TonyQ: Big (??) Year 2021

[TonyQ]

14.UK.14. Lesser Black-backed Gull  Larus fuscus  

Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           07.01.2021

I am sure I will get better photos of this bird, but I just wanted to show one on the frozen lake (especially for those struggling with 35 degrees C )

(I will post better pictures of the Black-headed Gull -  the smaller gull - so won't count it yet)

Edited January 13, 2021 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

15.UK.15. Goldcrest  Regulus regulus          

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      07.01.2021

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      07.01.2021 

Our smallest bird (weighing about 5 to 6 g). They are lovely to see, but hard to photograph! They flit about a lot, hovering briefly to feed (I put the second one in just to show a bit of hovering even though I didn't use a fast enough shutter spped)

 

[Zim Girl]

Interesting you do not get house sparrows in your garden @TonyQ, we are inundated with them.

Lovely selection of birds so far!

[Galana]

More lovely sightings. Is it me or have the sightings of Goldcrest increased this year or are they just more visible in the early part of the year?

[TonyQ]

@Galanahard to say based on my own experience - but a few have been posted recently

I have been on Big Year a few years - this is number 6.

My Sighting (or at least my best photos) of Goldcrest are:

07.01.21

12.10.20

03.02.19

07.01.18

05.01.17

31.03.16

So all pretty much early Winter with the exception of last year with  various lockdowns and 2016 when we only just started (and I had never seen a Goldcrest before!)

Early winter could mean they are easier to see, or it could mean we are out early enthused by a new BIg Year!

 

@Zim GirlHouse Sparrows are a surprising absence on our garden list.

[Galana]

I think Goldcrest keep up high in the canopy in summer but do come lower in colder months which could account for better visibility. I think some of my sightings have been in gorse under pine and this year it was on Briar/brambles.

[Peter Connan]

Frozen lakes! Man am I glad i'm not there...

 

Lovely photos.

[michael-ibk]

Good to see you joining the game again Tony. Lovely photos, especially love the Goldcrest. @Peter Connan, if you think that appears cold never come to Austria this time of the year. - 20 ° Celsius right now, and more snow than we´ve had in decades.

[Peter Connan]

Thanks for the warning @michael-ibk . I guess I have been lucky in that all the times I have been to Europe (few though they are) have been in summer. Even so, Oslo was on the cold side for me...

I guess like most of us, I have a number of separate bucket lists, but on the "landscape photography list" one of the top items is to photograph an Aurora (be that Borealis or Australis), but I am not sure I would survive the attempt...

Sorry for taking your thread off topic Tony.

[elefromoz]

That frozen lake looks pretty tempting to me at the moment... 

[PeterHG]

8 hours ago, elefromoz said:

That frozen lake looks pretty tempting to me at the moment..

The grass is always colder.....

[TonyQ]

16.UK.16. Tufted Duck  Aythya fuligula        

(F) Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           12.01.2021

 

(M) Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           12.01.2021

Edited January 20, 2021 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

17.UK.17. Pied Wagtail  Motacilla alba         

(M) Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           12.01.2021

(F) Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           12.01.2021

The most common of the Wagtails we are likely to see, and this park is a reliable spot.

[TonyQ]

18.UK.18. Canada Goose  Branta canadensis         

Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           12.01.2021

The most common goose in this area

[TonyQ]

19.UK.19. Greylag Goose  Anser anser 

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

The next most common goose - this one a native species (unlike the Canada!)

[TonyQ]

20.UK.20. Bar-headed Goose  Anser indicus           

New to the UK (we did see them in India 2 years ago)

 

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021 

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

 

A surprising treat for us. As an "Anser" I presume it is relatively closely related to the Greylag. The "indicus" shows the India link.

Individuals have been seen around the Midlands for a few months. One was seen regularly at Earlswood (site of a previous visit), and it was hanging around with Canada Geese. As you see in the second photo, this one is also with a group of Canadas.

 

I think the people who run the "Official" bird list of the UK don't count them as although some breed in the UK, they are not seen as "self-sustaining". 

However, I am not part of an "official" group. I think it is a very pretty goose and we enjoyed seeing it. So I am counting it.

 

[Soukous]

54 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

I think it is a very pretty goose and we enjoyed seeing it. So I am counting it

quite right too

[Peter Connan]

You sure got great shots of it, and all the others too!

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

quite right too

Hear hear! I did the same a couple of years back when I saw one in Yorkshire. If its not dead and behind wires I count them and even if dead I may be tempted if it was still  warm.

[PeterHG]

A great set of photos again, @TonyQ! I agree the Bar-headed is a pretty goose. We have a small self-sustaining population here, too. It is called 'Indische gans' ( Indian Goose) here.

[shazdwn]

Great collection of geese photos

[Dave Williams]

I agree ...count the Goose! We had one locally a few years ago, great to see a different one for a change!

[michael-ibk]

Beautiful photos, you seem to have very nice weather right now.

[TonyQ]

@michael-ibksnowing all day today, predicted to be -5degrees overnight 😊

But it was nice when the pictures were taken...

[TonyQ]

Thank you all for your kind comments. A few more...

Starting with everyone's favourite

21.UK.21. Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove)  Columba livia

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021