b b pipit London

Very happy today but it wasn't looking good , after an hours journey on the M25 and seeing plenty of smiling faces on the walk to the area of the bbpipit . Shaun and I were told the bird had gone and only 1 minute ago it had been less than 3 foot away gutted comes to mind.

We were told this does happen and the bird does come back and in about 20 mins they were right and with in minutes the bird was about 3 foot away . With some great views an hour had passed and left very happy .

On our way home we stopped off at lea valley and caught up with a bittern not a good view but showed how camouflaged they are for sure . 

  

whooper swans

Whilst driving to a job in peterborough along Wisbech Rd a snipe by the road side caught my eye so I stopped and reversed . First took some photos from the window but the snipe just stayed low and didn't move so i got out the van and started walking closer and closer until I got to ten feet unusual for common snipe thought it could of been jack until I looked at the pics .

Then further up the road 4 different groups of swans , checking them with very distant photos I could see yellow bills ?  whoopers and maybe be bewicks .

whooper

 maybe bewick in this photo ? 

A bit further down the road golden plover and lapwing . 

seo on the patch

Another suprise from my garden window which is also my patch and where one day I thought maybe just maybe . Then tonight there it was a short eared owl quartering the patch behind my garden fence amazing . The photos I took a not fantastic but the moment was !!!

gannet , london

 After have great time after photographing dartford warblers I was blogging about them when I got a call from shaun to say there was a gannet at walthamstow res .  A great london bird and another chance of more photos .

from suffolk to london

 Today I was working in suffolk near minsmere so after work I took a walk on the heath in search of dartford warblers it wasn't long before I heard them calling and singing .

    

     

       dartford warbler juv

little bittern

There was a little bittern in hertfordshire, stockers lake . I was in oxfordshire working so on my way home from work i stopped off and with 20 birders pinning this bird down to a small bunch of reeds I was in with a good chance . My luck was in after thirty minutes it showed but no camera which was a shame but can't complain ! another lifer for for me but would have stopped off to see any way what a cracking bird .

photo was taken by Shaun Harvey more on www.valleybirding.blogspot.com

little pecker

Its not often you get the chance to snap away with your camera , most of the time you walk around your patch and the birds are either to distant or fly away . But this time this little pecker was to busy displaying to its mate .

scoter at amwell, london

 I stopped off at amwell on the way home from work in hope of seeing 4 common scoter . This is first time I have seen scoter inland and being in the london area it was worth this visit .

bonaparte's gull

barking bay , cracking gull

melodious warbler

I got a call from shaun and paul to say there was a melodious warbler in leyton I was at work , they was on their way and it was only 9.30am . After working and thinking about it all day I finished the job at 3pm and made my way to Leyton , when I got there half a dozen birders were looking for it and I was soon on it tick on run . After moving my van before it got a ticket I returned for some excellent views and heard it singing  .

connaught waters

I took the dog for a walk over connaught waters with karen and the kids . It was very quiet bird wise but always nice to see the resident mandarin ducks and the chance of a couple of photos .

seo in northweald

I passed this owl whilst driving down a lane near the air field northweald , so quickly reversed in the car and started recording on my phone my first thought was seo but after it went I started doubting myself . Its a terrible video but better than nothing I never seen one in northweald its great record .

never say never !!!

Looking out the window as you do watching blue tits in and out the nest box thinking will they actually nest this year when a bird caught my eye , robin was my first thought then blackcap finally redstart omg , I run for my bins and got back on it . Ive not seen one for a while but sure it was a black redstart . Then thought camera I run again shouting redstart then back to the window it was still there catching insects on my neighbours patio by the time I got my camera ready it was on the back fence quickly managed a few shots and it was gone !!

coues redpoll norfolk

  

On my second visit to kelling ,norfolk this time with shaun and only a 5 min wait with a flock of maybe 30 lesser and a mealy the artic redpoll showed well . We then went down the coast to salt house for some great veiws of snowbuntings .

the spanish sparrow and the american junko

On Saturday Shaun, Paul and myself arrived at calshot, hants with high hopes of seeing the sparrow there was over 100 other birders probably 25% had cameras . We didn't wait long before someone got on it and so did I . As soon the bird showed well the cameras reeled off . After tea and cake in the village hall we headed off to see the junko another great twitch and some great views . It all added up to a great day twitching cant wait for the next one .