Kites at Harewood today

Pipits Invade from the South! 15-03-2009

Oxenhope W Yorks 15-03-2009

PIPITS INVADE FROM THE SOUTH!! (c) 2009














This fellow stopped for a rest!!

See:

http://vismig.blogspot.com/

for Visible Migration reports from Oxenhope and Sandwith Moor.

Lapwing on Territory Today (c) 2009
















Dave and Howard (John and Andy at Sandwith)

Dowley Gap Chiffchaff

To see these images in a larger format click on them

Thanks to Alan T for sending more of his Chiffchaff images. The debate about its ID can now continue.....

This is from Mick Cunningham;

This is an interesting bird. I should say it is likely an eastern bird ie abietinus type not tristis. In the old days it might have got called tristis but as there is some greeny on mantle and wings it won’t now as Svennson says tristis is basically various shades of brown or buff (not grey above pale below as we used to think). A mate of mine on BBRC doubts this tho and asked me to look at chiffys in India which must be tristis. I did but they were all like Svensson said so it seemed he was right. Until me and same mate went to Mongolia last sept and saw chiffs that DID have some olive!! Who knows what they are.

Still, I read the dowley bird was singing – i assume this was the normal ‘chiff chaff’ which rules out tristis but not abietinus.

The following point to abietinus with the caveats that if it were caught and showed more olive in the hand than the field or it has got greener since the pics were taken owing to mid-winter body moult it might be a western-abietinus intergrade.

Pro-abietinus are

Basically browny with limited olive or yellow anywhere
The cold, pale whitish below – and, possib?? Less yellow or buffy flank and breast-sides
Greeny in wings reduced to fringes
Well-defined supercilium, especially behind eye
Wingbar
None of these is proof in itself but the whole suite = a certain look, pointing to abietinus and it’s worth logging all this for the day someone finds the defining characters – or proves it’s not poss in field. But it should be in spring plumage by end of Feb so if it is still there, singing like normal chiffy, and still shows same plumage I’d be inclined to see it as abietinus. Of course all this depends on accuracy of colour in pics/on monitor. Notes would be help – or andy ringing it for structure.
It reminds me of a bird from dowley years ago which i submitted to YNU as showing characteristics of eastern birds – prob aietinus ( they wrongly published as tristis). Interestingly, that bird only responded to tristis song if i recall rightly?

Mick Cunningham

Garfit Farm Two-Bar Crossbill

Not the one Jenny had, this could have been it's twin, last November, at Garfit Farm North Yorkshire.

Song Thrush

Great Crested Grebe Lower Laithe Res

Fairburn visit

These birds very obliging round reception, Willow Tits round board walk.

Fairburn visit

Oxenhope 13-03-2009

More Pinks.... off and away (c) 2009

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Take off.... undercarriage down! (c) 2009

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On the deck.. at distance (c) 2009

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Wheatear Country.... The Trough (c) 2009

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Dave

Whoopers Coming Through 12-03-2009

Whoopers, Lower Laithe (c) 2009

















Brian Vickers

Colourfull, hopefully not too boring

Not much doing in the feeder station at St Ives, bird feeders were empty. This chap was feeding on the ground nearby.

Great Grey Shrike (Algeriensis)

Here is an interesting picture taken in Lanzarote at the begining of this month. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Lizard breast for lunch anyone?

Oxenhope 12-03-2009

Goldeneye flypast (c) 2009
















Dave

Oxenhope 11-03-2009

Pinkies > NNW.... this skein came through too low and too close to photograph in entirety (c) 2009














Curlews.... on approach (c) 2009














Curlews... fly past (c) 2009















Curlews.... in to land (c) 2009














Goldies.... on the deck (c) 2009













Goldies.... through > high NW (c) 2009
















Goldeneye male... erect display (c) 2009
















Goldeneye male.... at rest (c) 2009

















See:

http://vismig.blogspot.com/

for Visible Migration report.

Dave

Chiffchaff at Dowley Gap

Howdo Folks,

Has anybody got any more images of the Dowley Gap Chiffchaff?
If you have can you post them here or send them to me so I can post them.
A keen observer has spotted that the bird maybe an abietinus race.

cheers
Mark

Cormorant in the Rain 07-03-2009

Cormorant at Leeshaw (c) 2009

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Dave

Spot Reds on the Move 06-03-2009

A day on the upper Humber today saw little evidence of visible migration except for this Spot Red which dropped from high into Blacktoft this afternoon.

Spotted Redshank (c) 2009

















Snipe (c) 2009

















Wigeon..... Peace and Tranquility (c) 2009
















Teal (c) 2009

















Dave

Treecreeper. Riddlesden

Treecreeper seen by the canal adjacent Low Wood Riddlesden this morning.

Med Gulls

Went to Scarborough South bay, Holbeck car park, yesterday. Med Gulls very easy to photograph in exchange for a bit of bread. At least 2 adults and a 1st winter bird present.

Oxenhope 01-03-2009

Some of the Curlews moving on.... a montage (c) 2009
















Lots of Starling activity over the In-bye (c) 2009

















A more distant Starling flock > E (c) 2009

















For todays Visible Migration report see:
http://vismig.blogspot.com/

Dave