Lifers Ahoy had to take a step in darkest Derbyshire though!

Wow, What a day!

Started the day with the Great Reed Warbler @ Ilkestone followed by a Red Rumped Swallow and some naff place deep in hill billy land....

Back to Leicestershire, The birds come to easy in derby so was time for something a bit more of a challenge.
Lets go get a bird that has not been reported for a week, Great idea! Well should of been a shit idea of course not to mention it was raining but we were Beacon hill bound all the same!

Out the car park "well the verg on the road" a quick sniff round soon put me on another lifer a very splendid Tree Pipit indeed! The rest of the story gets a bit hazy and bit rubbish after that but to cut a long story very short.  We walked and we Walked and bloody yea you guessed it walked! Then after hearing a very promising sound we bid are time and nailed the swine! Lifer No. 4 for the day superb!

Ryder

Stupid Bird In Question.

Purple No Grey No.Err What The F**k Is It Then!

Hysteria and maybe even little history was created last weekend, The story go'es a little like this.

So there we were me and the Shrew at the infamous and even less notorious Kelham Bridge. The Shrew spotted something, Something unusual a bloody great orange beak hanging out from the island hide, Just as he moved the scope the bird took to the air. Dam it looked good for a purple heron real good!

Ok so the game was on there was no way were leaving without better views of the bird, To cut a very long story short a lot of people got very excited followed by a little anger a little disappointment and no doubt a lot of F+B's. So we any closer to finding out exactly what the bird is with that huge orange conk! Don't be bloody silly but theres plenty of people who pretend to know!.

Cheers and all.

Ryder 

Pretty poor photos!

I make no apologies for butchering your eyes with these photos, No emails if they bleed please.

Cracking night!

Arrived home from work to find a friend of mine waiting for me, He had good news he had spotted a Redstart at Brascote Pits! Game on!
Upon arriving we quickly re found the bird, Could kick me self for not taking the camera. Best i could manage was some shady half arsed phone scope pictures.
It did not end there though, We also got common sand which is a lifer for me not bad for a Thursday evening after work.

Ryder

Brascote sucked, Not to mention Thornton!

Busy day at work building my self up for some very promising bird watching weather!

Was not to be got down to Brascote pit and there pumping water in, I understand they always do around this time but it killed it for me!

2 oyster catchers 4 little ringed plovers bah.

Thornton was not much better! No sign of the Redstart needless to say, Did have fantastic numbers of House martins and Swallows which is always pleasing!

No yellow wags darn.

Back to working and dreaming lol.

Ryder  

Been a while back with new intentions!

Hello and yes it's been a while.....

I had a house move with a new garden to tend feeders to set, Amongst that lot car troubles and internet issues kept me away!

Enough of the excuses I'm back with new intentions to cover my local areas, Which are and Include: Brascote Pits, Barlestone, Market Bosworth and surrounding areas!

 So whats been happening, Brascote has been red hot I have been down there most days not surprisingly I dipped the Whimbrel  down there Saturday morning lol, Also dipped the Redstart at Thornton Res despite going Thursday and Friday evening!

I have managed some good times though, Picked up Redshank at Brascote pits Little Owl and Yellow hammer were the highlights! oh and not to forget the white wag.

This is my first migration as a birder so let the good times roll!

Ryder

Another day another tick!

Yay always a good feeling Knocked tree creeper off the life list today!
As for photos though it turned out to be yet anther B word bird lol, Nasty habit they bloody have of moving when ya checking them out.

Feel a little like teenager in the red light district at the moment my birding career being so young theres so much to see and do and more importantly more information to leech than a barrel full of monkeys anyhow!
The garden was hot again today after leeching a tip of apples for the thrushes i cut one and placed on the lawn 10 minutes later bam fieldfare! Smashing new garden tick and highlight of my day..

Ryder

Ok back in Business!

Sorry i have some personal problems which are now hopefully largely resolved !
First off let me wish you all a happy new year and the best of regards for the coming future, Now onto business a early trip to kick start my first full birding year was in order!

I set off on icy roads to Thornton res with 1 mission in mind to tick Scaup start the new year with a new tick, This all seemed a little to easy as after pulling in the car park and snapping a couple Long-tailed tit shots i bumped in to local resident at expert "hope ya don't mind me saying that" Andy smith, A quick chat and i was straight on the bird which off what turned out to be a super day!

Scaup ticked it was time to head over to stoke golding to pick up me new camera bag a Lowerpro slingshot 300AW all i can say is what superb bit of kit!
After smoosing the missus with all the usual B i was back at the resser and had a march on, Managed to tick a healthy amount of specie for a first day get a couple of new specie and get a couple of shots which i will leave you with now!

Thanks again to Andy for this one!

Andy put me on this superb showing rail and well worth a look more Info found on his blog.

Happy new year!