Wilson's Wildlife
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Birds
    • Finches, Sparrows and Buntings.
    • Warblers
    • Woodpeckers / creepers.
    • Sea Birds
    • Raptors
    • Hummingbirds
    • Tanagers.
    • Water birds
    • Herons, egrets and bitterns
    • Waders
    • Ducks, Geese and Swans
    • Other European birds
    • Other North and Central American Birds
    • Other South American Birds
    • Waxwing Gallery
    • Osprey gallery
  • Bugs
    • Butterflies
    • moths
    • Flies
    • Bees and wasps
    • Beetles
    • Dragonflies
    • Damselflies
    • Crickets and Grasshoppers
    • Spiders
  • Mammals
    • European
    • African
    • American
    • Australasian
    • Asian
  • Reptiles
    • European
    • American
    • African
    • Asian
    • Australasian
  • Amphibians
    • Frogs and toads
  • Fish
    • Sea Fish
    • Freshwater Fish
  • Contact
  • Talks
  • Links

Winner on a Spinner

22/5/2016

 
It was Ben's 9th birthday on Saturday, so we've been busy.  Relaxation finally came at 16.00 this afternoon when I decided to go fishing for the first time this year.  For some strange reason I felt drawn towards a place that I haven't visited in over 30 years: The canal at Spark Lane, Rufford.  I remember Hoggy's dad Martin bringing me and Hoggy fishing here once in the early 1980s. Today I was after a winner...        
Picture
The canal at Spark Bridge, Rufford. 22/05/16. A distant memory brought back alive.
Picture
Pike, 22/05/16, Rufford Canal, Rufford, Lancs. At long last! My first ever Pike! Its a winner!

Wasdale Wander

14/5/2016

 
Conditions on Saturday were perfect for a walk with my kids and friend Daniel up England's highest peak: Scafell Pike.  The kids stormed ahead whilst muggins here carried all their gear in a rucksack.  Scant wildlife offerings included a raven, a buzzard, wheatears, meadow pipits and skylarks. I couldn't be bothered photographing those, but here's one shot of the rambling rabble...      
Picture
Holly, Ben and Daniel at the summit of Scafell Pike 14/05/16, Wasdale, Cumbria.

Black Magic

11/5/2016

 
Eddie rang tonight claiming 6 Black Terns were at Preston Docks.  Seeing was believing, so we sped down there for a look.  Sure enough, he was completely wrong.  There were in fact 14 black terns, but I'll let him off.
Picture
Black Terns, 11/05/16, Preston Docks. Twelve of them in one shot, on the Pontoons opposite Morrisons.
Picture
Eight of them take to the air. They were very active actually, but eventually settled down to roost.
Picture
So there you are see: Preston is paradise. I always thought it was.

Hilbre Hike

1/5/2016

 
The weather forecast reckoned Saturday would be the driest day of the bank holiday weekend, so Mark and I headed for Burton Mere, a safe bet for a decent day out.  Favourable tide times also offered an opportunity to visit Hilbre Island, off the coast of West Kirkby, reachable by foot at low tide...         
Picture
Linnet, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, Cheshire. There's a healthy population of this species here.
The morning rain was unexpected and making for poor photography.  Although we saw several Spotted Redshank and a pair of distant Whinchat, we decided to postpone Burton Mere and head for West Kirkby instead, our ultimate destination: Hilbre Island.  After parking the car we began the 2 mile trudge across the sand to Hilbre: two tiny islands surrounded by rock-pools and plenty of wildlife too...   
Picture
Hilbre Island. There are two small islands here, this one is the biggest. I'm stood on the other, taking this photo.
Picture
Grey Seals, 30/04/16, Hilbre Island, Cheshire. Arriving on the first island, look south towards a sand bank. Probably over 100 seals.
Picture
At the furthest point is this building. A derelict shack which probably had a history and a purpose, but for us, it made a decent bird hide.
Picture
Dunlin, 30/04/16, Hilbre Island, Cheshire. They flock in their hundreds here, murmurating like Starlings
Picture
Whimbrel, 30/04/16, Hilbre Island, Cheshire. Definitely Whimbrel and not Curlew, look at the eye stripe and shorter bill.
Picture
Ringed Plover, 30/04/16, Hilbre Island, Cheshire. Sociable with the Dunlin masses.
Picture
Little Egret, 30/04/16, Hilbre Island, Cheshire. Seemingly more common than herons around these parts. I'd like to see the latest stats.
Picture
Looking back towards West Kirkby from Hilbre main island.
Picture
Bluebells carpet Hilbre Island at this time of year.
Picture
Hilbre's rock-pools at low tide. Must bring the kids here.
Hilbre was a stunning place which deserves more time.  Next time, I plan to get stranded there at high tide.  Tired from all the walking, Mark and I headed back to Burton Mere for a leisurely stroll around the place.  The sun was out and so were the birds...
Picture
Black-tailed Godwits, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, Cheshire. By far the commonest wader here today, and the most colourful.
Picture
Spotted Redshank, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, Cheshire. Not often I see these and I've never seen them in breeding plumage before.
Picture
Needless to say, I've never seen a row of five Spotted Redshank in full breeding plumage before. Have you?
Picture
Avocet, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, Cheshire. I've never seen so many, there are dozens here now.
What made this PM visit to Burton Mere special was a combination of perfect sunlight, good air clarity and lack of leaf-cover.  Many small birds were out singing and feeding, all out in the open and at close range...  
Picture
Blackcap, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, Cheshire.
Picture
Whitethroat, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, Cheshire.
Picture
Same bird. Just 6ft away now, it suddenly had enough of me.
Picture
Reed Bunting, 30/04/16, Burton Mere, cheshire.
Picture
Yellow Wagtail, 30/04/16, Burton Mere. A rubbish shot but it was getting dark. Five in the same field!

    Author

    Tony Wilson.
    Amateur wildlife photographer.   

    Archives

    May 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    Categories

    All
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.