a few waders

Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers in the high tide roost at Buck Beck this morning; an amazing spectacle and the contrasting colours of the summer plumage arctic waders was truly striking but it is the overall experience which need savouring

Knot hunter

this Hobby, appears to be a 2cy from brown in wing coverts, was actively chasing the huge wader flocks as the tide fell; Knot would appear a large prey item for Hobby?

favourite bird

if I had to choose my favourite bird it would probably have to be the Hobby--superb masters of the sky but such an elusive breeding bird; this year's broods are now fledging and its great to see that the summer weather has not washed them all out

islandica juvs

superb looking birds juvenile icelandic Black-tails--now coming through in decent numbers

Blackwits

still trying to get nice images of the Killingholme Black-tails; the light was superb but the birds just too packed, too distant and in th ewrong position for the sun--not a bad combination

Woodpig

this pig came downt o drink in front of the Killingholme hide--I anticipated take off and just managed two shots but missed off half the wings!

wheat

a local field on the Wolds---I am becoming interested in patterns! must be missing the Albatross which has affected my brain

Small elephant

I came across this Small Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar in a harvested wheat field--not the best habitat for it

nailing the small red-eyes

on Friday there wre at least 6 males and a female Small Red-eyed Damsels at Rosper Road ---I used the 300 2.8 with 2x converter making a 600 5.6 at f6.3 to get these images of individuals which were always on floating weed away from the edge--I was pleased with the results

Banded Dem

one of two males in the Rosper Road drain

hirundine roost

up to 1500 Sand Marts in the local roost and a few Swallows

early am

a few slightly misty images from early on the 10th--N Lincs is not noted for its landscapes

new damsel

having been looking at all my local sites for a couple of weeks trying to find Small Red-eyed Damselfly I had just about given up when of course luck intervened---standing talking on the edge of a very busy road adjacent to what looked like a rather uninspiring drain (actually in rather nice condition at the moment)a pair flew past and settled to ovi-posit on the blacket weed; I later saw a single male but then lost them all---these appear to be the first records for North Lincs but there must be more to come

images of the day

my favourite images from a moderate day; Little Egrets; the orange glow is from the incongruous refinery flare stack

egrets

a late evening visit to Killingholme to count low tide waders was enlivened by the arrival of a flock of 5 Little Egrets; they were later joined by a sixth bird; the five flew off to roost at 21:04 but the 6th was still theer when I left--light was poor but they were all close to the hide; they were very antagonistic and making a lot of different calls;; they may be common now in most of the UK but still noteworthy here; also passing over tonight were 17 Common terns and an adult Little Gull