Dave Williams's 2018 Big(Photo)Year!

[Galana]

Great additions to our growing score.

Some lovely photos. Obviously sunnier where you live than here.

[Dave Williams]

It's a totally miserable dark damp day here in North Wales. No point in taking the camera out as it's such poor light.

Still, can't complain too much as last week was a bonus with lots of unexpected sunshine.

So , with the need to maintain some progress...I'm working on a bird a day....here's one from earlier this week. I have a couple in reserve for such occasions .

 

21) Northern Lapwing

Northern Lapwing   Vanellus vanellus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited January 13, 2018 by Dave Williams

[Peter Connan]

Brilliant shot of a beautiful bird!

[xelas]

Getting those colours out of the Lapwing is master at work! 

[Dave Williams]

22)  Eurasian Treecreeper

A break in the clouds and I popped out to look for a Common Kingfisher I'd been told about. Saw it but was constantly up and down the stream and I didn't get a shot. This was more than adequate compensation though, a real bogey bird for me and the first photo of one I have got in several years.

Eurasian Treecreeper    Certhia familiaris by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited January 16, 2018 by Dave Williams

[Soukous]

@Dave Williams your lapwing is so much nicer than mine. You've really caught the plumage well.

[PeterHG]

Love your Treecreeper! I’ve never been able to get a decent shot of it.

[Dave Williams]

23) Great Cormorant

i was amazed to see this Cormorant walking up a shallow river when I went looking for a Kingfisher this morning. Not something I can ever recall having seen before.

Great Cormorant   Phalacrocorax carbo by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

33 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

this Cormorant walking up a shallow river

Blowing too hard to fly!  Birds are not daft! I have not got over the doorstep today either.

Nice Treecreeper by the way. One of my bogies too. But on my target list for 2018.

[Dave Williams]

24) Common Goldeneye

Down to the local reserve again in search of wintering ducks but some are already looking ahead to Spring despite the bitter cold wind blowing today.

Goldeneye   Bucephala clangula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

He was keeping an eye on his betrothed.

Goldeneye   Bucephala clangula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and seeing off any others that came anywhere near her. 

Goldeneye   Bucephala clangula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

Great photos.

[Dave Williams]

25)Eurasian Bullfinch

Another species from our local reserve earlier today.

Eurasian Bullfinch  Pyrrhula pyrrhula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The male wasn't as co-operative as the female!

Eurasian Bullfinch  Pyrrhula pyrrhula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

26) Goldfinch

Not a bad day at the local RSPB with three new species added !

European Goldfinch    Carduelis carduelis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[PeterHG]

You’ve added some beauties, Dave and your photos do them justice!

[xelas]

All beauties, @Dave Williams! I am waiting for the weather to improve, and to start the year where I have ended it, before the ducks flies away.

[Dave Williams]

@xelas   I'm waiting to see how many you got on your SA trip too!! Come on cards on the table Alex.

 

[Galana]

45 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

Come on cards on the table Alex.

Don't play poker with him. Count your fingers!!

Edited January 17, 2018 by Galana
additional text.

[xelas]

Dave, with about 1000 photos per day we must have caught a fish or two ... 

[Dave Williams]

Well I haven't managed a single one today the weather has been so poor

so from my reserve bank taken three days ago in the garden!!

 

No 26) Great Tit

Great Tit   Parus major by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

 

 

Another from the depository as it was awful weather again yesterday. Need to top up the bank so I'm off to the airport now, back in a while!

 

No 27) Eurasian Blue Tit

Eurasian Blue Tit    Cyanistes caeruleus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[elefromoz]

@Dave Williams, you have some very pretty Birds in your 20s, the Great Cormorant is the Thorn amongst the Roses, a very shallow observation though.

[Dave Williams]

Time to send out a message to all you pretenders to the 2018 throne.

I'm taking my birding very seriously here in The Gambia

Woodland Kingfisher..... seen lots of them!

[TonyQ]

@Dave Williams

They were pretty common on our trip as well

 

Back to your earlier birds, that is a great shot of the tree creeper. They are really difficult to photograph- at least that's what I find!

[Galana]

Drink it but don't tick it (yet)!

[xelas]

Looks like kingfishers in The Gambia comes in small sizes !