Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to Everyone

Merry Christmas everybody, I hope you all

have a great new year!!

I thought I'd finish the year off with a few photo's

from my latest trip. I didn't have to go far for

what I wanted, literally just up the road from where

I live. The local church yard has been host to Redwing

and the odd Fieldfare.

There's also been Songthrush!!

And....finally Waxwing's!!

I know there's been a few about but these are the first

one's I've found in the Malvern area, only two but they

all count.

I just hope next year is just as good...

Waxwings!

Yep...I got a few in the end, and Ledbury was the

place, not too far to go.

I've seen loads around on the net the last few weeks

but until this weekend I've not had the chance to

get to see any.

I could only manage Saturday morning, and only then

a couple of hour's. I'd promised to do a little christmas

shopping in the afternoon and I had my works do on

night so it didn't leave me long.

Saturday morning's weather was crap to be fair, misty

and hardly any light not the best for photography but

it was my only oporuntnity and sometimes you have

to take what you get.

The Waxwings didn't take long to turn up, at least twenty

were present so well worth the visit, here's a few shot's

from the morning, pretty pleased with what I got really

considering the weather.

Last light!

Last weekend saw me heading for the hill's again.

I've been hoping for a Snow bunting or something

like that but as yet... nothing!

My search started as it normal does with a visit

to British Camp and around Wheatear Valley.

Wheatear Valley has produced some cracking birds

for me this year but today it was pretty quiet. The

normal Raven's soared above me as I walked the

pathway while Meadow Pipit feed amongst the grass.

I searched the rest of the area with very little success, I

did manged to find a few Redwing but as usual they

kept there distance, next I moved onto the Beacon

and North Hill.

The Beacon was void of anything, I think I probably got

there to late in the day, loads of people milling around

very little to be seen, North Hill was no different either

a few fly over Redwing and that was about it.

With the end of the day fast approaching I decided to

move off the hills and down onto the common below to

try my luck there, within minutes I found a pair of

Stonechat and as per usually I had no luck getting

close to the male, I'm not sure what it is... but he has

none of it, no matter how hard I try, one day I'll grab shot!

Today though, I could only grab a shot of the female

which I didn't mind in the slightest as I got my shot in the

most beautiful light, just as the sun was going down, when

you get that golden glow!

And that was all I could muster, hopefully this week

will prove better.

Peregrines!

I thought I'd post a couple more pictures of my local
Peregrines.

I paid them another visit the other morning on my

way back from the hills, I didn't have to wait long for

more fabulous views.

This time it was the Male I managed a few decent

shot's of as he flew by, after looking at the pictures

more closely it looks like he hasn't long made a kill

judging by the blood on his breast.

Hopefully I'll be able to bring you a few more shot's

over this coming winter.

Local Birding!

With my car in the garage it was about all I could

manage really, I haven't been out for a couple of

weeks what with moving house and only just getting

over the Flu!

A local trip was about all I could do, and I'm glad it

was. First up, Peregrines. I haven't been up to see

these for quite a while and with the rest of hills pretty

quite I thought it was about time I paid them a visit

today.

First up the Female, I've been watching these birds for

the last three years on and off and to this day I'm still

amazed by their speed and agility, This girl can really

move when she wants too. I've had her zoom past my

head before now chasing Jackdaws and she becomes

a blur!

Today she wasn't chasing, just calmly gliding around

having a little fun with her mate.

The male, not so easy as the Female to photograph,

this fellow can really move, He remained at distance

today but I did managed one decent shot as he came

past chasing the Female.



They played for a little while before they both zoomed

off into the distance, probably getting a little hungry after

all that excercise.

Next up, Castlemorton Common, another place I haven't

visited in a while. Castlemorton can be an odd place, at

times it can be decilate and other's it can be alive with

birds.

Today wasn't exactly alive but I did manage to find

a few birds Meadow Pipits seem to everywhere I turned.

A small flock of Linnets were busily feeding amongst the

grass and a pair of Stonechats were flying up high catching

insects. I spent most of mine time with the Stonechats as

the female was very confiding, allowing me to get some

decents shot's.

The male was completely different, I couldn't get anywhere

near him, with time running out I left it there.

No Time!

Well, I'm finally back on the internet, after a week without

having it, you don't realise how much you use until it's gone.

I've been busy moving house over this last week, hopefully

I'll be able to get out soon and start posting again, were just

starting to get straight now.

Report's look pretty good on the hill's with Redwing and

Fieldfare in good numbers around Happy Valley. A few Ring

Ouzel around too, I managed to find a single one a couple of

week's on British Camp but It didn't hang around for long.

As I say I've not really had a chance to go out recently, my last

trip was on the Malverns, visiting North Hill and The Beacon.

North Hill didn't really produce much, although there was a

single bird on the summit that had me wandering, I think it's

a young Skylark but I wasn't sure. Let me know what you

think, the picture isn't very good I'm afriad but I'm sure

someone will be able to tell.

The Beacon had the usually Meadow Pipit's around the summit.

There was a single Wheatear, which was very confiding allowing

me to grab a few decent photo's...

Hopefully all being well, and If I can shake this darn cold I've had

for the last week, I'll be able to get out this weekend, I'll let you

know how I get on.

More Bunting's!

I couldn't resist another go at getting a few

more shot's of these beautiful little bird's.

Lapland Buntings North Hill!

I couldn't believe my luck this morning when I

found 5 Lapland Buntings on North Hill, here in

Malvern. I travelled 4 hours to see these birds

for the first time two weeks ago, now there

here on my doorstep...Typical!

I started out with a walk around Chat Valley

and then worked my way up to the Beacon,

finally finishing off on North Hill. This is

my normal route, that way you can cover

pretty much all areas.

Chat Valley had very little, apart the normal

Green Woodpeckers probing into the hillside.

The walk towards the Beacon held a few

migrants with Willow Warbler and ChiffChaff

being the main one's. The Beacon it self had

very little to offer only Meadow Pipits, mind

you there were at least 30 so plenty to see.

No sign of any Wheatear...I was quite surprised.

North Hill...This area has produced some

cracking birds over time and today was no exception,

I could hardly believe my luck when I popped my

head over the top of the hill and was greeted by

what I thought was a Lapland Bunting, I only

managed a split second view at first but it was

enough to keep me looking.

I explored further, looking through the Meadow

Pipit's but nothing, It wasn't until I started my walk

down the hill that I noticed another one and

another, I'd found 5 birds in total, must be something

of a record.

I spent the next hour trying to get a few photo's

before a walker came over the hill and flushed them.

Here's a few shot's!

One Good Tern!

I had a quick trip over to Grimley New Workings

today straight after a night at work in search of the

two reported Juvenile Black Terns.

They've been there for a couple of days now but I

haven't really had a chance to go over. I got there

for first light this morning in the hope that they'd

still be there.

It didn't take me long to find one of them, they tend

to stick to the same area every year, but that was it.

Only the one could be found. The other one's probably

gone off to find somewhere a little warmer, and who

can blame him. I can feel that nip already!...brrrr!!

It was quite obliging, making several passes in front of

me over the couple of hours I was there, giving me a

chance to get a few shot's.

Apart from the Tern there were serveral Common Snipe

dotted about. At about 09.00 50-60 Canada Geese

decended on the pool, a quick scan through the flock reveled

only a couple of hybrids nothing out the ordinary.

3 Littel Egrets were still around, although quite distant. Quite

a few migrants were also found around the pool including

Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

As the day began to warm somewhere in the region of 400-500

House Martins with the odd Swallow in the mix decended on

the pool.

A good few hours birding, well worth the effort.

Minsmere In A Day!

I know...but it was worth it, no less than five new

birds for me. I'd been ploughing through the internet

all week trying to find something for the weekend

but couldn't make up my mind what to do. Saturday

night came and I still hadn't settled on anything

except I fancied something a bit special. I've got to

admit I don't usually travel too far for birds, a maxium

of a couple of hours in any direction is more than

enough for me.

I'd been watching the movements of the Lapland

Buntings all week, they were popping all over the

place even reports of fly over birds at Slimbridge.

I'd hoped for maybe one on the Malverns (wouldn't

that be nice) but nothing. In fact the next closest

ones were at Minsmere, where two had been

reported throughout most of the week. I guess my

mind was made up, Minsmere and Lapland Bunting's.

I must admit the prospect of a four journey didn't

excite me to much and to arrive in time for first light

would mean leaving my place at 01.30am. I sat a wrote

a couple of quick emails to try a gain a little more

information and soon had the replys back with what

I was after, so that was it I was all set.

Sunday morning came (very quickly) and I was soon

heading up the motorway. One thing about leaving at

that time of the morning was the roads where empty.

Completely void of traffic, so that made the journey

much more bearable. I arrived at Dunwich car park

just as it was getting light, I'd been recommeded to start

at the beach here and work my way down to Minsmere

because the Buntings had been showing more at the

north end.

I scoured the beach for a good hour and half with no

success at all. I'd all but given up until I spotted a couple

of photograhers heading my way. It turned out that it

was one of the guys I'd emailed the previous night (Jon

Evans) accompanyed by his mate (Ian Clarke or

"Sparky" as he likes to be called) A quick chat reveled

they'd had about as much success as me, they too

had made there way down the beach in pretty much the

same style as myself and had seen nothing. Jon had said

"they'll be here somewhere"....but with more searching

still nothing.

I made my way further up the beach until I'd reached

the Sluice. The Sluice was home to quite a few Swallows.

I could hardly resist a go at these beautiful little birds.

I watched them as they landed on various perches from

fences to sign post's but I'd noticed one individual was

landing on a dead tree. I waited for him to move off and

got myself into position then awaited his return. I didn't

have to wait long before he was back and only yards

from me.

With a few shot's in the bag I made my way back down the

beach for what I'd originally came for the Lapland Buntings.

As I walked down the beach I could see in the distance a

crowd had gathered near to the East Hide. I arrived to

find the Lapland Buntings had been seen but then lost

again, with continued searches from everyone soon found a

lone bird.

I quickly managed a few shot's before the hoards of people

started to gather. Quite close views at times.

Apart from the Lapland Buntings there was a Wryneck

reported in the North bushes. I managed to see it but

that was about it, photograhing it was another

thing, I did manged one shot but purely for records

purposes, I'm not going to embaress myself by posting it

on here. In fact apart from the Buntings everything

that day kept it's distance. Red Backed Shrike another

first for me kept very distance, to far for even the big

guns cracking bird to watch though.

I did manged to get quite close to a Wheatear on Dunwich

Heath which was nice although I was trying to find Dartford

Warbler. I did manged to see the Dartford Warblers, again

another first for me but they kept there distance as well,

again only managing records shot's.

With the rain clouds gathering fast and everything

at least seen although not photographed it was time to

head back. A good day all in all with another five new

birds to add to my ever growing list.

My Lucky Week!

Yep!...My luck has continued this week with more

great stuff from my local area the Malvern Hills.

Continued trips this week looking for migrants

has been very successful indeed.

Yesterday more Wheatear and a first for myself

a Whinchat. The Wheatear are probably some of

the most obliging birds I've come across at points

they were literally within a feet of me. Allowing me

to obtain probably my best shot's to date, in fact I

don't think I could better it.

The Whinchat was no different a very confiding
bird, again allowing me some very close views at

times. It's probably never seen a human before.

Watching me!

Looking for his next meal!


Really Close!


I managed to find another Redstart, they seem to

be all over the Hills this year.

Lunch in the shade!


Enjoying the sunshine!

I just hope my luck continues.