Merry Christmas 2015

Just to say thank you all for stopping by my Blog over the past year, and hope to see you all again in 2016.
Very best wishes to you all.

771 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON SEARCH & RESCUE 18/12/2015

Hi Folks, Not exactly Wildlife but still we are all used here in SW UK to seeing the Red & Grey Seakings of 771 Navel Air Squadron SAR flying around. This service ceases on 31/12/2015 and will be taken over by the Coastguard Agency. So I would like you all to join me in saying a great big thank you to all the personnel past and present who were always there when we needed them.
Over the past 50+ years they have carried out many rescues on land & sea mostly in horrendous conditions.
They will be sorely missed. 

.

MUSCOVY DUCK 8/12/2015

Made a trip down west yesterday morning, stopped off at Sandy cove to have a look around, not much happening a few Great Northern Divers and a Razorbill out in the bay and a Goldcrest and a couple of Chiffs in the shrubs next to the car park.
Then went down to Drift Res to see if the Mandarin Duck was showing, but did not locate it.
Still this Muscovy Duck was down by the gate and giving really close views, sometimes so close I could not get it all in the frame.
I know this is not a native species and is often bypassed by birders, But is still a great looking bird in its own right.

MUSCOVY DUCK (Drift Res ).

MUSCOVY DUCK (Drift Res ).

RYANS FIELD & PORTHLEVEN 03/12/2015

A few images from earlier in the week, from Visits to Ryans Field at Hayle And Porthleven. Its a real pain that this wet and very windy weather is still hanging around.

GOOSANDER ( Ryans Field ).

GOOSANDER (Ryans Field )

LITTLE EGRET ( Ryans Field )

PORTHLEVEN.

COAL TIT 13/11/2015

One of a pair of Coal Tits that are frequently coming to the feeders.

COAL TIT ( LANNER ).

HUDSONIAN WHIMBRIL

Just a quick post with a couple of images of the Hudsonian Whimbril that turned up at Marazion on the end of last week.
Went for it on Friday afternoon found it fairly quickly and managed a few shots, not the best of weather dull & overcast and after a short while it started to rain. Add to this the rip off Car park charge of 4 pounds for one hour. Still Rare Bird & we shared the car park charge.

HUDSONIAN WHIMBRIL ( Little London Marazion )

HUDSONIAN WHIMBRIL ( Little London Marazion )

VARIOUS POSTED 22/10/2015.

A few images from the last couple of weeks on various trips, Highlight was last Tuesday when I took a run down to Porthgwarra for a rare Brown Shrike that had turned up, this was a lifer for me, and put the life list on 300 and the year list on 176. Sadly it was to far away for any images, but seeing the bird comes first.
It was nice to catch up with the Rosie Starling ant Lands End again  and the Yellowhammers up on Trewey Common near Zennor.

FOREST SHIELD BUG (Lanner ).

GREAT TIT  (Buller Downs ).

HOUSE SPARROW (Buller Downs ).

KESTREL ( Buller Downs ).

LONG-TAILED TIT ( Gwennap ).

ROSE COLOURED STARLING ( Lands End ).

YELLOWHAMMER ( Trewey Common ).

VARIOUS FROM 2/10 TO 4/10/2015

Just a few images from thee last weekend, it was really great to get out and about with the fine weather we have had recently.
Made a trip down to the Lizard on Saturday to look for an Aquatic Warbler that was seen but it was not located again.
Managed to get most of the Autumn  jobs finished up outside so hopefully will get a few more wildlife trips in.

CRANE FLY ( LANNER ).

DUNNOCK (KYNANCE ROAD THE LIZARD ).

FOREST BUG (LANNER ).

SPOONBILL  ( STITHIANS RES ).

SPOONBILL ( STITHIANS RES ).

WHINCHAT (KYNANCE ROAD THE LIZARD ).

VARIOUS AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2015

Well here I am again, have been taking a bit of a Bloging holiday over the last couple of months, mostly due to the jobs I have been doing at home and the rotten August we had.
Still did manage to get out on a few occasions and grab some images, to stop the cameras from seizing up.
So a number of images from various places on the few times I got out. 

CANADA GOOSE ( ST GOTHIAN SANDS 23/09/2015 )

CANADA GOOSE ( ST GOTHIAN SANDS 23/09/2015 )

COMMON DARTER ( ST GOTHIAN SANDS 18/08/2015 )

COMMON DARTER (ST GOTHIAN SANDS 18/08/2015 )

CURLEW ( HAYLE ESTUARY 23/09/2015 )

GREY HERON (RYANS FIELD 08/09/02015 )

GREYLAG GEESE ( ST GOTHIAN SANDS 23/09/2015 )

This is part of a gaggle of 30 that dropped in over my head.

WHEATEAR ( ST GOTHIAN SANDS 23/09/2015 )

REDSHANK ( RYANS FIELD 23/09/2015 )

ROCK PIPIT (ST GOTHIAN SANDS  18/08/2015 )

SOUTHERN HAWKER (NANQUIDNO VALLEY  23/08/2015 )

GREY HERON & LESSER-BLACK BACK GULL 28/07/2015

Spent a quick hour at Stithians Res this afternoon, not much to report a few swallows a couple of House Martins good numbers of Herring Gulls and Cormorants, also three Great Crested Grebes with the odd Grey Heron and Little Egret.
Still it was good to get back out and do a little Birding for a change.

GREY HERON ( STITHIANS RES ).

LESSER-BLACK BACK GULL (STITHIANS RES ).

LESSER-BLACK BACK GULL ( STITHIANS RES ).

BUTTERFLIES & FLIES ST GOTHIAN SANDS 17/07/15 - 18/07/15

A few images from Two trips to St Gothian Sands on  Friday & Saturday, Friday was a very dull morning with very little movement. Highlight was the first sighting of a Dark Green Fritillery this year.
On Saturday it was bright sunny and warm and there were butterflies and insects everywhere.
It just goes to show what good conditions can do.

Female Beautiful Demoiselle (St Gothian Sands ).

 Male Beautiful Demoiselle (St Gothian Sands 

Comma (St Gothian Sands )

Dark Green Fritillary (St Gothian Sands )

Green Veined White (St Gothian Sands )

Peacock (St Gothian Sands )

Small Copper (St Gothian Sands )

Small Tortoiseshell  (St Gothian Sands 

Tachinid Fly (St Gothian Sands ).

This monster flew past me and landed on a leaf, it was about 15-20mm in length and is the largest fly I haver ever seen, Still searching for its real name.

ST GOTHIAN SANDS NR & CARNON VALLEY NR 12/07/2015

A few images from  visits to St Gothian Sands & Carnon Valley over the past few days, There now seems to be a better variety of species beginning to appear , so maybe the hunt for some more unusual ones  will occur. 

Black-Tailed Skimmer ( St Gothian Sands )

Brown Argus( St Gothian Sands )

This was a new species for me.

Comma  ( Carnon Valley NR )

Comma  ( St Gothian Sands )

Common Darter ( Carnon Valley NR ).

Fly Poecilobothrus Nobilitatus ( Lanner )

another new one this is about 8mm in length.