tdgraves 8th big year 2021

[elefromoz]

Congrats, a tough year. Nice Autumn flowers, hope you have a long season before winter kicks in again.

[michael-ibk]

Congrats on the century!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Kitsafari @mvecht @Peter Connan @michael-ibk and @elefromoz

 

We managed to get to the Caribbean a couple of weeks ago, so there will be some exotic birds to see soon (just sat down to start processing them now). However, given that Kenya has now been postponed (again) the year total will be still be quite low...

[Kitsafari]

1 hour ago, Tdgraves said:

Thanks @Kitsafari @mvecht @Peter Connan @michael-ibk and @elefromoz

 

We managed to get to the Caribbean a couple of weeks ago, so there will be some exotic birds to see soon (just sat down to start processing them now). However, given that Kenya has now been postponed (again) the year total will be still be quite low...

 

hope you had a great trip nevertheless!

[Tdgraves]

Lovely thanks Kit

[Dave Williams]

Well done on the ton, I bet your Caribbean trip produced than my recent week in Scotland!

[Tdgraves]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Well done on the ton, I bet your Caribbean trip produced than my recent week in Scotland!

Not as many as last year…

[Soukous]

10 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

Not as many as last year…

[Dave Williams]

16 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

Not as many as last year…

Bet it tops just the one mine did !!

[pedro maia]

Cograts on the ton, looking forward to see those Caribbean species!

[elefromoz]

On 9/26/2021 at 6:59 PM, Tdgraves said:

We managed to get to the Caribbean a couple of weeks ago,

yesterday I read @pedro maiaoff to the Pantanal, now you've nipped off to the Caribbean, sigh.....

[Tdgraves]

9 hours ago, elefromoz said:

yesterday I read @pedro maiaoff to the Pantanal, now you've nipped off to the Caribbean, sigh.....

And I am currently in extremadura….

[PeterHG]

11 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

And I am currently in extremadura

So am I ….!

[elefromoz]

On 10/10/2021 at 3:09 PM, Tdgraves said:

On 10/10/2021 at 6:05 AM, elefromoz said:

yesterday I read @pedro maiaoff to the Pantanal, now you've nipped off to the Caribbean, sigh.....

And I am currently in extremadura….

 

On 10/11/2021 at 2:56 AM, PeterHG said:

On 10/10/2021 at 3:09 PM, Tdgraves said:

And I am currently in extremadura

So am I ….!

Oh stop it!  I think I will forward these little snippets to our Premier who just won't give us any hope going forward of escaping....

[Tdgraves]

I'm afraid that life has rather taken over the BY at present, both in terms of getting out and about and processing our two trips. I have managed to get out a few times recently, but no new ticks. I have now finished processing Extremadura (working backwards, not sure why), so plan to start posting soon...

 

Here is a duplicate to prove that I am around still!

 

7T4A2792a by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A2798a by tdgraves, on Flickr

Edited November 23, 2021 by Tdgraves
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[Tdgraves]

This is one that I have not seen with a camera in hand, so am "cheating"

 

Motion camera, my garden Cambridgeshire, 30/9/21

 

 

101) Eurasian jay

 

[Tdgraves]

So, on to Spain. This was a trip planned in 2019 for April 2020. Clearly that all got cancelled due to you know what. We rearranged for October, which should have been Kenya, rearranged from August 2020. As it turns out, we could have actually got to Kenya, as it came off of the red list not long before we were due to go, but the ongoing uncertainty at balance payment day meant that we have postponed again to September 2022. I really hope that COVID will not put paid to it for a third time....

 

The initial trip was for 7 nights, but bizarrely it was cheaper for a flight + car for 8 rather than 7 this time, so we added a night. We could not go for any longer as our cat sitters (my parents) had double-booked themselves (which would have been tricky if we had actually gone to Kenya)! Anyway, as it had been so long since arranging the trip and because we were completely exhausted when we got there, I don't think that we made the most of it in terms of birding. We were a little early in the migration season and the first few days we didn't have the energy to do much. In fact, we were several days in when I remembered that @Dave Williams had helped in the initial planning and I had completely forgotten to relook at the conversation. It was for this reason (and the fact that our guide book was for Extremadura only and the map/website did not really show whether there were any parking areas/view points up there etc.) that we did not go up to the top of the Sierra de Gredos. A good reason to return I guess. Despite this, we had a lovely trip. The scenery was stunning and largely empty of cars/tourists. The weather was amazing, blue skies and sunshine for the entire trip. The accommodations and food were fabulous and the entire trip cost us £1500 each, which I thought was amazing value. We will definitely return (and consider other European trips in the future - we are Africa-centric!!)

 

I will start with the new ones

 

Hotel Rural El Camino, Candeleda, Spain, 10/10/21

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/640

 

 

 

102) Short-toed tree-creeper

Edited November 23, 2021 by Tdgraves
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[Tdgraves]

Rio Arbillas, Spain, 9/10/21

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f6.3, 1/1600

 

 

103) Crested tit

Edited November 23, 2021 by Tdgraves
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[Tdgraves]

Rosarito reservoir, Spain, 10/10/21

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/6400

 

 

 

Los Barruecos, 13/10/21

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/4000

 

 

104) Eurasian spoonbill

[Tdgraves]

Rosarito reservoir, Spain, 10/10/21

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 800, f7.1, 1/5000

 

 

105) Ruddy shelduck

[Tdgraves]

Steppe east of Trujillo, Spain, 14/10/21

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/2500

 

 

106) Eurasian hoopoe (courtesy of the OH who was on the correct side of the vehicle)

Edited November 24, 2021 by Tdgraves
typo

[Galana]

Nicely through the 100 barrier. Well done and some nice photos too.

[PeterHG]

Good to see your Spanish additions! 

[Dave Williams]

Well done on the ton!

The Sierra de Gredos might not be as good late in the year but there again as I never been then it might be better!! We, three friends and myself, have booked in for Spring next year for a couple of days after doing some pro hide photography.

Looking forward to hearing how the rest of the trip went!

[Tdgraves]

Caceres, Spain, 12/10/21

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2500, f5.6, 1/1250

 

 

 

Using the medieval buildings as a cliff, Trujillo, Spain, 14/10/21

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/1600

 

 

107) Eurasian crag martin