Only Managed to see one Snow Bunting today, but what a view.

Just as I arrived to photograph the Snow Buntings the sun decided to hide behind clouds for the rest of the afternoon.

I managed a few shots and made my way home.

24,000 Knot, 4,000 Dunlin, 700 Sanderling all at high tide roost at Hoylake shore it’s a great sight and well worth a visit.

Knot

Sanderling

Snipe are one of the birds that seem to elude me; I have seen them at close quarters before but never with my camera in hand.

It was late afternoon as I arrived at the Eastern Reedbed; I was hoping the Bittern would show up. It hadn’t been seen. 

As I sat in the Hide ten Snipe arrived landing at the water’s edge and blended into the surroundings.

Still not the shots I want as they are just too far away.

I spent a few hours in the garden to see what would turn up

On my first trip down to my local reserve this year, I was informed that a small group of Waxwings were feeding in a Mountain Ash tree at the far end of Birchwood Pool.

When I arrived at the site I was able to photograph some of the birds as they flew in to feed on the berries.

 Although not in the best of light (and I would like them to be a bit nearer) I decided they were worth a few shots

That could be the last of the waxwings this year.

With the weather being rubbish today I decided to clear out last year’s wildlife folders from my Pc and store them on a external hard drive as I do every year.

As I sat making up this year’s folders I heard a soft thud on the window a sound that I am familiar with, it was a bird strike on the window. I looked up to see all the birds scattering.

I went outside to investigate and found a dead male Bullfinch. It had broken its neck as soon as it hit the window.

The culprit just sat on the fence before it disappeared into trees.

Not a good start for the year.

As I got out of my car I spotted this Fieldfare feeding in an apple tree

The weather was grim but I managed a few shots before the weather took a real turn for the worst

Widgeon

Shoveler

I spent the day in the garden today waiting for the Sparrowhawk to turn up at the feeding station just as I had expected, It arrived late in the afternoon however I couldn’t fit all the bird in the frame, I only managed two shots before it disappeared over the fence.

Whilst I was waiting I photographed the more regular visitors to my garden.

Male Bullfinch

Female Bullfinch

Goldcrest

Goldfinch

2012 the end of the world came and went without much disruption which is a good thing.

I can carry on taking photographs.

2012 has been a good year I have been able to photograph a wide selection of wildlife.

In January frequent trips to Wales to photograph Snow Bunting and Short eared Owls took up most of my time, capturing some memorable images along the way.

To attract the Snow Buntings seed was scattered on some driftwood. A small group of Snow Bunting regularly patrolled the beach stopping off at the feeding station.

Short eared Owls hunting over the fields on an industrial estate

After placing some posts in the field it was just a matter of time before one of the Owls decided to land on one of them.

I also started my blog in February with a visit to my local Nature Reserve to photograph the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

In February the Siskins returned to my garden after a long absence but I struggled to get any better shots of them.

By mid- February I was making regular trips to photograph more Short eared Owls however I was struggling to get close to them.

Taken with 500m lens and x 2 converter

On the 20^th of Feb I was at Leighton Moss in search of the Glossy Ibis although the weather was not at its best I decided to give it a go.

Early morning view from the public hide

I eventually found the Ibis in fields just outside of the reserve and managed a few shots in between the rain showers.

Also in February I photograph a tearful Kestrel as it came to terms with the fact that the Mouse escaped.

On to Pastures new to photograph Dippers

At the end of February I visited Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve to photograph the Bittern or as it turned out the Bitterns.

They gave me and many other photographers some great views from the Lancaster Hide.

March was a great month for me with lots of different species photographed:

Treecreepers, Buzzard, Short eared Owl, Crossbill, Stonechat, Goldcrest, Wheatear,Meadow Pipit, Skylark,

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,Hawfinches, Little Owl, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff

Treecreeper at Moore Nature Reserve

I eventually managed to get better shots of the Short eared Owls

Cossbill Magic in Suffolk

It was a long way to travel but it was worth every mile

The Crossbills came down from the trees to drink, giving me a great opportunity to get some shots.

Back in Cheshire the first Stonechats of the season graced my camera.

11 of March I spent the next 3 days photographing short eared Owls

Late afternoon and the Owls are out hunting

Two nice Goldcrest turned up at my daughters

On the 17 of March I returned to the Short eared Owls to get some shots of them on posts

Some of the first migrants to show up were Wheatear

Along with Skylark I also got some shots of Meadow Pipit

By March the 23 the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker had started to dig out a nest site

I was seduced by the Owls again returning for some more shots

By 26 of March I was on my way to photograph Hawfinches.

and Nuthatch burying some nuts

 I visited a site for the Little Owl

 I finished the month of March with my first shots of Chiffchaff

The April Gold Rush

 I noticed that the Goldcrests seem to be spending most of the day in the garden. In set up the camera and waited.

 I visited Moore for a few hours to get some better images of Chiffchaff

The Mole and the Woodpecker

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker scattering wood chippings at its nest site

Siskins are back again

Better shots this time

Nice to see the Bullfinch

This Ring Ouzel turned up at one of the  reserves I visit

I returned for some better shots of the Ring Ouzel but it had moved on so I turned my attention to other arrivals

Singing in the rain

Willow Warbler

20^th of April saw a big influx of Blackcaps at Moore Nature Reserve

Taken on a family trip to Whinfell Forest Penrith Cumbria at the end of April

May another great month

Grasshopper Warbler at Moore Nature Reserve

Cuckoo time

Common Lizards are not easy to photograph

Sunbathing Common Lizard

Pied Flycatcher

Liitle Ring Plover

A great little bird

Whitethroat at Moore

Female Blackcap

Redstart

Cuckoo

Goldcrest

Hunting Kestrel at Moore

Sedge Warbler at RSPB Conwy

Pied Flycatcher at Gilfach farm

Redstart

Red Kites at Gigrin Fram

Turkey Trip

Burial tombs at Dalyan River

Stork

Reed Warbler

Little Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Reed Warbler

Cemlym Bay Nature Reserve

Sandswich Tern

Common Tern

Arctic Tern

Little Grebe

Reed Bunting

Reed Warbler

Whitethroat

Yellowhammer at Moore

July

Grasshopper Warbler

Kingfisher

Little Grebe

Grey Heron

Yellow Wagtail

Corn Bunting

Green Woodpecker

Kingfisher

Sedge Warbler RSPB Conwy

RSPB South Stack

Stonechat

Stonechat

Raven

Chough

August was the time for Foxes and Kingfishers

Spotted Flycatcher

September

Fallow Deer

Garden Spider

Fallow Deer

Mute Swan

Tufted Duck

Marsh Harrier RPSB Burton Mere Wetlands

Little Stint

Red Deer

October and the Sparrowhawk visits the garden for an easy meal.

The Red deer are getting ready to rumble

Kestrel hunting at Tatton

Hobby at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands

Stonechat

November

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Buzzard

Back again

First Brambling of the year

Great Spotted Woodpecker

December

Firecrest RSPB Conwy

Fieldfare

Back on Frodsham Marsh it’s a Fieldfare fest, with the last of the sunshine this week forecast, time to bag up.

Some of the berries having been rejected are now worth eating

Back on Frodsham Marsh the Fieldfare and Redwing are feeding up on the Hawthorn Berries, as the temperature drops and the ground is frozen hard the birds fly in, wave after wave to feed.

Fieldfare feeding on Hawthorn berries

The Redwing are in competition for the best berries

Lots more in the folder

With hundreds of Redwing and Fieldfare around Graham and I decided to take of few hours break and visit Frodsham Marsh.

Fieldfare

It’s amazing how quickly the berries disappear; the large flocks soon ravage the Hawthorn and move on.

The local Blackbirds too are getting in on the action

Redwing