Galana's Seventh. Lucky numbers.

[Galana]

No sign of me fumbling decent shots yet.

Went out early doors to see if the Arctic  and Little Terns had come home yet but no signs.

Thought I had got really lucky and the friendly local Merlin was still around but with the windscreen in the way of the lens he terned out to be  a nice Kestrel taking his ease.

Ah well! Better than nowt.

229. IOM 47. Common Kestrel. Wrights Pit, IOM. Camera was still on Wallaby settings (ISO 1600 hence the noise)

 

When I got home for breakfast I realised I had yet to count Greylags. One of the commonest sightings here so here it is.

230. 048 IOM. Greylag Goose. Kimmeragh Dubh, Bride. IOM.

 

Sand Martins are back but you can have this as a freebie as even I have my limits!

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

You do? 

[Galana]

On 5/2/2023 at 2:47 PM, michael-ibk said:

You do? 

I do!

This is about on the line.

Today my first Little Terns of the season. I will do better so save them for later.

[Galana]

Today I found some birds that actually were worth adding to the count (and two that I declined)

So tempted out by a sunny afternoon when chores were done and the wine was chilling I went off to my favourite little patch of trees.

Drew a complete blank as the 'idiots in charge' have taken it into their froth filled heads to do some habitat modification. Also known as Chainsawing some pines used by many species for nesting and food. Saw one very distressed Blackbird and a bunch of opportunist Hoodies. If I had been a member I would have cancelled my membership.

Anyway I moved on.

Not all bad news. I passed on a few distant Curlews but caught a nice Shelduck napping in the afternoon  sun.

231.IOM50. Common Shelduck. Kibberagh Dubh. Bride.

 

Then I saw a nice real Pied Wagtail (Yarrellii) showing off his field marks that distinguish him for his pale cousins.

232/IOM51. Pied Wagtail. Ballaghennie. IOM . I had been saving this for my 'lounge list' as I see them from my window but never when my camera is to hand. But this chap was too nice to pass up.

Next to where some birds were defying careless tourons to pick up some grit and paused long enough for a picture.

.

233/IOM 52. Sand Martin. Ayres.

 

And finally for today my first Whitethroats enjoying the evening sunshine. Even  if it was not favourable for the cameraman.

234/ IOM 53. Common Whitethroat.Wright's East Tip.

 

TAF!

 

 

 

[xelas]

Beautiful weather you have, and nice birds!

[Galana]

3 hours ago, xelas said:

Beautiful weather you have,

Yes, The May Miracle is upon us and soon we won't be able to see birds for lush foliage.

If the new King Charles III had chosen IOM for his Coronation last Saturday he would not have needed any Umbrellas but I see there is something nasty out in the Atlantic due with us at the weekend.

[xelas]

This is how birding in Slovenia looks right now (literally right now 😁)

 

 

[Soukous]

coffee & croissant - not all bad then

[BRACQUENE]

The most horrible weather this week in Brussels with hardly any sunshine and rain is again coming down as I write this ; My new gear is unemployed for the moment and "spring" is progressing fast 

[PeterHG]

Cutting trees in the middle of the nesting season??? I see that here sometimes and can't help but wonder about the sanity of the people in charge. Glad you got some nice additions anyway!

[Galana]

7 hours ago, xelas said:

This is how birding in Slovenia looks right now (literally right now 😁

Not birding to day as our roads are closed for a darn Car Rally so must make do with the view..

Front.

Rear. All 936 metres of our only Mountain.

Our rear garden. Complete with Palm Trees.

 

Internals.  Well it is Gin o'clock on a Friday afternoon!

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by Galana

[Kitsafari]

great views!

[Galana]

Well. Tomorrow we sail for England at silly o'clock so unless I find a subject on the drive to the Ferry that's my IOM birds done for a few weeks.

Sarah does have Wiffy in the cottage so no doubt there will be a few Scots birds to report.

I know I do my trip reports on the hoof as it were but to start it now would be tempting providence.

So this is the planned route only. No promises. Not that far as the Gull flies.

The forecast is good too.

[TonyQ]

Have a great trip!

[Galana]

So e have arrivedat Grobdale. Trip report pending. Seen some birds. On the way west along the A75 by Dumfries Lady G played 'who will see the first Red Kite?' It was a dead heat and there were any more to come. But nothing  worth any battery power. They will come later.

So I can make do with these:

 

235. Whinchat.  Rubbish. It's Linnet!!Townhead of Greenlaw. CastleDouglas

236. Tree Pipit. Grobdale of Ghirton  Gatehouse of Fleet.

 

237. Skylark. Grobdale of Ghirton, Gatehouse of Fleet,

 

And finally after gettng all excited and trackig the call..

European Cuckoo. Grobdale

 Only to find when back at Croft Cottagee I had seen them in Tanzania. #115.

 

Red Kites tomorrow?

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Galana
Corrected thanks to @TDGraves

[Tdgraves]

I suspect you may have picked the wrong shot, but your first photo looks suspiciously like a linnet…

[Galana]

Bugger. There were Goldfinches present too and I must have snapped the wrong one.

Thanks,

[Galana]

Thanks to a friendly nudge from @Tdgraveswe have a new  #235.

By the miracle of ST here it is.

235. Tufted Duck. Carlinwark Loch. Castle Douglas.

 

Whilst there awiting Lady Gs return from shopping for essentials such as Red Wine and Malt Whisky as well as something called 'groceries' as alternate food I ticked off two Grebes.

The first just to keep my eye in

 

238. Little Grebe, Carlingwark Loch,

 

and a slightly worse one just to show I have not yet mastered the art....

239. Great Crested Grebe. Carlingwark.

 

Went for along walk into nearby Duac woods. Saw a Chaffinch some warblers and a Dunnock. Cuckoos and Woodpeckers calling and Red Kite flew over.

Three Roe deer too. Tomorrow is another day. We go to Wigtown.

Weather fine and sunny.

Back at our cottage the swllows are nesting by the door.

This one likes the hat rack.

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

No surprise that the LG looks a bit blurry, it was taken before the food (real food, not alternate) has arrived to help steadying the camera. I am still waiting that someone will name its whisky Vibration Control Malt or similar !

[Peter Connan]

Control or contribution?

 

[Galana]

Thanks.

The bottle is as yet, 17.05 on 23rd, unopened. I generally  ration myself to whisky only at week ends but I cannot say the same for wine.

 

Today we went west to my favourite little reserve in Wigtown. I often get something special there. A small reserve with but one hide but my two hours vigil was rather quiet. Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Coots, moorhens and mallard. No sign of any Waterrails or Kingfishers.

So I passed my time with a couple of duplicates.

 

And then my day was made, A lifer (world) popped out of the sedges.

 

 

240. American Wigeon. Town Reserve. Wigtown, Wigtownshire, South West Scotland.

 

On a high we set off the six miles or so to RSPB Crook of Baldoon as whist this is brilliant for gees in winter I fancied seeing it in Spring. Swans, Egrets, Lapwings and Redshanks but I saved those for better days.

I met the RSPB ranger and mentioned my luck withe the wigeon to be met with 'Oh! He's back is he?' Seems like he pops up every couple of years.

Oh well still a Lifer for me. Not checked but around #2300 or so.

And the Reed beds were empty but I did get a soort of sot of another tick for the day.

241. Reed Bunting. RSPB. Crook of Baldoon. Wigtown.

I will do better with this no doubt but thought it may as well go in the bag today.

Lots of Red Kites but I refuse to put up a posed poto from the farm and will keep trying.

 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

 

 

[PeterHG]

Great to score a lifer! Would be for me, too....!

[Galana]

Today we went east but even before leaving the moorland track from our cottage honours were restored.

 

Now with a new number 242...

242. WHINCHAT. Grobdale of Girton, Gatehouse of Fleet.

 

And so to RSPB Mersehead. This was empty of the usual 1,000s of Barnacle Geese as they have left for Svalbard for the summer.

BUT my other regular target was at home, with friends...

243. Tree Sparrow. RSPB Mersehead. OK. They are on a feeder. I make no excuses or apologies. EBC can have different meanings,

 

To be followed by...

244. Yellowhammer. RSPB Mersehead. OK. I could photoshop the seeds out but I am too honest.

 

Next is one that I could get at home, and will, but it looked so nice I added one now.

 

245. Chinese Ring-neck Pheasant. RSPB Mersehead.

 

We do mammals it seems so here are two from today at Mersehead....

Brown Rat. Mersehead.

 

Roebuck.

 

Back to the count.

Re-located to RSPB Ken-Dee Marshes.

 

246. Garden Warbler. Ken-Dee marsh.

 

And a duplicate.

Lots of Red Kites around but not tempting enough.

 

 

[Galana]

Another day another dollar or at least a tick.

First a correction. Last phot above is NOT a duplicate. Turns out I have not claimed Canada Goose this year. I must be waiting for a decent on island subject to use. OH well.

I might as well go for it now. Read on!

 

Today having cleaned off all the dust from the car, our digs are up a long, 1 mile gravel road, we boldly set off to get it covered again. We took the Forest track known as Raider's road between Mossdale and Clatteringshaws Loch which promised some moorland and forest birds Sadly apart from a distant Buzzard and some manic chaffinches and one warbler, Chiffchaff I think, it was a blank. Just as well we did not have enough coins to pay £3 for the drive so did it for nowt.

On theway there I took this to start the day although it is another that I should get on the Island.

 

247. Eurasian Collared Dove. Lauriston.

 

Next up the suspect 'Chiffchaff'...I note greeny yellow shoulders that I have not seen before.

248. Chiffchaff. Raider's Road. Mossdale.

 

Finished up at Ken-Dee Marshes. Hides still closed but a nice walk.

So here is the missing Goose.

249. Canada Goose. Melia Lagoon RSPB. KenDee marshes.

 

And blow me I took this as a record shot and find it is the first for 2023

250. Northern Shoveller. Ken Dee reserve.  Might as well use it although not really worthy of 250.

 

But the next one is.

Failed to get photos this trip but our return walk managed them

Of course the darn things flatly refused to give a clear shot. Dad, Mum and Jnr but beggars cannot be choosers.

 

251. European Bullfinch. Hide track. Ken Dee Marshes.

 

That would be it for today but whilst I do have a duplicate I am so pleased with the event I am giving them their own slot.

 

 

 

 

 

[Galana]

Now to the stars of today.

Alread counted but worthy of a repeat.

 

Walking back to the car a small bird popped over the track, then another. Then they flew back whence they came. Several times.

I am also a believer in banging a shot at the general location of the bird and then looking at what I have or have not got when back home.

A la @Dave WilliamsFoxy.

So here it is.

Result!

Ma and Pa Long-tailed Tit.

 

Again...

But NOT cropped. Stayed for a proper pose.

Junior waits for some food.

 

And of course we then got treated, and I DO mean treated to the whole brood.

There were seven I think but who's counting?

Any pruning was in the number of shots I took but here are a few.

 

I even got 3 of them on a five barred gate but not of the best.

I think these made my day. Top marks in the cuteness stakes.

 

Made my other duplicate of the day pale by comparison although normally it might rate star billing. Seen in Tanzania in February.

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Galana