Grey Cheeked Thrush, Great Wood Country Park, Cuffley, Hertfordshire. 20th November 2005

Ive had a long drive today down to Cuffley in Hertfordshire for a superb Grey Cheeked Thrush. 

Its my first vagrant American thrush and it was very much well worth the trip. I set off at 1am to get there for first light, and on arriving at the Country Park, it was obvious the bird was pulling 'em in. There were loads of twitchers about, but locating the thrush was very difficult. Add to that, the very muddy slippy conditions underfoot didnt help.

There were a few shouts but all proved fruitless. This afternoon though, I was just in the right place at the right time, when the thrush popped up unexpected on a tree stump. It didnt stay long, but I managed a few images before it scurried off in true Catharus characteristics

Wryneck, Aspinall Way,Horwich,Lancashire. 9th September 2005

My new camera lens arrived today. A nice, brand new Canon 500mm Image Stabiliser. I was unpacking it when I got a call from Ian Corbett, that a Wryneck was at Howrich near the football ground. Superb! There was no time like the present, and to christen the lens straight away, so thats where Ive been this afternoon.
I loaded me camera case, and set off down the M6 and M61 and arrived 40minutes later. Id been given directions to Aspinall way, which was on the shopping complex. There were a handful of birders assembled on the path so I decided to walk to the opposite end of the path, as the bird seemed to be heading that way.
Both Steve Round and myself, squatted in the bushes as the bird approached and the bird walked right towards us both, offering blinding views, even settling to stretch its wings. It got so close as it walked by that focus was unachievable.
I was very happy with the results and the lens performed superbly.
Im now itching to get out with it and improve my photography by waiting for the next bird to twitch, (and photograph).