TonyQ: Big Year 2023

[TonyQ]

28.UK.28 Blue Tit  Cyanistes caeruleus        

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     17.01.23

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     17.01.23

A very common bird, but very beautiful also

[TonyQ]

29.UK.29 Coal Tit  Periparus ater     

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

[TonyQ]

30.UK.30 Marsh Tit  Poecile palustris           

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

[TonyQ]

A few more to add to the list!

31.UK.31 Nuthatch  Sitta europea    

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

[TonyQ]

32.UK.32 Chaffinch  Fringilla coelebs           

(F) Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

(M) Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

[TonyQ]

33.UK.33 Redwing  Turdus iliacus    

(with a little ice on the ground) Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

We have seen a lot of Redwings this winter -but no Fieldfares yet

[TonyQ]

34.UK.34 Treecreeper  Certhia familiaris      

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     19.01.23

(with part of a grub extracted from the bark), Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

I really enjoy watching Treecreepers

[TonyQ]

35.UK.35 Goosander  Mergus merganser    

Goosanders usually sit in the middle of lakes (or on the opposite side to us). But this time much of the lakes were frozen, and the clear patch was where the sun landed.

 

(M) Earlswood, nr Birmingham     17.01.23

(F) Earlswood, nr Birmingham     17.01.23

I am posting a couple more because it is the first time I have seen this behaviour

with a large fish, Earlswood, nr Birmingham     17.01.23

Earlswood, nr Birmingham     17.01.23

I always amazes me the size of fish that birds can swallow!

[PeterHG]

Great photos of the Goosanders!

[Peter Connan]

Great catches!

[Zim Girl]

Lovely pictures of the Treecreeper and Goosanders!

[pedro maia]

That’s a big fish, very nice pictures.

[Kitsafari]

oh lovely shot of the treecreeper! and the goosanders. i always wonder, if the fish is as long as the bird, and it is swallowed, shouldn't the fish's tail be always sticking out of the mouth when the fish's head reaches the stomach? 

[TonyQ]

@PeterHG @Peter Connan @Zim Girl@pedro maia @Kitsafarithank you

 

A few more from January

36.UK.36 Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus      

 

Highbury Park, Birmingham    21.01.23

[TonyQ]

37.UK.37 Carrion Crow  Corvus corone       

Highbury Park, Birmingham    21.01.23

[TonyQ]

38.UK.38 Gadwall  Anas strepera     

(m) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           20.01.23

(f) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           20.01.23

[TonyQ]

39.UK.39 Teal  Anas crecca  

(m) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           20.01.23

(f) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           20.01.23

[TonyQ]

40.UK.40 Kestrel  Falco tinnunculus 

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           20.01.23

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           20.01.23

We have seen a Kestrel quite a few times at Upton Warren, but usually at a distance, often hunting over a field or sitting on a telegraph post. This time it was much more obliging. It really is a beautiful bird.

[xelas]

Beautiful birds and beautiful photos!

[Soukous]

On 1/17/2023 at 1:01 PM, shazdwn said:

once you get used to mirrorless you will never go back.

 

Aw come on. I love the sound of the shutter on my DSLR. And I much prefer seeing what I am photographing rather than a digital version of it.  Added to which I cannot afford the mirrorless camera I would like. 

[Soukous]

You're motoring along nicely Tony. Seeing your photos reminds me that I need to get out a bit more. Most of the species you've posted are within reach here. 

[TonyQ]

@xelasthank you

@Soukousthank you. One of the things I like about the Big Year is that each January it encourages us to go out and appreciate local common birds again.

All of them so far (and those to come) are within a radius of 20 miles - many of them within 5 miles.

 

41.UK.41 Ring-necked Parakeet  Psittacula krameri

 

Highbury Park, Birmingham    21.01.23

Highbury Park, Birmingham    21.01.23

Swanshurst Park, Birmingham           07.02.23

It is possible that the bird seen in the last picture was one of the individuals seen in Highbury park. The parks are only about a mile apart and we saw three birds in each of them.

These are an invasive species that appear to be breeding in many parts of the country now.

Edited February 16, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

42.UK.42 Siskin  Carduelis spinus    

(F) Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

(M) Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

(M) Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

[TonyQ]

43.UK.43 Lesser Redpoll  Carduelis cabaret

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

Moseley Bog, Birmingham      23.01.23

Usually we see these quite high in trees, but these were a bit lower, and in beautiful winter sun. They appear to eat the same food on the same trees as their cousins (well at least another Carduelis) above

[TonyQ]

44.UK.44 Rook  Corvus frugilegus    

Grimley, Worcestershire         24.01.23

Grimley, Worcestershire         24.01.23