Gull's

Mosses Gate Country Park - 14.12.2024

I'm not a gull's person, in fact I find the subtleties of identifying "grey" gulls difficult, they all look the same other than Mediterranean gull's like Slender-billed and Audouin's that look so different, so with that said I'm off to MGCP to try and find a juvenile Caspian Gull.

Caspian Gull's a variant of Herring Gull family but laterly recognised as a sub-species, but to me just another Herring Gull, so armed with my extensive gull knowledge I'm off to Mosses Gate to see what's on offer.

Arriving mid-morning it's like gull's city with locals throwing food for the water fowl, the gull's are going bonkers ! too many gulls all looking the same I decide to give looking for the Caspian Gull a miss opting to walk the perimeter of the lake for other opportunities.

On the far side of the lake the light behind is better with nice colour in the water, a row of posts at the water's edge provide resting for a variety of gull species, a good location to spend an hour and what's more I recognise some of the species, you know the usual stuff !

Common Gull

Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull - juvenile

The American Is Back

Taylor Park, St Helens - 03.12.2025

It's been some time since I last posted on the blog that's not so say that I haven't been active with trips to Scotland and Central Spain all done in the last few months. I haven't bothered doing reports as they've more or less been repeats of trips done just a few months earlier.

Now early December and a male American Ring-necked Duck that's been hanging around for a time has reappeared in St Helens. Frequenting two lakes, one public the other private, but mainly the private lake it's a case of waiting for the right opportunity for a visit and importantly in some good light.

Checking Birdguides the Internet bird information service the duck has been reported early morning on the public lake, the weather forecast for the week is rain but good light for today only so the decision is made to make the 30 mile trip.

A new location for me I'm interested and hoping for a smallish lake, is it small ? well yes and no, just small enough to get a shot if not too far away. Grabbing just the camera and the bins the plan is to circumnavigate the lake hopefully locating the duck. Halfway round I bump into a colleague which makes locating the duck a little easier, and with the light behind the duck is more easily located hanging around with some "tuftiest"...time to get the camera out.

Over the next hour or so the duck remains just a little to far away for any mega shots, to add, the light is ever changing from sunlight burning out whites to overcast conditions having to dial in some over exposure. All too soon the sun is low throwing half the lake into shadow signalling the best of the light and day is now over. With some images on the card I'm interested to see the results.

The forecast for the remainder of the week isn't so good, but on the other hand next the week looks promising, maybe other trip ? ...you never know.

Ring-necked Duck - male

The image below, you can just see the brown "ring neck" the duck is named after.

An Angel Appears In Bury !

The Rock - 13.03.2024

I've been meaning to catch up and photograph The Knife Angle for a while as it's been on it's travels around the region but never quite managing, but today I've finally caught up as it's currently on display at the Rock in Bury. Greater Manchester. 

I've only a fews days opportunity as I'll be "off the road" figuratively speaking by which time the sculpture will have moved on to Taunton in Sumerset, so It's today only or another missed opportunity.

The weather isn't good today hoping for nice light instead it's light drizzle as I set off on the short drive, happy despite the weather to see the sculpture as the images I've seen it looks quite impressive. At the Rock it's busy with shoppers going about their daily business, no doubt there will be a fair few on looker viewing the sculpture adding to the imagery. 

I've now circumnavigated the Rock but still can't seem to find the sculpture eventually asking one to the Rock staff for directions, if you go it's located on the side of the building where Bob & Bert's diner is located. 

Whilst the sculpture looks impressive, the base like the Soldiers of Sacrifice that was recent at Salford Keys, it looks a little underwhelming hence I've excluded from the images.

Managing the best images on the day in the rainy conditions it's time to call time for the next few weeks, see you all soon.

Link to The Knife Angel website.....https://www.britishironworkcentre.co.uk/the-knife-angel-official/

The Knife Angel

A Queens Goose

Queens Park - 05.01.2024

Full of a virus I'm not really motivated to get out happy just to go over some old images and browse the interweb, what I did note was a couple of Red-breasted Geese have made it to the UK. RBG breed in artic tundra and during winter a few associate with other smaller geese species wintering in Western Europe and a even lesser few managing to make it over to the UK, currently one at Cley in Norfolk and another at Martin Mere in Lancashire and surprisingly one turning up on a local park lake which is likely to be an escapee even thou the absence of a leg ring.

Literally only a fifteen minuet drive it's a location I know well which can get busy on weekends so as it's a Friday I'm going to see what's on offer. As I approach the lake I easily pick up the goose associating with a few Canada Geese which soon depart to the other side of the lake for some free food on offer.

Trying to isolate the goose from the frantically feeding Canadas Geese is a matter of just waiting for the opportunity. Now over an hour later and having managed more images than I need the goose moves away to roost on the island in the middle of the lake, it preens then settles with its head under it's wing suggesting the actions over for this session, so it's back home for me and back to the Lemsip.

Red-breasted Goose

Crosby Deep Sea Diver !

Crosby Marine Lake - 19.12.2023

Over the last few days images have started to appear on the interweb of a Black-throated Diver that's turned up a few days back on Crosby Marine Lake, some of the images looking rather good so my thinking is I must make the trip.

The marine lake being rather large is generally not suited to photograph especially if the diver remains somewhere out in the middle, if that's the case there's no chance getting an image, but wait, the diver has a preference to fish no more than twenty meters out along the carpark side of the lake, sounds like I have a plan !

The weather currently can only be described as grim and no chance of getting out so I'm keeping an eye on a suitable opportunity to make a trip worth while, and today seems like the day. Arriving around 9.30am it's raining, grey the light poor so I forget getting the camera gear out and just grab the bins to try and locate the diver. After some searching I've worked my way round the other side of the boat house and meet a birder scanning the lake with a scope, alway stand next to a bird, they are great "spotters" ! he's located the diver and as we chat the diver pops up in front of us no more than twenty meters out, time to grab the camera gear and get to work.

Over the next few hours the diver seems to circulate along the lake edge, then out then out into the middle and back again, It's just a case of waiting for the diver to return to my location. With improving light and occasional appearance of that big red ball in the sky the conditions improve managing some images, the light is still challenging with plenty of white or grey water, the choice of either not so appealing to make a decent image.

Glad to have made the trip not having not been out for a few weeks seeing also several familiar faces that's a feature of this small photo community. The diver now back in the middle of the lake and the light poor it's time to call time and head home, but I am looking forward to getting my shirt off and some warm Spanish sun in the next few weeks to offset what seems like weeks of "bad" weather.

Until the next time, have a good Xmas. 

Black-throated Diver

Finally waxwings !

Burnley - 03.12.2023

It's been some five years since I last photographed Waxwings a winter visitor to the UK, so when reports of a big influx of these colourful birds had arrived in the UK it was a case of waiting for them to push further west in to the region.

Waxwing breed in Scandinavia and Russia moving west to avoid the harsh winter, arriving first in the north and east of the UK they soon disperse through out the country taking advantaged and feeding on the many berry landed trees especially found around the carparks of "out of town" shopping centres.

The first birds to the region was a brief visit only staying a couple of hours before moving on, unfortunately at the time I’m travelling back up on the M6 and a lost opportunity to get some images locally.

Wind on a few weeks and I’m again travelling up the M6 and it’s a great day with plenty of sunshine and blue sky’s, you guessed it Waxwings have again appeared again locally but little chance of making it that day so a trip is on the cards for tomorrow.

Now Sunday it’s a change of plan as the Waxwings at the original location are proving difficult to locate but I have another option with twenty birds located in the Burnley area. It’s a grey old day with even fog as I travel over across the moors, disappointing really as yesterday was a great day.

Arriving at the carpark flanked on one side with berry laden trees, the Waxwings have been and gone so no panic getting the gear out, then someone mentioned they were re-located in the next street so quick change of location and hey-presto....Waxwings !

Sat at the top of a tall trees the Waxings are as usual nervous only flying down to feed on red berries when they feel secure. The shooting location's not the best always cluttered with branches spoiling the shot, not the classic shot of a bunches of berries on the branch end with a blue sky background, that’s the way it goes sometimes, still here’s a few images on the day.

Waxwing

I Finally Make It - The End

El Taray - The Film

If you ever make the trip down to Castilla la Mancha to visit El Taray you'll likely meet Francesco who is one of the guides that take you to the various locations on the estate. I came across this film in Spanish, which gives a flavour of what to expect on a trip. The arial work shows the vast the area the estate covers.

Francesco doesn't speak English but the group had many funny moment using Google Translate to muddle our way through conversations.....oh and he drives fast !

Anyway here's the film featuring Francesco......"click" to open page full screen

I Finally Make it - 8

Day 8, AM - La Vega

Our last day of the trip and another 5.0am start, but it's only a morning session before we return to the hotel for a quick wash and brush up and head to Madrid for the flight home.

Being the last session of the trip it's always good to go out on a high, and we're in luck as we're heading back to La Vega one of the two premier El Taray locations for raptors, as mentioned in a previous post harrier's, kite's, eagles and buzzards are the most likely targets.

First up and quick as a rat up a drain pipe is the resident Red Fox, grabbing all the food it can stash before the big eagles appear, I just hope there’s some offerings left for the BOP’s.

The Bonelli’s Eagle has arrived from it’s usual vantage point on a pylon way off in the distance, usually it sits in a tree close by surveying the area before deciding all safe and come to ground.

Marsh Harries are literally everywhere, maybe up to twenty individuals, acrobatic jostling trying to rob each other of food, the interaction is spectacular just make sure you are using a zoom so you can back off the lens and get all the action. Most if not all the raptors seen were as seen on previous visits but surprisingly no Black Kite's. 

Just a quick reference to gear generally used on the trip, although I brought along a 500mm f4 prime I found the flexibility and quality of Canon RF100-500mm to just about be match of the EF prime, the bokeh produced by the lens with an the uncluttered background is spot on, just look at the images.

Until the next trip...

El Taray Map

Marsh Harrier

By far the most common harrier are juveniles along with females, not only seen over the seedbeds but also common over farm land.

Marsh Harrier - adult

This is an adult female clearly showing the yellow iris, juvenile's are dark brown.

Marsh Harrier - male

Adult male easily identified in flight with its grey wing but not so obvious when sitting.

Bonelli's Eagle

Bonelli's Eagle bathed in yellow early morning sun light.