Friday 24 May 2013

A well needed couple of hours up at Far Ings 23.05.13

After being in agony and not able to get out for over a week , due to a trapped nerve in my shoulder  , I got up this morning feeling a little better so quickly made a flask and some sarnies and had a wander up to the local patch . I first went in Ness hide OMG  couldnt even open the window it was so windy !!   I had a coffee and sat there for a while every now and then attempting to open the window  .  It rained , it poured , it hailed  (not good)  Then I spotted a couple of Gulls on the far side , I thought they looked a bit different so braved the window open to get the bins on them  , Yay little Gulls  :)   I watched as they headed over to New scrapes area , so as soon as the sun came out and the rain stopped I  quickly walked through the Ness wood to Target Pit and New scrapes . I went in Target hide  first and thankfully the wind was behind now so was so much better . The two Little Gulls were feeding on insects so I managed a few photos of them even though they stayed on the far side . They were then joined by two Common Terns  :)   An Oystercatcher dropped in to for a bath   :)   The Common Sandpiper was on one of the new Islands having a snooze . I sat in there for a few hours , really enjoying myself trying to photograph the Swifts , Martins and Swallows .  I then had a look on the New Scrapes , spotting the Marsh Harrier hunting over Ness . I made a dash along the Humber bank to get to Reedy hide before the rain came , it was black over the Humber I and could see it coming over , I just made it in time before the heavens opened again .  By the time I got there the Marsh Harrier had gone so no photos today . I had a wander through North meadow on my way back , and was lucky enough to see a fox , and loads of bunny's !   Had an excellent few hours out , really enjoyed it  :)
Little Gull

Little Gull

Common Sandpiper

Little Gull

Little Gull

Common Tern

Common Tern

Common Tern

Swallow 

Bunny

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Red Deer in Lancashire

When i lived in lancashire I was very lucky enough to have a Red Deer herd that would come into the farm fields at the back of my house , they would come down off the moors quite often , I guess for some good grazing and shelter . I witnessed the stags rutting in the Autumn right outside my cottage and could often hear the clash of antlers in the night .  I have been looking through some old photos of them and thinking how lucky I was , they would even come into next doors garden to raid the veg plot . I have so many photos of them i think they got used to me and my camera :)















Wednesday 15 May 2013

Far Ings NNR The local patch

Well I havnt been out much this week due to having a very painful trapped nerve in my shoulder . But I did manage to get out on Monday when I was so chuffed to see a Garganey on Ness Pit , a lifer for me and not often seen on Far Ings :)
Record shot of the Garganey  on Ness Pit 


Garganey and Tufty 

Marsh Harrier 




Saturday 11 May 2013

Early Bird 11th May 2013

Woke up at 4.00am this morning I wanted to get out for a few hours before the weather changed . It was a lovely morning so I was up at Far Ings at 4.45am . Just love this time of day when the sun is coming up and the birds are singing . It was a bit quiet on Ness Pit but I stayed in there in the hope the kingfisher or Marsh Harrier might show .  The Marsh Harrier did but not for very long . I spent ages trying to photograph the Swifts , Swallows etc  .  Around about 7.00am a couple came in and told me there was a Roe deer in the field at the back of the hide , so I went out and grabbed a few photos  , the first time I had seen Deer on the Local patch so was great to see :)
Roe Deer




Greylag Goose

Canada Gosling

Female Chaffinch

Canada family

Canada Goslings

Canada Goose

Sand Martin


Swallow