MARAZION & BULLER DOWNS

Well we are certainly having a spell of beautiful weather at the moment, so have not spent much time on the PC although I have had a couple of trips around the local area this week.
So here are a few images from Tuesday and Wednesday morning, and I will be heading out for a short walk this morning.

BLUE TIT.

GREYLAG GOOSE.

HERRING GULL.

SEDGE WARBLER.

SONG THRUSH.

WHEATEAR.

WHITETHROAT.



FLOWER POWER.

Well here we are at the end of the Easter Weekend, and I hope you all had a good one. I can honestly say I have not done a single minutes bird watching, as my wife and I have spent the time doing a little gardening and just going off and enjoying the fine weather.
So no birds but I did make a little time to take a short walk up the lane at the back of the house, and all I could find for the lens was the floral shots below.

COMMON DANDILION

GREATER STICHWORT.

LESSER CELANDINE.

COMMON DOG VIOLET.



RAW NATURE (THE DEMISE OF A LADY )

Firstly I do not know weather I should apologise or not for posting this image,so for anyone who is offended please remember for all its beauty nature can also be very brutal.
I came across the scene below at Godrevy last week, and although I have seen animals and birds taking quarry many times I found this particularly moving.

My thoughts are this is the work of a Peregrine Falcon and was a very recent kill.
So nothing more to be said just sad to see this lovely Female Mallard come to this.

FEMALE MALLARD.



THE MONTY'S FAILED MONTY.

Headed off at 07.00 this morning to try and get the Male Montague's Harrier which has been at Croft Pascoe on Goonhilly Downs for a few days.
We had a look for it on Sunday morning without success, so today packed a lunch, nice flask of Green Tea with Lemon and off we go.
Arrived at Croft Pascoe at 07.30am checked out a couple of likely spots and then settled into a spot it seem to favour for hunting, now this spot is a small lay bye along side a secondary road,to venture along it for any distance you take your life in your hands. Most drivers treat this as a race track, and the majority of vehicles must be doing anywhere between 70 and 100+mph.
Any to cut a long story short I stayed until 15.30 pm, met loads of nice people for a chat and did I see the bird? No I did not1 I did get a view of a distant Hen Harrier at 15.00 but it was a Female and not the Male bird I was looking for.
So here are a few views of this area which is located on the Lizard Peninsula and a shot of a distant Common Buzzard.
Birds seen:
3 Kestrels
5 Buzzards
1 Female Hen Harrier
Skylarks
Meadow Pipits
2 Siskin

Birds Heard
Grasshopper Warbler
2Cuckoo's

CROFT PASCOE POOL.

LOOKING ACROSS THE DOWNS TO THE OLD SATELLITE

EARTH STATION.

PART OF THE SECONDARY ROAD ALONG

CROFT PASCOE.

RECORD SHOT OF COMMON BUZZARD.



A LITTLE FROM THE WEEKEND

Have not had much time for posting over the last week, as I have been doing a few chores outside during the week, although I did manage to get out on Saturday and Sunday. I have taken quite a few pics, but still have to process them so will try to get a few more on over the coming days. So here are three from the weekend the first of which is a Bonaparte's Gull on the Hayle Estuary, although its only a record shot as it was far out on the flats it is a scarce visitor from North America. The last time I saw one was in 2004 , so really pleased this one turned up and hope it stays so I can get a few better images.

BONAPARTE'S GULL.

Hayle Estuary.

SKYLARK.

St Gothian Sands.

MUTE SWANS ( LOVE IS IN THE AIR)

Hayle Estuary.



DAFFODIL'S

Took a stroll along Buller downs yesterday morning, and during the whole walk did not see a single person.
It was so peaceful and quite it was lovely to spend a little time in such solitude, and when I came across the scene below, "Daffodil's" by William Wordsworth became stuck in my mind and :

I Wandered lonly as a cloud.

 

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

and twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretched in never-ending line

along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

in such a jocund company:

I gazed - and gazed - but little thought

what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth



WHEY HEY ITS A PURPLE HERON DAY

GOTCHA- GOTCHA GOTCHA.

After Fridays misadventure, I could not resist the opportunity to give the Purple Heron at College Res another go.
I arrived at 08.30 and put on my trusty Wellies and off into the unknown, I walked  until I came to the first partial clearing and scanned the area with my Bins.
On the south edge of the island was a Grey Heron and about 3 metres to the right "WOW" was the Purple Heron.
Got the camera into position to get a clear view through the undergrowth, at this point I was about 90 metres away and quite hidden.
I managed to get off 2 shots and it was off flying out of view through the trees, and although it kept low as if to land I could not relocate it again.
This is one very edgy bird and the slightest movement will spook it.
Anyway it did not escape the lens and below is the one good shot I got of this great bird.(And I did not even get my Wellies wet).

PURPLE HERON.



NO PURPLE HERON BUT A PURPLE PATCH

Early start again this morning, left home at 06.50am and drove down to Lelant to pick Up Ashley of Ashley Hugo Photography Blog.
Then it was straight down to Lands End for the Gull Billed Tern that has been around for a few days.
So having parked we walked up the lane to Trevilley Farm and onto the field were it likes to frequent. After a wait of about 15mins it turned up and proceeded to fly around the field feeding,and it gave the opportunity for a few photo's. We spent about 30 mins until it flew off to the West to other ploughed Fields it likes to visit, We then left and drove to Lands End and decided to walk along the cycle track towards Sennen.
Further along the track we meet a another birding friend Lynton from Newlyn,he told us that he had a Tree Pipit along the track but it had flown off and did not see it again.
So Ash and I walked further along the track and the best we could come up with was a Willow Warbler.
It was at this point my Mobile Phone rang and it was Lynton to say that a Woodchat Shrike had been found on Treve Common, which was only two fields away.
So it was over the fence (And yes I did stay on my feet) across the fields and onto the Common where we could see Martin Elliot the Birder who found it.
We walked over to him and arrived the same time as Lynton who came from the opposite direction, Martin pointed out the Shrike and we got onto it straight away it was then that Lynton said I can see a Subalpine Warbler in the same hedgerow about 2 metres from the Shrike, looking closer it most certainly was, and this was a lifer for Ash and myself so it was turning out to be a great morning. Also here we had three Whitethroats which were year ticks.
So below is a list of this mornings year ticks and the birds I managed to Photograph.

Gull Billed Tern
Willow Warbler
Wheatears 8
Woodchat Shrike
Subalpine Warbler  Lifer
Whitethroats 3

GULL BILLED TERN.

GULL BILLED TERN.

VIEW FROM THE CYCLE TRACK OUT TO THE LONGSTONES LIGHT.

WOODCHAT SHRIKE

This was the best I could get of the Woodchat and the Subalpine was to far away for good pics.

So after this it was back home where I spent the afternoon in the back garden enjoying the sunshine and playing with my old EF 100-300 F5.6L where I took the images below.

JACKDAW.

MAGPIE.

                           

BLACKBIRD.

So today turned out to be a real Purple Patch, and "Guess What"

The Purple Heron has turned up again at College Res.

Question is "Will I won't I?"



HUNT FOR PURPLE HERON

Got up at 05.15 this morning looked out of the window and it was clear sky though still dark, I had already decided on the days activity.
I was going to College Res at Penryn near Falmouth to crack the Purple Heron that has been there over the past 2 days as I have not seen one for about 4 years and wanted a few photo's.
So packed up a small backpack, with just a couple of lenses,  Ring flash , and a couple of snack bars, also decided to take my Wellie Boots as I remembered from a few years ago it could be a bit muddy.
I set of at around 06.50am and arrived at College at 07.15, it was now much lighter and after the short wooded walk came to the Southern end of the Res.

EARLY MORNING COLLEGE RES.

Oh how peaceful and serene it all looks from here, but after a few metres the boardwalk became broken and then disappeared completely and I found myself in a stretch of 30 metres of sticky mud.

"MUD MUD GLORIOUS MUD"

Anyway I managed to struggle through this bit and finally made it to to more solid ground and walked to the North end, but no sign of the Purple Heron. In fact there was not a lot of life on the res only a few Mallard, Canada Geese, 4 Grey Herons and a couple of Tufted Ducks.

VIEW OF THE NORTHERN END.

So now I had to make my way back  across the mud and boardwalk to get to the other side of the res.

Whilst crossing one muddy part I stepped onto a rock and then put my other foot on what appeared a piece of wood, but my foot went straight down and the mud came over the top of my Wellie.

Try as I may I could not get my foot out of the mud, (now this stuff is also very smelly) so finally I had to take my foot out of the boot and luckily I managed to set my foot on a fairly solid piece of mud though it was soaking almost immediately.

I had managed to get the Camera and Tripod on a solid bit of ground, It was now that my weird sense of humour took over, I started laughing out load as I  tried to pull my wellie from the mud.If someone had happened to come along they would have thought it was the Lunatic of the Lake at large, What I was thinking was what if both feet had got stuck, maybe in Six months time someone would come strolling along and find a Skeleton standing in a Pair Of Wellies stuck in the mud.

ONE MUDDY WELLIE AND A SOGGY FOOT.

Any way I continued around to the other side of the lake, and the conditions were much better with only a few muddy patches. I still did not get to find the Heron, and that was not the end of the saga.

Walking back to the entrance I stepped to one side of a muddy patch and both feet slipped away and I went in one direction and the Camera and Tripod went in the other. This time I took a much harder fall and was quite winded for a few moments.

So it was back to the car where I had a pair of wet weather trousers I put on, and then it was home for a clean shower and a change of clothing. After all this I did not get the Purple Heron, but I did see a nice Male Garganey which was a year tick.

BOARDWALK.

MORE MUD.

SCENE OF THE SECOND FALL.

MALE GARGANEY.

MALE GARGANEY.

If the heron turns up again maybe I will go back  tomorrow.



CARHARRACK WOODS

About 1 1/2  miles North east of home is the next village Carharrack, and South of the village is a large area of woodland known as Carharrack Woods. These woods are on a private eatate with no public access, although there is a public footpath along the Eastern side. The habitat is quite varied with Oak, Sycamore Pine and Willow, also there is plenty of Gorse and a small reed area.
So yesterday morning I took a walk along the footpath, it was a beautiful morning wit temperatures around 18c.
A good selection of birds were seen and heard although most were to far away for photo's, the only ones close enough were the Chiffchaff and Buzzard below.
Others seen /heard were.
Seen
8 Buzzards all soaring in a group.
 Male Blackcap
Coal tit
Great tit
Blue Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Ravens
Jackdaws
Robins
Long Tailed Tits
Sparrowhawk.
HEARD.
Jay
Green woodpecker.

CHIFFCHAFF

CHIFFCHAFF.

COMMON BUZZARD.

COMMON BUZZARD.



A REASON TO GET OUT OF BED

Have recieved this U Tube clip from a friend in Massachusetts USA, and I have to say it is one of the most enthralling short films I have seen in a long time.

Although it is all in German it does not matter as the story tells its self. So please sit back turn up the sound, click on the four small arrows bottom right for full screen mode and enjoy.

I think you will be surprised.



STITHIANS RES 02/04/2011

Went up to Stithians Res this morning to see if the Ring Necked Duck was still around, the weather was good though overcast which made for very flat lighting.
Upon arrival at the hide on the main res, picked up the bird right away although distant and no good for Photo's.
After about 45mins something spooked them and they flew across the cutoff and landed to the right side of the hide.This was much better and spent the next hour getting a lot of shots as it swam up and down in front of the hide with the flock of Tufted Ducks.
Also had 4 Goldeneye, 1 Male and three Females but these only came close enough for record shots.

MALE RING NECKED DUCK

This species is a visitor from North America and is annual in the UK.

RING NECKED DUCK.

MALE TUFTED DUCK : MALE RING NECKED DUCK & FEMALE TUFTED DUCK.

This shot shows the difference between Tufted and Ring Necked the Ring Necked has distinct white at the base of the bill, Grey sides and the head is Cone shaped compared to the Male Tufted.

FEMALE GOLDENEYE.

MALE GOLDENEYE.