Galana's Fifth - The only way from here is UP!

[Galana]

Then off to check on Welsh Wheatears. Or more specifically Greenland bound Northern Wheatears.

Our residents come later on.

One of the miracles of migration is that despite these birds wintering in Africa they arrive here at a spot on the Ayres and can be seen within metres of the same spot each year.

Excuse the indulgence if I show more than two.

072. Northern Wheatear. Smeale Ayres.

[Kitsafari]

well, that was a pleasant surprise the PF gave you! perched and close. what was it you cropped out?  i couldn't tell. 

 

i can see why you have so many images of the pretty wheatear - love that 3rd shot where it glances ever so slightly over its shoulder. 

[Galana]

And the trip was not done yet.

I have spent hours staring out to sea (as you know) looking for divers but being frustrated by heavy seas and unreachable distant glimpses.

Oh well I am here and may as well have a quick look as the swells are lower.

Ducks, Gannets and my first Sandwich Tern of the year on its way to Strangford Lough in Norther Ireland but having a Manx Fish lunch on the move.

And then there was a Diver close enough to reach with my camera. And it stayed on the  surface long enough for my Zoom and Focus to nail it.

So here it is. My reward for hours of frozen shutter fingers.

073. Red-throated Diver. Off Smeale Ayres. Not yet showing the beautiful breeding colours of later Spring.

 

 

[Galana]

Finally to round of the mornings exercise a product improvement for #28.

Eurasian Jackdaw,

 

And a Common Lizard catching the March sunshine. My first this year.

I worried at all the floodwater of February but this one has made it through.

 

[Towlersonsafari]

Spookily we saw our first 2021 common lizard today as well @Galana

[michael-ibk]

Beautiful Wheatear photos Fred!

[elefromoz]

A great mix of sightings there over a few days from the cliffs to the meadows to the sea.I guess that's an advantage of being on a small island, the habitat changes very quickly. The Wheatear is such a pretty little bird.

[Galana]

3 hours ago, elefromoz said:

.I guess that's an advantage of being on a small island, the habitat changes very quickly.

Very true. From one end to the other is only an hour's drive and will encompass most eco zones from sea cliffs to sandy beaches, farmland, moorland, woodland and such wetlands as we have left. Very restrictive in one sense but not in others. We can do the East African Bush n Beach safari in a couple of hundred yards/metres. Just add sunshine.

With lockdown I am staying within 8km of home anyway.

[Galana]

Today's bag is limited but I did want to try out my new EBC Filter that I got on EBay for a quid.

So I braved the illegal Lockdown crowds for  a quick sortie to my usual patch.

So here are examples of the Filter in action. Comments welcome.

 

I also took the opportunity of providing a Product improvement on my photobombing Moorhen of a few days ago.

 

 

And on the way home I was twice pleased to increase my bag with one of the first Swallows of summer although the EBC filter failed on the shiny wires.

 

074. European Barn Swallow. Ballaghennie Farm, Isle of Man.

 

 

[Soukous]

1 minute ago, Galana said:

And on the way home I was twice pleased to increase my bag with one of the first Swallows of summer although the EBC filter failed on the shiny wires.

 

Nice new filter. What did you do? clean your lens or your glasses? 

Your filter would have worked fine if you'd focused on the bird instead of the wires 

 

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Soukous said:

Your filter would have worked fine if you'd focused on the bird instead of the wires 

So much to remember. So little time.

[PeterHG]

Agree on the Wheatear, what a beautiful bird! Get rid of the filter, the images are nowhere near EBC quality. I would rate them as excellent

[Galana]

1 hour ago, PeterHG said:

Get rid of the filter,

Thanks @PeterHGI may well do that especially after looking out of my window this morning and seeing this beauty on the Lake.

Unfortunately my bathroom window faces east so this was the best I could do.

Bewick's Swan?

[PeterHG]

Your bathroom window has a filter, too? 

[Dave Williams]

Is this global warming or the Houdini Factor ? 

When I was a child of about 10 my parents took me down on the promenade at Colwyn Bay where I exclaimed "look, a Pelican!" My mother replied in a manor more expected of Captain Mainwaring to Pike, however it turned out I was correct ( anyone can ID a Pelican surely!) and it had escaped from the local Welsh Mountain Zoo which had only just been created. It seems that security of the inmates was not as good as it should be and there were a few more exotics that followed. In fact the local woods have a healthy population of Aesculapian snakes that have survived for around 55 years following the escape of a single pregnant female.

 

[Tdgraves]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Is this global warming or the Houdini Factor ? 

Or a deception based on today’s date?

[Dave Williams]

31 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

Or a deception based on today’s date?

 

 

Typical, I fell for that as I thought it was in reply to my Parakeet !!  I thought pensioners lost all track of dates....I do !

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Tdgraves said:

Or a deception based on today’s date?

It's after noon now so I have got the tortoise whose Plum-headed Parakeet inspired the plot yesterday. I was going to put up a Penguin or Ostrich but that would have been pushing a bit too hard.

 

I liked the tale of a 10 year old Private Pike in Llandudno. I can add that I actually do have a Pelican on my 'lounge list' here. A Pink-backed  bobbing on the sea on an away day from the local Wildlife Park a few years back.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Galana

[TonyQ]

Excellent Wheatear, but also the photos of the Dunnock, Wren and Moorhen are lovely. Sharp and clear. Well done.

[Soukous]

15 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Excellent Wheatear, but also the photos of the Dunnock, Wren and Moorhen are lovely. Sharp and clear. Well done.

 

one can't help but wonder ... did you lend someone else your camera? 

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Soukous said:

did you lend someone else your camera? 

We are in lockdown and that would surely be forbidden?

[Galana]

A short excursion this morning finally yielded a few Linnets and one kindly sat long enough to let me take a photo or two.

 

075. Common Linnet. Maughold Broughs.

 

And of course no trip would be complete without coming under the watchful gaze of a protective male Stonechat.

 

[Galana]

Having stayed in over the busy weekend I braved the cold wind yesterday but the birds did not.

This Linnet did not look too happy despite the blue sky.

 

And here is the promised improvement to 63.

63. Common Gull. I think it was ringed on the Island about 10 miles north of where I saw it yesterday. Judging from the ring 2AAA it may have been the first one to join the project back in 2013 making it 8 years old. I will check.

It reads manxrg"AT"gmail.com if anyone is interested.

 

[Galana]

Seated at a Compooter while the wind howls outside is often relieved by me checking out my favourite Webcams.

Ospreys in Cumbria, Eagle Owls in Eifel and Peregrines in Nottingham.

By some techno fluke I managed to grab this live shot of the female returning to the nest ledge.

Really pleased with it and thought to share it with you.

I wish I could do this for real!

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Very nice photos Fred!