A couple of Stonechat images

Male Stonechat at Ferry Meadows CP

Pair of Stonechats at Ferry Meadows CP

The female of the pair, all the other images are of the male.

More of the Ferry Meadows Stonechat

The male Stonechat is still present at Ferry Meadows CP in Peterborough and still lending itself to photography, especially on the gorgeous winter days that we have been experiencing.

Stonechat at Ferry Meadows

This bird represents a milestone for me. It is the 180th bird species that I have recorded this year in the recording area of the Peterborough Bird Club (PBC) and it is the first time that I have reached that number. Last year I came close with 179 and on a few other years I have hit the high 170's, but unbelievably on my busiest year regarding work I have also managed to see more birds than ever before. I know some of you reading this will think, 180, pah! I can see that every year without breaking a sweat, but this figure was seen in a 10 square mile land locked area that covers some of Cambridgeshire, Northants and south Lincs.

I first saw this bird before Christmas, thanks to Roy Norris who kindly put me onto the bird after I had walked up and down the banks of Gunwade lake at Ferry Meadows, but the weather was dull and horrible. I have since returned and with better conditions managed to watch and photograph this little beauty just going about his daily routine. I will probably return in the New Year if he is still about and bore you still more.

Mallorcan birds

Kestrel

Firecrest

Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

The last of the photos from the trip to Mallorca show birds that can be seen fairly easily in the U.K., but made to look different by the wall to wall sunshine!

Hopefully, I will be able to get out and do some British birding fairly soon, but the weather on my one day off is not conducive to any sort of photography! Maybe next time the sun will shine.

Stonechat

Stonechat with lunch

A bird that was pretty common on my recent trip to Ashdown Forest was the Stonechat. Mike and I saw a number of these birds, male (as in the above photo), female and plenty of juveniles. This is a bird that I used to see regularly in the Peterborough area, but their numbers seem to have fallen somewhat and it has been a couple of years since I have seen one locally. It was pleasing to see such good numbers, maybe this year I will be able to add one to my PBC year list, fingers crossed!

Favourite Stonechat

These are my favourite photographs from the recent batch of Stonechat shots.
They have been fairly heavily cropped, but I am pretty pleased with the detail etc.




Digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30

More `Chatting`

Another day, some more Stonechats! These birds were on the Nene Washes near Peterborough again today, although I am pretty sure they have now been joined by at least 3 other pairs.
The wind was pretty blustery today, as can be seen in a couple of shots and so the birds weren`t quite as keen to perch up and show off.

Digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30

Pair of Stonechats

An early morning visit to the Nene Washes near Peterborough in fantastic weather gave me extremely good views of this pair of Stonechats. They were very active, dropping down on the floor by the feet of cattle to feed on anything that the cows` feet disturbed.
There was also another pair, although these two were much more wary and kept their distance! Also, there was a Curlew present, a Marsh Harrier being `mobbed` by crows and loads of Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits with a lone Swallow flying over.
The Stonechats pictured below were `stars` of the show though!


Male Stonechat

Female Stonechat

Male

Male

Male

All Digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30