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Red Kites

1:24 PM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

A once yearly pilgrimage to mid Wales is always eargerly anticipated..... this years spectacle was no less rewarding than previous years.... a gentle reminder to my self "Make the trip in the snowy winter for full effect of rufous reds against snowy white backdrops......"

Gigrin farm is now an official Red Kite rehabilitation and feeding centre. 400+ Kites may travel from upto 50 miles away for an afternoon top up of prime beef.... throw in some Buzzards, Ravens and Carrion Crows and the spectacle unfolds during any afternoon if you ever choose to visit this remarkable place.

A quick google of Gigrin Farm will give you all the details you need, but basically from a single pair of visiting Kites chancing their luck for scraps on a sheep farm to todays incredible daily numbers is quite an acheivement.

On Saturday around 200-250 birds came to feed... the following images are an out-take of a wonderful afternoons entertainment with a true aerial magician

Majestic

Climb...

Squadren Leader

the hunter

Low flying

mid air refuel

Soar

aerial attack

Labels:Raptors,Red Kite | 0 comments

Incoherently Rambling

2:27 PM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

Ladybower, Derwent Edge and Win Hill:

The forecast of rain was prominant from the off but we had agreed that at least a stretch of the legs would be a good idea before the inevitable heavy rain moved in..... so John, Gary, Peter and myself met at Ladybower Reservoir for our 13 mile circular ramble taking in the lovely high plataued moorlands of Derwent edge with a finishing peak of Win Hill.

Climbing Lead Hill

and looking down on Ladybower Reservoir with Win Hill opposite and Lose Hill far right

On the way up Lead Hill

Ladybower and the sullen skies

nearing the moorland of Derwent Edge

The 3 likely lads at the start of Derwent Edge

John, Gary, Peter

a rugged landscape... the Hurkling Stones

across the edge

Wheel Stones

Gritstone boulders, shaped by the elements

there is a face in there somewhere

where the Red Grouse call.... aswell as the Golden Plover, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and the beautiful Mountain Hares

Leaving White Tor

and heading for the Salt Cellars

Gary making them look Big....

Gary making them look small ....

the peat landscape is very delicate in places and due to the traffic errosion slabs of stone have been helicoptered in to make pathways to save the areas most at risk

Dovestone Tor

even the sheep are taking shelter for the inevitable change in weather

trig point at Back Tor

yet another rocky outcrop high up on the moorlands

and yes another Trig Point is bagged by the Incoherent Ramblers

and just to make sure that I get in on the act... Bfb!

from Back Tor looking down to Lost Lad

Looking back up to Back Tor

Weather watch.... the clouds role in, however

it does make for a wonderful view.

the rain drove hard for the next 2 hours so a slow descent through the rolling counrtyside

and back down towards the reservoirs

while Win hill collected the rain clouds.... we figured that it could wait to be climbed on another day

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Far out in the East: Week 2 Days 7 - 8

3:18 AM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

The journey had taken us North of the country to Malaysias national park...... Taman Negara. Since the original planning of the trip this was the bit I had really been looking forward to..... birding around parts of the worlds oldest rain-forest or is that jungle? anyway anticipation was high.

The first full days in the forest

I only had two expectations, one was to see the target bird..... Great Argus, the second was to enjoy countless new species of bird, mammal and insect in the wonderful rain forest environment.

The camp grounds provided the easiest birding: A handy fruiting tree close to the chalet provided some early morning entertainment..... although most of the action happened way up in the tree canopy some species gave good views

Asian Fairy Bluebird

while this pair of Chestnut Breasted Malkoha actually came lower down to check me out

Unsurprisingly we did well for woodpecker species, this Banded Woodpecker was one of a dozen or so seen on the trip

Not all the action happened under the canopy, this Brown Barbet had spotted a fruiting bush along one of the trails

The dappled light and dense vegatation always made photography hardwork, however the wonderful Black & Red Broadbill became quite a regular, we even had a sighting in the garden of our chalet

beakless..... and the only sighting I managed of this Banded Kingfisher

another species that popped up now and again were the Red Rumped Trogans

Plenty of other species were seen, but all too often gone in the blink of an eye, Great Iora, Eastern Crowned Warblers, White Rumped Sharma, a single Banded Pitta that took 3 of us 15 minutes to see while the fourth guy tried valiantly to point it out to us...... eventualy on hands and knees we spotted it through incredibly dense vegatation.... phew!!

Inbetween all this of course we were concious of the wereabouts of the Great Argus.... we past its favoured locations while walking a number of trails..... we even made 2 journies especially to see this species, sadely both days turned up nothing...... no problem we shall try again tomorrow.

of course it didnt stop us picking up more species, Raffles Malkoha, Asian Paradise Flycathers... including the incredible white morph, Black Thighed Falconette, Yellow & Black Broadbill, Striped Tit Babbler, Black naped Monarch, Olive backed Woodpeckers, Greater Coucal and plenty of Bulbul species.

Ashy Minivet

Chestnut winged Babbler

Labels:Malaysia | 0 comments

Moorland Hunter

4:30 AM | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

I am lucky to live close to a wonderful moorland location...... the scenary is stunning and yes it can be bleak (even in the summer) but the habitat is home to a number of very special species of bird. Red Grouse, Curlew, Golden Plover as well as a variety of raptors all make it their home.

However the Short Eared Owls are very special, especially when they are so confiding as I this fella was on Sunday evening.

Close!