Some pictures I took recently

Traonach

Rainbowsend wrote: »

Yep Stonechat, there must be plenty of them about at the moment, I was out early Sunday morning and there were lots of them, very pretty little birds, I think this is a female the male having a totally black head.

It's a 1st winter male. Note the "dirty" black marking on his throat. He's still a handsome little fellow though:). Females have a "clean" throat.

Rainbowsend

Traonach wrote: »

It's a 1st winter male. Note the "dirty" black marking on his throat. He's still a handsome little fellow though:). Females have a "clean" throat.

Ahh right! Thanks for that, I must go back and see if I can spot a female

Kess73

Rainbowsend wrote: »

Ahh right! Thanks for that, I must go back and see if I can spot a female

Don't want to requote the pic again, but the male stonechat pic is fab. I loved it and your coaltit pic (the head on pic) from a little while back.



Must say that the quality of pictures in this thread is really excellent. Posters like yourself, Vbull, Vmoth, whyulittle, and no doubt a few more whose names escape me really have a great eye for a shot.

Rainbowsend

Thanks very much for the compliment Kess, I love wildlife and photography and it is such wonderful way to spend a few hours, away from cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing. (not that I do much of that )

whyulittle

Can't speak for anyone else, but you don't see the amount of rubbish I end up with, trying to get a few useable shots Kess.

Like Rainbowsend, I just like wildlife and photography and walking endlessly around Lough Boora.

I also don't do any ironing.

V Bull

You are too kind Kess, but as the other guys say, I just love walking around my favorite haunts looking and listening and always have the camera. And like WUL says most of my shots are rubbish too...

Some snaps today from the East Coast Nature Reserve, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow..

Chaffinch & Bluetit at feeder in the reserve..


Shoveler Ducks..(does my bum look big in this honey!!!)


Pheasant..


Chaffinch..


Wigeon..


Red Throated Diver..


A mugging at dusk..


Going with a Pink-Footed Goose..

Traonach

Kess73 wrote: »

Must say that the quality of pictures in this thread is really excellent. Posters like yourself, Vbull, Vmoth, whyulittle, and no doubt a few more whose names escape me really have a great eye for a shot.

x2
Rainbowsend's Red kite photos are one of my favourite. Vbull and whyulittle's Hen harrier shots are also savage.

Rainbowsend

(whatever happened to that 12 days of Christmas thread?)

V_Moth

One of the two (!) Desert Wheatears on Bray Head this lunch-time.

stevensi

really hope they stick around until this weekend...looks like you can get quite close to them. Were they easy to find?

V_Moth

stevensi wrote: »

really hope they stick around until this weekend...looks like you can get quite close to them. Were they easy to find?

Tbh, I doubt that they will hang around that long as the weather will shift towards the end of the week. As with all birds they tended to move around a bit but were very approachable at times.

stevensi

Yeah I think you are right but here's hoping. I see they are reported there again this morning!

Mayo Miss

A big flock of these geese landed in a field near my house today. They were noisy!

googsy

Breakfast Time

Bsal

My local Sparrowhawk stopped by for breakfast this morning, sorry for the poor quality.

Bsal

V_Moth wrote: »

One of the two (!) Desert Wheatears on Bray Head this lunch-time.

I went for a walk around Skerries this afternoon and seen one Desert Wheatear foraging around the grass edge in the car park, I was gutted no camera. I was able to get within 5-10 metres of it.

V_Moth

Bsal wrote: »

I went for a walk around Skerries this afternoon and seen one Desert Wheatear foraging around the grass edge in the car park, I was gutted no camera. I was able to get within 5-10 metres of it.

:eek: Well, that would be an excellent sighting. Where abouts in Skerries? I don't know how much birding experience you have, so I have to ask if you can confidently rule out Common Wheatear?

Desert Wheatear has black throat, all black tail (no T visible) and sandy brown upperparts.

Bsal

If you continue past the harbour in Skerries and around the bend to the right, continue straight on up to near where the Martello tower is. I am almost certain I remember the black around the face/throat but as you say there is a chance it was just a common female Wheatear.

Traonach

Bsal wrote: »

If you continue past the harbour in Skerries and around the bend to the right, continue straight on up to near where the Martello tower is. I am almost certain I remember the black around the face/throat but as you say there is a chance it was just a common female Wheatear.

I'm heading to Skerries tomorrow for the bird. Hopefully your correct and it's not just. Did the bird look like this:

V_Moth

Bsal wrote: »

If you continue past the harbour in Skerries and around the bend to the right, continue straight on up to near where the Martello tower is. I am almost certain I remember the black around the face/throat but as you say there is a chance it was just a common female Wheatear.

Thanks for that. In the excitement I didn't read the last part of the message saying exactly where you saw it . I have passed your sighting on to a couple of local birders who will have a look around the area tomorrow.

It is quite late in the year for any Wheatear, so it is an interesting sighting even it is "just" a Common Wheatear. Anyway, two more pics of the two Desert Wheatears from Bray last Tuesday.

Bsal

Traonach wrote: »

I'm heading to Skerries tomorrow for the bird. Hopefully your correct and it's not just. Did the bird look like this:

I remember the black in the wing stood out quite alot, like in V Moths's second picture and I recall quite alot of tail bobbing by the bird too. Great news that you guys are heading out for a look, fingers crossed that its still there.

Bsal

I got out to Skerries around quarter past three, which was quite late and there was to many people around too, but I did manage to see a Kestrel hovering over the wall near the Martello tower at 15:55 for a few minutes and a Heron down on the rocks near one of the swimming platforms. I see on Irish birding sightings list there was a Desert Wheatear at North Bull Island today.

Traonach

Bsal wrote: »

I got out to Skerries around quarter past three, which was quite late and there was to many people around too, but I did manage to see a Kestrel hovering over the wall near the Martello tower at 15:55 for a few minutes and a Heron down on the rocks near one of the swimming platforms. I see on Irish birding sightings list there was a Desert Wheatear at North Bull Island today.

I searched the area extensively, no sign:(. It is annoying that one was found on Bull island. Will have to wait until next Sunday again.

flutehook

Bsal wrote: »

I see on Irish birding sightings list there was a Desert Wheatear at North Bull Island today.

Indeed there was - a lovely bird!

DW1st.JPG

Rainbowsend

Spent three hours in a hide early this morning and this was all I had to show for it........I would have deleted it but I hate deleting Kingfishers, especially after a three hour wait

cameramonkey

Rainbowsend wrote: »

Spent three hours in a hide early this morning and this was all I had to show for it........I would have deleted it but I hate deleting Kingfishers, especially after a three hour wait

i like it. nice colours and gives you a feeling for the speed of theses little devils.

Pie Man

Rainbowsend wrote: »

Spent three hours in a hide early this morning and this was all I had to show for it........I would have deleted it but I hate deleting Kingfishers, especially after a three hour wait

Did you try the branch platform to attract the kingfisher.

Traonach

flutehook wrote: »

Indeed there was - a lovely bird!

DW1st.JPG

Did you find the bird?
Congrats if you did

Rainbowsend

Pie Man wrote: »

Did you try the branch platform to attract the kingfisher.

There is a couple of perches that he uses, but he wasn't hanging around today!

cameramonkey

Went on a visit to woodstock inistioge kilkenny at weekend. forgot what a great place it is.really a place for people who like big trees. also got to see a red squirrel. Lots of birds that I could not identify. i advise anyone who hasnt been there to visit.







Nobel Fir walk Really beautiful walk through fantastic trees. The scale of the trees is something that you dont really see often in ireland.


Leaves




monkey puzzle walk.

http://www.woodstock.ie/

all photos taken with canon G9