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