Berries and Birds

Sunday 30 th January was a miserable day after a week of sunshine.  Typically it was then when a single Waxwing decided to visit my neighbours garden.  I have always been a fair weather photographer but decided to roll my car down the front street and use it as a hide.The compromises between speed, aperture  and depth of field are much more critical in poor light.  This Waxwing had the choice of  two types of Cotoneaster, Firethorne and another heavily berried bush.  It returned time and time again to the same bush rapidly swallowing berries and leaving.  Whilst waiting for the Waxwing to return a small flock of Goldfinches arrived and proceeded to peck open the berries on the same plant ignoring the other plants. An overwintering female Blackcap visited the same bush and pulled off berries swallowing them whole,notice how it left part of the berry on the bush.  All the time these visitors came and went a Blackbird sat in the bush taking an occasional berry ,swallowing it whole.  I decided to check these different berries out and realised that the ones being taken were very soft.  The berries on the other bushes were ripe but hard. See below some of the birds in the bush. I did photograph the Blackbird but it was not a good enough to include.   

Adult Male Waxwing

Female Goldfinch

Female Blackcap

Waxwings What Else?

When these birds arrive bird ,wildlife and photography websites crash.  I have tried to show shots with something different than other people's fantastic shots.  See the captions for why they are included.

Colour Ringed (see B.T.O. website on how to report sightings of these)

 Crest Feather Moulting

Not the usual Blue Background 

Linnet

Male Linnet

Rival Male

Blood Spuggy
This is what they were known as locally with Spuggy being our name for Sparrow.  These names are disappearing along with, I am glad to say bird nesting

Siskin

Male Siskin

Male Siskin
Photograph aesthetically spoilt by ring on leg.  I put the ring there, so yes I shot myself in the foot.

Female/Juvenile Siskin
In the hand it is possible to tell adult females from juveniles.  Whilst doing this you see the true beauty of
these wonderful little finches.

Twite

A Twite in the hand is worth ten on the beach,

This was taken in our early days of trying to catch these birds.  We soon realised that although the flock may be one hundred strong you take what is under the net as adults are much more wary.

Although not as sharp as above a much more natural pose.

Less white on the wings indicates an older bird than the one above

Greenshank

This shot shows how elegant they are even when stretching

Included to show fish

My best shot where you can see the legs

Booted Eagle

Photographed from moving mini-bus it's carrying a large fresh water snail

Some Tail Moult

Mini-bus movement blurr