Fish Sarnie

Gave these birds more time this year as for some reason I have neglected them before.

Roseate Terns @ Coquet

Breeding success continues at Coquet island's Roseate Tern colony using the innovative design of nest box and it is hoped that 100 breeding pairs will soon be recorded on the island. A good news story for a rare seabird.

Little Breeders

Improved breeding perceived from my last visit in May 2008. Kittiwakes especially where they have seemed to have poor breeding success in recent seasons. Let's hope wet and windy conditions in the coming weeks don't spoil things.

Angel of the North

Taste of the Farnes

My fourth trip to the Farne Islands and I never tire of trying to photograph Puffin. They are lightening fast and the majority far too fast for me and my camera however, the occassional image can give pleasing results. This year there seems to be an ample supply of sandeels and the challenge for the incoming Puffin is to hit the burrow in one shot otherwise risk getting beaten up and mugged by the lazy Black-headed Gulls, or worse, the Black-backed brutes.

Stroke of Luck

Sometimes you get a bit of luck, today being no exception. I was due to join the local RSPB group on their long weekend visit to the Farnes and Northumberland today and since this little beauty turned up on Monday, I had been hoping it would hang around for me to catch up with en-route. This it did, the bird disappearing before mid-day and then seen for a short period in the evening and then again the following morning. The gathered throng around the bowling green in Olive Street, Hartlepool grew to epic proportions early in the week where scenes of panic, joy, wall-climbing and commerardary have probably not been seen in Hartlepool since war-time! The first White-throated Robin to grace the UK was in 1983 on the Isle of Man, the second in 1990 on Skokholm island, this being the 3rd and 1st mainland twitchable bird.

A Swift Drink

To photograph Swifts in Willington, I find it best to go to the village pub. This year the birds seemed to turn up late but on the plus side, there does seem to be more than there were last year and they're visiting their regular nests in the roof eaves.

Photographing them has always been challenging - a bit like trying to nail aliens in a PS3 game where I fail miserably and give up leaving the kids to trump my high score with ease. To track them in flight, I need them to be far enough away which then reduces IQ when I crop but when they are really close, my reactions are much too slow. I could blame my camera of course to strengthen my business case to fund a 7D ? Worth a try.

And the beer didn't improve my reactions or the image quality either although it was quite nice. I think I need more practice!

Turtle Dove

A pleasant find along Wood Lane this evening. I didn't find any there last year so hopefully this ones hangs around and finds a mate. Almost scarcer than the oriental variety these days!

Slavs in May

Beautiful birds at this time of year. The top image was taken a week or so back in Scotland from a public hide but today a spanking individual graced Priory CP and was keeping away from the dogs and speed boats.

Trauma at the Twitch

Some wacky races around the lanes of Northants this morning trying to track down an illusive Black Stork. It had been flushed by dog walkers from it's orginal location and looked to have given prople the slip. After some news of it's relocation I eventually managed to catch up with it near Weedon Bec. The image of the Stork was not one I have taken this morning !

Grouse Sermon

Using one of these to shoot Red Grouse has to be more challenging and rewarding than using one of these instead ..............

The wealth of species found on our moorlands in England and Scotland are a shadow of what they could be if only more money could be made by estates from shooters using the camera rather than the gun.

Twite

Two confiding birds found feeding at a roadside stop at Dundonnell on the West Coast last week. These are no where common and finding them was a real treat.

a few Landscapes for a change.....

Loch Maree
Lonemore

Poolewe

Loch Ewe

Gruinard Bay

Dundonnell

Sgurr Mor ??

Beinn Liath Bheag ??

Loch Droma

Summer Loonies

Poor photos but great birds. Plenty of Great-northern Divers on the west coast of Scotland in their summer plume including a spanking White-billed at Burghead. Black-throated are my favourite though and have immaculate plumage this time of year.

Night at the Lek

An indulgence on the Glenlivet Estate with these fantastic birds. Images alone don't do them justice.

Collared Flycatcher

A timely find by David Roche at Holme in Norfolk. My drive home from Scotland was already diverted to Kings Lynn so this was a bird not to be missed!