TonyQ's Big Year: Number 4

[TonyQ]

40.UK40. Black Redstart  Phoenicurus ochruros  

New Bird

   

Birmingham     31.01.2019

Birmingham     31.01.2019

Excited to see this new bird in the middle of Birmingham (about two and a half miles away). In a suburban street, trees at the side of the road, and visiting front gardens.

A good bird to finish January. (I have two or three others which are available on 31st December in case of emergency)

[Towlersonsafari]

Splendid  spot we saw our first one last year but much further away @TonyQ

[Galana]

Keep them coming and keep that Camera handy when shopping.

That photo of the Black Redstart is better than the one in my field guide. We get them here every winter but so far they have eluded me. They like waste ground. What does that say about where you and I live?

[Zim Girl]

Lovely Redwing and Black Redstart pictures @TonyQ

[TonyQ]

@Towlersonsafari @Galana @Zim Girl  thank you.

 

41.UK41. Bullfinch      Pyrrhula pyrrhula        

(M) Our Garden, Birmingham        01.02.2019

(F) Our Garden, Birmingham        03.02.2019

 

Regular visitors, but they often arrive in the afternoon when at this time of year the bushes are in shade. But a bit more cooperative here!

Sometimes we get two pairs arriving at the same time at this time of year.

[TonyQ]

42.UK42. Pheasant     Phasianus colchicus  

(F) Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

(M) Ladywalk  Reserve, West Midlands    02.02.2019

[TonyQ]

43.UK43. Chaffinch     Fringilla coelebs         

(F) Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

(M) Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

[TonyQ]

44.UK44. Gadwall       Anas strepera 

Ladywalk  Reserve, West Midlands    02.02.2019

[TonyQ]

45.UK45. Reed Bunting          Emberiza schoeniclus

(F) Ladywalk  Reserve, West Midlands    02.02.2019

(M) Ladywalk  Reserve, West Midlands    02.02.2019

Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

This last photo was taken earlier in the day, without the warm sunshine of the earlier two photos. I have put it in just because I like the colours in the cool light and seeing the bird "fluffed-up" to keep warm.

[Peter Connan]

More beauties Tony!

[Galana]

Keep em coming. Lovely photos.

Bullfinches in the garden make one green. I see your point on the third Reed Bunting. It is very nice with sharp bright eyes..

[Zim Girl]

I agree, Bullfinches as a regular visitor to your garden is pretty impressive and I also really like the last Reed Bunting - quite comical.

[TonyQ]

@Peter Connan @Galana @Zim Girl  thank you

 

I saw an interesting bird in a local park the other day (Not claiming an addition!)

 

Cormorant, so already claimed. There were two birds, and they had much more white on them than I had seen before.

Is this breeding plumage, just variation, or could they be from the different sub-species "sinensis"?

[Dave Williams]

It's either moving in to breeding plumage or, if you have similar weather as here, frost!

[Galana]

Damn. @Dave Williams pinched my joke! I was going to say it was Hoar frost. Very mature old birds getting that certain feeling as the sun comes north.

[TonyQ]

hank you @Dave Williams and @Galana

A bit worrying that you are thinking of the same jokes

 

46.UK46. Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus

 

Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

[TonyQ]

47.UK47. Collared Dove  Streptopelia decaocto       

Our Garden, Birmingham        07.02.2019

We see them a few times each year in the garden, but they are very sensitive to movement and often disappear quite quickly.

[TonyQ]

48.UK48. Great Crested Grebe  Podiceps cristatus  

Swanshurst Park, Birmingham 06.02.2019

Swanshurst Park, Birmingham 06.02.2019

One of my favourite birds!

[TonyQ]

49.UK49. Tree Sparrow  Passer montanus   

Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

Belvide Reserve, Staffordshire           02.02.2019

Thes birds have suffered a drastic decline in the UK (except in @Zim Girl 's garden) but there are quite a few breeding at Belvide.

[TonyQ]

50.UK50. Treecreeper  Certhia familiaris   

This is a bird I have really grown to like (after not knowing it existed!)   

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      03.02.2019

It is very enjoyable watching them as the fly from the top of one tree to the base of another, and then work their way up the trunk digging for grubs and insects

 

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      03.02.2019

You can just see that this one has found a grub, Moseley Bog, Birmingham      03.02.2019

 

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      03.02.2019

A bit self indulgent for reaching 50!

[TonyQ]

I was interested in @Galana 's 8 mile radius challenge from his home. I had a look at where my first 50 were seen

 8 (16%) were in the garden, so 0 miles

Another 18 were within 1 mile - so 54% were within 1 mile.

Another 5 within 2 miles, so 64% within 2 miles

Another 5 within 7 miles, so 74% within 7 miles (or @Galana 's 8 miles)

90% were within 20 miles, and 100% within 30 miles.

So a very local start to to BIg Year 2019

[mvecht]

@Tony Q  Well done on the first 50. Keep them coming.

Interesting to see that your Grebe is already in summer plumage. Here they are still having their winter plumage.

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on the 50 and a wonderful bird to reach it on!

[Galana]

Good going @TonyQ. Half century and all more or less 'local' for a larger island like yours.

[Dave Williams]

Nice going indeed Tony, I can honestly say none of mine were taken within 2 miles of home which is were 64% of yours have come from.