2021......a Tortoise in lockdown hibernation?

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, PeterHG said:

A whole set of really fantastic photos, Dave! (Well with the possible exception on the partridge ). That Berthelot's Pipit is not only a good lifer (would have been for me , too), but what a great way to capture it with the beetle! 

 

The Partridge was a lifer too!! Shame it was an EBC even if in my opinion it's a quality EBC!!

[Soukous]

Really beautiful additions Dave. 

[Zim Girl]

Lovely set of new birds - glad you got away!

[TonyQ]

Beautiful additions, and well done on passing 150!

[xelas]

Beautiful photos, Dave. I should be more attentive when visiting Fuerteventura in 2007 ... but I was not into birds then. Unfortunately I have also missed all the nudists ; must have been too windy ...

[Dave Williams]

Actually the nudists was a low point Alex. I don't care if people want to sunbathe naked but when a man walked out in to the rock pools some 20m away and bared is backside towards me and defecated ( to put it politely) I was disgusted because he just left it there. There's nothing natural about fouling the beach with human sewerage. 

[Galana]

Should have entered him in EBC of the year and handed print in to the local Guardia.

[Dave Williams]

154) Pink-footed Goose

These were flying high over the Dee estuary so I thought I might as well add them to my list!

[Dave Williams]

155)Barn Owl

There were three reasons for heading over to the Wirral area of England last week and in reverse order of importance they were

1) To try and get an image of a Barn Owl....a brief showing some 100m away was as good as it got on a very cold but bright afternoon

2) To meet up with a friend who lives over there

3) and the prime reason for going... to stock up on some beer and cider as my supplies had run out!

 

On our recent trip to Fuerteventura we were greeted at the airport duty free shop with signage to tell us that no matter where we fly we are now entitled to duty free alcohol purchases. That's good to know, happy days except it's cheaper in Europe than it is in the duty free shops on many products, anyway that's by the by. For me to make huge savings on beer and cider I only have to drive as far as England, about 40 miles to my nearest Aldi store. I get the usual comments as I pile my shopping trolley with cases of booze.

"Having a party are we? Can we come" is the most common one.

I usually reply in one of two ways.

1) " I have serious drink problem, this is just for the coming weekend"

or, and I do usually add the truth

2) "Have you any idea how much these same cans would cost if I purchased them in an Aldi in Wales instead of this one in England?"

They are amazed when I tell them!

 

Here in Wales ( and the same applies in Scotland too) we have an independent governing body with limited powers which the ruling party love to use to the full at any opportunity, especially as the United Kingdom's parliament is controlled by a political party with opposing views to them both. 

That's why our lockdown in Wales was far more draconian as it also was in Scotland than it was in England.

Just to make life even less appealing they both also decided to introduce a minimum selling price for a unit of alcohol.

50p!

Now a can of cider has 2.2 units of alcohol, Aldi sell them as 4 packs so that makes 8.8 units so £4.50 in Wales. In England they are £1.99. I buy them in trays of 24.The saving is a staggering £15. The beers sell at £2.99 vs £4.50 in Wales so the saving isn't quite as big but still an impressive £9 per tray. 

So, 3 trays of each and I have saved £72 which leaves me making a profit after the cost of the fuel.

 

What better reason to go birding in England can you ask for, even if the Owl refused to get any closer!

 

Edited December 2, 2021 by Dave Williams

[Galana]

What a great  excuse. "Just popping out to the Wirral dear as there is a Barn Owl I need to photograph. Is there anything I can get you?"

[Dave Williams]

Just now, Galana said:

What a great  excuse. "Just popping out to the Wirral dear as there is a Barn Owl I need to photograph. Is there anything I can get you?"

 

Works every time Fred!

[Dave Williams]

I popped out this morning as the weather was really pleasant despite being bitterly cold with snow on the nearby mountain tops.

I had been tipped off that there was a 156)Greater Scaup on one of the lagoons at our local reserve.

 

 

[Dave Williams]

The Scaup was distant but the main attraction even more so!

However, my first ever photograph of a 157) Smew.

I might have to go back tomorrow for another go.

[Galana]

16 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I might have to go back tomorrow for another go.

What you are really saying is that you have supped all that Beer from Aldi already. Face up to it.

[Dave Williams]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

What you are really saying is that you have supped all that Beer from Aldi already. Face up to it.

I gave it a try this evening!....the beer that is.

 

I tied for the Smew this morning and well, it was open to debate as to the outcome. It was a very grey dull day,.

[Galana]

12 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

it was open to debate as to the outcome.

I think the trip was worth it.

[Peter Connan]

Magnificent photography and well done on exceeding your target handily!

[Kitsafari]

awesome shots, as always. even a very worthy if unexpected EBC from you!

[Dave Williams]

It's a mad scramble to the end of the year so a quick trip out on a blissfully sunny day last week added some more including

158) Goldeneye

 

159)Pochard

 

and this cracker

160)Shelduck

Edited December 20, 2021 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

I may well not get any more for the year now so I have to add something a tad better than the last one as it may well be my last BY posting.

161) Brent Goose

Pale-bellied

Pale-bellied Brent Goose by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and Dark-bellied

Dark-bellied Brent Goose by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

 

[Kitsafari]

2 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I may well not get any more for the year now so I have to add something a tad better than the last one as it may well be my last BY posting.

161) Brent Goose

Pale-bellied

 

 

 

 

@Dave Williams I do hope you mean last BY posting... FOR THE YEAR. 

 

 

[TonyQ]

Well done Dave, lots of great photos in a difficult year

Edited January 10, 2022 by TonyQ

[lmSA84]

Congrats on the year! As always some cracking photo’s