Wye Valley Birding Part 6 "Odd and Sods"

Here are a few more birds that I have photographed during my U.K. visit. It has been an exciting time photographing unfamiliar birds and frustrating because so many are in moult but with a dozen or so new birds to add to my list my tally has been better than the combined GB and Canadian Olympic medal count!

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Goldfinch (Carduelis Carduelis)

Chaffinch (Fringilla Coelebs)

Wye Valley Birding Part 5 (Pied Wagtail)

Brockweir, Gloucestershire. UK
This particular Pied Wagtail is a regular visitor to Brockweir where it nests under the bridge. It can often been seen strutting along the railings and even on the busy road that leads through the village. I had to wait an hour until he or she turned up but it was well worth it. I am told that the Pied Wagtail is a very common bird in England but for me it was yet another "lifer"
The first picture shows the bird walking along the bridge. The second is at the end of the bridge on a stone wall abutment. The third shows how a background choice can alter the "feel" of an image and the fourth is the bird picking off insects.
While I waited, I also photographed a Goldfinch, Swallows, Wood pigeons, a very scruffy long-tailed tit and an even scruffier Robin. As I mentioned I am here on a family visit and hope to make it to Slimbridge or somewhere along the Severn Estuary to see if I can find some early migratory waders.

On the bridge railing.

On the bridge abutment.

Note the change of background.

Searching for insects.

Wye Valley Birding Part 4 (Nuthatch)

I wondered who was making all the noise in the forest, it turned out to be the beautiful Nuthatch (Sitta Europaea)
Found in the Europe and as far north as Iceland the Nuthatch feeds on nuts, insects and can often be seen creeping along tree limbs, similar to the tree creeper found in North America.

Nuthatch

Wye Valley Birding Part 3 Woodpecker

This bird was one of a pair and to see it darting from branch to branch and from tree to tree was magical. The Greater spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos Major) is the size of a blackbird or American robin. It drums on large oak trees and gives out a loud 'Kik Kik'
Because we are in the late summer the morning chorus of the spring has been replaced by the sounds of the young nestling begging for food and the somewhat comical newly fledged, who in their first days away from the nest are learning to catch insects or find fruit.
The Greater spotted woodpecker will come readily to the bird feeder but because I didn't bring my blind I have to sit or stand very quietly for long periods of time. I usually stand in the shade or lean on a tree, I call it standing meditation bird photography.

Greater spotted woodpecker

Wye Valley Birding Part 2 ( Three Tits)

Great tit

The commonest tit in the UK is the Great tit (Parus Major). A regular visitor to the bird feeder, it is often accompanied by the Blue tit (Parus Caeruleus) and sometimes the Coal tit (Parus ater)
These three birds were photographed simply by putting out some suet and seed and waiting patiently.
One thing about photographing birds in July and August is the moulting process which makes the birds look little ragged, however that is what birds do.
Enjoy these images as much as I enjoyed sitting surrounded by Robins, Dunnock or Hedge Sparrow, the Jay (no pic yet) and the brilliantly coloured Greater spotted woodpecker. These images will be posted when I have finished gardening.

Coal tit

Blue tit

Wye Valley Birding U.K Part 1

Buzzard (Buteo Buteo) Wye Valley

The Buzzard has made a remarkable comeback and is now the commonest bird of prey in the UK. Range across Europe and migrating to Africa.

Last night at about 10 p.m a Buzzard flew into an old Oak tree at the bottom of the garden.
I opened the window slowly and fired off three handheld shots on my Nikon D300s with a 300 F4 and 1.7 converter with SB800 flash. I was surprised to find that the auto focus actually worked in the darkness. Here is the result. The second shot was taken by the roadside near Gloucester.