Dave Williams's 2018 Big(Photo)Year!

[Dave Williams]

176) Zitting Cisticola

Well you can't go beyond Z so you might guess that's the end for The Gambia. It's a great birding location, I saw just a small percentage of the possible species list.

I had originally estimated I would see between 50-60 species in and around the hotel and Kotu but as I had the opportunity to join forces with two other birders I got the extra two trips at a very reasonable cost. On our day out to Kartong we saw 110 species alone. Amazing really!

Zitting Cisticola   Cisticola juncidis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited February 13, 2018 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

177) Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Back in the UK It's much too cold to go out side and hang around waiting for a shot, this one was taken from our bathroom window. A favoured indoor hide! I had to abandon cleaning my teeth, rush to open my camera bag and assemble my kit but fortunately the Sparrowhawk was still sat underneath my bird feeders looking a bit bedraggled in the rain and sleet.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk   Accipiter nisus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

178) Black-tailed Godwit

Oops , nearly missed one! Seen on Tanji Beach, one of the best places I have ever been to for close up views of Black-tailed Godwits, unfortunately not in breeding plumage though! Can't have it all!Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa Limosa by Dave Williams, on Flickr

You can get low down and close up.

Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa Limosa by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and if you get wet, the waters warm too.

Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa Limosa by Dave Williams, on Flickr

How I wish there were places like this in the UK that I know of.

Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa Limosa by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[michael-ibk]

Wow, so many great shots from the Gambia. Love the Painted Snipe of course, but the Gonolek also is a favourite - what a cool-looking bird. And I'm very jealous you have a Sparrowhawk in your garden. :-)

[Dave Williams]

Ooops, mistake on the Godwits, they are Bar-tailed not Black-tailed.

[elefromoz]

On 2/12/2018 at 0:12 AM, Dave Williams said:

108) Osprey

At the risk of being controversial ( me?!) I have to say that in my opinion too high a regard is put on breeding Osprey in the UK. They get too much adoration and protection compared to some of our native species IMO. Hen Harrier immediately springs to mind as one that could enjoy better funding and protection. A single nesting spot in Mid-Wales got an £800,000 lottery grant to build a viewing station and visitor centre which charges a handsome amount to use it too.

 

@Dave Williams Phew, that's a lot of money for sure, one lucky Osprey pair. Hopefully the money they charge to use the Facility is directed to another "worthy" cause elsewhere...

 

A huge collection of Gambian Birds of all shapes, sizes and colours. Not to mention riding Pigs, stealing Eggs, the Birds I mean 

[Dave Williams]

179)Common Redshank

This could easily have been the Gambia but it actually here in North Wales. The sun came out today so I headed down to our local reserve for an hour.

Redshank by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

180)Canada Goose

 Recipe for cooking one is to wrap it in foil, shove it in the oven with a brick and when the brick is tender the goose is ready to eat.

Canada Goose by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

181) Black-headed Gull

Without a Black head of course

Black-headed Gull by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

182) Shellduck

Numbers seem to be building up locally.

Shellduck   Tadorna tadorna by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

An excellent photo of the Shelduck!

[xelas]

3 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Recipe for cooking one is to wrap it in foil, shove it in the oven with a brick and when the brick is tender the goose is ready to eat.

 

Always better then the recipe for guineafowl " ... and when the brick is tender, throw the fowl and eat the brick". 

 

Excellent photo of Shelduck in flight! Gaining some advantage, tortoise?

 

[Galana]

Ha. We used to cook snipe by grilling over a piece of toast to catch the juices. You guess the rest.

 

I actually like guinea fowl.

 

More nice shots in today's good weather @Dave Williams which I shared.

No doubt you are now sharing what rolled in later! Yuk.

[Dave Williams]

183) Coal Tit

One of 4 common Tit species that come to my feeders.The Coal Tit is the most cautious and tend to grab a seed then fly to cover. I decided to spend a few minutes hanging out of the bathroom window again to move my score along!

Coal Tit    Periparus ater by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

A very nice photo of the Coal Tit - a very pretty bird. They are the most cautious on our feeders as well.

The frame setsthe photo off nicely. (I assume it is not your bathroom window)

[Dave Williams]

@TonyQ Interesting you mention the frame around the picture Tony , I prefer them without and I'm not sure why this shot suddenly has one. I wondered if it was something I clicked on accidentally when doing the processing.

 

[xelas]

@Dave Williams I think the frame is already part of your Flickr posted image.

[Dave Williams]

184) Dunnock

Having been on dog walking/sitting  duties for the last week or so I haven't had much chance together out with the camera as I can't handle them both but today looked good. The sun was out so off I went to the local reserve. Started well with this singing Dunnock in the car park.

Dunnock  Prunella modularis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited February 22, 2018 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

185) Common Coot

and the sun stayed out  but only for a few minutes.

Common Coot   Fulica atra by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited February 22, 2018 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

186) Greenfinch

Before I knew it it was dull and very miserable, especially as there was a ground frost. Didn't stop the birds singing though!

greenfinch  Chloris chloris by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

187) Eurasian Magpie

4  new species would have to do, I was back home in the warmth with the hour of leaving!

Eurasian Magpie   Pica pica by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[PeterHG]

I have a lot of catching up to do, both in adding some photos in my own thread and admiring contributions of others. What an absolutely beautiful Gambia collection, @Dave Williams! Great photography throughout. I am less happy with the number you have already reached...;). 187 ! I am about to start the processing work on the images I took back from Namibia, so I'll join in again soon......

[Dave Williams]

Thanks @PeterHG. It's a bit of a daunting task processing a whole trip in one go, much easier to do a few at a time! I'm looking forward to seeing your shots though, both to compare what you saw with our trip a year ago and to whet my appetite for a repeat visit in July.

[Galana]

32 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

I'm looking forward to seeing your shots though,

Me too.

@Dave Williams

Good to see Spring springing where you are too. Nice Bankers. The trouble is we both know we will ignore these birds for the rest of the year and that is the shame of it. I still need two of those you got on that outing.

Edited February 22, 2018 by Galana
Corrected grammar.

[Dave Williams]

188) Eurasian Oystercatcher

Lovely day again here in North Wales!

 

Eurasian Oystercatcher  Haematopus ostralegus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Although this one was from a month or so ago

 

Eurasian Oystercatcher  Haematopus ostralegus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited February 25, 2018 by Dave Williams