Snow and plenty of it!

A good covering in the garden, so fill them feeders up!

Garden birds that accepted the free food on offer, sunflower hearts being the favourite.

In the garden restaurant were:  Goldfinch (6) Dunnock (2) 1 male Chaffinch, Blackbird, Robin and also the usual suspects, Wood pigeon (4) , Collard Dove (2) Starling (6) House sparrow (4).

But when a number of  others are feeding, there is sometimes waiting in the wings  a villain of the peace, as was today….Sparrowhawk, watching from a T.V aerial and was sent packing by a few Jackdaws flying around him.

Click on photo to enlarge, especially the Sparrowhawk.

24^th/25^th  February - Over the week-end doubled back to see if I could see and photograph the Kingfisher and the Short eared Owl... half successful. Managed to sight the Kingfisher and photograph, however, that was within 20sec before it flew off ! The shortie was nowhere to be seen. Managed to capture these Brent Geese and Lapwing at Titchmarsh Marina. The others were at Walton Mere and the Sandling on Walton beach...nice waves before the so called 'Beast from the East' snow arrives. Hold tight !

Click on photo to enlarge.

Friday 23^rd February - Went on a planned walk, with five other birdwatchers to Cockaynes Wood near Alreford, guided by local Wildlife photographer and birder Liz Huxley. Excellent couple of hours spent looking around on a cold but dry morning. A bit muddy in places, but what do you expect it’s winter, with appropriate clothing and footwear, no problem.

Some good sightings of thirty-five different species of birds.
The highlights being Siskins (c20) feeding on Alder tree seeds.

Fieldfares (c45), Linnets (c15), Mistle Thrush (2) mainly flitting around on the ground, in open fields. Yellowhammer, Great Crested Grebe on the pond and a Snipe which we disturbed, flew off from the reeds.

A couple of plant species to note; Bluebells, Lords &Ladies, all coming through and Lesser Celendine which was flowering, spring won’t be long and finally a Fungus called a Scarlet elf cup, apparently getting rare in Essex. 

A nice little Robin welcomed us in.

( Click on photo to enlarge).

Out with the family at a birthday lunch today for my son and on the way out of Titchmarsh marina at Walton on Naze a lovely Short eared Owl hunting the field.
No camera aaarrah....what it would have looked like !

                                                         Short eared Owl ( credited to RSPB)

A nice little Wren in the garden.
Click on photo to enlarge

There is sometimes a clash of interests, is it  Birdwatching first or getting that nice nature picture...I took this photo of a Little Egret in not so nice surroundings, but totally missed the bigger picture. Look at the top left and see was I missed perched on the iron ladder.
Honestly I didn't see it until editing some photo's now which were taken last week !

 Need to click on the photo to enlarge to see the bigger picture !

Still finding my way around, this photo was taken on the 1.2.18. over looking Walton Mere from a public footpath in Walton town centre,
Sightings; Redshank, Curlew, Teal, Mallard, Little Egret, Bar-tailed Godwit and of course the usual Herring Gulls and Black -headed Gulls.

Click on photo to enlarge

Hello Reader

My first post...moved to this area on the 5th January 2018.

Now looking forward to venturing out to the local Birding locations . I am leaving behind my local patches where I spent many a happy hour, RSPB Rainham Marsh, Ingrebourne Valley, Cranham Marsh and my local nature reserve, Brickfields which was about 50yds from my home. I expect to post some of the photo's at sometime.
My passion is Birdwatching and anything relating to British wildlife and it's conservation. Essex Wildlife Trust volunteer, also a  member of the RSPB and Essex Birdwatching Society......So off we go !