Terntastic hobby food

At Broom this evening had a Black-tailed Godwit appear and disappear on the near shore line of Peacocks Island without being seen in flight. Also several fledged Common Terns including two of the 38 colour ringed individuals. Highlight was an adult Hobby which took a juvenile tern and eventually flew off carrying it to the west.

Odds and sods

Barn Owl and Hare at Buckton, Daisies at Willington GP

Willington Sunday 24th June

An 03.30am start saw the first ringing session of the summer at Willington GP, producing 45 new birds and several retraps.

The female type Red Crested Pochard was lurking on the settling lagoon at 4am - well thats my excuse for the poor image !

Willington continued...

Adult Reed Warbler


Willow Warbler wing, note diagnostic outer web of 6th primary - lacking any emargination

and seperating this species from Chiffchaff.

Blackcap - narrow and pointy tipped juvenile tail feathers

Blackcap - broad and rather blunt tipped tail feathers of adult

Common Tern colour ringing

27 juvenile Common Terns colour ringed at Broom GP this evening, along with 63 juvenile Black headed Gulls. Quite a messy job ! Thanks to Matt, Robin and Annie, Katie and Jenny for their help. Update - another 11 juvenile Common Terns colour ringed on 21st June - total of 38 so far.

Big and Ugly !

C17 Globemaster and A10 Thunderbolt at Lakenheath

Extremadura, Spain June 1st-8th 2007

Poppies at Chopaz, Dehesa from Monfrague castillo, Flora, Steppe, Cork oaks

Extremadura landscapes

Belen Plain at dawn, Las Canteras Steppe, Poppies, Trujillo, Sunset towards Monroy

Extremadura birds

Griffon Vulture, Woodchat Shrike, White Stork, Red-rumped Swallow

Extremadura birds

Lesser Kestrel male and female, Great Bustard, Black Vulture, Great Spotted Cuckoo

Extremadura birds

Alpine Swift, Azure-winged Magpie, Black Kite, Black Wheatear

Extremadura more birds

Black-eared Wheatear, Booted Eagle, Calandra Lark, Griffon Vulture, Hoopoe and Crested Lark

Extremadura yet more birds

Montagu's Harrier, Nightingale, Short-toed Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, White Stork

Extremadura animals and butterflies

Red Fox, Red Deer, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Swallowtail, Two-tailed Pasha