Making my way to the local bird hide the other day, my thoughts drifted to the fox that I had seen fleetingly dashing through the woods. I thought how great it would have been to have got some shots. All was quiet down at the hide with the Green-winged teal that I had come to photograph way out of range. After a couple of hours I spotted a movement out of the corner of my eye as a fox ran towards the hide in the late afternoon sun.


It made its way closer and closer to the hide until it realised it was actually running towards people!!!

A very enjoyable moment :)

I first spotted dipper at this spot on the River Alynback in July but took a few sessions before I finally managed to get some shots. Having sat for a couple fruitless hours in the bag hide I decided to get some fresh air and there in front of me obscured by a bush is the dipper 10ft away. So got a few shorts by open stalking the bird.

and managed to get down a bit lower for this one.

There has been a buzzard acting strangely in recent weeks. Instead of chasing rabbits it has taken up chasing earthworms on the local horse paddock. However, at least this has provided some opportunity to get some shots on both the ground and in flight as usually all you see of them is soaring high overhead.

They are quite a majestic bird when they walk around on the ground.

and can be spectacular when coming in to land.

Decided on a revisit to the Bunting Hide at Pennington Flash. Another enjoyable session despite missing a good opportunity to photograph a Jay gathering Acorns in the Car Park. Finally managed to get a shot of one of the Willow Tits that never stay on a perch for more than 5 seconds.

Plenty of dunnock were running around picking of spilt food of the floor as usual

Bullfinch and chaffinch were also present in numbers

Also caught only my second glimpse of a Waterrail. The first time I saw one was at Inner Marsh which was little more than a blur in a gap between the reed beds. This one showed for not much longer but time enough to get a single shot in.

Called into Martin Mere, near Southport, the other weekend for a change of scenery. The hides overlooking the mere itself were quiet, as I had expected, as it was a bit early for the return of the pink footed geese and whooper swans. So went over to the duck collection ponds for a bit of relaxing photography. Here are a small selection of the photos.

A Wigeon in some afternoon light

Wood Duck

Pochard having a splash around

and to finish off one of the Flamingos

Overall a very enjoyable afternoon session :)

Dropped into Pennington Flash and had an interesting couple of hours at the feeding station. Good variety of birds were present including those shown together with dunnock, willow tit and green finch. Not a great deal of light was available in the forest clearing under a dull sky.

Lots of magpies were present. They are a beautifully coloured bird when you watch them for a while.

Together with the a a variety of of tit species.

A group of Long-tailed tits passed through before scared by a swooping sparrowhawk.

Great tits and Blue tits

and to finish off some bullfinch

I dropped into Inner Marsh on the way home. I was told I had missed a lot of action with pereguines taking moorhen and herons wrestling with big eels. There was some interesting birds there though with a Woodsandpiper, ruff and Little Stint. Unfortuantely all out of range. Shame as there was some nice late afternoon light.

Greylags were doing some formation flying

and fortunately a Black tail Godwit came into range before the sun dipped too far to save the day.

It always encouraging when you set out to do some bird photography and you are met on the way down to the hide by a bird walking towards you. On a visit to Inner Marsh Farm RSPB site I was greeted by this pheasent.

Down at the hide it was realtively quiet withbirds close in to photograph but just as I left this Black-tail Godwit appeared in some warm late afternoon light.

I was back out early this morning, as I'm not a great one for sleeping in. The target today was some Oystercatcher which were feeding on the field at the back of New Brighton promenade. A difficult bird to get close to.

Thought it time to start my first post here.

I headed out with camera yesterday and came across some young herons plucking small fish from the edge of Crosby Marine Lake in Merseyside. This was one of my favourite shots of the session as another blenny disappears down that impressive beak.