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

[Dave Williams]

490)Little Weaver

Little Weaver.   BY490 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

491)Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover  BY491 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

492)Little Egret 

Little Egret.    BY492 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited December 24, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

That indicates Purple Heron.....anyone else?

Count my late vote for Goliath too. More bad news may be on the way. I have a feeling that your Little Egret may be a white morph of Western Reef Egret. Legs are Olive with no distinct yellow feet.

[xelas]

9 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

and my footy team lose too!

But the match was entertaining!

[Kitsafari]

gosh, in less than a week, your count has just surged and just 8-9 birds away from half a century! some spectacular shots there especially the gonolek. 

[Dave Williams]

11 hours ago, Galana said:

Count my late vote for Goliath too. More bad news may be on the way. I have a feeling that your Little Egret may be a white morph of Western Reef Egret. Legs are Olive with no distinct yellow feet.

 

You could well be correct. I can hopefully find a Little Egret locally, they are almost abundant nowadays. I'm amazed I haven't got one on file!

Desperate few days ahead and if you saw, actually you can see, it's absolutely horrible out there. Grey, misty, damp, cold.....but the hunt must continue.

 

 

Update:- it's lashing down now , rain stopped play for today.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Peter Connan]

Tantalizingly close now!

Good hunting.

[Galana]

58 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

actually you can see, it's absolutely horrible out there.

Not too bad here. Viz good, can see English Lakes and Galloway (and a maze of bloody Turbines in England)

Force 4 win but dry. No frost.

The hunt will continue over Christmas. There is a Manx festival on 26th that is called "Hunt the Wren". Never known what that is about but I sure as heck will be hunting something. Redpolls maybe. No sign of Waxwings for a couple of years.

Sorry about your Little Egret. There is one on the river outside if you need it.

[Dave Williams]

If at first you don't succeed

492)Striated Heron

Striated Heron.  BY492 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

493)Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbill.  BY493 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

494)Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone. BY494 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

495)Sanderling

Sanderling  BY495 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

Came from nowhere to see off a passing Osprey which had just been mobbed by a few Kites!

496)Red-necked Falcon

Red-necked Falcon.  BY496 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

One of my all time favourite birds

497)Greater Painted Snipe

Greater Painted Snipe.  BY497 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

Well that was meant to be No 500 but it is all I have...for now!

I have 7 days in theory but not in practice.

The weather looks to be not the best but it could be worse.

I have a few possibilities left....including the Owl Sanctuary! Just how low can I sink?

Watch this space.

[Galana]

31 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

The weather looks to be not the best but it could be worse.

I have a few possibilities left....including the Owl Sanctuary! Just how low can I sink?

You may be pleased to learn that my bullish weather report of three hours ago is now toast. Thank you for sending it over. I would have hated to have missed it. (not). Why can they not hold Christmas in the summer when the weather is often better?

On your last comment above, the Jury is out.

[Dave Williams]

19 minutes ago, Galana said:

You may be pleased to learn that my bullish weather report of three hours ago is now toast. Thank you for sending it over. I would have hated to have missed it. (not). Why can they not hold Christmas in the summer when the weather is often better?

On your last comment above, the Jury is out.

 

I haven't sunk to Feral Pigeon yet, and I wouldn't be setting a precedent if I did would I ?!   ( no names, you ALL know who you are!  ). 

[TonyQ]

I think a Feral Pigeon would be an excellent choice for number 500

[Dave Williams]

3 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

I think a Feral Pigeon would be an excellent choice for number 500

I thought you might be in favour Tony!!

[TonyQ]

@Dave Williamsyou know me too well 

[Peter Connan]

Well in my opinion greater painted snipe is worth at least 5 points...

[pedro maia]

Another vote for the feral pigeon here!

[Kitsafari]

oh thank you for the reminder! we haven't counted that yet in the SG list this year. i'm sure it'll come in handy, if we can get a shot of one between now and 31st. 

[Dave Williams]

I set off this morning with three "doable " species at our local reserve, just one was found and very distantly.

498) Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser.  BY498 by Dave Williams, on Flickr