Latimer and Tring birding

Third attempt to see the GREAT WHITE EGRET- I found it in a big grassy field , and after wellies on could get quite close along a footpath to get the shot below.

Then headed to Tring and with a little help saw and pictured the red head SMEW

Great White Egret in the Chenies

Smew at Tringford Ressie

Tring 2013 - Let the Year List begin!

A visit before work to all 4 ressies in super speedy time (1 hour ish) - clocked up 25 species, the highlights being WATER PIPIT at Wilstone and a SPARROWHAWK at Startops end.
Year total a massive #26!

Wilstone Water Pipit by the Jetty

End of Year total ..253!

After a fantastic year of spotting and twitching, my total for the year is #253.
I managed to get the numbers wrong all year until I totalled it up tonight.

Final number was a Bewick Swan at Minsmere on New Years Eve. Also saw a flying Bittern and a couple of Marsh Harriers.

Suffolk Birding

A great few days with our friends Leon and Claire, and my wifie Anna and the dog Oscar.

I was lucky enough to go to North Warren RSPB where lots of geese hang out.

Best views and pictures of Bean and White fronted I hve had so far in my birding life.

The walk back to Southwold with Denz - comedy times indeed

Marsh Tit at Minsmere

Bittern in flight at Minsmere

Tundra Bean Goose

European White Fronted Geese

Red Breasted Geese and Barnacle Geese

A Goose fest

Egyptian Goose

Turnstone

Stop in back from Harrogate - #262 velvet scoter

A stop in to the large Swithland Reservoir in Leicester - two female  VELVET SCOTER showing extremely well very close to the dam - fortunate for sure !!

That's #262 lifer - two in a week very nice!!

Also a goldeneye floating past.

Velvet Scoter at Swithland

A pair!

Head on

Defined head

Drake Goldeneye on the ressie

LEO -Merry Christmas Twitch #261

An early morning start sent me packing from Harrogate to Blackpool - Marton Mere.
Thanks to a friendly local dog walker I was shown the spot where the LONG EARED OWL were showing - hidden in the bushes roosting. No way I would have located them on my own. 3 hour round trip worth every minute. Back in time for a lunchtime beer.. Awesome!
#261 for life, #245 for 2012... 250 looks doubtful this year

LEO in Blackpool - Christmas Day 

Blackpool Tower from the Mere

LEO seen just above my head!!

Stone Rings Xmas Eve

As usual a very active bird feeder with some not so usual species
Check out my eBird entry for specific details

Species count on 24 Dec at Stone Rings

Shots from the house 

Bullfinch and Siskin