As you all know, well I think you do, I have got a little fed up of Blurred Birding and you could probably tell from the quality of my recent posts it's been a struggle. The real idea behind Blurred Birding was to poke a little fun at birding with poor images and generally take the mick (sorry mick) out of everything, which looking at some of my early feedback was not the best of ideas. As for the blurred shots, they are not as blurred as they used to be, so it renders the blog title pretty much out of date.
Here is the good news, I am not going chucking in the towel altogether because I have decided to set up a new blog, with a new name and it will be up and running soon. I will not dwell on the new blog here but incourage you check it out here "The Regional Tick". I will start posting on 30th July, any regional birder with a blog that wants to be linked to "The Regional Tick" just leave me a comment and I will get you on board.
Thanks to everyone that has supported this blog, its been a whole lot of fun.
Martyn Yapp
2nd July 2011
Well what do expect, a wealth of posts, it is the middle of summer you know.
Volunteered to take my folks down to my sisters in Essex today, her property backs onto the River Crouch in South Woodham Ferrers, about eight miles from the sea, but very tidal and normally bird rich, however in recent years due to upgrading on the drainage it is not as marshy, marginally has it used be.
The tide was out and waders are naturally in short supply, however a single Avocet was a suprise, all I could manage in my two hour walk around the seawall was 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Redshank, a few Oystercatcher and 2 Curlew. A Common Tern briefly fished a water channel and 2 Common Shelduck were busy feeding in the estuary. Sedge and Reed Warblers were heard and a couple of Reed Buntings were noted. At least 3 Little Egret, 1 GBB and 60 BH Gulls were knocking around the area.
Considering my visit rate to this area is poor, winter is pretty good, I have managed to find in this small recording zone in past, both Red and Black-throated Divers, a Guillemot and two Velvet Scoter. At this time it is also home to a healthy flock oif Brent Geese and all the usual wintering waders, a two thousand Dunlin is not uncommon.
Question, the first butterfly is a Small Skipper, is the second image Esssex Skipper?
A couple of images of the estuary.
And finally a regular visitor the field at the bottom of the garden.
Volunteered to take my folks down to my sisters in Essex today, her property backs onto the River Crouch in South Woodham Ferrers, about eight miles from the sea, but very tidal and normally bird rich, however in recent years due to upgrading on the drainage it is not as marshy, marginally has it used be.
The tide was out and waders are naturally in short supply, however a single Avocet was a suprise, all I could manage in my two hour walk around the seawall was 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Redshank, a few Oystercatcher and 2 Curlew. A Common Tern briefly fished a water channel and 2 Common Shelduck were busy feeding in the estuary. Sedge and Reed Warblers were heard and a couple of Reed Buntings were noted. At least 3 Little Egret, 1 GBB and 60 BH Gulls were knocking around the area.
Considering my visit rate to this area is poor, winter is pretty good, I have managed to find in this small recording zone in past, both Red and Black-throated Divers, a Guillemot and two Velvet Scoter. At this time it is also home to a healthy flock oif Brent Geese and all the usual wintering waders, a two thousand Dunlin is not uncommon.
Question, the first butterfly is a Small Skipper, is the second image Esssex Skipper?
A couple of images of the estuary.
And finally a regular visitor the field at the bottom of the garden.
25/26th June 2011
Its the time of year that many birders pack up flogging around their local patches, for some it clicks over to insect watching, not me I have enough problems with birding.
Saturday was rather overcast and dull, Kay, Richard and myself met on Cannock Chase, I had trouble remebering what it looked like with leaves on the trees, think my last visit was for the Shrike.
Plenty of birds were busy doing there summer thing, two juvenile Stonechat were being attended by the adults, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit and Skylark were also seen. Two Buzzard and a couple of Green Woodpeckers finish off the visit, however this was slightly forced due to an approaching shower.
Blithfield produced two Common Sandpiper, a Common Redshank (later a Spotted Redshank was discovered in Tad Bay), 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plover and 4 LR Plover. The usual duck for the time of year were loafing around Tad Bay, these included 10 Common Teal, a few Shoveler, 1 Pochard and 50 or so Tufted Duck.
At least 10 Common Tern and a very plastic Cape type Ruddy Shelduck.
Onto Croxall, water levels were high again, however 4 Black-tailed Godwits graced what shoreline there was along with a single Redshank and Common Sandpiper. One Common Tern and 12 Oystercatchers were also noted.
The Black-tailed Godwits flew off.
I noticed on another "Midlands" bloggers site an image of a metal bird, the Seaking helecopter, just thought I would add one too, Lynx.
Due to Bev on Brownie duty in London, it gave me the chance to go out again today (Sunday), the insect statement at the beginning is a little untrue, but although I have wanted to in past, I have never been out specifically looking for Dragonflies and Butterflies.
I thought I would have a walk around Cuckoo Bank, Butterflies were everywhere, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small Heath, Large and Small Skippers were noted too as were many Meadow Brown.
Large Skipper.
Ringlet.
Four Spotted Chaser (I hope, I am sure someone will tell me otherwise).
No flies on him, well yes there was actually.
Martyn Yapp
Saturday was rather overcast and dull, Kay, Richard and myself met on Cannock Chase, I had trouble remebering what it looked like with leaves on the trees, think my last visit was for the Shrike.
Plenty of birds were busy doing there summer thing, two juvenile Stonechat were being attended by the adults, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit and Skylark were also seen. Two Buzzard and a couple of Green Woodpeckers finish off the visit, however this was slightly forced due to an approaching shower.
Blithfield produced two Common Sandpiper, a Common Redshank (later a Spotted Redshank was discovered in Tad Bay), 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plover and 4 LR Plover. The usual duck for the time of year were loafing around Tad Bay, these included 10 Common Teal, a few Shoveler, 1 Pochard and 50 or so Tufted Duck.
At least 10 Common Tern and a very plastic Cape type Ruddy Shelduck.
Onto Croxall, water levels were high again, however 4 Black-tailed Godwits graced what shoreline there was along with a single Redshank and Common Sandpiper. One Common Tern and 12 Oystercatchers were also noted.
The Black-tailed Godwits flew off.
I noticed on another "Midlands" bloggers site an image of a metal bird, the Seaking helecopter, just thought I would add one too, Lynx.
Due to Bev on Brownie duty in London, it gave me the chance to go out again today (Sunday), the insect statement at the beginning is a little untrue, but although I have wanted to in past, I have never been out specifically looking for Dragonflies and Butterflies.
I thought I would have a walk around Cuckoo Bank, Butterflies were everywhere, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small Heath, Large and Small Skippers were noted too as were many Meadow Brown.
Large Skipper.
Ringlet.
Four Spotted Chaser (I hope, I am sure someone will tell me otherwise).
No flies on him, well yes there was actually.
Martyn Yapp
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