Tdgraves 11th big year 2024

[Tdgraves]

Very late to the party this year, but extremely surprised that this is now my eleventh year! I thought I could at least start before we went to the Kruger on 11th Jan, but life intervened. Unlike lots of BY entrants, I will not be starting with a waxwing, as I have never seen one (I haven't really been actively looking since they arrived). I will however start with one which is often missing off of the list, captured on New Year's Day, so perhaps a good omen for the rest of the year....

 

RSPB Ouse Fen, 1/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 4000, f5.6, 1/800

 

D14I7445-Enhanced-NR by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I7444-Enhanced-NR by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

1) Bearded reedling

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, 1/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/2000

 

D14I7409-Enhanced-NR by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/1600

 

D14I7406-Enhanced-NR by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

2) Grey heron

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, 1/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2500, f7.1, 1/2000

 

D14I7428-2 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

3) Great white egret

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, 1/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f7.1, 1/8000

 

D14I7461 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

4) Common buzzard

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, 1/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2500, f5.6, 1/3200

 

D14I7451-2 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

5) Reed bunting

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Ouse Fen, 1/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/800

 

D14I7404-Enhanced-NR by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

6) European stonechat

[Tdgraves]

It was quite quiet bird wise, so I resorted to the scenery

 

D14I7468 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I7472 by tdgraves, on Flickr

[Tdgraves]

We went for a walk on 4/1/24 forgetting that the other local reserve floods in the winter, so we couldn't get as far as we wanted to

 

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/1600

 

D14I7490 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7) Fieldfare

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/2500

 

D14I7496 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

8) Common starling

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/1250

 

D14I7493 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

9) Eurasian blue tit

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/2500

 

D14I7500 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

10) Carrion crow

[michael-ibk]

Good to see you in again. Bearded Reedling is a great bird to start with.

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/1600

 

D14I7507 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

11) Eurasian wren

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/1600

 

D14I7514 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

12) Grey wagtail

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/4000

 

D14I7530 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

13) Northern lapwing

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes, 4/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/1250

 

D14I7539 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

14) Cetti's warbler

[Galana]

Good to see a start with a good contender for EBC. That Reed Bunting scores well.

[Tdgraves]

3 minutes ago, Galana said:

Good to see a start with a good contender for EBC. That Reed Bunting scores well.

I liked the colours....

[Kitsafari]

what a brilliant bird to launch your 11th BY! it's only mid-Feb - not late at all. 

[BRACQUENE]

Welcome back and what a bird to start and to end with !

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Kitsafari and @BRACQUENE

[TonyQ]

Good start! I like the Starling photo 

[Tdgraves]

The sun was out again the following weekend, so we went for a walk. Unfortunately, there was only one to add to the list

 

RSPB Ouse Fen, 7/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 500, f7.1, 1/2500

 

D14I7548 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I7554 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

15) Mute swan

[Tdgraves]

These guys ran across the access road in front of us as we arrived, but were far away by the time I grabbed my camera from the back seat

 

D14I7541 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

And one for @Galana to make up for the "EBC"

 

D14I7547 by tdgraves, on Flickr

[Tdgraves]

Milton Country Park, Cambridgeshire, 9/1/24

 

Canon 1DX mark III, 100-400 mark II, ISO 3200, f5.6, 1/8000 (I had just moved from the shade into the sun )

 

D14I7712 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

16) European robin