BACK IN THE SADDLE (HAYLE ESTUARY).

Sorry once again for the lack of posts this past two weeks,But have not been to well so have not done any birding plus the weather has been lousy.
Anyway did get down to Hayle Estuary this morning for the Spoonbills which have been there for a few days.
So got a few images although distant,and a few other species to boot, which I included also.

SPOONBILLS.

SPOONBILL.

CURLEW.

OYSTERCATCHER.

REDSHANK.

CORMORANT.

On guard duty.

LITTLE EGRET

( Darn I'm late for breakfast again ).

GLOSSY IBIS AT BREW

Took a trip down to Sennen near Land's End this morning to track down the seven Glossy Ibis that have been in the area for a few days.
I picked a friend Brian up at 07.30 am and arrived in the area just after 08.00, after a bit of searching we located them in a field just South East of Brew Pool but there were only three of them.After walking across the field which was very waterlogged managed to get close enough for a few pics, although they were rather flighty.
We then drove on to Land's End and took the cycle track towards Sennen where we met my pal Mark who was a bit later getting out this morning. There were plenty of Meadow Pipits and Robins around but nothing in the way of scarce migrants.So below are a couple of images of the  Glossy Ibis, so the morning was not a complete loss and the weather was very good.

GLOSSY IBIS.

GLOSSY IBIS.

PADDYFIELD WARBLER RICE'S TO THE OCCASION

So have just come back from a couple of days soggy birding (The weather has been absolutely abysmal). Had a call late on Tuesday evening from my pal Mark to say he had a couple of days off and he was going to look for the Rare Paddyfield Warbler on the Lizard Peninsula on Wednesday.
We arrived at Church Cove around 08.30 it was foggy with quite a heavy drizzle coming down, a couple of other birders said they had a brief view around daybreak but not seen since.
So after an hour or so it finally turned up back in the part of an old quarry it seem to like, over the next hour it showed well on and of and managed to get a few record shots though the light was very poor. still it was really nice to see this super little bird for the first time.

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So this morning we headed off to Pendeen near Lands End to try and locate the Olive Backed Pipit that has been around for a few days.

Arrived around 08.30 in very heavy rain with water running everywhere , spent around an hour but did not locate it.

It was then on to Nanquidno Valley where the best we could manage was a Pied Flycatcher.

We spent the rest of the time chasing sightings :ie Yellow Browed Warbler, Redstart, Firecrest , all of which we dipped on.

Anyway still enjoyed the day even though the camera stayed in the bag.

Birding is great fun !!!

Paddyfield Warbler.

Paddyfield Warbler

Paddyfield Wabler.

PADDYFIELD WARBLER.

Of down to the Lizard this morning to look for the rare Paddyfield Warbler that has found its way over from Asia.
Hopefully the weather will play ball and the bird is still there.
Just to wet your appetite, have a look at John Chapple's blog Birds in Cornwall: link  http://birdscornwall.blogspot.co.uk/
John has some great footage of this bird.

LAND'S END & GWENNAP.

A few images from one morning last week, and a walk around Land's End on Sunday morning.
A few rarities have been around but only ones I have managed to catch up with were the seven Red Rumped Swallows at Marazion on Saturday Morning. But did not manage any decent pics. 

KESTREL.

ROBIN.

JACKDAW.

LONGHORN.

(Come on jump over my fence).

FLY BEES

Had a short play around in the garden this afternoon, with the 50D and the macro setup. This is the first time I've used the camera in this mode, and although I need to do some adjustment to the initial settings I'm fairly pleased with the results.
Conditions were not good as there was a strong breeze and everything was moving around quite a bit, and could not get a decent view point and frame the insects in a more pleasing position,  still that's what makes photography so interesting.

Bee {Bombus Pratorum }

Flesh Fly { Sarcophaga Carnaria }

Hover Fly { Conops Quadrifasciatus }

Hover Fly { Conops Quadrifasciatus }

SHIPS, SWANS AND SURFERS +++

This selection of images are from the last couple of outings to St Gothian Sands at Godrevy, and the Hayle Estuary.
Things on the avian front are fairly quite at the moment so occasionally the lens keeps drifting to other Subjects.
So weather update, today heavy rain  and not looking good for the rest of the week, at least it will give me a chance to sort out images and tidy things up a bit on the PC .

BUZZARDS AT COPPERHOUSE CREEK.

CORMORANT AT ST GOTHIAN SANDS.

CURLEW, HAYLE ESTUARY.

HERRING GULL, HAYLE ESTUARY.

FLIGHT OF THE MUTE SWANS, HAYLE ESTUARY.

SURFER DUDE, GODREVY.

TRINITY HOUSE VESSEL "PATRICIA" IN ST IVES BAY. 

UNDER CORNISH SKIES.

Glorious  clear day yesterday,and on the way back from a trip to Truro I noticed we had one of those cotton wool sky afternoons.
So got home grabbed the camera and headed of into the hills to the South of the village,found an ideal spot in an open field that gave great views looking North/East.
So the daylight shots below were taken with the 50D, and the distant hills in the first shot are in the ST Austell area approx 25 miles away.
I do like skies and cloud formations(must come from looking up at all those birds) so I have included a few others from the past, the Lands End sunsets were taken 2 weeks ago when we spent the night in the Lands End Hotel and were taken with the Canon G10.
The final two images were taken with the 20D awhile back, the morning sky was from the back garden, and the final sunset was at Zennor on the St Ives to Lands End coast road.

TRAVELLING & PLAYING

Hi Folks 
             Have not posted for the last week as my wife and I have just come back from a weeks holiday.
We were based in Coventry, and did trips to Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, and the Cotswold villages of Chipping Camden, Stow in the Wold and Burton Upon the Water, weather was great and really enjoyed the area.
So back home by Saturday, and found a new toy I had ordered waiting for me. I found an excellent second hand Canon EOS 50D SLR with big battery grip (don't believe in buying new as your only paying for the name). So what does this give me over the 20D, about 6 million pixels,much better processor and lot of other little Bells & Whistles
So would you believe that first outing this morning very overcast and very little in the way of birds to really try it out.
Anyway did manage to get a decent flight shot of a Herring Gull which I have posted below, and hope the weather and Bird opportunities improve over the coming week.

HERRING GULL.

GOOD WEATHER, GOOD BIRDS, GOOD FRIENDS.

What a sizzler today turned out to be,arrived at Marazion around 08.00 beautiful sunny morning.
The plan was to check out the Spotted Crakes, and then onto the beach for the waders, well the Crakes did not play ball this morning with only a brief view of one.
So over to the beach to see what waders were around, esp the Buff Breasted Sandpiper, so a gentle stroll along checking things out and taking a few images of Ringed Plover and Sanderling, sitting on the wall enjoying the view I was joined by John off JR and SUE Blog and it was great to catch up after a very long time.
So we continued along the beach chatting and rattling off a few images, when we were joined by my birding pal Mark who had taken an hour off work to look for the Buff Breasted (you can do this when you are the boss).
It was soon located and although it was very mobile started to get a few pics!!!, we were then joined by a lady birder Marlene from St Ives who had come to get some Photo's of the Sandpiper.
So after around 4 hours I decided to call it a day and head home for lunch.
So the days effort produced over 400 images, great weather Great Birding and best of all great company. "Thanks Guys".
So I will not apologise for putting up more images of this beautiful Sandpiper, But to show I am not prejudiced I have included a couple of Dunlin shots as well.  

Buff Breasted Sandpiper.

Buff Breasted Sandpiper.

Buff Breasted Sandpiper.

Buff Breasted Sandpiper.

Buff Breasted Sandpiper.

Buff Breasted Sandpiper.

Dunlin.

Dunlin.