Corncrake, Iona, Inner Hebrides 24th May 2011

Ive been on the isle of Iona today in search of Corncrakes which breed on the island. Ive been retracing my footsteps of two years ago when I came here to photograph them with my family. I was unsuccessful due to the abysmal weather conditions back then, which stayed on the island for the 4 days that we spent up here. Very heavy rain accompanied by extremely strong winds ruined the previous trip to Mull, so Ive returned to have a more successful trip.
I arrived on Mull 2 days ago, and hoped to travel over to Iona yesterday, but again, as happened two year back, the storms had arrived and cancelled all the ferries to and from the island.
Whilst waiting in Fionnphorts waiting room yesterday, I met some other East Lancs birders, Glenn and Ian Hodkinson, Mark Jones and Jonathon Slater (Budgie) who were all trying to get over to Iona. They have been good enough to offer me some accommodation whilst on Mull, at Killunaig near Pennyghael which I duly accepted and very thankful for. Last nights 'sleep'?? in the car at Fidden was ruined by the car rocking due to the high winds, rain sounding like golf balls on the roof and the general uncomfortable car seat I was trying to sleep on!
This morning though, we all woke up to some sun!!
Ian, Glenn Budgie and myself, drove down to Fionnphort from our accommodation for the 0830 ferry, and were very happy to see it arrive into the small harbour. The return fare of £4.50 was handed over, and the 10 minute trip was now on.
When we arrived on Iona, we could hear Corncrakes calling from behind the shops, We all headed to where the calls were coming from, but as the irises were so tall, the bird(s) couldn't be located.
We then walked up the Prayer House, as they could be heard up near there, but again, none could be located. We walked back down to the nunnery, past the primary school and headed towards the gardens of Columba Hotel. We could hear one calling from the field to the left.
We got brief views of one calling, but again the grass was very long.

Within minutes another had flown over from the gardens and into the field then disappeared, although it did call for a good time afterwards.
As we had had good, if not brief views, Glenn, Ian and Budgie decided to go sea watching from the North beach area of the island.
I said I would meet them later as I was determined to get a decent photograph of a bird 'in the open'.
I had a walk towards the abbey and the girl on the information desk had seen one walking around the garden near the front wall. I waited, but only got a brief view as it flew over my head back towards the Hotel Columbas back garden.
I walked towards the back expanse of grass behind the garden, when I nearly trod on the bird as it ran through the thistles.
The bird that had been calling previous from the Columba Hotel gardens was still still calling in the distance, so I decided to have a walk round the gardens to hopefully catch up with it.
I'd checked with someone whether I was allowed into the gardens and was told it was open access.
I then set my camera up in the area the Corncrake was calling. The grass was very long and I didn't think I had a chance of it coming out into the open. Time went by and eventually I saw the grass moving. Still no sign. All of a sudden, the bird was close, as the rasping call was very loud. I stayed still hoping not to flush it, when I saw it preening near some rhubarb leaves. Every time it stuck its head under its wing preening, I moved gradually closer until I was close enough to photograph.
The bird hadn't seen me and started calling, I couldn't believe my luck as it stood, called, looked around, called again, all while my shutter was going off.
Eventually it walked off into the long grass and disappeared. I was more than happy to get some images.

I decided I would have a walk round the village and see what other birds were about. Numerous Song Thrushes were busy feeding young, as were Starlings in and out of the old stone walls which surround the village, and a cuckoo called from the over looking fell.
I then walked back to the abbey, and saw another Corncrake (possibly the same bird that gave brief views earlier) fly over to the field once more.
I then walked through the field to the wall of the gardens as the 'photographed' bird, was again calling. I stood patiently by the wall with my camera set up, when the bird called out in the open, giving me more photographic opportunities. It just couldn't get any better.

Eventually, Glenn, Ian and Budgie returned back from sea watching, and we walked back to the harbour to get the ferry back to Mull.
Has to be said, a superb day.

Dotterel, Fair Snape Fell, Bowland, Lancashire 25 April 2011

Having been at work Sunday, when the birds were broadcast, I had to wait 'til the next morning to be able to get the chance to view them. Me good mate Ian Walker had been up that day with his wife Michelle and viewed the birds and was prepared to go up again early on Bank Holiday Monday morning to photograph them, before we went to Turf Moor to watch the Clarets.
Gettin up Parlick Pike with me gear made me realise how unfit I was! Once on top it was a nice walk over to Fair Snape Fell where we soon caught up with 5 Dotterels (3 males, 2 females).
Whilst up there, we were joined by Lancashire birders Brian Rafferty and me good mate Mike Watson.

 

Many thanks to Brian Rafferty for allowing permission in using this image.

In search of Nightingales in Cambridgeshire, 17th April 2011

One bird that has always eluded me, is a nightingale. I've spent hours at Salthouse in Norfolk and also at Paxton Pits in Cambridgeshire in search of this superb passerine. I suggested to Ian Walker that we needed a trip to Paxton to finally catch up with this bird.
We set off at midnight, and by 0400am we were on scene. A quick snooze followed, and by 0600am we were in search down the tracks.
We soon heard nightingales singing in bushes next to the paths, but again, the density stopped us from seeing them, just as they had done previously wherever I'd been!
Local birder Gary then heard one further down the track, and called us over. Before we got to him though, it had disappeared over the tops and back down.
Again, the nightingale could be heard, and when we walked round the back of the area the bird could be seen in the tree. Finally I'd seen a nightingale, and I managed a couple of images.

Having caught up with our target bird, we then drove down to Ouse Washes RSPB reserve in Cambridgeshire for the Blue Winged Teal that had been there a few days. On arrival, birders were leaving and when asked if the bird was here, all stated that it was close and easy to see. Great.
Once inside the hide, the bird couldn't be seen at all. Great White Egret, Little Egret, Shoveler, Teal were all seen but no Blue Winged Teal. I could hear conversation through the door on my right and when I went through the unlocked door, two birders said that the bird had been showing well, but had disappeared down the channel on the other side of the canal, and was heading right with a Shoveler.
It was obvious that if it had carried on going right, we wouldn't see it.
After a period of absence, the Teal eventually swam back into view, but it wasn't close, and must have been 40 meters away. Add to that, facing into blinding sun, no images were worth saving.
Good views were had of a resident Green Woodpecker and also flight views of a Yellow Wagtail.
Time was on our side, and after arriving in the car park, we asked another birder if he had any information on the Bluethroat at Welney WWT in Norfolk. He'd seen it earlier that morning, so with that, we headed off to Norfolk to see if we could both see it.

Welney was heaving with folk, but we had arrived and with that, set off in search of the elusive Bluethroat. On our way to the area it had last been seen, Sedge Warblers were seen singing in the reeds, and near to the area was a Whitethroat singing its heart out.
The area was thick with reeds, and getting a photo, never mind seeing the bird looked ominous.
We stood for a while, and I wondered whether we would get a better view from the nearby hide. The dilemma was whether to stay put, or head to the hide. Ian said he'd check the hide for room, and wave from there if there was enough room in there, whilst I stayed in my spot. Ian was approximately 25 meters away, when I saw a bird fly through the reeds. I quickly saw that it was indeed the Bluethroat. I managed to attract Ian's attention, and he came back. The bird was too far away to photograph, but then flew towards us both into a bush, where it sang from for a couple of minutes, before flying off again, further and into dense undergrowth. Whilst it sang singing, I managed a few images, which were unfortunately spoiled by a rogue reed.

We had had a superb day out with fantastic birds, and with that, made our way back to Lancashire.

Hawfinch, Sizergh Castle, Cumbria, March 28th 2011

I got up early and arrived at Sizergh for 0630am. Fortunately the gate was open so I drove to where I wanted to park. I baited the area with seed, on the gravel, around the car and under the hornbeams.
First bird to arrive was a Jay, which was joined by goldfinch, chaffinch, bullfinch, great tits, blue tits, robin and then finally a nuthatch.
Eventually at 0732am, a pair of Hawfinch dropped out of nowhere and landed about 25ft away. Fantastic. Rattled a few images off, then watched them come and go for about 15 minutes.
At 0750am, Rob Pocklington turned up, and I gestured that 3 were about (by this time they were on the grass or up in the trees).
Other birders started to turn up, and by 0800am i'd made my exit.
Never been as close to these wonderful birds, and today for a change, it hadn't rained.
There was probably about 7 birds around, and the most I had in the baited area at one time was 3, (2 males and 1 female).

Oriental Turtle Dove, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, 22nd February 2011

Just the same situation as the Pied-Billed Grebe, I was on shifts when the news of a mega came in. With this though, (Oriental Turtle Dove)  I had 4 day shifts to get through, before the first chance rose for me to travel.
I'd received an email from Tony Bennett, a good mate from Burnley that he was thinking of going, and would I like to share the fuel costs. Damn right!
We decided to meet at The Tickled Trout and head down from there.
Tony drove and explained that he'd already been down for the dove, but had dipped amongst the massive throng of twitchers that had descended on The Leys, Chipping Norton, early in the week.
We arrived at 0700 am, and there were two other birders who had arrived before we had.
Neither had seen the bird, but it was early and the more eyes viewing, the more chance we had.
At 0715 am, the owner of the house, Stephen Akers, opened the door of his house, in his house coat, and beckoned us all to his house, from across the road from where we had been viewing.
He asked us to remove our shoes, be quiet, as his family was still in bed, and walk through to the kitchen and view out into his garden from the patio doors.
It couldn't be any better. A warm, central heated tiled floor warmed our feet, backsides, as the six/seven of us waited patiently for the dove to arrive.
Blackcap, Bullfinch, Brambling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, all put in an appearance, and at 0830am, the call was up that the dove had landed in next doors tree.
Typically the bird was out of view from where I was sat.
Eventually it landed on the feeding table where I managed some images. It disappeared numerous times, but came back eventually, each time to the feeding table. In the bag!
By dinnertime, Tony and me were on our way back to Lancashire.
An excellent day out, with a superb bird in the bag, and great company.

Special thanks to Stephen for all his efforts in helping everyone see the bird from the comforts of his own kitchen!

Red Necked Grebe, Fairhaven Lake, Lancashire, January 8th 2011

A quick trip down to Fairhaven Lake with Ian Walker  I'd been at work when Ian had seen it the previous day, and he'd said it came close to the waters edge, so photographic opportunities might arise. He wasn't wrong as we were all rewarded with great views as it swam around the boating lake.Good to catch up with photographers Chris Galvin and Steve Young.

Pied-Billed Grebe, Hollingsworth Lake, Greater Manchester, 10th November 2010

Whilst at work, me mate Ian Corbett from York rung me that a Pied-Billed Grebe had been found at Hollingsworth Lake, Greater Manchester. Fantastic, the grebe I was missing from the set. I finished work, got home and saw the images on Birdguides that the bird could be photographed reasonably close.
Next morning I drove to the Country Park, and the leaving birders all said the bird was showing.
I quickly walked the perimeter of the Lake, to where 50 odd birders were viewing the grebe which was showing across the small mere.
I had a walk down to the very small hide and entered, and to my amazement was virtually empty. Ivan Ellison was sat on the right hand side, and showed me some of his images on the back of his camera.
He explained that the bird would swim through the narrow channel, that joined the main lake (that the grebe was now favouring) back to the small mere.
I got into position as the bird was now right at the mouth of the channel, about to swim back into the small mere.
As it entered the channel, I got ready and the bird dived. It rose way off to the right having been underwater right past where i was sat. Typical! It then swam further off to right and seemed to roost for a while before wandering around the mere.
It then looked like it was about to swim left back through the channel, but turned back from where it had come from. Aaarrgghh!
I waited patiently and then all of a sudden it popped up right in front of the hide (which by now was heaving with twitchers).
I rattled numerous frames off as it was so close. There was no more room in the hide, and I felt I'd got what I'd gone for, so made my exit.
My good mate Mike Malpass was in the crowd getting images and all in all, I was glad I'd got down there early.