SEASONS GREETINGS

I would like to thank each and everyone of you for all the support and very kind comments over the last year.
I have enjoyed looking at all your blogs, as they can be such an inspiration to see what others are doing.
I am feeling quite a bit better, but have not picked up a camera for over two weeks and not even had the inclination to turn on the computer
I do hope to get out over the Christmas period, and I will try to catch up with all your blogs over the next few days.
In the meantime I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone ................................



BE BACK SOON

JUST SPENT A WEEK CUDDLED UP WITH THE FLU BUG, MADE GREAT BEDFELLOWS, THINK HE WILL BE LEAVING SOON. SO HOPE TO GET BACK TO SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL!!

NEW BIRD ON THE BLOG.

It was the coldest morning so far this winter yesterday,drove down to Marazion and stopping the car the outside temperature was -5c and for the coast that is very unusual.

So spent some time looking over the reed beds, but very little was moving, out in the bay just got a Slavonian Grebe and a couple of Great Northern Divers.

I decided to walk along the beach to Marazion, to see if I could find one or two of the six Black Redstarts that will overwinter in the Marazion - Penzance area.
I have seen these charismatic little birds on many occassions, but do not have any decent images as their flighty nature and not settling in any one place for more than a few seconds make them difficult to photograph.

So as I arrived at the high walled area past the sailing club I immediately caught a flash of that beautiful Rusty Red tail and knew I had found my quarry.

I saw three of this species during my stay, and although I was hoping for an adult male in full plumage, and I did get a brief view of one, this little immature chap was the only one that stayed around.

So he will be the star of this post, but I will be back looking for that male, but I hope you will agree that this is a beautiful little bird.

So I give you the new bird on the blog.

THE BLACK REDSTART.



BIRDS AND PASTY'S SUN AND SNOW HAS TO BE THE WAY TO GO.

Spent a good part of yesterday wandering around Marazion and Hayle Estuary, decided to stick to the main roads as they were clear. There was still quite a bit of snow underfoot,although in the afternoon the temperature started to rise and rain moved in from the South West.

So below are a few images from the days shoot.

 

WATER RAIL.

Normally these birds are very secretive and normally give only brief views, but this one must have been desperate for food as it came right up to my Tripod legs and did not seem at all concerned. In fact it was to close for my lens to focus.

GREY HERON

This one was grabbing a bit of early morning Sun.

LITTLE EGRET.

Even this Egret looked hunched up against the cold.

LITTLE GREBE.

This Grebe seemed to find a good food supply.

RABBIT.

One way to get your feet warm, "Lick Em"

SANDERLING.

The Sanderling had to rummage through the Snow on the beach.

TEAL.

One of the Hayle overwintering Teal.

WIGEON.

I guess Wigeon on the Estuary have built up to around 1,000.

So all in all a very nice day even if it was cold, and I had a few good species which were to far away for images, namely an Eider and a raft of Common Scoter far out on Mounts Bay, and a Red Breasted Merganser briefly on Longrock Pool which flew off towards the Mount.

Add to this one of Philps of Hayle famous Cornish Pastys for lunch which was eaten in the car overlooking Copperhouse Creek, a puurfect end to a Puurfect day.