2013 Review

2013 Review

As the end of the year of 2013 draws close, I thought I would round up a great year of wildlife and generally wandering around the countryside, with a summary of pictures from throughout the year.

To anybody who has viewed my blog throughout the year, many thanks for taking and interest and please keep looking as hopefully next years finds and photographs will be better.

Also hopefully a new cameras will soon be on its way, which should help with faster focusing, sharper shots and better shooting in lower light with improved ISO qualities.

All the best for 2014

Regards

Chris

January, Water Rail, Open Air Theatre, Scarborough

February, Red Crested Pochard, The Mere, Scarborough

March, Goosanders, The Mere, Scarborough

April, Bar Tailed Godwits, Jacksons Bay, Scarborough

April, Brown Hares, Wykeham

April, Barn Owl, Johnsons Marsh, Scarborough

April, Red Grouse, Goathland Moor

May, Vixen Fox, Castle Headland, Scarborough

May, Red Backed Shrike, Scalby Cliff Tops, Scarborough

May, (Red Spotted) Bluethroat, Carr Naze, Filey

August, Fulmar, Bempton Cliffs

 

August, Gannet, Bempton Cliffs

 August, Puffins, Bempton Cliffs

August, Minke Whales, Off the Marine Drive, Scarborough

September, juvenile Turtle Dove, Cockmoor Hall, Snainton

August, Dipper, Hilla Green, Troutsdale, Scarborough

August, juvenile Crossbill, Filey

September, Kingfishers, Tophill Low Reserve, Watton

November, Red Deer, Isle of Arran

November, Sea Otter, Isle of Arran

December, Great Northern Diver (and Plaice / Sole??) Scarborough Harbour

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year

 

 

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

21/12/2013

22/12/2013

Scarborough Harbour

At last in reasonable light, I managed to catch up with the seemingly now winter residing juvenile Great Northern Diver in the Harbour at Scarborough, (until the Boxing Day events!!). With limited time this weekend (not managing to get to see the Ivory Gull on the Humber, yet!!) I thought hopefully I might get a few shots of the GND feeding and after a couple hours of waiting on the Sunday morning, while our visitors at home were still getting up, I was lucky enough to get the following shots, just as I was about to leave, which was brilliant. Indeed the GND caught so well in the last 20 minutes it fell asleep before I left, (see last picture!!)

Fine morning and great bird!!

Feeding time!!

Sleep time!!

Brambling Delight

Brambling Delight

06/12/2013

Cockmoor Hall, Snainton, Scarborough

Finally in one of my 20 minute lunchtime periods, I managed to catch a up and take a few photographs of the Bramblings that have been hanging around in large numbers with chaffinches and various Tits at Cockmoor Hall, Snainton, where at times there has been up to two or three hundred birds feeding on the roadside under the Beech trees.

 

 

On returning back down to work from Cockmoor Hall, I also had the bonus of a sighting of around forty Golden Plover from the road though at the far side of the field, but still great to see in a 20 minute break from work

 



Scarborough Harbour

Scarborough Harbour

01/12/2013

Scarborough Harbour

After waking up full of cold, I thought, after reading Steve Routledge's Blog of the previous day, I may as well get some fresh air and see if the Great Northern Diver was still off the Harbour, which it was, though at a fair distance. Hence some of the photographs are very cropped, but it fed well with some reasonable sized fish., though it kept getting spooked by the RLNI inshore boat practicing in the harbour and in front of the Station (not complaining you never know if you might need them!!)

Showing around the harbour also were I would say 50 to 60 Turnstone, (many in the west pier car park) around 20 Purple Sandpipers (seen pm on my return in hope that GND had come in closer, NOT!!) the usual Gulls, the odd Redshank, Cormorant passing by and a Shag.

A cracking place in winter, our local Harbour!!! and a cracking start to December!!!