Galana's sixth. Building on what was started.

[Dave Williams]

300 tantalisingly close Fred. I'm sure you'll make it though.

 

[Galana]

On 11/20/2022 at 3:16 PM, Dave Williams said:

300 tantalisingly close Fred. I'm sure you'll make it though.

Hope so. And just to confused matters I seem to have muxxed up the numbers by missing out Long-tailed Tits whilst entering a Wiffy Black Hole at the back of the moon orbit. Now emerging back on the IOM after a midnight crossing in Force 8.

Back soon.

[Galana]

A quick one to prove I am alive and well.

First some recompense for that awful original EBC now re-numbered.

287. Common Kestrel.  Sorry about a few twigs. Seahouses. Northumberland.

 

And what I had hoped what would prove a Lifer in Red-necked Grebe but when I got it home it was 'just' a Slavonian (Horned) Grebe.

297. Slavonian Grebe. Budle Bay. Northumberland. But having missed out on them this summer it IS a welcome tick.

 

[Galana]

Tidying up today to see if I can scrape passed 300 and I offer these to the experts.

 

The smaller bird is not a Brent but is it a Long-tailed Duck?

 

By way of penance I offer two more product improvements.

European Bullfinch. Male and Female. Leighton Moss RSPB.

 

Northern Pintail. RSPB Leighton Moss..

 

Saturday afternoon and Gin o'clock is nigh. Or, given the outside temperature, it may be Rum Blackcurrant and hot water.

Duck for dinner but as the species is not evident I won't count it.

On the other hand it is all water off a ducks back or are my standards are to high?

Edited November 26, 2022 by Galana
corrections.

[Dave Williams]

I have an Owl sanctuary just down the road and I'm not going there....yet!!

 

[TonyQ]

@Galanathe beak on the upper of the two birds does look like a duck beak rather than a goose beak, and there is a hint of white markings on the face which look possible for a long-tailed!

[PeterHG]

Love your Pintail and Bullfinch! I have looked long and hard at your Brent shot. As far as I can see there are four birds in the photo. I agree the markings on second one from the top look a little different, but there may be other explanations for that ( motion blur, lighting). My feeling is that they are all Brent Geese, but I can’t be completely sure, of course. Just my two cents anyway.

[Galana]

3 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Just my two cents anyway.

Two cents well spent. A really close look at the original shows how right you are. The wings are in the wrong place for only two birds and, given my acknowledged incompetency, this is a flight of four in tight formation but a touch of Galanablur. Given the top wing pattern of the subject bird these are all Brent. Well spotted Peter. Sorry @TonyQbut thanks for the help.

 

@Dave WilliamsOwl Sanctuary. Two hoots and I am off down the road to our Wildlife Park as I can do with Pink-backed Pelican and  a few Cockatoos for the IOM list.

 

 

[Galana]

Moving slowly on we toured the flats at low and high tide in mixed weather.

The rainbow held out  a promise....

 

As did the Brent Geese at Fenham

We have a visitor from Denmark. I wonder if he knows @mvechtMichael on the other IOM?

Full details awaited.

 

Birdwatching does not come much better than this view from the Hide.

 

Further afield we visited Low Newton pond and picked up a few duplicates.

And even some Golden Plover taking shelter by the roadside in Bamburgh.

A small part of the flock of about 100.

 

Finally on the return to Budle Bay and our cottage the tide had flooded and brought the waders inshore and amongst the larger waders I managed to single out a tiny bird but could not get it to stop feeding.

Compared to the Redshank.

298. Little Stint. Budle Bay.

And that just about wraps up our stay in Northumbria. Tomorrow we drive down to Heysham for the Ferry home and still two short of my 300.

 

 

[mvecht]

@Galana Although the Brent looks familiar, I am not sure I have met this particular bird 

They are quite common in Denmark during the winter but that is mainly in the Western part of the country.

Unfortunately we do not see them that often on IOM.

Lovely pictures btw.

[Galana]

9 hours ago, mvecht said:

Lovely pictures btw.

Thank you.

Here is #299. Taken at Leighton Moss in Lancashire on my drive home for the Ferry to IOM.

Sorry I could not get them away from the feeder but they whizzed straight in and back to the bushes.

299. Marsh Tit. Leighton Moss RSPB. Lancashire. England.

[TonyQ]

Very close to the magic number!

[xelas]

Just camp somewhere close to the beach the #300 will surely fly by 

[Galana]

It already has.

But it swam.

300. Gadwall. Leighton Moss.

[TonyQ]

Well done on 300, a fine score indeed 

[Zim Girl]

Congratulations on getting to 300!

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on reaching 300! An excellent achievement.

[xelas]

Congratulations! Swam or fly, the bird is a bird ... and that Gadwall is as pretty as they come.

[Tdgraves]

Congrats on the triple century 

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations! A nice close-up shot too.

[Dave Williams]

Well done Fred. Knew you could do it!

[BRACQUENE]

Congratulations for your 300 Fred !

[Kitsafari]

Hoorah on the 300th with an excellent shot of the gadwall!

[pedro maia]

Congrats on the triple century Fred, very nice Gadwall picture!

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations from me as well Fred, well done. Lovely Gadwall photo to get there.