40D a few shots

HH

some record shots of the female Hen Harrier which has been frequenting Worlaby Carrs for a couple of weeks

mythical no more but still a corker

for 30 years most of us could only dream of a glimpse of a Red-flanked Bluetail in an East coast October fall; having read the accounts of all of the five records pre-1975 we were given some little hope by two singles in the classic years of 1975 and 1976 but neither were twitchable; the 1978 Lincolnshire bird was seen while I was finding an Arctic Warbler just 10 miles away but it was to be another 15 years before the confiding Dorset bird allowed most of the modern day birders to see this gem in the UK; a trip to Yarmouth the following year and two obliging Lincolnshire birds in 1999 and 2002 meant that I had seen more Bluetails than Cirl Buntings in the UK; today's Flamborough foray was a nice refresher on this delightful little gem which has however, rather spoilt its mythical status in recent years with 21 recorded since 1997 no doubt a sign of its continuing westward spread into Finland and northern Sweden

duffs

a very active and elusive bird; dull, dull and duller light, the worst of course when it showed best late on after the chasing crowd had evaporated and AF failing in the low contrast dull, did I mention dull, conditions; it was also cold in a rather fresh southerly wind and dull; these are some of the better duff shots! the head on flight shot was one of my favourites! the bird actually looked very distinctive in flight with a somehow light and buoyant level flight but the head on pattern of pale throat, gorget across the upper breast and striking pale eye rings made even approach views instantly identifiable

Ricardo's

a showy Richard's but still not a very approachable one

sunrise

colour v B&W

Black Tern

this juvenile Black Tern has been on Covenham Res for over a week; as I was passing this afternoon and the light was good I gave it an hour and came away with a few shots which I was pleased with; not always a species which is easy to get close to;

more BT's

not Blue Tits

Black Kite

the prolonged presence of this kite tempted me back to Nocton heath this am in bright sunshine; the bird was very close but against the sun most of the time then further away but with better light; always the same!

BK 2

a few more BK's

Humber sunrise

assorted

not been having much luck with the camera this week--too much work! seagull, wetwits, Red Admiral, Meadow Pipit