Zim Girl's 5th Big Year 2022

[Zim Girl]

127.  Red Knot

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  03/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

I had forgotten to take a picture of a (whisper it), feral pigeon, earlier in the year.  So here is one from our own collection.  A small group of them have been visiting every day for the last few months.

 

128.  Feral Pigeon

Back garden  -  11/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

So my first lifer is an unusual visitor to our local nature reserve.  First spotted a couple of weeks ago and has been seen every day since.  It is a juvenile Red-footed Falcon.  It has created a bit of a stir, the reserve hasn't seen so many photographers and big lenses in a long while!  I was lucky to see it on my first try with a bit of help from some other birders.  As it's a juvenile it does have a bit of a 'hobby' look.  My pictures sadly don't do it justice but you can just see the lighter, rusty coloured head in the 2nd pic.  I was also able to see it much better through someone's scope when it perched a long way off in some trees.  There are some lovely pictures of it on twitter/FB from the reserve.

 

129.  Red-footed Falcon

 

Marton Mere  -  05/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

A last minute drive out to the coast this week produced the best birding we have had in this location.  Good weather combined with getting the tides just right and a lack of the usual dog walkers on the shore line helped.  Not entirely sure if these plovers are all juveniles or some adults in winter plumage.

 

130.  Common Ringed Plover

 

Rossall Point  -  14/09/22

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by Zim Girl

[Zim Girl]

131.  Sanderling  (I think 2nd pic might be juvenile)

 

Rossall Point  -  14/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

132.  Dunlin

Rossall Point  -  14/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

My 2nd lifer, courtesy of a very nice chap who was also birding here and who showed me this Curlew Sandpiper in amongst the Dunlins.  Also a juvenile.

 

133.  Curlew Sandpiper

 

Rossall Point  -  14/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

A group shot.  This is just a very small snapshot of the many birds that were on the shoreline.

 

[Zim Girl]

I forgot to add that when I was in the reserve looking for the falcon, I just happened to be checking what was on one of the pools that can be seen from the main track when to my surprise this was stood out in the open!  It whizzed back into the reeds really quickly so I only got the one chance at a photo.

 

NC.  Eurasian Bittern

 

[Zim Girl]

A couple of weeks ago we were walking at Hutton Roof crags, South Cumbria.  There were big flocks of birds flying from tree to tree in the distance.  It looked like starling behaviour but we could see they weren't starlings.  When we got a bit closer I took a picture and it turns out they were mistle thrushes.  There were loads of them.  The picture below just shows a few in one of the trees.  I couldn't get the masses as they flew as soon as I got too close.  Just thought it was interesting as we have never seen so many before.

 

[michael-ibk]

Awesome Bittern sighting! And what are you talking about that ebc folder? At least here on the phone the Goldcrest looks fabulous. 

[Galana]

I agree with @michael-ibkabout the Goldcrests. For me that is good enough to frame.

Enjoy Kafue.

[Peter Connan]

I didn't see any EBC's either.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on your lifers and the wonderful Bittern sighting! 

[TonyQ]

Certainly no EBCs in your postings - you will be giving the term a bad name 

Well done with the falcon - I see a dragonfly as well!

Excellent bittern, and a really good collection from the coast

I have never seen Mistle Thrushes like that (I have not seen one this year)

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by TonyQ

[Zim Girl]

On 9/16/2022 at 7:12 PM, michael-ibk said:

Awesome Bittern sighting! And what are you talking about that ebc folder? At least here on the phone the Goldcrest looks fabulous. 

I know, I couldn't believe the Bittern.  I kept telling anyone I met I had seen it but they were only interested in finding the falcon.  Any other day it would have been a talking point!

My ebc folder contains worse .

On 9/17/2022 at 12:17 AM, Galana said:

I agree with @michael-ibkabout the Goldcrests. For me that is good enough to frame.

Enjoy Kafue.

Thank you, we hope to.

On 9/17/2022 at 4:33 AM, Peter Connan said:

I didn't see any EBC's either.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

Thank you Peter.

On 9/17/2022 at 9:14 AM, PeterHG said:

Congratulations on your lifers and the wonderful Bittern sighting! 

Thank you, I am pleased to be still getting lifers.

7 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Certainly no EBCs in your postings - you will be giving the term a bad name 

Well done with the falcon - I see a dragonfly as well!

Excellent bittern, and a really good collection from the coast

I have never seen Mistle Thrushes like that (I have not seen one this year)

 

Yes, the falcon had just caught a dragonfly.  

The mistle thrushes were quite something and were making a lot of noise too.

[Zim Girl]

I know I said that was my last post before going away but sometimes the birding gods look down on you and smile, so here are two more .

 

We dropped into Leighton Moss on the way up to Cumbria on Saturday just for a really quick look.  Walked into one of the estuary hides and this is what we saw. Sorry for number of pics but this made my day.

 

134.  Kingfisher

 

 

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  17/09/22

 

[Zim Girl]

Then we drove up to the main reserve and had a quick look in one of the areas the Bearded Tits can be seen.  We had only been stood there just a few seconds and we could see movement in the reeds.  Before long around 8 or 9 birds were peeking out and flying around.

 

135.  Bearded Tit

 

 

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  17/09/22

 

 

 

[TonyQ]

A wonderful way to finish before your trip.

Enjoy Zambia

[michael-ibk]

Two absolutely awesome sightings - and photos! 

[xelas]

Cracking photos of both Kingfisher and Bearded Tit!

[Galana]

A grande finale before your trip.

[PeterHG]

Beautiful sightings and photos! Enjoy your trip!

[Zim Girl]

Thank you very much @TonyQ, @michael-ibk, @xelas, @Galana and @PeterHG.

[shazdwn]

Those bearded tit photos are great