2012...The Year That Was

Ah 2012...the year of the Olympics, the Leveson Enquiry and the final series of The Thick of It, but it was more than that really. I've been busy this year with my GCSEs, sitting exams in January and the June to get some rather pleasing results in August. I saw The Stone Roses live. And Noel Gallagher. I was *that* close to getting a drumstick at The Enemy when they played the academy. And I spent a cumulative total of around 5 days taking photos. So t'wasn't too bad really.

So I thought, what with this being the eve of 2013 and the Fiscal Cliff (scary eh?) I better get on with it and write it down, like an egalitarian online version of Samuel Peeps. Minus the massive wig, obviously. So without further ado, get yourself an eggnog (or a glass of water. Or nothing. I'm not forcing you.) and let me regale with tales of bygone days spent out in the field...

I'm going with one photo per month, so for January I go back to my old house. The wind whistles and moans, the trees gnarled (well one of them was a bit gnarled) and the rain lashes the windows. I'm at the kitchen window, with GCSE Biology on my lap and a mug of tea in my hand, but outside there is something altogether more interesting (seriously!). A goldfinch sits on a piece of string, the only redeeming feature of the day. Through an act of contortion through an open window I get shots off, and that's my day sorted. Revision is so underrated...

February cleared everything up, out in the field I was with a brew in one hand and my glass in the other. Sat in a bush in Conwy, patiently waiting for a certain owl to show. No gloves too in sub-zero temperatures, I hasten to add. Thank God that Shortie showed was all I could say, although it took me several days to say it due to my development of what a hypochondriac like myself would called pneumonia...

...March came in like a Lion and left still very much like a Lion, if by Lion you mean a near-constant thunderstorm inter spliced with the odd clear patch and some frogs procreating in the back garden. I think my definition of a Lion is a bit off. Ah well, it was fun whilst the spawning lasted...!

...April came just 31 days after March, and with it a trip to meet world-famous wildlife photographer Andy Hay. It was a humbling but ultimately interesting experience meeting someone so much better than myself, but a good time was had by all and I finally got that Yellowhammer shot i've always wanted...!

...May came and along with it a crappy speech from the Headmaster followed by being booted out of school for study leave. Roll on I said, and I was right to be so happy with happenings for I had some belting macro shots from the garden. But the unequivocal highlight of May was a belting experience with the Redstarts of Derbyshire...

But, just like that, June was upon us and I found myself in a new house and my exams over! So off I pottered to Shetland, my year's highlight by an absolute country mile. Some belting shots and species to boot, with great weather and food...

...but as June melted into July all was not lost for I was off to the Pyrenees for a week of, as I said afterwards, birds, bikes and norovirus. Aside the last one that was a belter of a trip, with some good shots and new birds...including this rather fetching Rock Sparrow...

The next month was August and with this change came the hatching of the pupae found in my stomach into beautiful butterflies. Yup, exam season was on. Still, sitting on a campsite with my mates, 2 random people from Grimsby and an unconscious brummy made me forget this somewhat, as did a family holiday to Andalucia, where this Scarce Swallowtail was a surefire favourite...

But alas the four months of holiday were gone, to be replaced with the murk of September. This saw me once more on Hilbre camera in hand and amongst my favourite birds, the Dunlin...

More fun was to occur in October with a trip up north of the border to Inverness, and another stint on Hilbre with this memorable Redshank shot the best of the day...

....then back to the exams again, like hitting a brick wall but with less physical pain and more subtle references to how university application is inextricably linked to THIS VERY EXAM! So no 'true' trips out, just a shedload of Waxwings over Manchester and the North-West, what beauties...!

...so here we are again. A year of birds, butterflies and (for the first time) beer! Still quite excited about that last one. Still, we stand on the brink of a new year, but to be honest its going to be pretty much the same as the last so don't get too excited. Have a good'n and see you all on the other side. :)

'Shitloads of Brown Cockatiels'

You hear that? That kind of mechanical noise? That's the revision engine gearing up again, cogs turning inside my head and the chain slipping into a higher gear. Yep the big thing now isn't christmas, its the new year and its promise of yet more exams. Still, not all doom and gloom, i've been out the last few weeks chasing the wondrous Waxwings once more. In fact, i've visited one council estate in Moss Side no less than 3 times in the last few weeks. That's where the title of the post's from, a local's rather blunt view on what I had travelled to see. Still, a Waxy's a Waxy isn't it? First off one from the land of Baguley...

...and taking what Radio 4 (or indeed Green Day) might call the 'long view'...

...and just, literally i'm talking a couple of minutes here, as the light went, they came down in numbers...

...and the best light i've had in a long while...

I'm usually not too keen on harsh shadows but here I think it works, helps pick out those wing bars and that lovely face. Still, onwards and downwards as they don't say, i'm off to look at cell ultrastructure. Yawn.

Waxen of Wing...The True Northerners

Well if Preston is considered attractive to these birds, I can't imagine how bad Scandinavia is in the winter is all I can say. It was because of this odd attraction I found myself on a train bound for Preston around midday on a saturday. I'd sat in front of Birdguides all morning looking at reports coming in from all over about a certain invasion of a certain species. Over the last few weeks i've watched their progress from Shetland to Orkney to Inverness to Tyneside and final down to the north west. They've even penetrated Manchester, have these Waxwings.

The thing with Waxwings is that they tick all the photographical boxes. They're pretty, rare, approachable and spend an inordinate amount of time in cities and towns. They really are the photographer's best friend. Except they're not are they? They spend most of the time up trees in the topmost branches looking down on us below, sneering at the poor angle and light they've given us. They finally come down to feed, then the local Mistle Thrush comes bombing in and that's the end of that. They do circuits of the local TV aerials, call plaintively and regularly just to let us know they're still about. Nightmare.

But with the correct application of patience and fieldcraft you can get close enough for a shot. I literally cannot get enough of these birds when they're about, they're absolutely stunning creatures. Especially when the light's on them...

...even when it isn't they're stunning...

....up with the fairies...

...the 'ooh-look-i've-got-a-berry-in-my-mouth' shot...

...slight overbalance here...!

...Showing off that gorgeous wing bar...

...two's company...

...liftoff...!

...'look what I found...!'

...that golden light...

...and don't we all love the shots that were lucky...?

...absolute belters, really brighten Preston up no end. But the bug's there now, and its there for the winter I feel. I'll twitch them tomorrow, and who knows when else! All I know is I'd like em on my garden list (yes good people of Shetland that's directed at you).

Land of Ice and Fire....(minus the fire)

So...its this blog's birthday! Crack open the party poppers, pull on a pointy hat, stick a CD in the player and let the good times roll. Alternatively board a plane to the icy wastes of Inverness, home of the the mighty ICTFC and my Uncle and Aunt. I wasn't up there in an exclusively birding capacity, but to be honest I did find some time to do plenty of the stuff. I even had 2 lifers, something I rarely get these days! If i'm honest the weather didn't exactly play fair, and nor did the birds of the higher climes, but I can't really gripe after some of the shots i've had. I hope to return after my January exams, something to look forward too.

 So on the first day up north we climbed the peak of Benyack More. Whad'a'ya mean you've never heard of it?!? Its a smaller peak round the back of the bigger Cairn Gorm, and is renowned for, in spring, being a good spot for one of Scotland's scarcer birds. It was in the hope of getting Ptarmigan on the top that I carried my big lens up the hill, but they just didn't materialise. Still, had this Reindeer, obviously not native but looked at home...!

...and that was as the snowstorm was finishing, couldn't see anything at all on the top! That was about it for that day, dipping Snow Bunting and a reported Great Grey Shrike. Ah well, that's life isn't it?

Next day I stationed myself by the back door for about half an hour to watch some of my Uncle's Siskin flock. One thing I can't get over is how many Siskins they actually get. They get around 40 in December, up to 60 in a cold snap. I found 2 the other day and practically wet myself, so if I had followed through on this policy up north then quite a sizeable puddle might ensue...

...thankfully there are some nice enough natural perches about so I didn't have to muck about too much. That's Inverness in the background by the way, they have a great view of the city! The next stop of the day was one I had campaigned for, a trip to the coastal town of Burghead, famous for its sea ducks. On arrival we scanned the Eider flock for some of the more unusual suspects, didn't take long to pick out some Long Tailed Ducks, a lifer. Not particularly close and at a terrible angle, but they're so cool I couldn't resist trying to be clever with some of them in flight...

Not half as close as i'd like to be to these stunning sea-goers, but none the less beautiful and a privilege to watch. Whilst watch the flock we were informed of the presence of a single King Eider. About 15 minutes of scanning produced it, nice and close in too. Not close enough for stunning shots but again still nice...

...and it was suitably impressed by these nordic visitors we headed East to a place we know for a certain, rather charismatic little Tit. The Crestie. This is the stuff of legend, secret feeding stations deep in the woods, found only by following complex instructions and by keeping your wits about you. OK its not quite that exciting, but getting there and finding two of these fellas is...!

I absolutely love these animals, they're in all honesty my favourite mammal. They just feed at conventional bird feeders, and its a marvel to see them so close up. They look like they've just stepped out of a Lewis Carroll novel...

with their long tails I think portrait really suits these woodland stunners...

...then this handsome fella stopped by for a bite, although distant I actually quite like this shot...

...bit noisy if i'm honest, I've lost my copy of CS5 so it'll stay noisy for a while! Then, up in the canopy, a shrill and piercing call came. Then a flurry of movement, a falling pine needle. And down he came, branch to branch, tree to tree. And we were graced by the king of the woodlands up here...

....an absolute BELTER! My tawdry lowlight portraits don't do this bird justice, they're here there everywhere at once, they're so vocal too. at 1/50 of a second this really was pushing the limits of what I can get handheld (or log-held really), but just look at it. Sorry i'm going all gooey about it, but I do love these birds.

That does pretty much sum up my photos from up north, on the last day I did have c.45 Snow Buntings up on the tops in Glen Feshie but alas they didn't land. Belting birds though. It genuinely is just great being away from my (now cluttered) desk and my (now tedious) studies. Still, onwards and upwards, eh?

Snowed Under

Anyone visiting this blog over the last few weeks would be dissapointed. Its a bit barren, i've been out and about with the camera but that's all i've done. Everything that has happened seems to have happened all at one. First my computer packed in again, then A levels REALLY started, then I said i'd do D of E, then I started appreciating how much I really do love sleep.

Don't get me wrong, I do love a night with just me and a stackload of photos to edit but I literally haven't had the time to do this, every evening is a maelstrom of Biology and Physics, every weekend a vain attempt to cram as much birding in as time allows. All in all this isn't a very satisfactory arrangement. So here I am again, hands held aloft and ready to regail whoever reads this with tales of birding and the like.

First off since I last posted i've been on the wader trail on the Dee. This is something I do every year (as i'm so original!) but of late have had to watch my step because of some animosity at certain roosts relating to the disturbance of the birds there. This is a photo blog and not a soap box and i'm not preaching or naming names, but it saddens me that one of my favourite places in the world is off limits now. Ah well, here's a Sanderling from afar in some rare sun...!

...and a little closer...

...I love these wee birds and their shorefront antics, like little clockwork toys! Now the next set of photos require a little background. I was out on the Dee (again) looking for waders when a shadow passed me. Not a real shadow, as that would require sun and obviously there was none of that, but a black shape against the obstinately grey sky. It moved quick down the estuary before pulling sharply up and meeting another shadow in the air. The two pigeon-esque birds tusselled for a bit with the sea behind. This was to be the theme of the day, for I was sharing my patch with a pair of Merlin.

Regular readers (or the singular, I don't know how many of you there are!) will have seen my shots from last year where i'd have only got closer to Merlin by shoving my lens up its arse. Not quite so this time, but I could still appreciate this bird even if it was sitting so far away the curve of the earth prevented eye contact...

...and indulging in some fencing...

...bit pissed off about the way the fence obscures it a bit but its such a great bird you could stick a golden statue of Jimmy Saville in shot and it'd still be OK. Because of this little beauty the wader count was on the low side, so when the light fell behind the point of ayr and the talacre dunes were bathed in golden light I crawled along the dee looking for em. First a Turnstone...

...then the 'oh God look at the light' shot...

...and as some bastard dog came out to me I managed this of a Redshank, to date my favourite wader shot I think...

...you got to love dog walkers haven't you? I returned home on the Merseyrail stinking of seaweed, covered in mud and listening to Green Day. Such is the live of the modern teenager.

And another thing, i've made a hide! I say made. And I say hide. Its a hole in the shed with hinges and a lock basically, but its actually given me a couple of hours of great birding so far. This fella has been the star so far, but I look forward to whatever it brings to me...!

So there you have it, a varied month to say the least! Couple that to my adjustments to sixth form (and the nagging feeling that I need to think about the future) and you'll see that its been an odd few weeks, but i'm off to bonny Scotland for a week which'll be right laugh. I hope...

'Every Cloud an' All'

Well of late I have engaged my hidden talent of moaning my adolecent face off at the state of my hard drive. However, it is through this blog that the situation has been kept in check. I have, on this blog, uploaded a great many of my shots and whilst you've seen most I keep some 'reserve' posts for when i'm dying from withdrawal symptoms. You'll see these posts as they tend not to fit the season and are a bit aimless. Still, there's one post I kept back, and i'm so glad I did...

...Andalucia! I went to the Costa Del Sol! Officially the most unemployed district of Spain, 30 years ago it had 50% illiteracy rates and the temperature gets to 43 degrees every day. Perfect for wildlife. However, one fact I should disclose is that my best shots were of Spotted Flycatchers and were never saved so what you have here is the dregs. Still, they're quite good for 'dregs'. Let's start off with this young Spanish Sparrow...

...that last shot's an interesting one. That bird isn't calling. Or eating. Its panting, the birds here genuinely go round with their mouths open to lose heat. Its a bit surreal to see all these gaping sparrows, but not as surreal as seeing these birds. Before this holiday i'd seen Bee Eaters only in the Pyrenees, but never got close enough for a good shot. That's still true, but got some passable images of a perched distant one..

...a truly beautiful creature, I wish I could aquaint myself with these birds on a more regular basis. I did get a little closer, but the angle's not great. Grrr...

But I am a gambler. My wildlife kit weighs in at about 5kg and sits on the small of my back. It has, in its short existence, climbed about 10,000ft, accended the world famous Tourmalet on a bike, has been in a river (thankfully for a short period), visited Shetland and has now been to the tourists sites of Southern Spain. Why am I a gambler? That's an awful dead weight as you're wandering round the Alhambra (yes I thought it was in Bradford too), but I was (for the first time ever) rewarded for my exertions with this...

This shot's Exif:

1/400
f7.1
ISO 3200

It was taken on our only dull day, and in dense coniferous woodland I found shutter speeds a real struggle. Still, an absolute gem of a bird, as was my next Alhambra find...

You have no idea how much i've wanted to see one of these up close, then there's one outside the gift shop! Amazing stuff...

Another bird i've always wanted to photograph is the Griffon Vulture, this was not my lucky trip in the end. However, it was the end of a wait for another species; the Rock Bunting. Its not an easy subject, they're tricky to locate, but fairly accomodating (even if they stick to the shade from the ferrocious midday sun!)...

Perhaps my experience of the trip was pulling over to watch a Booted Eagle, whereupon it stooped into the olive grove near to me, whereupon it rose up and circled me. At midday the shots clearly aren't the best but i've never had anything like that happen, truly memorable...

But its not just birds in this cradle of life, the invertibrae front is good too (even if the ID of this fella escapes me)...

...but I say with as much certainty as a vegan cheetah that this is certainly a Scarce Swallowtail...

....not bad for the oul' sigma at 400mm! And a good trip for me too! I have to say that the lifestyle's quite agreeable, as is the food and the birding! Perhaps one day i'll return without my family in toe, get up at 3am and look for these creatures in the golden hours. Perhaps I won't. But for a 2 week family holiday cut short by a music festival it wasn't half bad. I think there's one more summer post to conclude the last 4 months, but I think that shall wait.