Crossness Alpine Swift… and other recent photos

Apologies to anyone who’s devoted enough to have noticed the lack of recent updates here… I blame work, though you could also blame my laziness!

Anyway, here are some photos illustrating my recent travels, in reverse order. This morning, as I was about to get in the car heading for some Mandarin photo-opps, a timely message from John A alerted me to an Alpine Swift at Crossness. 30 Gatso-dodging minutes later, the bird was in the bag, and showing very well – nice one Kev!

Rainham held a smart male Ring Ouzel, but alas, the Suffolk Pallid Swift headed off high after the rain cleared, and we dipped.

Last weekend included trips to Dungeness and Rainham, resulting in these shots…

… and the weekend before, we went to Dorset on a Bufflehead-ticking mission. Success, but no photos of the bird (or the five Goshawk in the New Forest). You’ll have to make do with this shabby shot of Chesil Beach and Weymouth Harbour. Rubbish view.

The lack of updates may well continue, but with a better excuse for a while – Suzanne and I are off to Malawi on Easter Sunday. The field guide arrived in the post during the week… talk about whetting my appetite!