Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

05/06/2015

Garden, Northstead, Scarborough

Cracking start to the weekend, when Adele's friend Marilyn across the road, say's a bird of prey is sat on her neighbours shed roof, do we want to go and see it!!!, By George yes and what a cracker of a male Sparrowhawk, who must have just eaten, as it sat on the shed roof looking very full for over 3/4 of and hour, indeed we left before it moved!!!

White Tailed Sea Eagle

White Tailed Sea Eagle

25/05/2015

Isle of Mull

 

The only day on the Isle of Mull, we were lucky with the weather, though it was still very cold, grey and over cast, but with slight hint of white cloud and sun, our trip with http://www.mullcharters.com/

was booked and actually took place.

 

We thought we would be disappointed though as, as we approached the fish throwing and feeding area, the male WTSE was seen flying around (to lead the crows away from the nest site) with a fully eaten and stripped lamb, so we thought that they would be to full after just feasting on fresh meat, but we were in luck and we had 3 fishing attempts, which were absolutely brilliant,

 

Shame about the grey weather and high ISO required on the camera.

 

Note the first 3 photographs are in sequence and are shot at 8 frames a second, so it just shows you don't have much time (a 3rd of a second), they may be big birds but they do travel very fast!!!

 

 

 



Corncrake

Corncrake

26/05/2015

Isle of Iona (off Isle of Mull), Scotland

 

One of the star birds of my trip to Mull and Scotland, with the birds sound crackling around various parts of the island for some time, but only giving very, very brief views, so in the end I was happy with seeing both a male and female!!!

 



Black Guillemots

Black Guillemots

24/05/2015 and 25/05/2015

Oban Harbour, Scotland

A big bonus before catching the Ferry to the Isle of Mull, the sight of around 10 pairs of Black Guillemots on the outskirts of Oban Harbour. Fantastic to see, as have only seen then from a distance, much further north in Scotland, around Ullapool.

Many thanks to Dave Mansell  www.eastaytonbirding.com/   for the information!!!

Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine Falcons

01/06/2015

Scarborough Castle Headland, North Yorkshire

What a way to start June, a quick visit to the Marine Drive in Scarborough before work to try and get a view of the new Peregrine Falcon Chicks after a weeks holiday in Scotland, provided not only sightings of the chicks (2 seen at the present time), but a stunning encounter with the male Peregrine bringing in a fresh feast of a female Blackbird and passing the same to the female Peregrine mid air to take straight back to the chicks. Awesome!!!!

Dotterel

Dotterel

10/05/2015

Danby Beacon, North York Moors

Following reports of migrating Dotterels on and around Danby Beacon by Steve Race of Yorkshire Coast Nature on Saturday, an early Sunday Morning visit was made and after a couple of hours searching (walking in completely the wrong direction) a female was spotted by some fellow spotters and a great hour was spent not far away from a very confiding female, which was a first for me in summer plumage (lovely) though I had seen and photographed a duller juvenile last year at Long Nab, near Scarborough.
Other cracking birds of the day were, Ring Ouzel, Whinchat, Wheatear, Meadow Pipits, Lapwings, Golden Plover, Snipe, Curlew, Red Grouse, Swallows, House Martins and one of the first Swifts of the year for me!!

Barn Owls

Barn Owls

17/04/2015

Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire

During the brief spell when I had my camera back from the repair specialist !!!! Hmmmm!!! I have been lucky enough, (though I have been searching), to locate and watch Barn Owls, on my way to work, on various decent sunny mornings. Indeed there has been up to 4 in the field hunting at once though generally at distance.
Hopefully as the weather settles and Owl chicks are hatched, more viewing of the increased hunting requirements will be seen.
More posts to follow if I'm lucky as I love Barn Owls