Boxing Day Outing!!

Cannot believe how long it has been since being able to update my blogg, this is the only day off I have had over Christmas and the sun has deserted us, so pleased to get the images below, all I can say is roll on retirement....Hope everyone has had a great Christmas and may I wish you all a happy New Year!!!

Redwing

Redwing

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Knypersley Res

Nothing more needs to be said, this has to be my favourite time of the year and with these scenes on my door step, makes me glad to be alive!!!!

Winter Scene.

Winter Scene.

Knypersley Res.

Have been desperate to photograph a Robin in the Snow since it decended upon us, but after aggrevating an old back injury on Tuesday while trying to defrost the car, I thought my chances were slim, (thank heavens for my Inversion Table) like being put on the rack but very effective, this has been the first time I have been able to venture out, very tentively with Dearly Beloved as support and although I had to do without the Sunshine, got a couple of shots I was reasonably satisfied with.

Blue Tit.

Robin.

Robin.

Jay.

Dunnock.

Westport Lake.

Managed to tear ourselves away from Astbury long enough to call in at Westport Lake, easy to forget the usual favourite venues when a rarity is in our midst, at least the ducks, geese, coots etc were pleased to see me!

Orderly Line Please!

Common Gull.

Black Headed Gull.

Great Crested Grebe.

Astbury Mere C.P.

Have to say this Great Northern Diver is becoming addictive and still don't have the shot I'm after, seems to have the pool well and truely worked out and does not come very close to the shoreline, especially when a lot of dog walkers about, or stays in the end of the pool that does not get a lot of the sunshine, find myself having to amuse myself with the Mute Swan's who are much more obliging, while waiting for it to do it's regular laps, always reluctant to leave while any available light still lingers, just in case!

Great Northern Diver.

Pied Wagtail.

Mute Swans.

Mute Swan.

Mute Swans.

Mute Swan.

Astbury Mere C.P.

Went back to Astbury today so that the boss could have another shot at the Great Northern Diver, as he still has no replacement yet for his broken lens, I returned the many favours received in the past and loaned him mine, while he had as much trouble with it as I had the day before, I amused myself with my 40D body and our small lens usually kept for scenic shots.

Pochard.

Mute Swan.

Mute Swan.

Mute Swans.

Mute Swans.

Astbury Mere C.P.

Well just finished nights and with todays weather likely to be the best of the week, made the brave (or stupid) decission to go it alone, (with Dearly Beloved stuck at work) and headed to Astbury, not exactly a venture into unknown territory, but still more than a little daunting, would I be even able to identify the Diver, let alone get a record shot of it. It did indeed lead me a merry dance, but at least got enough to be able to return home with my head held high!!!MORE THAN A LITTLE CHUFFED!!

Great Northern Diver (First Winter Bird).

Great Northern Diver (First Winter Bird).

Take Two.

Well with the hope of a few hours sunshine, decided to return to the Industrial Estate in Leek, to see if we could improve on the Waxwings, although the weather was brighter,it was a lot colder and certainly not as many HGV's to contend with, unfortunately, the birds themselves were not as obliging, although there are plenty of Berry Tree's they insisted on visiting the one from days ago and as you can imagine pickings were starting to get very scares, with most below a metal fence the tree stood behind, also numbers down from 11 to only 6 birds, stood for 4 hours with a few more Birders coming and going in that time for company, at one point, dearly beloved did comment "when work mates ask me "what did you do this weekend" they will never believe me when I say stood looking at a Berry Tree for 4 hours, when they will have got up late, had lunch and probably a pint or two down the local", to which a couple of Birders retorted "that sounds very inviting at this moment in time"!!
Waxwing.

Waxwing.

Waxwing.

Waxwing.

The Wirral.

While I am grounded waiting in for a carpet to be fitted, thought I would post a few more of my favourites from my last trip to the Wirral, with the nights drawing in and an extra set of nights comming up next week, will be nice to look back on my blog and re live memories and places visited so far this year!!!

Crashing Waves.

Feeding Frenzy!!

Juvanile Herring Gull.

Turnstone.

Sanderling.

Sanderling.

Waxwing's in Leek.

Never seen a Waxwing before, so when it came on the phone alert that they had arrived in Leek on a nearby Industrial Estate, regardless of the weather we were off!!! A few birders had arrived already, a few in cars and a few on foot, but when asked non had seen the Waxwing's, luckily however I have a secret weapon (dearly beloved) everyone should have one!! We drove down the road and as soon as we turned the car, he had eleven spotted at the top of one of the trees, all waiting to come down onto a nearby berry tree, I swear he is better than having Sat Nav!! Just wish we could have had a little sunshine and not so many HGV's going by.

Waxwing.

Waxwing.

Waxwing.

Knypersley Res.

An early start at Knypersley, on a very frosty Monday morning!!

The Wirral. Take Two!

Well cannot get enough of my early Christmas Presents, just a few more shots taken on the Wirral, still getting to grips with new lens but hopefully it will get better.

Juvenile Herring Gull.

Juvenile Herring Gull.

Juvenile Herring Gull.

Juvenile Herring Gull.

The Wirral.

What a frosty start but with the promise of clear skies and sunshine, we headed for the Wirral, not been able to visit since April, so it was a great treat, although the Tradition of family Sunday Lunch when all off work, meant we were back earlier than we would have liked, when we joined the M6 however we were met by stationary traffic, which was not good for Dearly Beloved's blood pressure!!! I was pleased with the shots I got with my new camera and lens, now using Canon 40D body and Sigma 150-500mm lens. A few of which are posted below, more to follow.

Male Stonechat.

Female Stonechat.

Juvenile Herring Gull.

Med Gull.

Starling.

Sanderling.