Reach for the skies!!! My tern to fly high!

[Dave Williams]

So here we go, after some thought I will continue with the BY but there are some changes in my approach !

The Tortoise is no more. Dead!

I'll now reach to the skies again hopefully and what better avatar than the long distance Arctic Tern.

I hope that 2022 will be my year of travel , although that has been the objective every year but failed of late!!

 

I have also decided that I will not "like" many posts.... and I don't expect anyone to "like" mine either! Now we are growing in number I will occasionally make comments but religiously ticking everything becomes tedious. Sorry, I don't mean to offend but that's what I'm likely to do when I have missed someone out by not ticking their latest entries.

 

My target for the year is to beat my best ever which is 400. Is it achievable? Who knows but probably not! I have trips planned to Cuba, Spain and South Africa as well as a couple in the UK but they are not trips that I expect to produce high numbers of different sightings and that  is dependant on being able to travel of course. Still, without a target there's a lack of motivation so I'm going big!!

 

Good luck everyone. Let's hope we all have a good 2022 and find our wings again..

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

It's not been the best start weatherise but I had an hour out at high tide yesterday knowing I would find at least one species that needs to be ticked before they head north.

I had a very welcome bonus in a bird I have rarely photographed.

1) Red-throated Diver

Red-throated Diver by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited January 4, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

When the weather has been pretty poor, a glimpse of sunshine so why not go and take a look at the 2)Purple Sandpipers...again! I should search for them elsewhere because the high tide roost isn't really the place for action!

Purple Sandpiper by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited January 4, 2022 by Dave Williams

[shazdwn]

Love your attitude, and your new avatar, Dave - go for gold!!

[michael-ibk]

Yeah Terns! Great start Dave, you will crush those 400!

[Galana]

A good start and good to see you taking part once more.

RIP Tortoise. Hello Tern.

 

[Kitsafari]

love the pun!

[Dave Williams]

The weather isn't too kind at the moment so I've been hanging out of the bathroom window again!

3)Long-Tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit     BY3 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

I decided to take a look at the local beach were an Iceland Gull has been hanging around for the last week or so. Access to the small  beach is impossible because it would disturb the seal colony so viewing has to be from the cliff top above, probably about 100 foot above sea level.With the light fading fast on an overcast day I was also trying my new lightweight 800mm lens both with a 1.4 TC attached and without.They achieved a reasonable image for my Big year count anyway!

4)Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull.     BY4 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

A great start to the New Year!

[Dave Williams]

Up and out early yesterday in the expectation of some snow up on the moors. A couple of slightly dodgy moments when my car only just made it to the top of an icy hill but the rewards were pretty good! First Red Grouse I'd photographed in many years

5)Red Grouse

Red Grouse BY5 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

First on the scene to arrive where the Black Grouse. Only a few and they didn't stay long but long enough to get a couple of shots at distance, sadly when the light was poor.

6) Black Grouse 

Black Grouse    BY6 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

From earlier this week , two visitors to my bird feeders are, together with the Squirrel, costing a small fortune in fat balls!

7) Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Greater Spotted Woodpecker  BY7 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

8) Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Jay   BY8 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[PeterHG]

Your drive paid off with both grouse species!

[Galana]

Envious of the Grouse especially. (But NOT that white stuff. You can keep it in Wales.)

[michael-ibk]

Great Grouse! 

[shazdwn]

Grouse look like cool birds, great find

[Zim Girl]

Lovely Red and Black Grouse!

[elefromoz]

Great new look and mission statement. 

[Dave Williams]

A day out yesterday in the North Wales uplands and a visitor centre where there are some bird feeders provided a good selection of birds not all of which I photographed as I see them in the back garden.The conditions were no where near perfect , the light variable and the back ground cluttered but I got a decent haul for my BY count!

The common ones in the garden at home are 

9) Chaffinch

Chaffinch.    BY9 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

10)Great Tit

Great Tit. BY10 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

 

 

[Dave Williams]

Distant and out in the fir tree nearby forest

11)Crossbill

Crossbill    BY11 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

feeding on the spillage on the floor under the feeders

12)Brambling

Brambling.   BY12 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 on the feeders

13)Redpoll

Redpoll.  BY13 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

and my favourites for the day

14)Willow Tit

Willow Tit.    BY14 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

15) Siskin

Siskin    BY15 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

an excellent day with three species I failed on last year!

[Galana]

A good day out indeed and with some enviable captures. Two I looked for in vain last year.

[lmSA84]

Brilliant trip that! Brambling, Crossbill, Willow, Siskin, Redpoll in one location - I need to get on my bike to Wales! 

[Galana]

4 hours ago, lmSA84 said:

I need to get on my bike to Wales! 

Well there is plenty of room as most of the population are shopping in England.