Long Eared Owl. Undisclosed site.

Couple of shots taken today at an undisclosed site within the BOG area.

Happy new year to everyone. Stephen

Long-tails in our garden

A feeding party past our gardn at least three times with Long-tailed Tits coming down and feeding on soggy bread. Out of the 10+ that past by 7 made it into the garden near East Riddlesden Hall.

A few shots from Snaygill today

Following Marks report of a Water Pipit at Snaygill , it not being a bird I am familiar with , I decided to go along and have a look. Although Iwasn't able to get close,the light was good and hopefully the pics above include the said bird,

Stephen

Water Pipit video

Water Pipit at Snaygill

Not the best images in the world but here are some record shots of the Water Pipit

The above image shows the greyness of the head.

This last image shows the complete lack of warm tones shown by Meadow Pipits, the white-ish base colouring to the underparts with diffuse streaked flanks. The pale supercilium is also just about visible.

Garden birds in the snow today

Not working today, decided not to venture out in the poor conditions. Had some painting and decorating to do. Couldn't resist setting my camera up in the lounge looking through the patio doors onto my feeders as there were plenty of finches and tits about.

Stephen

Mute Swans from the weekend

Grey Wagtail hacing to feed on bread and seed

due to hard weather at my garden

Robin in my Low Moor garden

Martyn Priestley

A few common Birds

A few more shots taken yesterday to brighten up this dismal time of year

Cheers Stephen

Goldfinches in todays sunshine

Cheers Stephen

Bullfinches return

I was pleased to see Bullfinches, 2 females 1 male, returning to my Riddlesden garden today, after a five month absence.

Long Tailed Tits

Yet More Waxwings

Spot the Firecrest!

At 3pm today I was home for about ten minutes and just happened to see what birds were about at the bottom of our garden. A crest popped up in a bush just the other side of the dividing wall between our garden and East Riddlesden Hall. I got my bins on it to discover it had the black and white head markings of a Firecrest and the bronze shoulder patch showed well in the afternoon sun. Once I'd seen these features I reached for my camera and proceeded to take several images of the foliage where the Firecrest had just flitted from. The image in this posting is the only one where the Firecrest was actually captured. Not the best image I'd admit, but could you get one of a Firecrest where none of the ID features were actually visible as good as this?

Mark

More Waxings from Ilkley

If anybody is tired of hearing about Waxwings, please humour me. This is another first for me. After missing out earlier in the week, and after seeing the reported sighting in Ilkley on the BOG yesterday I decided to have another go. They do say everything comes to him who waits.

A small group of birders had gathered by the time I left , every body was well satisfied with the views that were had.

Cheers Stephen

Waxwings in Ilkley - M Doveston

GREETINGS FROM GRETNA.... just a few Starlings!

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Gretna Green Starling Roost.... Remember the Bradford City Centre Roost Like This!!! (c) HC 2008

Here is a taster Dave - this has to be the most amazing birding spectacular Marian and I have ever witnessed..... - staggering, mindboggling, jaw dropping......................... birds started to appear over the B7076 at 15.45 hrs, steadily coalesced and went to roost at 16.30 hrs in the conifers behind the Gretna Green A74(M) motorway service station. As you can see, we were right underneath this lot - the downdraft has left my hair curly - left me looking like Kevin Keegan on a bad hair day!

I`m sure the Starling 33 birds in from top left and 67 down came thro` Oxenhope last Saturday - do you recognise it ?

A GREAT thankyou to Jean for advising of this undoubtedly "humongous" roost and to everyone else for the info on the other roosts..... all waiting for a visit!!

Cheers

Howard Creber