Tdgraves big year 2020 (my 7th!!)

[Peter Connan]

Sorry to hear about yet another aborted trip.

 

Nice sightings!

[Kitsafari]

what a stunning tree creeper and great capture too.

sorry about the cancellation of the Norfolk trip.  

[Tdgraves]

I have had a couple of afternoons free this week, so I thought I'd go to Grafham water before the lockdown, as they closed last time, however, in common with a lot of places, they will remain open this time. It was clear blue skies when I left both times, but yesterday it had already clouded over when I got there, but I waited to see if the sun would appear beneath the clouds as it set and got a couple of duplicates in the golden hour. Only one new one though, despite reports of great northern divers and great white egrets, I did not see them...

 

Grafham water, Cambridgeshire, 6/11/20

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1 1/1600

 

J19A7618 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

218) Common gull

[Tdgraves]

Some duplicates, to show that the sun was actually out, some of the time

 

J19A7599 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7499 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7355 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7527 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7530 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7856 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7837 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A7893 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

[Tdgraves]

Today is the first day of our "holiday" so we went for a walk around Ouse Fen, something I haven't done for ages. It was nice to get out, but the number of photo opportunities were few and far between. I did see my first redwing of the year and my first ever kingfisher on foot, no proof of either though  but I did get a chance of one I have been on the lookout for for weeks.....

 

RSPB Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire, 9/11/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/640, EV +2/3

 

7T4A6413 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

219) Great white egret

[Tdgraves]

We have been out again three times this week and have seen another kingfisher (no photo) and another couple of great white egrets, but no better photo opportunities. It was only yesterday that we managed to bag a couple of new ones, to follow...first a couple of kestrels in flight (no. 1 by the OH)

 

7T4A6517 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A6572 by tdgraves, on Flickr

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire, 13/11/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 3200, f7.1, 1/1250

 

7T4A6583 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

220) Eurasian stonechat

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire, 13/11/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f5.6, 1/4000

 

7T4A6537 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

221) Eurasian bittern

[TonyQ]

I have never seen a Bittern - well done!

[Tdgraves]

17 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

I have never seen a Bittern - well done!

Only my third, but it didn’t really make up for the cancelled trip....

[elefromoz]

On 11/15/2020 at 4:24 AM, Tdgraves said:

Only my third, but it didn’t really make up for the cancelled trip....

Im sure it didn't, but a lucky catch anyways. I too have never seen a Bittern...anywhere in the world.

[michael-ibk]

Sorry I´m a bit late for this - but congrats on getting past #200, really enjoyed the St. Lucia birds especially. Some were vaguely familiar from Costa Rica but quite a few I´ve never heard about. A very nice trip there - but sorry you too had to cancel another one.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @michael-ibk it was a good alternative beach holiday - carefully researched!

[Tdgraves]

Now, this is the last bird we saw as we left. I had assumed that was a kestrel, but people have reported merlin there this week, so what do you think?? (It doesn't count either way, but would be a UK first if it is a merlin)

 

7T4A6571 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A6572 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

[michael-ibk]

Kestrel for me. 

[Tdgraves]

1 minute ago, michael-ibk said:

Kestrel for me. 

 

that makes me feel better 

[Tdgraves]

Just a quick walk today, as it was pretty cloudy and very windy. I passed a large flock of Whooper swans in a field (nowhere to stop) en route. Somewhere I haven't been before...

 

Ouse Washes at Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire, 24/11/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/3200, EV +2/3

 

7T4A6741 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

222) Fieldfare (a bit EBC but the first of the year and they are not exactly the best posers. Hopefully I can get a better shot in the coming weeks)

Edited November 24, 2020 by Tdgraves
typo

[Tdgraves]

And just as I got back to the car, I grabbed this, thinking that they were godwits...instead they were a UK first 

 

Ouse Washes at Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire, 24/11/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2000, f7.1, 1/6400, EV +2/3

 

7T4A6732 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

223) Common snipe

[Galana]

Snipe are a great consolation prize. Still needed for me this year.

 

Your Merlin/Kestrel had me going. The perched photo almost convinced me you had a female Merlin. Colouring, shorter wing length, black band on tip of tail  and white bib. Then you blew it with the BIF which is much more a Kestrel. Not enough black on wing tips. Sorry. 50/50. I will go with @michael-ibk.

 

 

 

[Dave Williams]

Kestrel for me too. Like you I have cancelled trips but at least we are still here to look forward to next year!! You are still moving along nicely though..keep it up.

 

Just a suggestion but if when you copy a shot from Flickr you choose a smaller size the whole image will appear on the viewing screen which is more pleasing than scrolling through it to see the whole image. Large 1024x683 is a good size.

[Tdgraves]

A lovely sunny (if cold) morning today, so I thought I'd get out for a proper walk (3 miles) at Fen Drayton. It was much busier than normal, mainly birders with scopes, rather than the usual mix of dog walkers, lockdown walkers and birders, as news of a glossy ibis sighting yesterday had appeared on the internet. I didn't see them, nor it seemed did any of the people I spoke to. They seem to be spotted in different places each day over the past week, so I am assuming it is the same group of birds having a laugh!

 

a couple of improvements...

 

7T4A6767 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A6798 by tdgraves, on Flickr

[Tdgraves]

I did manage one new one, although they lead me a merry dance all morning and the best shot was just as I got back to the car park 

 

RSPB Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire, 1/12/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2000, f7.1, 1/8000

 

7T4A6802 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

224) Redwing

[Tdgraves]

Just a short lunch break walk this week, it did net me a new one, but photographically not the best...

 

Paxton Pits, Cambridgeshire, 9/12/20

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/2500

 

7T4A6843 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

225) Common goldeneye

[Tdgraves]

And a duplicate as I was driving around trying to find the Whoopers..

 

7T4A6829 by tdgraves, on Flickr

Edited December 11, 2020 by Tdgraves
wrong photo

[Tdgraves]

Might have to crack out the EBCs soon.....