171!!!!

Got down to North Duffield for first light this morning to try and connect with a Bittern that had been seen briefly the evening before, long shot but being equal with the York Area Year List record I had to give it a try!

Arrived in the hide about 07:05 and had seen it by 0715!!! Awesome bird and real nice one to break the record with!

Some video taken in poor light here

https://vimeo.com/53696494

showing general area it favoured first thing

Proved quite popular and the Geoff Smith hide was standing room only by the time I'd left!

Some better photos on Mark Coates' Flickr here http://www.flickr.com/photos/gm_coates/8191039094/in/photostream/

Big thanks to Arni, Zing and Andy for getting the news out last night!

Previous record was set in 2006 when Russell Slack and Darren Starkey both competed and both managed 170!

Will do a full summary of my 'big' year in January! 

For now, can I get any more? I'll be going back to Birmingham for Christmas around the 16th December so I've got a month to add a few more hopefully, any bird from now is a bonus!

Targets include

Hawfinch
Bewick's Swan
Bean Goose
Hen Harrier
Green Winged Teal
Firecrest
Dipper
Black Redstart

Here's hoping!

WAHOOOOOOO

Managed to see 43+ Waxwing in York today! Which means that I have equalled the York Area Year List record! 170!

Couple of stonking adult males as well!

Male Hen Harrier through North Duffield this afternoon, will it do a repeat performance tomorrow and allow me to break the record?! Only time will tell!

Goldeneye Ageing

A Goldeneye turned up on the patch 2 days ago.

I'd guessed it may be a 1cy male due to the dull bill and bright eye and managed to prove it today by taking this photo

The combination of the greater covert bar being broken with not very prominent tips and a small amount of pale grey on the forewing age it as a 1cy male. 1cy females would should a more prominent covert bar with a grey-brown forewing.

The Scaup have cleared off.

When I got my camera it was intended exactly for that sort of stuff and recording stuff I find/see. I always said that I wouldn't use it for 'photography' ie taking a photo of a House Sparrow cause its posing nicely! However for Common Gulls I make an exception (plus I can learn about their ageing at the same time!)

Quite like the idea of collages so made one for Common Gulls from Hes East today.

Also went to North Duffield and saw 2 Marsh Harriers, 20 Whoopers (no Bewick's) 17+ Ruff and 700+ Fieldfare, pretty cool.

Spurn

Spent a week at Spurn last week and it was awesome! Saw a huge fall of thrushes, crest and chats loads of Ring Ouzel, Hawfinch, Bluethroat and Olive Backed Pipit.

Part of a c300 strong flock!

Tripping over these and Chiffchaff!

Still impressed by my new Panasonic and one neat feature it does is slow motion, it can do either 100 fps or 200 fps most of the experimenting I have done is with birds in the hand and one of the best so far was the Hawfinch from Spurn. Redstarts and Bramblings on North Ron worked really well and I'll get round to posting them up later, also got a neat bit of Purple Sand footage.

https://vimeo.com/52679241

Reckon it could be good on a flyover raptor or gull, will have to do more playing around!

Wader Quest

Need to do a proper post soon but for now check these guys out

http://www.waderquest.org/p/what-is-wader-quest.html

Impressive Challenge!