Creatures of Myth and Legend

Just a quick update, lacking in photos this time, linking together a few oddities from an enjoyable weekend’s birding in Norfolk. Aside from lots of routine bits and pieces, over the course of the two days…

• I did see no less than 5 Turtle Doves in a couple of hours – these have sadly got pretty rare in the last few years (partially as a result of Mediterranean folk shooting the hell out of them), and I’d not seen one anywhere in the spring. But then a whole heap all came along at once… happy days!
• I did see two cracking Montagu’s Harriers… but I can’t tell you where
• I did not see a Cory’s Fulmar Shearwater that apparently flew past Sheringham while various people were studiously watching the same bit of sea, and yet failing to see it… maybe everyone missed it,or maybe not?
• I did not see a Little Stint at Cley, despite rather a lot of people arriving in the hide while I was there, describing a fresh juvenile Dunlin, and leaving contentedly
• I did not see a Savi’s Warbler which some people might previously have told you about, but others suggest they shouldn’t have done.
• I did not see an Osprey clutching a damn great fish which must’ve flown directly over my head. And that was definitely real, I’ve seen the photos!

All part of the fun…

Pleased to meet you!

Just returned from a quick venture out this morning, before heading off to a wedding this afternoon. I popped up to have a look at (or, more often than not, a listen to) the Common Rosefinch that’s holding territory near Fowlmere in south Cambs. It was almost constantly singing (a jaunty wolf-whistle, a bit like the title of this blog post), but didn’t show often or for long. In far from ideal weather, this was the best shot I managed when it did perch up in view.

Probably not the most exciting bird you’d ever see, but there it is! Hopefully we’ll be tripping over loads of them on Shetland in the autumn, but passing them by in the search for rarer things…

To complete the online experience, you can enjoy the sound in your living room, too! (Courtesy of Xeno Canto; not the Fowlmere bird)

The Web... some stats!

Nothing to do with birds, but I saw this rather cool graphic earlier today, and thought it was worth sharing. It illustrates the mind-boggling volume of information that is shared on the net in just one minute! How did society ever exist without it?!

Infographic by- Shanghai Web Designers

Texan Hummers

Been meaning to post this for ages, but somehow never got round to it: a few shots and video sequences of some more avian highlights from Texas. We saw three species of hummer: Ruby-throated, Buff-bellied and Black-chinned.

And here are the movies…