Sunday 28 June 2015

Melodious Warbler, Mercote Mill Farm bridleway,near Marsh Lane


The Melodious Warbler that arrived at Mercote Mill Farm Bridleway on the 11/06/15 is still present and singing it's little heart out, it has given us many days and hours of joy with 16 + visits, people think me and Dave are crazy but when you get such an amazing bird like this so close by I think it would be more crazy to not make the most of it. It has been a pleasure watching him in his habitat and watching his routine, at certain times of the day he changes trees, he sits high catching flies the flies just seem to come to him (it's like meals on wheels lol )
Funny watching him whenever another Warbler goes into his tree he chases them straight out, he has certainly made it his territory sad though that his singing away for a female and won't get one :(
We have had stunning views of this bird and the sound is just beautiful makes me smile every time I hear him and walking down the path to where he is, I get so much excitement every time, can't get enough of him, love this beautiful bird. The question is how much longer will he stay ? hopefully forever :) I can't get back there now till the weekend so would be really nice if he stayed for me to see him again, but i'm just so privileged to have been able to spend so much time with him already.  :)











Wednesday 24 June 2015

Bearded Tits - Norfolk


Another trip to Norfolk on the hope the Marsh Warbler would be showing well enough for photos, no sound or sight of him :( would of been nice to see him again but at least we had the chance to see him twice the other week and get a few photos last time.
We went to Titchwell Nature Reserve instead and had a lovely day much better views of Spoonbill and beautiful views of Bearded Tits my best ever views words can't describe these bird they stand out so much and are so different from there colors to there plumage there stunning from head to toe, got a couple of photos but they were very secretive just coming up sometimes on the reeds, just amazing to have views like we did :)
Also had nice views of Spotted Redshank through scope and great views of a Ruff in Breeding Plumage, such a cute bird in this plumage, beautiful even in winter plumage but this was the first time I had seen one in Summer.
Also at Titchwell saw my first Popular Hawk-Moth and a few other new Moth species, really do like Moths it amazes me how beautiful they are most are just if not more beautiful than Butterfly's, love them too of course :)






























 

Tuesday 23 June 2015

Hudsonian Whimbrel and Greater Yellowlegs


We headed to West Sussex for the Hudsonian Whimbrel at Church Norton, was a lovely walk up to there from the car park, we then waited for the bird to turn up once located had lovely views through scope, lovely bird and when compared to Whimbrel you can clearly tell the difference. A brilliant Lifer for me and a year tick for Dave.
So nice to see another American bird it had only been a couple of months ago when we saw the Hudsonian Godwit at Somerset.
We then went to Titchfield Haven in Hampshire for the Greater Yellowlegs also a bird from North America as we walking up quite a few people said they were showing well which was making me very excited love the exciting feeling of seeing a new bird and an amazing bird at that, we had superb views through bins and Scope, this bird really stands out even from a distant those yellow legs are just stunning, and the plumage a lovely grey patterned color, slim and elegant look, beautiful bird such a lovely day seeing two rare birds :) and having great views, managed to get a distant record shot of the Hudsonian Whimbrel and got a few photos of the Greater Yellowlegs still distant for my camera, but just seeing the bird was amazing and a lovely day out.










 

Sunday 21 June 2015

Melodious Warbler - Near Marsh Lane Nature Reserve


We have had quite a few visits to the beautiful Melodious Warbler and had many lovely views but has always been to distant for my camera but two visits Saturday paid off on the second visit it came much closer in the gorse, so amazing to have views like this and get some photos :)
Feel very privileged to have such a magnificent bird so close by.
Dave finally got the shot he had been waiting for so happy he managed to get it after all the hours his spent with the bird I really do admire his determination :)

















Saturday 20 June 2015

Norfolk Lifers


Had another lovely day in Norfolk we started of at Narborough for the Marsh Warbler again but there was no sign so we waited about an hour then decided to go to Cley Marshes where I picked up 2 lifers White-rumped Sandpiper beautiful wading bird and also Greenshank :) and had nice views of Spoonbill through scope still too distant to photograph.
Also had my best ever views of Reed Warbler I was well chuffed about so nice to have clear views with my own eyes :)
Whilst we was in the hide at Cley this man came in and said to Dave iv'e been trying to contact you lol he is defiantly famous think I need to start bowing down to him hehehe
The man said he had seen Dave's post about the Marsh Warbler not being there and had seen us drive of then he walked down and the Marsh Warbler was singing and showing well, we couldn't believe it we really thought it had gone, we decided to go back there we stopped of at Titchwell Marsh on the way and had a very tame Song Thrush he was round are feet amazing to have such a beautiful bird that close, we took a few photos of the song Thrush and other birds, then headed back to Narborough the Marsh Warbler was singing and showing occasionally but not well enough for photos so we decided to call it a day. Always a pleasure visiting Norfolk :)














       


Sunday 14 June 2015

Marsh Warbler - Narborough,Norfolk


We had a lovely day in Norfolk today we went to Narborough for the Marsh Warbler, which was showing well, struggled to see sometimes because of all the reeds, but it did come higher up and had lovely views, amazing little bird so pretty and his song is a mixture he mimics other birds, very intriguing to listen too, so happy to see this bird and nice for Dave as it was the first time he had got to photograph one, I struggled with my photos again.
Love this bird there's something about it, it's a cutie :)
We then went to Titchwell Nature Reserve where I had my best views of Reed Warbler they were everywhere was so pleased to have views like this :)
Then we headed for Burnham Overy where guess what I saw Spoonbill absolutely over the moon another bird I had been waiting to see, Big thanks to Dave.
We also went to Blakeney Point for the Blyth's Reed Warbler but didn't see it well were pretty sure we saw it dip down but not tickable views which is so sad because it would of been a lifer for Dave I know how much enjoyment he get's showing me new birds but it would of been so nice for him to see a bird he hadn't seen before and I always get double joy when it's a lifer for Dave.
Still it was nice to walk on Blakeney lovely beach and we saw Little Tern and Sandwich Tern,
 we only walked to halfway house and I was lucky because the tide was out so it was easier to walk on the hard sand bit, just walking on the pebbles for like ten minutes was hard but I can't wait to do it again and all the way to the point I love a challenge :)
I took a couple of record shots of the Marsh Warbler and a record shot of the Spoonbill :)




Here's a few of Dave's beautiful photos amazing photos he truly is an inspiring photographer :) 

Taken by Dave Hutton

Taken by Dave Hutton

Taken by Dave Hutton


Friday 12 June 2015

Melodious Warbler - NR Marsh Lane, Meriden


We spent Friday and Saturday with the Melodious Warbler near Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, stunning little bird and was showing well and singing it's little heart out, so nice to have a bird like this local in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area lol  
Really nice when a bird sticks around and you get to see it two days running, Friday was better weather I got a few record shots, but Saturday struggled a lot all I could see was rain ;) lol think I did Dave's head in a little bit lol it's so hard when you have a passion for something you always want to get good photos but seeing the bird is way more important than a photo yes it's nice to have photos but at the end of the day the images in my head of the bird are what matters :)
Dave went back after work on Monday and got some more lovely photos probably easier for him without me winging in his ear lol
Here's one of my record shots the best I could manage.



Here is a couple of Dave's amazing photos you can see how beautiful the bird really is on these and all the detail on him, stunning bird and stunning photos :) 

Taken by Dave Hutton

Taken by Dave Hutton

Taken by Dave Hutton