Mystery Solved.

Over the weekend i decided to empty a rucksack. Well what a surprise when i found a SD card that was from a trip to Morjim Beach, Goa. At the time i was still Digiscoping or using the 300mm lens that i had. So i was rather pleased seeing the pictures. It had played on my mind for a while what had happened to the photos of that morning's birding along what the locals called Turtle beach. As the wife often mentions how memorable the walk was. With it being a cool overcast sky and with the sea looking like glass. Then sitting at one of the beach bars having coffee while she watched me laying in the sand with the Plovers running around me feeding in the sand and surf. 

Quick Stop

With not much seen on the Ranges Monday and being caught by the surge tide. I decided to have a quick stop at Abberton. And was surprised to see the White-fronted geese and a Pink footed Goose close to the Layer Breton Causeway. 

 

Patch work Monday

Monday morning was here and with a clear sunny sky and a frost on the ground i decided to head straight for Langenhoe point in hope of spotting some Bearded Tits. And i wasn't disappointed with 25+ individuals feeding on the reed tops, as the thawed in the early morning sun allowing them to feed. During my stroll round the point 6 separate water rails could be heard squealing in different locations.

After spending a few hours on the point i decided to have a look down the centre track. This area has been out off bounds recently. As i scanned the Hawthorn bushes through my Binoculars i noticed a pale patch on a Hawthorn bush. On closer inspection with the scope it revealed 4 Short-eared Owls in a Parliament meeting. 

 

Another is in the top right back corner

After leaving the Owls the seawall was my next port of call but i was stopped in my tracks by a Cattle Egret and the Great white Egret flying around the marsh from one spot to another. A final look over the sea wall produced a good number of winter ducks and a quick snap of my favorites the Pintails. What a lovely end to a bird filled day on my Patch. A quick look at my watch and 6 hours has passed and it was time for home. Roll on next week  

Greater Day

Well the Velvet Scoter is still in the Pyefleet channel, but i still haven't been lucky enough to gain any better photos on my last couple of visits to the ranges. Each time the Juvenile duck has been on the Island side of the channel or vice versa. But then i never expected it to stay around this long so i still have a chance. Another highlight of the day was three Short-eared Owls tussling in the air and one would often land on the ground and gaze up at the other two still in dispute. I was more interested in watching them then taking photo's but i did snap a few as you can see at the bottom of this post. On the plus side after spending some time scoping the large flock of Greylag & Canada geese on Monday i noticed 4 separate birds standing further away from the main gaggle. With such poor light it was hard to get a clear ID but i noticed one was smaller in size. So after walking across the Marsh i was able to get within about 200 yards of the four birds. And how pleased i was to see the result of my walk. Three of the geese were greylag but the smaller one was a Greater White-Fronted Goose. Showing the characteristic markings, the dark splodges on the belly and the white forehead. So although the photo opportunities were poor i did manage some record shoots for my new 2022 list. 

 

Velvet Finish to the Year.

On Wednesday Evening one of the Mersea Birding Group members found a Velvet Scoter in the Pyefleet Channel. So my plan for the following morning was to walk from Shop Lane to Maydays Sluice. Just in case the Scoter was thinking of leaving with the tide and drifting back out to sea. This route might give me a chance of seeing it if it did. But not this young sea duck it had stayed put overnight and by 9.am i had located it feeding and mixing with the Red-breasted mergansers. But it wasn't going to be easy getting any decent pictures of a duck 150 yards out bobbing about on a rather blustery sea with low cloud and no sunlight. So after two hours and 900+ images to look at when i got home and after some cropping and sharpening these are the results. Since then the Scoter has stayed in the channel and another visit was made on New Years Day to kick off another hopefully bird filled 2022. I'm now hoping it stays till i get back on the Ranges next week as it might give me a chance of getting some better images.We will just have to wait and see now. 

 

The Perfect Present

Having cleaned his boat for the Christmas break my son ask if i would like to have an hour out on the river. Well with reports of Divers and Auks recently being seen i jumped at the chance. And within a few minutes i was watching a pair of Great Northern Divers. And it didn't take long for the Red Throated Divers to show. Although its never easy on the water with all the movement i was pleased with these shots. So after 60 mins i was back on dry land and feeling very pleased with the results. And to be honest properly the best gift you could get me. 

Short moment

As my weekly visit to the Ranges was finishing and I was making notes of  the birds I had seen on the day. It dawned on me that I only had one more chance to get out here before New year. Could anything else turn up?.  I drove up the track and as i approached the last cattle grid. I could see a large bird perched on the side of some Brambles. I looked through the binoculars and was greeted with this stunning Short-eared Owl. Hooray another species for the yearly list. And being I had dipped out on them at the start of the year a very pleasing meeting and a species I always enjoy photographing.

Just Half a Dozen.

Just as i was driving off the ranges on Monday i noticed two Egrets fly in and land on an adjoining field. I wanted to get a closer look to confirm the I.D. So after a short stroll across the marsh i was standing by the boundary fence and as close as one could get.  But there was no sign of any Egrets. Another scan with the binoculars then revelled my first Cattle Egret of the year hidden by the a grass mound and a cow and then another one appeared from behind a bramble bush then another. I soon made myself comfy on the grass and waited hoping they may come closer or better still hitch a ride on the back of a cow. But they were sticking close to the small herd and following them further away.  A few photos were taken as they started to fly about following the herd as they grazed. And that was when with five in the air and one still feeding on the ground the total count of six was gained. The most that i have every recorded for my patch, after only getting my first record of this species only a year ago. What a great way to finish my weekly visit.

Tagged Predator

 A few unexpected and totally surprised encounters with Raptors on my weekly visits to the ranges over the last few weeks. The tagged Marsh harrier sighting was logged and the reply was this: 

One of a brood of three ringed and tagged at Wild Ken Hill on 14.06.2021. This bird was sexed as a female, and had two male siblings.This is the first sighting of her away from her natal area. One of her brothers was seen on Trimley Marshes, a Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve on 20.08.2021 

The Osprey was also tagged number 677 and part of the Tweed valley Osprey Project.

 

Best of the Kestrels

 Been a good summer for the Kestrels on the ranges with some great opportunities to capture some pleasing shots. These are few that I personally like.