Success At Yarrow

Having seen the images of the Kingfisher at Yarrow Country Park on various sites I decided this was a visit I had to make. YCP is a new venue for me so an early rise on Sunday I arrived at 9.0 am, a quick reci I locating the site which the Kingfisher had favoured, mind you a chap with a camera and a big long lens did help!...first impression, I was amazed that a little channel like this could attract this bird on such a regular basis, so I set up the camera and waited. As you can imaging Sundays in a country park was mega busy, loads of people asking what i was photographing, probably why on this occasion I dipped

Monday morning, again arriving at around the same time....dipped again

Tuesday morning, arriving at 9.30 am, its raining a little....dipped again

Wednesday was a day I could easily have gone to an alternative location but I thought I'd give it one last chance before storm Doris makes an appearance rendering the rest of the week redundant. Arriving at the usual time I bump into the now familiar resident photographer stating the Kingfisher was seen minuets earlier...great, I made my way to the location setting up the camera, suddenly I heard a Kingfisher call and there it was sat on a low branch at the back of the channel, no more than 5 metres away !

For the next ten minuets the bird actively dived catching small fish finally making it to the best perch for photography, it was fill the memory card time until the bird eventually flighing to the top pond. For the next hour and a half the Kingfisher would return for up to ten minuets allowing a less frantic sessions

So after four visits, despite the very poor light and the light drizzle I finally succeed in capturing images of this famous Yarrow Kingfisher, at such a close distance you would not imagin, a unique location and a unique encounter.

Kingfisher

No Show & Rained Off

Day three attempting to photograph the famous Yarrow Kingfisher. Another long wait but a no show has been logged again, never the less I'm occupying my time photographing more common species that seem to be everywhere, including Dippers that are busy nest building at the weir at the top end of the country park.

Its now started raining so I'm calling it a day... maybe I'll be lucky on another day?

Click to view...

No Birds Today...

Morning session waiting for the regular Kingfisher to turn up, or not in this case, before the expected rain around midday. During the very long wait I took the opportunity to photograph a very obliging Bank Vole that would make its way up through the internals of a tree and pop its head through the a hole to enjoy a free meal of left for the birds....but you've got to be quick !

Incoming !

I initially though I wouldn't include this image in the blog due to it's poor quality, but it was such a memorable encounter I have decided to include.

So there I was at Pennington photographing passerines when this male Sparrow Hawk zoomed in to attempted to catch a Stock Dove, after a bit of a commotion the Stock Dove managed to escape with the hawk in hot pursuit eventually giving up and returning to perch in a tree for about five seconds. No time for composition it was just a quick grab of ten frames before it was gone. 

Always difficult to photograph an unplanned encounter like this, but it's a record of this unusual event.

Inquisitive Crow

A trip to Leighton Moss Reserve gave this opportunity to photograph a Carrion Crow that had punched on this old wood stump on the causeway, watching, looking possibly for its next meal. 

Some nice light made for some good photo opportunities, and always a highlight to return to this part of North Lancashire

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The sunlight has highlighted some unusual colour in the image below, brown eyeris, brown bill hairs, and some brown iridescent colour in the plumage..

Gone Local Today !

Staying fairly local today with a walk around Elton Reservoir and local surrounding area. The reservoir generally comprises two contrasting sides, one hard stone wall and embankment which is good for viewing the water but not so eco friendly, and the other generally hedged fields slopping down to the water, this is the side has the most interest for birds.

Birds encountered are very much to be expected with the occasional unusual species turning up, never the less the opportunity to get out and about locally in good weather is always welcome

Click image for clarity.

This one of the three Pink Footed Geese that are currently present that have made their way down from Iceland to benefit from the mild UK winter

Pigeon's !

Pigeon's....well actually Stock Dove's. 

Pennington Flash is one of the easiest locations to see Stock Doves which frequent the reserve to benefit from a free meal from a number of bird feeders. The Bunting Hide overlooks a small open area in a coppice flanked by man made ponds and lakes giving some excellent opportunities to photograph at very close quarters a variety of bird species, including Stock Dove's

Click image for clarity..

Time To Get Back Out..

It’s been just over a week since my return from the Costa Blanca, despite the grim weather over the last couple of days I thought I’d get myself over to Pennington Flash to see what photo opportunities could be had. The weather is a little different from last weeks warm sunshine now its cold and grey, never the less its good to be out.

First stop is the “Bunting Hide” always activity to be found here, but the background of tree branches can be complicated and very distracting in the image so a wide open lens is required to blur the image background.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot a Water Rail skulking at the edge of the tree line, slowly it makes its way to below one of the bird feeders to benefit from a free meal the birds have dropped on the ground, with a little patience on my part, the rail moves out into the open feeding with ease giving me a great photo opertunity. I enjoy for several minutes a rare unplanned viewing encounter rather than the usual sight of a rear end of rail dashing for cover.

It's cold, I'm cold, I wish I'd brought my gloves!

Click image for clarity...