Isabelline Shrike and Wryneck

Predictably, yesterday morning Bun and I drove over to Gosport in Hampshire to see the Isabelline ( Daurian) Shrike. The weather was dull, dark and drizzly but the bird obliged on several occasions showing really well out in the open. Not as colourful as some Shrikes but superb to see non the less. Getting photos was always going to be a challenge, but I got a couple of okay shots in the end. I also remembered to take a few twitch photos too, for those of you who like them.

One of the less scenic twitches I've been on:

Looking toward Forton Lake from Grove Road, see the assembled birders in the distance.

Looking out over the picturesque Forton Lake.

 Just add water!

On the banks of the 'lake'. The Shrike was showing in yonder bushes.

Like so. I had a lot of trouble getting my Sony camera to focus in the dull conditions, this being the only half decent shot I managed. I gave the Fuji F30 a try. I thought it was doing much better at focusing, but then realised why. I'd left the ISO on 1600 after using it indoors. So forgive the graininess  of the photos I got.

Isabelline Shrike. A nice peachy coloured bird. 

Very cute. Though  I dare say I wouldn't think so if I were a wasp!

A bit of video, not really any better than the photos though.

The twitch shot.

 About a maximum of 50 birders while we were there I reckon.

Icing on the cake yesterday, was when I popped out onto the garden to check on my Guinea Pigs and noticed the Gulls going berserk. And yes, It was an Osprey! My first sighting of one for nearly two years, from my garden too. Excellent! It was pretty high by the time I'd gotten bins onto it ( I'd had to run indoors and upstairs to get them and back) I watched it become a speck as it drifted south and out to sea.

Late this morning a touch of deja vu. Bun phoned me to say James McCarthy had found a Wryneck. This time he wasn't even out birding but just leaving his house in the car. It was at the bottom of his drive, pretty tame and showing well we heard. Seeing as it was just the other side of Axminster ( about 6 miles away) we decided to go and see it. We didn't see it. It had vanished. Then this evening James called Bun again, It was back but a bit further down the road. This time we did see it, briefly at first in a bare tree before it vanished again for some considerable time before eventually showing extremely well on a grassy bank next to some garages. (Thanks James! :-) Looking forward to next Sunday's find) I got some nice photos after waiting a while for the sun ( which was behind the bird) to sink low enough. Also some video of it having a good old dig. 

Wryneck showing well by garage. 

First on the steep bank...

...Then out on top. What crackin' birds they are! 

While we were waiting for this to show we were missing a patch mega on Beer Head, a Corn Bunting no less!

I know which I'd rather see though.

A Wonderful Evening's Birding

I  thought I'd spend a nice quiet couple of hours down at Black Hole Marsh/Colyford Common this evening. Seeing as it was the first dry and sunny evening for a few days several other local birders had a similar idea. Black Hole Marsh was on top form after having been drained for the construction of the new hide and 'gangplank' arrangement. 'Star of the show' this evening was a Spotted Redshank ( less than annual on patch) which dropped in from the north. I was immensely pleased with myself for spotting and identifying it in flight, having only heard one calling once before. It landed on the far side of the marsh, so gave reasonable views but no real photo opportunities. When I say it was the 'star bird' I might not be being totally accurate, it was indeed the rarest bird on show this evening and a couple of locals even 'twitched' it, but the remaining Ruff (there were two earlier in the week) was getting a lot of the attention merely for being a 'showy tart' and we all like one of them! Other birds on the marsh were good numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers (30+ of each), Common Sandpipers 3, Green Sandpipers 5, Greenshank 1, Black-tailed Godwit 7 and a Wheatear. Bun and I popped over to check Colyford Common/Marsh and saw another Wheatear, 4 Greenshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers and the two elusive Wood Sandpipers that have been around for a while. A great bonus came when Bun spotted that the Barn Owl which resides on the opposite side of the valley from the Colyford hide was out of its nest box and perched in a tree. After a few minutes it flew off, but reappeared later at Black Hole Marsh, much to the assembled birders' delight. It hunted along the ditch and bank at the southern edge for a couple of minutes before being 'seen off' by the inevitable Crow attack. A superb end to a wonderful evenings birding! ( the Barn Owl that is, not the subsequent Crow attack).Here follows divers pictorial representations, or indeed, loadsa photos!

The'embyonic' new hide

This is a Spotted Redshank, HONESTLY!

The Spotted Redshank Twitch.

 Featuring Gavin Haig, who for a while (or so it seemed) was also heading for 'less than annual' status!

The elusive pair of Wood Sandpipers, showed annoyingly briefly.

Far too many Ruff photos.

Seeing as Gavin's shown you how well the Panasonic Lumix FZ38 takes photos of close Ruffs, I'll show you how disappointing the Canon SX1 is proving to be, this being the very best of an awful bunch, I've had the SX1 for about three months now and can categorically state that it isn't a patch on my old S3IS... ....so far. Though there's still time to 'crack it' I suppose.

Digiscoped Shots

(It was too near most of the time!)

I knew there was no chance of getting a decent photo of the Barn Owl with the SX1 in the fading light so I set it to video, something it is good at (and I haven't tried the HD video yet) here's the resulting very short clip of the Barn Owl hunting and then being mobbed by a Crow. You can see my house in the background at 0.70.

Finally, I don't suppose anyone is the slightest bit interested to find out how my optically challenged guinea pig is getting on, but I'm gonna tell you anyway! After two weeks she was finally given the all clear by the vet this afternoon. He's saved her eye physically, but she will never have any sight in it. Seeing as her name is Sparkle, I've fashioned her a beautiful diamanté eye-patch made from the finest cubic zirconia available on Ebay. ;-)

Bling!! 

Gotcha!

I went back to Black Hole Marsh this morning for another attempt at spotting the elusive Wood Sandpiper, I managed to creep up on it on one of the new reedbed scrapes on Stafford Marsh, I had to keep my distance though.  I was just wondering where would be a good vantage point for a better view when Ian M arrived at Stafford Marsh from the Colyford Common direction, and guess what? Anyway here's the proof.

 STOP!! Rest of post not for those of a sensitive disposition.

I've had to spend the rest of the day at home, after finding that one of my guinea pigs had developed a bit of a nasty eye problem. After and emergency appointment at the vets I've had to administer eye drops once an hour. It's ulcerative keratitis probably caused by a sharp piece of hay damaging the cornea. The vet assures me it's not as bad as it looks, and it looks very bad indeed!! You can have a look if you want.. I'm sure you don't..

Amazingly she doesn't seem the least bit worried by it.

 So I didn't feel too guilty photographing her.