TonyQ's Big Year: Number 4

[TonyQ]

@PeterHG @Galana @lmSA84 thank you

 

11.UK11. Shoveler  Anas clypeata    

(F) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

(M) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

[TonyQ]

12.UK12. Teal  Anas crecca  

(M) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

(F) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

[TonyQ]

13.UK13. Snipe  Gallinago gallinago 

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

[TonyQ]

14.UK14. Smew  Mergellus albellus  

New BIrd

Holt, Worcestershire    05.01.2018

The first time we have seen a Smew - quite a striking bird. Light a bit dull, but we were very pleased to see it. Holt is a short drive from Upton Warren, so combines well with it.

[TonyQ]

15.UK15. Barn Owl  Tyto alba

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

It was pretty dark, but we had arrived early in attempt to see the Barn Owl - so were delighted. Taken at iso6400 and 100th of a second, but it is the best sighting of a Barn Owl I have had! A wonderful bird.

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           05.01.2018

[PeterHG]

A beautiful male Smew indeed and that Barn Owl is a terrific sighting. A flight shot at 1/100 is quite an accomplishment!

[Zim Girl]

Lots of really cool sightings there, @TonyQ, Scoter, Smew and a wonderful Barn Owl.

[xelas]

BOIF @1/100 sec ... hat off to you, @TonyQ!

[mvecht]

@TonyQ   Great shot of the Snipe. How do you get so close? Normally the take flight long before I get close enough for a photo.

[Galana]

Great shots @TonyQ.

You can probably see the glow from my green face even from here.

The Smew on the river was good enough but taking a Barn Owl too just steals it.

[Peter Connan]

39 minutes ago, Galana said:

Great shots @TonyQ.

You can probably see the glow from my green face even from here.

The Smew on the river was good enough but taking a Barn Owl too just steals it.

 

Mine is glowing even more brightly...

[michael-ibk]

Wow, what a great Smew photo, and green with envy about the Barn Owl!

[Dave Williams]

As above! Never seen a Smew either.

[TonyQ]

@Zim Girl @Dave Williams @michael-ibk @Peter Connan @Galana thank you

@xelas @PeterHG 1/100th  of a second works if you do not look too closely

@mvecht the snipe photo was taken from a hide (the same hide as the shoveller and the teal) There is an area of grass inbetween the hide and the water, and two Snipe spent alot of time digging around for worms/insects! They are usually much more distant when we see them also.

[TonyQ]

16.UK16. Mallard  Anas platyrhynchos          

(M) Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     17.01.2018

8

(F) Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     17.01.2018

Probably our most common Duck, but no less beautiful for that. Indeed for most of my life, this was "a duck" and I am not sure I was very aware that there were different sorts of duck!

[TonyQ]

17.UK17. Greylag Goose  Anser anser         

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     17.01.2018

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     17.01.2018

[TonyQ]

18.UK18. Pochard  Aythya ferina

    

(M) Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     17.01.2018

[TonyQ]

19.UK19. Goldeneye  Bucephala clangula    

(F) Arrow Valley Country Park, Worcestershire      04.01.2018

Our usual sightings of this species are quite distant, but this bird was very cooperative

[TonyQ]

20.UK20. Black-throated Diver  Gavia arctica

New Bird

Arrow Valley Country Park, Worcestershire      04.01.2018

Arrow Valley Country Park , Worcestershire     04.01.2018

This was our first visit to this site although it is only about 25mins drive from where we live. It was quite a productive visit.

It is the first time we have seen a Black-necked Diver - a fairly rare sighting in the midle of the England I think. It roamed around the lake, and luckily for us sometimes came very close.

[mvecht]

@Tony Q  Great sighting of a diver in fresh water in the winter time.

I would normally expect them at the coast this time of year.

[Dave Williams]

Flippin heck Tony. Scoters and Divers miles from the sea.... and I seem to recall you saying there wasn't much decent birding in your neck of the woods.

[Kitsafari]

Lovely shots of the smew and the owl.

[Galana]

Wow! A BT Diver now. One is driven to wonder whatever next? (Which is what birding is really all about!)

Keep em coming.

[xelas]

Wow, Team UK is pulling ahead! With great quality also.

[PeterHG]

Not only a great sighting that BT Diver, but also excellent photos!