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Wednesday 28 October 2015

400+ Golden Plovers on Westonzoyland airfield!

Driving past the flat expanse of Westonzoyland airfield late this afternoon I noticed the usual large amount of Lapwings in the fields, before noticing a similar amount of Golden Plovers! 
    They are often present here in Autumn and Winter, but I'd only seen small flocks before, there must have been 400+ birds in this group!
   I parked my van and walked down one of the airstrips that run adjacent to the main road to where the birds were congregated and despite the failing light managed to get a few shots of the birds in the distance, both on the ground, and as they flew into a neighbouring field ready to roost.
    They're fabulous waders, and it was a thrill to see so many of them together! 











^Above^ - Golden Plovers..... lots of them!



^Above^ - There were plenty of Lapwings too!


^Above^ - A broken Rainbow put in an appearance!




^Above^ - A few sunset pics taken at the airfield...... it starts getting dark at 4.30 now!
  Winter is just around the corner, and by all accounts, it's going to be a cold one!!

Sunday 18 October 2015

Waders, Raptors and misty sunrises....Autumn is here!!

As Summer ends and Autumn begins, my photographic mojo returns with the yellowing of the leaves.
 Autumn has long been my favourite of all the seasons, beautiful light, colours and a unique atmosphere make it a magical time, coupled with the re-emergence of all the birds that seem to have been hiding away since the breeding season!
  There is also the opportunity to see and photograph birds on their Autumn migration, and it's an exciting time for birdwatchers in the UK, as almost anything can turn up anywhere during September, October and November!
    During a trip to Watchet in September I saw various waders gathering on the rocks on the coastline, such as Knot, Turnstones, Grey and Ringed Plovers. I also saw my first Wheatear of the Autumn, a bird I've always loved! (See my last blog post!)
    I hope to get some good photo's in the coming weeks, I just need some bright conditions! Word is that we could be in for some stormy weather soon!
    Bird numbers coming to my garden feeders has shot up recently too, with 20+ Goldfinches being regular, plus a variety of common garden species too. A Great Spotted Woodpecker visited, along with a stunning Male Sparrowhawk one evening, hoping but failing to catch one of the smaller visiters!
  Up to 3 Coal Tits have been coming in too, great news, as I hadn't seen any in the garden for about 3 years!
     Here I post some photo's from the last month or so, I hope you enjoy!







^Above^ - Male Sparrowhawk in my garden. Shot through my windows in horrible light, still happy with the results considering!



^Above^ - Great Spotted Woodpecker in my Somerset garden.



^Above^ - Coal Tits in my garden.




^Above^ - Goldfinches in my garden.



^Above^ - Female House Sparrow in my garden.


^Above^ - Woodpigeon with feather in my garden.






^Above^ - Pheasants on Exmoor.



^Above^ - Grey Plovers at Watchet.



^Above^ - Oystercatcher at Watchet.



^Above^ - Oystercatcher and Turnstones at Watchet.



^Above^ - Oystercatchers, Knot, Curlew and Turnsone at Watchet.



^Above^ - Oystercatchers and Knot at Watchet.


^Above^ - Ringed Plover and what I think may be a Knot with residue Summer plumage, though not certain! Any ideas?



^Above^ - Ringed Plovers and Turnstone. (top)




^Above^ - Turnstones. All these wader photo's were taken from a clifftop with my Sigma 150-600mm lens on a dull day.



^Above^ - Little Egret at Watchet.






^Above^ - Pied Wagtails at Watchet, one after a fly!



^Above^ - Starlings at Watchet.








^Above^ - House Sparrows enjoying Blackberries at Watchet.







^Above^ - More House Sparrows at Watchet. Often overlooked, but I love these birds! They are a declining species too, so please show them some love by feeding them in your gardens!













^Above^ - Wheatear at Watchet.


^Above^ - Woodpigeon at Watchet.


^Above^ - Wren trying to hide from me at Watchet!



^Above^ - Balancing Beetle at Watchet!




^Above^ - Feral Pigeons at Watchet, some sunbathing! (below pic)




^Above^ - Herring Gulls at Watchet.



^Above^ - Jackdaws at Wrington in Somerset.



^Above^ - Red legged Partridge running along the road in front of my van in Exmoor, Somerset!






^Above^ - Kestrels near Butleigh in Somerset.


^Above^ - Pied Wagtail at Gillingham in Dorset.



^Above^ - Goldfinches at RSPB Greylake in Somerset.



^Above^ - Singing Robin at RSPB Greylake.


^Above^ - Pied Wagtail and reflection on a car at RSPB Greylake.



^Above^ - Blue Tits at RSPB Greylake.


^Above^ - Reed Bunting at RSPB Greylake.




^Above^ - Reed Warbler at RSPB Greylake.



^Above^ - More Robins at RSPB Greylake.



^Above^ - Goldfinches at Watchet.


^Above^ - Red Admiral butterfly at RSPB Greylake.



^Above^ - Carrion Crows at the Avon Gorge in Bristol.




^Above^ - Buzzard near Sherborne in Dorset.









^Above^ - Black Headed Gulls at Sutton Bingham reservoir in Somerset, one about to catch an unfortunate Cranefly! (bottom pic)


^Above^ - Whitethroat at Sutton Bingham reservoir.



^Above^ - Chiffchaff at Sutton Bingham reservoir.




^Above^ - Pied Wagtails at Sutton Bingham reservoir.


^Above^ - A semi - hiding Kingfisher at Sutton Bingham reservoir.


^Above^ - A Grey Heron at Sutton Bingham reservoir.


^Above^ - Herring Gull at Sutton Bingham reservoir.


^Above^ - Great Crested Grebe with it's fish supper at Sutton Bingham.


^Above^ - Wheatear at Cheddar Reservoir. (Lots more pics of this bird in my last blog post!)




^Above^ - Pied Wagtail at Cheddar reservoir.


^Above^ - Grey Wagtail at Cheddar reservoir.


^Above^ - Carrion Crow at Cheddar reservoir.




^Above^ - Mute Swans at Cheddar reservoir.




^Above^ - Black headed Gulls at Cheddar reservoir.





^Above^ - Passing Jay near Frome in Somerset.


^Above^ - Jackdaw near Frome in Somerset.



^Above^ - Buzzard at Middlezoy in Somerset.













^Above^ - Little Owl at Middlezoy.... such a character!




^Above^ - Kestrel hovering over my head at RSPB Greylake.....think it soon realised that I wasn't a vole!!



^Above^ - Beautiful Buzzard at Shapwick Heath in Somerset.


^Above^ - Rabbit at Sutton Bingham.


^Above^ - Daisies growing out of the harbour wall at Watchet.


^Above^ - Heron at a private Somerset site. More pics in my 'Ponderosa' post!


^Above^ - Long Tailed Tit at a private Somerset site. More pics in my 'Ponderosa' post!





^Above^ - Another great feature of Autumn....misty sunrises on the Somerset Levels!

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