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

[Galana]

Don't mind the feeders. EBC. Good to see Broc/Moch has come back.

[Kitsafari]

what feeder? all i saw was the beautiful Nuthatch 

 

great to see the badgers are back

[Dave Williams]

It was the Big Garden Birdwatch over the last weekend so I thought I'd kill an hour and see what was around. 11 species in total during my nominated hour which was chosen out of convenience to me rather than the birds...1.30pm-2.30pm....which proved not to be the busiest hour of the day but one of the brightest although still very grey, dull and cold even from the bedroom with the window open.Only managed any kind of photographs of 6 tof the 11 but it was too cold to set myself up outside in a better vantage spot!

How much value the survey has I'm not too sure. Some people decide to spend several hours over the weekend then choose their best score which probably distorts the figures giving the appearance there are more birds around than there actually are. To be counted you have to have the bird perched, not flying overhead.For the total species count you have to see them all in one go to avoid counting the same bird several times.

My most numerous species was Long-tailed Tit but for the first 59 minutes I only counted two at a time then right at the end a flock of 8 descended on the fatal feeder which is more typical of their behaviour at this time of year.

Definitely my favourite bird of the session but along with Blackcap and Herring Gull they were already on my BY.

Long-tailed Tit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

[Dave Williams]

New additions are

13) Blue Tit

Blue Tit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

14) Coal Tit

Coal Tit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

15) Great Tit

Great Tit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

16) Dunnock

Dunnock by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

17) Robin

Robin by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

I failed to get a shot of Blackbird,Jay and Chaffinch that were worth posting and missing from the count although seen or heard at different times were Wood Pigeon,Sparrowhawk, Song Thrush, Carrion Crow,Bullfinch andTawny Owl. Flying overhead were Jackdaw and Buzzard and total no shows that might have been expected were Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker which adds to a garden list of 21 commoner species.

 

Just spotted a Wren which I totally forgot to mention in my missing list. I see one most days too!

Edited February 1, 2021 by Dave Williams

[Biko]

I participated in the same activity in The Netherlands, 30 minutes, 13 species, no pictures. Grey and cold too. 

Tree sparrows appear in large numbers on my bird feeders, very dominant towards the other species like hedge sparrow (dunnock?), house sparrow, great tit, blue tit, and robin.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Biko

[PeterHG]

Excellent photos, @Dave Williams! That was a good garden score and a great total for the Long-tailed Tit! 

[Dave Williams]

Decided to have yet another long walk to the end of the Great Orme today..it was cold but sunny for a change..and when it's cold we have 18) Snow Buntings so that's what I went to look for having seen someone report they were around.

It's a 16.6km round trip so carrying a camera was out of the question, especially as I took my binoculars for a change.

Finding them was easy enough, getting a photo with the phone more difficult but here they are, all three of them.

 

Can you see them? Good because I can't but they are there, honest!!

For the record here's one I saw in almost the same spot  earlier.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

October 2019 earlier

[Soukous]

16 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Can you see them? Good because I can't but they are there, honest!!

For the record here's one I saw in almost the same spot  earlier

And you accused @Kalaharikindof cheating 

I know these are desperate times but does it count to see a bird and then post a photo from a previous year  - as it may well have been included in the previous year's total.

 

Beautiful Snow Bunting though

Edited February 2, 2021 by Soukous

[Dave Williams]

36 minutes ago, Soukous said:

And you accused @Kalaharikindof cheating 

I know these are desperate times but does it count to see a bird and then post a photo from a previous year  - as it may well have been included in the previous year's total.

 

Beautiful Snow Bunting though

 

There's your answer Martin, oh was that you!!!

 

[Soukous]

4 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

 

There's your answer Martin, oh was that you!!!

 

Possibly ... 

[Dave Williams]

OK, I admit the Snow Buntings were a little difficult to spot but they are there. How far can you push and EBC? 

Take your choice, which kind of photo you would you prefer to look at. Here's an attempt at using the binoculars and iPhone but a stone wall to precariously balance the 'bins isn't always available.

 

No one really cares how many we each have counted but the pleasure is looking at the photos isn't it?

I can post lots like this!!

 

19)Great Black-backed Gull

 

[Dave Williams]

But of course being British it isn't about the winning it's the taking part as far as I'm concerned. English isn't everyones native language and some of the humour fails to register but there isn't any malice intended.

 

Hey, I've hit the big 20) Stonechat on my iPhone

[elefromoz]

On 2/2/2021 at 2:11 AM, Dave Williams said:

Can you see them? Good because I can't but they are there, honest!!

Mmmmm, well I got out my Collins British Bird guide so I know what I was looking for in your landscape photo, useless. Maybe add to the photo one of those drawn on circles, in red possibly, would help? Actually, maybe not in this case.      Last years Snow Bunting is beautiful

[Biko]

22 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Here's an attempt at using the binoculars and iPhone but a stone wall to precariously balance the 'bins isn't always available.

Thanks for this interesting picture, I have never thought of this, will try soon

[PeterHG]

I stand by my earlier reply. In normal times, we'll go back to normal ways, but I very much enjoy your stories of the walks, the photos of the scenery and even the fabulous example photos of previous years. I must confess the first snow bunting photo had me baffled for a moment, but I put it down to my diminishing eyesight . 

[Kitsafari]

well done on the iphone and bino combo - i reckon that is far easier than an iphone and scope combo.

[Soukous]

Just now, Kitsafari said:

well done on the iphone and bino combo - i reckon that is far easier than an iphone and scope combo.

 

Probably is. The phone + scope combo also needs a tripod. I feel like a Christmas tree with cameras, scope, tripod and binoculars

[Dave Williams]

On 2/3/2021 at 5:34 AM, elefromoz said:

Mmmmm, well I got out my Collins British Bird guide so I know what I was looking for in your landscape photo, useless. Maybe add to the photo one of those drawn on circles, in red possibly, would help? Actually, maybe not in this case.    l

 I would if I could find them...there are three in there somewhere!

[Dave Williams]

On 2/6/2021 at 8:57 AM, Soukous said:

 

Probably is. The phone + scope combo also needs a tripod. I feel like a Christmas tree with cameras, scope, tripod and binoculars

 

The binoculars need something really steady too which is not easy to find , I guess if you have a scope it will at least have a tripod to go with it when it's in use.

[Dave Williams]

On with my BY and this week has seen me make a big effort to push on. Hearing there was a Water Pipit not too far away, off I went following the muddy footpaths from our house until I got to the spot where I posted an earlier shot with a distant church where the heroic Titanic crewman was buried. I had the choice of taking the long way round or crossing the field. 

A bad choice, the field was very, very wet eventually getting to the point where the mud was up and over the top of my boots.

 

I was aiming for the abandoned JCB just beyond the hedge. Just to the right you can see a field full of gulls and evidence of how muddy and wet it was.

I didn't find the Water Pipit but there were a few 21)Meadow Pipit around

 

 

I hid myself behind the JCB and got some nice views of a Dunnock sat on the vehicle but as that's already counted it was no progress there.

However, a distant 22)Grey Wagtail made the effort of getting there worthwhile.

 

 

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Just to the right you can see a field full of gulls

Are you sure they are not Snow Buntings?