Winter Birding Penduline Tit and Parrot Crossbill a couple of Lifers

Winter birding has been better than the Autumn resulting in two species to add to my life list. I don't know how I haven't seen Penduline Tit abroad but I haven't but I got great views of one in Gloustershire on a very cold day. The second bird is Parrot Crossbill I saw 12 of these in Derwentdale but they never came close enough to get good photos. In addition managed to see a few Hawfinch, it might be a few years until I see these again after the recent big influx. I've also been up to Whitby to photograph a Desert Wheatear which showed better than expected.

Spring Update

Well I have just got back from British Colombia in Canada so will be putting a report on about that shortly, but I thought I would better put a few photos on from this spring in the UK.

 Brown Hare

 Common Toad

 Gannet

 Guillemot

 Kittiwake

 Razorbill

 Dotterel

 Dotterel

 Pied Flycatcher

 Slow worm

 Stonechat

Whinchat

First Adders of 2016

Despite the weather I have managed to keep the trend of seeing Adders before the start of March. I went to a Yorkshire site and saw a total of 6 males newly emerged from their winter hibernation. I took these pics with a 300mm lens as it is important at this time of year not to disturb them as their fat reserves are low and they can't afford to expend unnecessary energy fleeing from humans. Along with Matt I have also had a bit of success photographing owls and after talking to a local farmer may know of the nesting barn of a pair of Barn Owls, he said it is the first time in 40 years he has had these lovely birds on his farm.
My little winter feeding station as also started to get a few more birds but has been no where near as good as last time I set it up, the Bullfinches seem especially shy this time.

Mountain Hares

 I had my annual session photographing Mountain Hares up on the high tops. A very cold morning with a little bit of snow, and a hard frost. As always they can prove difficult to get close enough to, but there are always one or two that are more obliging than others.

 

Red Grouse in the frost