And then there were three pt2

Blunham Lake. First there was a female, then a male and female, then two females with the (leucistic?) bird arriving from Roxton and then the male back again joining the two females. Photo by Richard Bashford

Tawny Owl

A surprise find while walking round a very quiet Swiss Gardens was this roosting Tawny Owl. 29th January 2007 by Steve Blain.

2 Short-eared Owls

These two Short-eared Owls were seen at Knotting Green, 28th January 2007. Click on the image to make it larger.

Evening at Warren Villas

Reed Bunting - one of at least 40 roosting in the reedbeds around the edge of the nature reserve lake.
Tufted Duck on the nature reserve lake. One of around 70 currently on there. Both images by Steve Blain, 26th Jan 2007.

Then there were three

Amazingly there are now THREE Garganey wintering at Blunham Lake, two females and the long-staying male. The above shot is one of the females RIB and I saw today. We met Tim Sharrock just as we were about to leave (after seeing the male and a female) and he went on to find a further female a little while later. Unprecedented numbers of these petite ducks are wintering in the UK this year as the mild weather continues.

Red-crested Pochard

Female Red-crested Pochard at Blunham Lake, 21st January 2007 by Steve Blain.

Goosanders

Two of eight Goosanders at Eversholt Lake, 20th January 2007 by Steve Blain.

Female Garganey at Blunham

Usual excuses - strong wind, distance, low angled sun etc. but these video grabs shows the important features - pale unmarked throat, dark cheek stripe, eye stripe. Photos by Richard Bashford

Robin

A singing Robin, taken along the cycle track between Blunham and Sandy. 19th January 2007 by Steve Blain

Double-whammy at Elstow pits

Keith Owen found both a juvenile Great Northern Diver (probably yet another individual based on plumage) and the returning female Ferruginous Duck at Elstow pits today. The Ferruginous Duck has now returned for its eighth winter at this site. Images by Steve Blain, 14th January 2007.

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk on Geoff Pickerells roof in Willington. A very tolerant bird! Taken with a Fuji S304.

Corn Bunting at Thurleigh

This Corn Bunting was singing on the set-a-side at Thurleigh, giving stunning views from the car. 13th January 2007 by Steve Blain.

Whopper

Whooper Swan, Radwell, 7th January 2007 by Steve Blain.

Whooper at Radwell

Not a great shot of the Radwell Whooper - must learn how to take photos some time...

Happy New Year!

Kingfisher at Cuckoo Bridge GP, 1st January 2007. A nice start to the year, along with the juvenile Great Northern Diver still residing at this site.