What have you seen
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On the trail....
we set the trail camera up in a slightly different position last night after I spotted a badger close to our outside store.
Obviously there is much more going on than we realised. The photos have times on them, so the first is our terrier going out to the garden before bed...then along come the others. Not room for all of them on here but this is a sample. In the morning the pigeon was first, then our cat, then some more birds. We get hedgehogs so we'll have to wait and see if they appear later on.
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Went for a short stroll after dinner into the village where we are staying, near the mountains in Southern Germany and saw a Dipper feeding one of its chicks on a small stream that runs behind the campsite. Nice way to start the new session of the hols.
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Moved up to Dornoch from Carrbridge and as we drove along the road by the Cromarty Firth 2 Red Kites and a Heron flew over within a minute of eachother.
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Well I'm back......
Seem to be losing my touch....back home and my pic's seem so soft, nowhere near as sharp as I would want...thinking of having my lens serviced, anybody done the same?
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Had a walk around the meadows near the campsite this morning. The meadows have been basically left to allow the wild flowers to grow and they were lovely. Many of them are common but some are not as common in the UK as they should be. Plants like Greater Meadow Rue or Solomons Seal. There were lots of Purple and Yellow Flag Iris and a few Orchids, too far away to identify. The Water Avens were a delight.
There is a stream running through the meadows and we saw 4 Red Breasted Mergansers, all female, sitting in a quiet spot as well as a Dipper and a Hooded Crow on the fields. There is a further part of the "Moos" that we can't get access to as they have breeding Corncrake and other wet meadow birds like Curlews and Snipe. We can only cycle part of the way in so will venture out when we get a fine evening to listen for them.
All in all a very satisfying 2 and a half hours with a wonderful backdrop of huge mountains. All that was missing was Julie Andrews (thank goodness).
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Scotland
No these are OK, it is back at home that in poor light I cannot get really sharp pic's.
I sat watching Grey Wagtails feeding young yesterday and binned 95% of my efforts.
Going out after tea and hopefully the Barn Owl that slept all day across the marsh might be out.
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Out yesterday at Tarbetness there were Golden Plovers feeding on the rocks just off the shore, along with a couple of other slightly larger all grey waders which I couldn't identify. Also Yellowhammers, Meadow & Rock Pipits, & Whinchats on the gorse, and in the forest by the site a pair of Bull Finches.
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They look pretty sharp on here, I have taken my lenses and camera to Canon for calibration under warranty. While there a guy came in with 2 pro bodies and lenses 600mm f4 and the expensive zoom which he has cleaned and serviced twice per year as he does a lot of safari work.
His charge was £370 for same day clean.
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Help please, anyone know how to upload a video or where to find the guidance that used to be easy to find. Search facility no help at all.
GL, just read your follow up post, it is probably the flat lighting, I have binned most of the pics taken lately. The camera does not like the flat lighting as the contrast is what the cameras are set up to focus on it seems.
Heading over to Minsmere way on Sunday for a week then up Snettisham way the second week then Bempton Cliffs for the third leg
Any suggestions from you knowledgeable locals as to where to be sure to visit.
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Hi we had a surprise today over our field here in the Lot saw 4 large birds on a thermal so grab the bins and had a good look before they all glided away to the south checked tow of my books even the Raptors of the world to find they were Spotted Eagles not normally this far west but they were low enough for me to see all markings and flight pattern, wow made my day as not feeling good with a sinus cold.
Sorry did not have time to get camera for photos.
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Really will have to check my posts before sending them in. The Mergansers were properly recorded in my diary last night as Goosanders not as I said on here. Black mark for me.
Had a lovely day on bike and foot today, now pooped. We cycled around part of Lake Chiemsee alongside some meadow fields and the first bird we saw singing at the top of a tree was a Scarlet Rosefinch. I rather like the German name for them of Karmingimpel. We then stopped the bikes before we ran over a small Harvest Mouse that scuttled across the path. Mrs WN did take a photo of it at the edge of the path on her small Fuji but not sure we have brought accessory for loading. Will try to dig it out if we have.
We then watched a Great Crested Grebe whilst we sat on a bench having lunch and he caught a fish about 3/4 the size of himself. We gave up watching him try to eat it but did see another GCG swimming under the water while we were standing on a bridge. The lake waters are crystal clear.
Finally tonight we walked down from the campsite to the barrier on the edge of the Moos and saw 2 Whinchats and a Red Backed Shrike but the best bit was listening to 2 Corncrakes. Unfortunately they didn't show themselves. So a really good day was had.
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BM - when we were at Bempton Cliffs last year we found that we saw more birds, closer up when viewing them from Flamborough Head, particularly just after the lighthouse and cafe area heading to Bempton.
Minsmere is Minsmere but try Dunwich Heath for Dartford Warblers, Adders and Nightjars at dusk. We've always enjoyed walking around the reed beds at Walberswick.
Enjoy your trip. I assume you've got your LR back.
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Thanks WN
I have noted your suggestions and give them a go. We went to Flamborough last time we over that way, amazing number of birds along that coast. Gannets diving is quite spectacular.
LR back after a total farce, four weeks of hassle then they carried out the re-gen that they should have done day one.
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As WN says NT Dunnwich Heath is a good place for Dartford Warblers. My best photos have been taken around 6am, they are usually around the gorse bushes as you drive in, just before the toilets.
for the passed couple of years there has been a Bittern nesting about a 100 yards from the Island hide at Minsmere, no idea if it’s there this year. The adder trail is good to see, adders.
Keep a watch on surfbirds East Anglia and also Penny’s hot birding blogg to see what’s around. Could be Dottrels about Choseley Barns, which is a couple miles from Titchwell, but on the opposite side of the road
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Thanks OP
Forgot there was a 06.00 hrs in a day, will add these places to our list.
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OP
Several pages ago we discussed Hen Harriers andwhere to find them. Would you think they will still be visible and where best to see them now. I still have never seen one.
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I was hoping to post a video of the latest saga with our Bluetits.
Feeding progressing at an alarming rate, so not sure how many chicks we have. It seems that one of the devoted and extremely determined parents has put on weight since feeding began and really struggles to enter the hole, sometimes up to 12 attempts before forcing its tiny body through the hole. This has given us marvelous entertainment over the last week or so. The feeders are quite close to the nest which appears to be on the flight path from nest to next grub, perhaps to many visits.
Looking forward to our trip east despite a bout of scyatica which should enjoy the 5 hour journey.
The only down side is the chicks will have fledged before we return so we will miss the happy event. Hope you like the last pics from the nest this year. The garden shot shows the further nest box as the one in use and the short flight to the feeding station. It is interesting that only grubs go into the nest for the chicks and parents use the feeder for themselves.
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What fantastic photos and a lovely garden complete with pond, to dry here in the summer but have got a little tub that takes a small solar fountain. Our blue tits have flown and now got a pair of great tits gone into the same box not seen that before.
Enjoy your trip to east of England, Minsmere one of my favourite reserves, hope to see more photos.
As I said on an earlier post could not get a photo of the eagles going over yesterday but wow what a sight.
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In Wolfach this morning and watched 2 family groups of Dippers to get into the water. Juveniles could fly but only 1 would stick its head into the water. Think the adults want rid of the babes so they can get on with the next brood.
Haven’t seen any reports re Hen Harriers for a while. If you take the A149 from Wells towards Sheringham after a couple of miles you will come to a side road to Wareham. Right opposite the road is a track (on the left) go up there, after a few hundred yards you can park. Track is rough though.
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Saw a first this morning , we did one of the walks starting from NT Baddersley Clinton at first just thought it was a pile of sheep poo, but it moved! Three young moles looking very out of place, only ever seen a dead one before. They were just so cute, but very much out in the open.
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Great spotting H&T. One doesn't often see them above ground.
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Really enjoy seeing all the photos on this thread.
For Bluemalaga : if you haven’t already found it there is info re videos on How to use club together- Tutorial for uploading photos and videos. Hope it helps.
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