January 2025 Highlights

Pictures from January 2025, that interest me and are not covered by a separate post

Cirl Bunting at RSPB Labrador Bay



Snow Bunting at Hamworthy


Ross's Goose, blue-phase Snow Goose, feral Black Swan and Little Stint at Slimbridge




Hawfinch near Andover

Semi-reliable Water Rail at the Seaton Wetlands


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Antigua 2026

Image
A few of my favourite shots from our family holiday in Antigua. It turned out that late April/early May was not the best time to visit, in that the flow through of migrants had dried up, as had much of the standing water.   Fortunately, this was a beach holiday rather than birding expedition, and from that perspective Antigua was perfect! The highlights for me were 1) the lifers, 2) the hummingbirds around the hotel and 3) the herons on McKinnon’s Pond. Tri-coloured Heron Very graceful birds. Grey Kingbird Not a shrike or a kingfisher, but looks like a bit of both. Snowy Egret These birds, together with the Great Egrets, dominate the local Heron population. White crowned Pigeon A new bird for me. Black crowned Night Heron I have been lucky enough to catch one in the UK this year. They are rare over here but numerous on McKinnon's pond and easy to see early in the morning Yellow crowned Night Heron I didn't even know such a bird existed until it appeared on the far shore of ...
Read more

Black winged Kite, Norfolk, Jan 2026

Image
Until very recently, the Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) was considered a "mythical" bird for UK birdwatchers. However, this may now be changing, possibly due to climate change and a northward expansion from its traditional homes in Africa and Southern Europe. The Black-winged Kite is a small, strikingly beautiful raptor that looks more like a cross between a falcon and an owl than a typical kite. Plumage: It has a distinctive blue-grey back, a pure white underside, and prominent black "shoulders" (wing patches). Eyes: It is famous for its piercing blood-red eyes, which are forward-facing, giving it an owl-like appearance. Hunting: Unlike the scavenging Red Kite, the Black-winged Kite is a specialist hunter of small mammals. It is most often seen hovering with high-frequency wing beats, similar to a Kestrel, before dropping vertically onto prey. Date Location Significance April 2023 Montgomeryshire...
Read more

Osprey on the River Axe, mid June 2026

Image
An unringed Osprey was first seen on the Axe on Sat 13th June and stayed until the afternoon of 16th. Judging by the lack of a strong brown 'necklace' it was probably a male, possible feeding up before heading off to the site of its upbringing. I managed to witness on successful dive on the morning of the 16th.  This fish was eventually dropped when the bird was harassed by a Marsh Harrier, but it did successfully catch and feed shortly afterwards. It was last reported leaving the river and heading north-east. These are shots from the dive.
Read more