Wednesday 29 October 2014

Sometimes You Get Lucky

Mon. 27th Oct.
A lovely sunny morning so I went over to Wraik Hill and stopped to have a look around the 'Wraik Hill covered reservoir', next to Willow Woods. Picked up the usual jays, green woodpeckers etc and in the sky a buzzard, then another. I didn't have the camera with me so a quick 100yd yomp back to the car for the camera just in time as they came overhead. Encouraging, as I saw one on my last visit on the 23rd., perhaps they are going to be regular. Also saw another from the Wraik Hill reserve.


Nothing of real interest for the rest of the morning except 2 clouded yellows on the plots plus plenty of chaffinches and starlings on the move.



Tues 28th Oct.
News of a yellow-browed warbler found by Derek Smith at Shuart prompted me to have a look as I hadn't seen one this year.  I met Marc Heath who was already watching the bird, we managed a few shots in between the twigs and leaves but not ideal conditions.

 I was tempted to clone out the berry but not much of a shot anyway!

I left the site after about an hour and went back to Seasalter LNR to see if the wheatears were still present but no sign, brents were thinning out, still no knot or winter wader flocks, when's the winter coming. However, c.1500 goldies were out on the mussel bank (towards C.Coote) plus another 300 opposite the Sportsman when I returned to the car. As I walked back to the car a sparrowhawk was flying along the beach zooming past me 15 feet away disappearing around the bend of the wall. Stopping to look back it suddenly reappeared coming back towards me but flipped over the wall and down the grassy apron to the reedbed where it flew away east at high speed but not before I managed a few lucky shots.





2 comments:

Marc Heath said...

That last Sparrowhawk shot is a real beauty Mike. Super capture.

Mike H said...

I wouldn't call that last photo lucky Mike. Well done on the Explore!!