B.Y. 2019. The Tortoise rules!

[Dave Williams]

271) Rook

A trip down to the beach where there are Rooks to be found throughout the year. I have to drag myself out of my BY apathy.

Rook. Corvus frugilegus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

On 8/12/2019 at 6:56 PM, Dave Williams said:

I have to drag myself out of my BY apathy.

I know. I got my Rook on Jan 9th and now I am really hoist by my Petard! I am almost glad it is raining today as it's an excuse not to go out.

[Dave Williams]

272) Mediterranean Gull

Seen outside Dublin Port

For the first time in over a year I joined in the Holyhead-Dublin ferry cetacean survey. We saw very few cetaceans but I managed 4 new species for the BY list!! All taken through salt covered glass...it's been a bit windy recently..... and standing 23m above the sea the picture quality isn't going to be good but at least some progress has been made!

Mediterranean Gull  Larus melanocephalus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

273) Great Skua

I missed the first one which was much closer to the ship but got a second chance on the return route although it was quite distant. The white wing patched make ID easy from other Skuas.

Great Skua  Stercorarius skua by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

274) Manx Shearwater

During August thousands of Manx Shearwaters mass in Cardigan Bay of mid Wales before they migrate south to the southern hemisphere to spend winter off the coasts of Brazil. It was evident from last months survey that numbers had dropped off considerably further north where we were but there were still quite a few to be seen all the way from Holyhead to Dublin.

Manx Shearwater  Puffinus puffinus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

275) Arctic Skua

I was delighted to see this bird quite close to the ship giving me good views of the first time I have seen one in summer plumage. Quite a handsome predator, it was chasing down a Common Tern. It was one of a pair, and after having captured a likely candidate for "EBC of the Year" with the first one I saw I'm very happy to share this instead!! 

Arctic Skua  Stercorarius parasiticus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

Arctic Skua  Stercorarius parasiticus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

Good to see you getting out again. that Arctic Skua made the trip worthwhile for me. Cracking picture. I see a tortoise in my wing mirror. Normally I sleep on the Ferry but it looks like I may have to brave the open deck next month. (Can't find an emoji that shows shivering in cold!)

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

 I see a tortoise in my wing mirror. 

 It's not me Fred, I'm in your headlights ....just!! 

Not sure who's leading the way, @PeterHG, @Kitsafari @TonyQ and @xelas are some way ahead , you ,me and @Tdgraves in another  tight bunch some distance behind although we have trips up and coming soon. Going to be interesting!! If I hit my 500 target I'll be delighted, the only other target to beat is the 400 I saw, not photographed  in 2008, the only time I ever kept a year list.

PS I just realised I have equalled my best BY (last year's) too so this afternoon I'm going to try and beat it!!

[PeterHG]

That Arctic Skua taken through the glass is excellent! A good score for the BY additions as well.

[Galana]

7 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

It's not me Fred, I'm in your headlights ....just!! 

Blimey.  I thought that was a speck of muck on the glass! I suppose I should ease back on the throttle to avoid tail gating or risk an inadmissable EBC in the road!

I have not been keeping count this year but there is a pack up ahead and @michael-ibk is just home.

[Dave Williams]

1 minute ago, Galana said:

Blimey.  I thought that was a speck of muck on the glass! I suppose I should ease back on the throttle to avoid tail gating or risk an inadmissable EBC in the road!

I have not been keeping count this year but there is a pack up ahead and @michael-ibk is just home.

 

Yes, I'm fully expecting being charged from the rear!!!

[Galana]

8 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Not sure who's leading the way, @PeterHG, @Kitsafari @TonyQ and @xelas are some way ahead ,

Just done a quick check out of curiosity. As I thought @michael-ibk  is ahead on 400 then @TonyQ

@PeterHG, @Kitsafari and @xelas

None so far ahead that a nice foreign trip cannot close the gap. When I am in SLO next month I will ofer bribes to my guide to see what he has already seen and can't count again.

[Kitsafari]

cracking shots of the arctic skua! having been on several boat rides recently, I now know how impossible it is to take a good shot of birds while the boat is rocking and swaying, so I greatly admire your skua. 

[Dave Williams]

4 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

cracking shots of the arctic skua! having been on several boat rides recently, I now know how impossible it is to take a good shot of birds while the boat is rocking and swaying, so I greatly admire your skua. 

 @Kitsafari The ferry to Ireland is pretty big so it would take a lot to rock it but strangely, although I don't feel it on the ship or the drive home, it hits me when I'm stood brushing my teeth at bedtime and the bathroom floor seems to gently sway!

[Kitsafari]

20 hours ago, Galana said:

Just done a quick check out of curiosity. As I thought @michael-ibk  is ahead on 400 then @TonyQ

@PeterHG, @Kitsafari and @xelas

 

 

Oh I think I shouldn't be included in the race as my BY comes from my OH and I, which won't be fair to the rest of you!

 

Or, perhaps it's time to get your good other half involved in the BY as well!

[Dave Williams]

I have no chance of getting Claire involved but I'm happy to compete against any number in the opposite teams. Bring them on, the Tortoise rules!!!! 

 

[Galana]

On 8/21/2019 at 9:36 AM, Dave Williams said:

it hits me when I'm stood brushing my teeth at bedtime and the bathroom floor seems to gently sway!

I would put that down to the Duty Free shop!

 

17 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

which won't be fair to the rest of you!

All's fair in love and war! And birding!! You are not the only duo out there.

I think the 'judges' may look askance if one of you was in Antartica whilst filing photos from Botswana by the OH.

As the tortoise says, "Bring em on!"

Edited August 22, 2019 by Galana

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

All's fair in love and war! And birding!! You are not the only duo out there.

I think the 'judges' may look askance if one of you was in Antartica whilst filing photos from Botswana by the OH.

As the tortoise says, "Bring em on!"

 

Agreed. As long as the 'team' are posting photos from the same place it is not an issue. 

You have always been very clear about who takes the photos on your BY @Kitsafari, so no foul there.

[Dave Williams]

276) Common Redpoll

A drive out to the Welsh upland moors produced a couple of new birds. I don't like taking shots of birds on feeders, even less so poor ones but when needs must!

Common Redpoll   Acanthis flammea by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

277) Whinchat

A bonus bird for the day. I had hoped for Red Kite, which we saw briefly before `I had the opportunity to stop the car, so this one was some compensation.

Whinchat.   Saxicola rubetra by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Alex Rogers]

Lovely light on the whinchat

[Dave Williams]

278) Eurasian Nuthatch

Late evening on one of my drinking stations in the garden earlier this week.

Eurasian Nuthatch   Sitta europaea by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

279) Red Kite

 

I went out yesterday in search of a Merlin. My No 1 target species for the UK . I had only ever seen one very briefly in the past and couldn't believe my luck when I spotted one perched on a branch not too far from the road. Unfortunately it flew as soon as we stopped and I just couldn't lock focus on the bird as it went away. I rued the opportunity all day and despite staking out the perch several times during the day it didn't return there. I did get a Crow sat there which made it all the more frustrating knowing what might have been!

Carrion Crow   Corvus corone by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Ah well, such is wild life photography. I managed a Red Kite shot as compensation to advance another step forward in the BY count.

Red Kite   Milvus milvus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[PeterHG]

Yes, such is a photographer's life indeed! Sorry about the Merlin, but a beautiful Red Kite is definitely some compensation. I have neither seen, nor photographed one this year and, given the fact that they are rare over here, it's probably going to stay that way.

[Galana]

Those titles had me worried for a while. I thought Tortoise has either totally lost it or his photoshop skills need refreshing.

Commiserations on the missing Merlin.

@PeterHG

Red Kites. Drive south from Venlo on A61 to Bruhtal Restplatz/Services.