Foxy has a cunning plan onwards and upwards.

[Dave Williams]

So I have broken the rules from the off and failed to put my name to the topic but that's just the beginning....it will get worse I promise! ( Mind you I could change my user name if needed, you might have noticed my Tern is over and I have a new avatar).

 

Last year was numerically an epic one by my standards and I thought long before deciding to join in again but I don't want to lose touch with those who have become internet pals. It's a good little community.

So here I am again with my own personal interpretation of how I'll play the game. I don't want to waste time chasing all and sundry, I don't want to spend hours processing images of subject matter I already have plenty of.

I don't want to have to look and like at every single image everyone posts. It's all too time consuming and time is too precious to do things you don't need to.

I don't want to book trips purely for bird numbers and although I'm competitive I can't ever imaging getting much higher then the 501 I achieved last year so where do I go from there?

Easy really, in true Brit style "Keep Calm and Carry On".

 

so here it is , just like Noddy's best mate, my Big Years

 

502)Firecrest.

I was tipped off that there was a pair not far from home. I spotted one in a bush next to the car as I pulled up but before I could get the camera sorted it flew in to a distant patch of gorse before disappearing.

 

Lousy shot but easily distinguishable by the eye stripe from the far more common Goldcrest which was there when I returned a couple of days later

 

 

[Peter Connan]

25 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

So I have broken the rules from the off and failed to put my name to the topic but that's just the beginning....it will get worse I promise! ( Mind you I could change my user name if needed, you might have noticed my Tern is over and I have a new avatar).

 

Last year was numerically an epic one by my standards and I thought long before deciding to join in again but I don't want to lose touch with those who have become internet pals. It's a good little community.

 

Exactly why I am back as well.

Good to see you back Dave!

[xelas]

So, Dave, the era of The Hare and The Tortoise is now officially over?! Oh well, good stuff does not last forever ... at least most of them not. Now I need to find another avatar also for us. Any suggestions? 

[Dave Williams]

9 minutes ago, xelas said:

So, Dave, the era of The Hare and The Tortoise is now officially over?! Oh well, good stuff does not last forever ... at least most of them not. Now I need to find another avatar also for us. Any suggestions? 

Who said it was over Alex. I'm on 502 already, you have to get a move on but don't get too close to the Fox if you remain a Hare!

[Galana]

Love the new scoring system. And the new Foxy image. As to a matching pair well there is Brer Rabbit or the Fox and Goose. Best not to visit Aesop though.

I will stick by mine as everyone knows the Leopard does not change its spots.

Welcome back. As far as I am concerned you can play by whatever rules suits your style as long as you are playing the game. 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Galana

[PeterHG]

Since you did not put any name in the topic title I have no idea who I am talking to , but I'm glad you are here anyway. Your reasons to participate again match mine, but you are far more creative in thinking up ways to keep it interesting for you. 

21 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I don't want to have to look and like at every single image everyone posts.

That is good to know. Less pressure on me to come up with quality shots now 

[Dave Williams]

4 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Since you did not put any name in the topic title I have no idea who I am talking to , but I'm glad you are here anyway. Your reasons to participate again match mine, but you are far more creative in thinking up ways to keep it interesting for you. 

That is good to know. Less pressure on me to come up with quality shots now 

 

I flick through the good ones, it's the EBC's that grab my attention. They have to be justifiable!!!

[Galana]

7 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Less pressure on me to come up with quality shots now 

Strangely, I have never felt that pressure. Don't know why!

[Kitsafari]

I am Singaporean, it is a Fine society here - I have to live by rules! how on earth am I going to outfox the Foxy now?

[shazdwn]

I'm glad you decided to come back and I love the new rule interpretation - gotta do what works for you

[Dave Williams]

Well, 10% of the year gone and here I am on only my second new addition. This is one I should have had in last years count but apathy ruled until it was too late. A short walk, albeit uphill,  from our house and there was the target.

My aim this year is to work on missing UK species, or to get better shots of those I have already in the bag, hence to run a continuation of my BY into Big Years. It makes it more interesting for me anyway!

503)Raven

Raven by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

when all else fails I have the Fox!

Fox through the double glazing! by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

My Greater Scaup grabbed at the death for BY 2022 was called in to question by one @michael-ibk so here it is again, this time with comparison shots vs female Tufted Duck.

Pointers to watch for are not necessarily the white banding at the base of the bill as the third shot shows it can be apparent on the Tufted Duck too. Look for a pale cheek patch and then black on the end of the bill

499) Greater Scaup female with 97)Tufted Duck female on the left

Tufted Duck(f) and Greater Scaup(f) by Dave Williams, on Flickr

499)Greater Scaup(f)

with Tufted Duck (m) on the left.

Tufted Duck (m) and Greater Scaup (f) by Dave Williams, on Flickr

97)Tufted Duck female

Tufted Duck (f) by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[xelas]

Dave, is your left different than my left?! Or is just my screen perspective wrong?

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

Dave, is your left different than my left?! Or is just my screen perspective wrong?

 

My left is on the opposite side to my right Alex! 

Seriously, I don't see how your screen can differ from mine. The Tufted Duck in both the first two shots is on the left, the Scaup on the right.

[xelas]

Just checking, Dave, just checking !

[Soukous]

On 1/24/2023 at 5:14 PM, Dave Williams said:

I don't want to waste time chasing all and sundry, I don't want to spend hours processing images of subject matter I already have plenty of.

 

I have to agree with that.

After so many Big Years it is hard to muster enthusiasm to go out and photograph the same species over and over again. I've already decided that this year is not going to be a number chasing year and I'll only post pics I'm happy with, unless they are of something really special - in which case I'll almost certainly be happy just to have them. 

[Dave Williams]

My mojo is returning along with some winter in to spring sunshine and I have been out with my camera 5 times in all so far this year. I'm happy with my plan of not chasing everything for the sake of it...it's more rewarding to go for quality over quantity but that doesn't mean I won't be posting some EBCs along the way.

So here is an updated shot for  434)Eurasian Treecreeper

Treecreeper by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Behaving more like a Wallcreeper in our garden but definitely more recognisable than the original!

Eurasian Treecreeper   BY 434 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

Yesterday I was out after being tipped off that a Common Scoter has made a habit of visiting a local beach.It definitely has a problem with one leg but otherwise is fine and can swim and fly without any trouble.

The shot I celebrated my big 500 with was this one.

 

Not really one I'm proud of although hitting 500 was a personal landmark which I was happy with.

So here is my updated version and a bit of an improvement I think

500)Common Scoter

[Dave Williams]

I knew it was going to be a hard task adding to my UK species Big Years but one I missed last year was a Water Rail. There are several at our local reserve but seeing one, rather than hearing one, is a whole different ball game. On a bright sunny but bitterly cold sunny morning I got there as the sun came up to try and find one out in the open. Sadly it wasn't to be but I did get this handsome male in a scene that typifies sunny wintry mornings in the UK to replace the rather drab female I had for 248)Pheasant.

Pheasant by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

By mid afternoon the sun has warmed everywhere and as the sunny days are due to end soon with rain forecast from tomorrow my friend Mike and I went in search of the one and only Snow Bunting overwintering on the North Wales coast. Unlike my desperate visit just before New Year's Eve to search for the elusive BY500 this time the bird took an age to find but the conditions were perfect by the time we did. So in better light, 501) Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[PeterHG]

Good to see your additions for the UK list, Dave and well-chosen shots to tell the difference between Tufted Duck and Scaup!

[Dave Williams]

A tip off that there were two species of Scoter close in to shore and just a 9 mile drive away had me heading over there. Sadly the Surf Scoter was nowhere to be seen but swimming fairly close in were three 504)Velvet Scoters

A real bonus, not expected at all as all the Scoters are usually a long way out to sea. Velvet are a bit special, the Surf Scoter a rarity. Both would have been lifers so I returned this morning but nothing to be seen within at least 1000m of the shore.

Ah well, be grateful for what you got!!!

 Velvet Scoter.  BYs 504 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Two males and a female.

Velvet Scoter.   BYs 504 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

Lovely Scoters. Lucky you.

[Kitsafari]

Super shots of the scoters. Their eyes looked unreal, as if they are painted onto their faces, or had eye makeup on. just super.

[lmSA84]

Great shots of the Scoters!