New Year, New Start

So it is a New Year, well already nearly 2 months down in the New Year, but I have been very neglectful of my blogging over the past 6 months or so. So 2014 is hopefully going to bring with it a conscious effort by me to keep this going.

Where to start? Well with flooding in the South adding a lot of water to usual habitats, birds seem to have been a bit sparse to come by. An early January visit to Blashford Lakes seemed a good idea, with a clear day forecast the lure of photographing the Starling Murmuration against a setting sun was to much, and it would also be a great location to get year list up and running.

Lots of birds about and highlights of the day included Black Necked Grebe, Goosander, Goldeneye and a lone drake Red crested Pochard all good additions to the year list. Plenty of birds were making full use of the Woodland hides feeders with Siskin & Lesser Redpoll regularly visiting the Nyger seed. To my surprise I manage a new lifer from the same spot as a birder next to me on the bench got rather animated at a couple of the Redpoll, slightly larger paler and less streaky, my first Mealy Redpoll. With a cracking sunset setting the sky a glow all that was required was the Starlings. On my last visit over the Christmas period 30,000 came into roost on a dull day. Tonight nothing! Just my luck, the sunset was pretty special though.

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Grey Wagtail 

Female Siskin

Female Siskin

Avon Valley Sunset 

No Starlings :-(

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