Time slowed down

Time felt like it had slowed down on our recent half-term visit to Cornwall. That's my excuse for posting these photos two weeks after they were taken anyway. The Hudsonian Whimbrel rather stole the limelight on that trip, but there was plenty of other stuff to see on the way there and back.

Fulmar, Lands End

We went to Land's End to look for a Rose-coloured Starling. Only after spending the day there did I realise it was actually at The Lizard. Wrong headland. Doh! Here is its close relative, a male Starling.

The Land's End Starlings were looking stunning though. This one a female.

Longships Lighthouse off Land's End

Land's End was taking a bit of a pounding

Oystercatcher at Sennen Cove

Little Egrets near Marazion

Rock Pipit at Marazion

Sanderling at Marazion

This Pheasant visited the garden of our holiday cottage

After leaving Land's End we headed for St Levan where this Barn Own was a highlight

Barn Owl

Possibly the world's worst photo of a Yellow-browed Warbler, which was at the bottom of the valley at St Levan, calling frequently, but not exactly showy!

On the way down to Cornwall, a flying visit to Seaton Marshes enabled me to catch up with a Glossy Ibis 

It was a bit distant unfortunately...

...also a bit distant at Seaton Marshes was a drake Green-winged Teal, here with a female Common Teal

This Whooper Swan was on the boating lake at Helston on the way home

Whooper Swan - a returning bird which first turned up as a juvenile in 2013

Different garden birds

Just back from a few days with the family in Suffolk where our cottage in Eastbridge had views over the marshes and a Barn Owl nest box on the lawn. Jackdaws were squatting in the nest box but the Barn Owl could still be seen roosting in a dead tree just beyond the end of the garden. I went out early one morning and came back to find the boys telling tales about seeing Marsh Harriers from the kitchen. I was just expressing my disbelief when George caused me to spit out my cornflakes by pointing one out just beyond the garden fence. I fumbled for the camera and managed a few shots before it sailed behind some trees. Marsh Tits visited the feeders while Cetti's Warbler, Snipe and Tawny Owl made it on to the 'heard only' list. Makes my small urban garden in Wareham, currently massively over-grazed by Guinea Pigs, look a bit lame.


Male Marsh Harrier, Eastbridge

Not a bad garden bird

Barn Owl, Eastbridge - #95 on my photo year list

The photos should have been better but I screwed up my settings at the crucial moment

Marsh Tit (#96) visited feeders in the garden with its commoner cousins

The birdseed also attracted larger visitors like this Pheasant (#97)

Stoatally devoted

Such a devoted husband and father am I that I dragged my entire family to Northumberland recently, forced them onto a boat and made them visit some islands covered in bird poo. Fortunately just the mention of 'poo' is enough to send my young sons into hysterics, so in the end it was a win-win really. They retaliated by dragging me around some castles and beaches, and I then had the last laugh by dragging them around the nature reserve at Hauxley, scene of one of my most spectacular dips (Greater Yellowlegs, 2011). This visit was rather happier - no mega-rare birds to pursue or anything like that, but a lot of flora and fauna to appreciate at this excellent Northumberland Wildlife Trust site. Highlight was a Stoat which showed itself a couple of times in the car park.

Stoat

Stoat

Stoat

Peacock

Small Copper

Pheasant among a stunning array of wildflowers in the car park at Hauxley

We don't get many Tree Sparrows in Dorset so a treat to see good numbers around Hauxley and Cresswell

Juvenile Tree Sparrow