tdgraves big year 2022 - here's hoping it's (all) better!

[PeterHG]

So many great shots in your duplicates!

[pedro maia]

It took me quite some time to catch up here, Kenya, UK, Thailand, lot´s of great species, belated congrats on #400!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @PeterHG and @pedro maia

 

 

[Peter Connan]

Merry Christmas to the both of you!

[Tdgraves]

13 minutes ago, Peter Connan said:

Merry Christmas to the both of you!

Thanks Peter and to you and yours. Will be strange not seeing you next month as we are off to the Kgalagadi. Maybe in September when we go back to the Kruger?

[Peter Connan]

Looking forward to it.

 

We are going to one of the private reserves bordering the Kruger in a couple of days.

[Tdgraves]

57 minutes ago, Peter Connan said:

Looking forward to it.

 

We are going to one of the private reserves bordering the Kruger in a couple of days.

Excellent - enjoy all of the birds that we won’t see in the NC!

[Tdgraves]

I went out a couple of times before the big freeze to try and help this year's pathetically small UK list

 

Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, 9/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 200-400 f/4 L, ISO 500, f5.6, 1/1000

 

7T4A0498 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

427) Grey wagtail

[Tdgraves]

Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, 9/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 200-400 f/4 L, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/500

 

7T4A0714 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

428) Meadow pipit

Edited December 28, 2022 by Tdgraves
better photo

[Tdgraves]

Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, 9/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 200-400 f/4 L, ISO 800, f5.6, 1/1600, EV +1/3 - not yet the ideal BIF combo for my weakling arms!!

 

7T4A0559 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

429) Red kite

Edited December 28, 2022 by Tdgraves
typo

[Tdgraves]

I was surprised at how low the water levels still were, so it was not the best spot to have chosen, but at least I got three more, with some duplicates

 

7T4A0496 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0577 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0581 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0596 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0610 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0657 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0688 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

I'm assuming that we do not accept hybrids as ticks...

 

7T4A0522 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Canada x Greylag goose

[Tdgraves]

My UK list is short on gulls and apart from hearing them in the garden, I don't think I have actually seen a green woodpecker all year, so these were my next targets..

 

Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 20/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/2000

 

7T4A0925 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

430) Great black-backed gull (juvenile)

[Tdgraves]

Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 20/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/3200

 

7T4A1192 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

431) Lesser black-backed gull (juvenile)

[Tdgraves]

I saw a kingfisher, the first time I had seen one here, but was too slow to get a shot. Not long after, I heard a green woodpecker and managed to grab an evidence BIF shot. I was pretty happy to have acheived my targets, as I do not usually go out with a shopping list, so I was delighted when I turned a corner and saw the woodpecker in the grass of the next field

 

Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 20/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/2000

 

7T4A1094 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A1097 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

432) Green woodpecker

[Tdgraves]

Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 20/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f7.1, 1/1600

 

7T4A1173 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

433) Eurasian wigeon

[Tdgraves]

Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 20/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 800, f7.1, 1/4000

 

7T4A0989 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/800

 

7T4A1048 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

434) Great cormorant

[Tdgraves]

Godmanchester Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, 20/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/1600

 

7T4A1058 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

435) Rock dove

[Tdgraves]

Some duplicates, as it was lovely light

 

7T4A0944 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0956 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A0979 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A1144 by tdgraves, on Flickr

[Tdgraves]

We went for a walk in the village on Christmas eve and I was rewarded with my first fieldfare of the year, although it was not keen on posing...

 

My village, Cambridgeshire, 24/12/22

 

Canon 5D mark IV, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/1600, EV +2/3

 

7T4A1222 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

436) Fieldfare

[Tdgraves]

Everything else was a bit too far away, apart from this wagtail who posed on a dung heap!
 

7T4A1234 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Unless it stops raining soon, that will be it, except for the dreaded EBC folder...

[PeterHG]

Well done on getting some of your target birds, especially the green woodpecker! And also on catching the fieldfare in flight behind those branches!

[TonyQ]

That was a very productive set of local visits, well done

[Galana]

A worthy outing and as others, the Green Woodpecker stands out.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @PeterHG @TonyQ and @Galana

[Kitsafari]

excellent additions in quite gorgeous light.