going to be my final destination, I spent a week here last time around and knew I'd have a good spot to put the van, away from all the other campervans and right next to the salt pans. With the El Fondo reserve just 20 minutes away I knew that I'd add many new species to the trip list and so it proved. Despite unhelpful NW winds for much of the time it remained warm and sunny and the wind and with the wind switching around to the south towards the end of my stay there was always something happening, birds on the move, wild flowers sprouting and butterflies on the wing. A buddy up with fellow birder / photographer Paul Coombes  was useful and good fun, he knows the area better than me and thanks to him I added Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Azure Winged Magpie and best of all Bonellis Eagles at a nest site. Bird migration was 'steady' rather spectacular - most obvious was the passage of Hirundines and Swifts with many Barn Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins heading north with Red Rumped Swallows, Pallid & Alpine Swifts in smaller numbers. Not masses of waders but both Teminck's and Little Stint were noticeable and Collared Pratincoles came in early. I had my first and only Wood Sandpiper and Whimbrel around here. Also my first and only Redstart, Black Eared Wheatear and towards the end of the week I was around El Pinet, the first Subalpine Warblers, Cuckoos and Willow Warblers. Shame I didn't manage a Hobby but Golden & Bonellis Eagle, Montagues Harrier and both Black and Egyptian Vulture in the Pyrenees more than made up! Including the birds I added in France I ended up with a total of 210 species in 5 weeks, not bad!

Here's the best of the pics starting with the El Pinet salt pans & El Fondo

Black Eared Wheatear, El Pinet, 24/03/2017




What a bird that was! It arrived on the morning I set off back up north and was pretty much my last record at El Pinet.

Mediterranean Gulls, El Pinet, 17/03/2017
c160 Med Gulls all told at El Pinet, here's a couple of close ups - they look stunning in full breeding plumage!


Mediterranean Gull, El Pinet, 17/03/2017
Mediterranean Gull, El Pinet, 17/03/2017

My home for a week ...
El Pinet van spot .. perfect!

Those lovely looking yellow flowers are in fact an invasive species - Bermuda Buttercup, all over this part of Spain like a yellow rash. Here's a few other 'wilder' bits n pieces of flora I found around and about here ...

Barbary Nut, 19/03/2017

Marsh Gladioli, 19/03/2017
 What a debate the above sparked up on a forum I use for 'ID'ing flora sp. Could be any of the following - Gladiolus dubious, G. illyricus, G. itallica or G. gallaeicicus ... Marsh Gladiolus for me!
Blue Pimpernel, all around the rough ground nr the van, 20/03/2017

Yellow Broomrape, on the beach nr the Santa Pola salt pans, 20/03/2017

Hotentot Fig, beach nr Santa Pola, 20/03/2107
Where's there's flowers and warmth there's usually butterflies and this magnificent Swallowtail was the best of 'em!
Swallowtail Butterfly, El Pinet, 18/03/2017
Location shots...



Salt Pans at El Pinet

High tide at El Pinet with Santa Pola beyond


One of the hides at El Pinet

That hide is where I've whiled away many an hour or two both this year and back in 2015. In front are the old salt pans and behind are dunes and then the sea. It's not a prime birding spot like El Fondo but it has its moments and this year I had Collared Pratincole, Little Stint, Greenshank, Redshank, Turnstone, Kentish Plover, Dunlin, Avocet (lots!), Common & Sandwich Tern and Alpine Swift from the above and most interesting for me the colony of Slender Billed Gulls all in pristine condition and strutting about in their territorial dance like little pink and white soldiers!


Slender Billed Gulls, El Pinet, 17/03/2017


Slender Billed Gulls, El Pinet, 17/03/2017
 .... and I couldn't resist yet another Audouin's Gull portrait pic!
Audouin's Gull, El Pinet, 20/03/2017

Around El Fondo ...
Stone Curlew, in fields around El Hondo, 17/03/2017

Pallid Swift, El Fondo, 17/03/2017

Black Winged Stilt, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

Little Ringed Plover, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

Red Crested Pochard, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

Marbled Duck, El Fondo, 22/03/2017
 The new boardwalks around the visitor centre at El Fondo are great for getting the camera to grips with dragonflies .... the most numerous by far were these Vagrant Emporers
Vagrant Emporer, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

Vagrant Emporer, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

White Headed Duck, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

Red Knobbed Coot, El Fondo, 22/03/2017

Collared Pratincole, El Fondo, 17/03/2017

Collared Pratincole, El Fondo, 17/03/2017
Redstart, Torreviega, 23/03/2017

Montague's Harrier,Torreviega, 23/03/2017

Montague's Harrier,Torreviega, 23/03/2017

Not often you get to observe a pair of one of Europe's rarest eagles at a nest site and my guide come birding buddy Paul certainly earned his lunchtime bevvies with this one. Bonelli's Eagles & both birds showed well and although shooting from a distance the light was good and these are ok shots.
Bonelli's Eagle nesting site, nr Crevillente

Bonelli's Eagle, nr Crevillente, 22/03/2017




Bonelli's Eagle, nr Crevillente, 22/03/2017

Bonelli's Eagle, nr Crevillente, 22/03/2017

Bonelli's Eagle, nr Crevillente, 22/03/2017

Bonelli's Eagle, nr Crevillente, 22/03/2017


Griffon Vulture, en route to Belchite, 25/03/2017
My return trip up through Spain and into France via the Belchite Steppes was always going to be a bit of a slog - Belchite was great though (added Calandra, Short & Lesser Short Toed Larks, Black Bellied & Pin Tailed Sandgrouse and Golden Eagle) , Jaca less so (weekend and a stranded bus in the snow completely wrecked my plans!), a stop off nr Alcaniz brought my best ever Alpine Swift pics and then over on the French side of the Pyrenees in the Val d'Ossau a couple of completely unexpected species, Black and Egyptian Vulture - get in!


Alpine Swift, over Le Estanca, Alcaniz, 25/03/2017

Alpine Swift, over Le Estanca, Alcaniz, 25/03/2017


Belchite Steppes, 25/03/2017

Belchite Steppes, 25/03/2017

Juv Golden Eagle, Belchite, 25/03/2017
Juv Golden Eagle, Belchite, 25/03/2017



Juv Golden Eagle, Belchite, 25/03/2017

Nr Jaca, Spanish Pyrenees
Nr Jaca, Spanish Pyrenees

Val d'Ossau, French Pyrenees


Bedous, Val d'Ossau

Grey Wagtail, Bedous, 26/03/2017


Early Purple Orchid, Bedous, 26/03/2017
Black Vulture (record shot), Bedous, 26/03/2017



 
Egyptian Vulture, Bedous, 27/03/2017
Ok, almost done and if you've managed to scroll down this far very well done indeed! My last best pics on this leg were extremely fortuitous. Camped out in the Pyrenean village of Bedous and just about to head up through France, aided and abetted by the local butcher who puts offal out for the local Kites, I couldn't believe my luck when in amongst the scores of Red & Black Kites, Griffons and Buzzards, in came a couple of Egyptian Vultures. Mega French record for me and the early morning sunshine set them off to a tee!




Egyptian Vulture, Bedous, 27/03/2017

Egyptian Vulture, Bedous, 27/03/2017