Always the way

Went out with Bradders and Muffin today and mostly managed to dip everything we were specifically interested in. No matter, it's early January, and so even the birds we weren't specifically interested in were interesting. Started off in Wanstead where we managed to dip both Firecrest and Nuthatch, both easy as you like yesterday - always the way I guess. Onwards to Cliffe in Kent for some Scaup, and despite a few candidates, nothing that passed the Bradders test. Stupendous numbers of birds though, probably 200+ Little Grebe being the most noteworthy, but heaps of Pintail amongst other healthy duck numbers. Not sure how many were yearticks, but I suspect quite a few. Finished up on the Silts and some momentary excitement of a Grey Partridge which turned out not to be one, but two Short-eared Owls were good value. I'd like to moan about the weather at this point - it is ridiculous for early January, and needs to get a lot colder if anything exciting is going to happen. Bird of the day goes to this fine fellow, surveying his patch in Bush Wood this morning. One of my neighbours asked me only yesterday if he was still around, and I said that I thought so but that I hadn't seen or heard anything for a while. Again, always the way. 

The Turaco Lives!

Sitting drinking tea this morning, with the kids munching on cereal in unison around the table, my eyes were attracted to movement off to the right, and a familiar shape landed in next door’s tree. The brief flash of red was all I needed – the Turaco was back. I have not seen or heard it for months, perhaps August or September, and had assumed it had gone to the big fruit tree in the sky. Certainly when there no sign after the latest big freeze, that had to be it, surely? But no, it lives!!


I have no idea where it has been, or why I have not seen it. Perhaps someone captured it, and it has only just managed to escape again? Perhaps it has been staying close to the keeper’s cottage in Bush Wood for a steady supply of grapes? Who knows, but it landed in next door’s tree this morning at about 8 O’clock, flew through our garden, landed in another tree and then disappeared again.


I managed a blurry photo through the window just as it landed for the final time. When I it showed Pie, who had missed it flying through due to attaching more importance to Weetabix, she pointed out that it was rubbish and really blurry. I take pride in still being able to take terrible photos, despite all the time I spend behind a lens, so here it is in all its glory. Rubbish perhaps – well, definitely in fact – but irrefutable proof that the Turaco lives, and this makes me happy.




Certain birds just cause happiness, fact. Kingfishers fall firmly into this category. All you need is that flash of aquamarine and all of sudden your mood is lifted. You can’t help but be impressed and gladdened by that jewel-like dart as it rockets past. Blue and/or red birds also cause happiness, but unfortunately we don’t get many of those here. Jays do it, not sure why when Magpies don’t, and yet inexplicably Pied Flycatchers also do it. And finally, and the astute amongst you will realise where I am going with this, Waxwings do it too. And as luck would have it, I just happen to have seen some recently…..


PS. I noticed on my grandparent's computer that on this blog many photos had their right hand edges cut off. I have a widescreen monitor and therefore get the whole thing. Then a couple of other people mentioned it too, so in response I have made the photos smaller (600px, from 800px previously) as they display within the text. Hopefully you will see the whole thing now, though if not, let me know. You can still click on any photo to get it bigger, though I wouldn't bother with the Turaco.

Judicious Whooping

I have nothing much to say, but some judicious garden whooping this morning in just my underpants produced this. My neighbours are I hope used to the sight of a slender and athletic-looking topless man cavorting around the garden with a large camera. No police showed up at any rate. A man's garden is his own private kingdom, no? "Whoop whoop!"

I don't think I will ever tire of seeing this bird, dressed or not. It is quite simply superb.

With apologies to the neighbours

At around 7am this morning, as is my wont, I was emptying the moth trap and photographing the contents. Happily engaged in positioning unidentifiable micros for the camera, I heard a familiar sound. Sure enough, the Turaco was in the neighbourhood.

I dashed inside, swapped macro for telephoto, and stood in the middle of the garden. Then I started whooping, quite loudly it must be said. Apologies to the neighbours. They needed to be up anyway so they could go work and support the economic recovery.

The Turaco came straight in, and I mean straight in. I couldn't help but smile as it perched on my fence, about ten feet away, and chuckled back at me. What a brilliant bird! I stepped back so I could focus, and snapped a couple of shots off. These are uncropped, and handheld at 1/160th. A minor miracle.

So there you go, a blog post with nary a mention of moths. And not gripping either, like yesterday's. Sorry about that.

PS Many thanks to those of you who so selflessly volunteered to assist me on the school run. Your reward is in heaven. Or possibly behind a nondescript front door in Wanstead.

Look who's Back!

Out birding Wanstead Flats this morning and I heard a funny noise I could not place. No, not a Robin. A repeated "Whoop whoop whoop" led me to Wanstead's favourite escape, the White-cheeked Turaco, sat in a tree being hassled by Magpies and Jays. Despite its suspect origins (it's on my list!) it's a thrilling bird to see. When it flies, revealing the red wings, it's simply breathtaking.


As I was very near home, I dashed back to get the kids, but returning with them there was no sign. How can such a huge and brightly-coloured bird just disappear? On the short walk home, explaining about dipping to my disappointed offspring, we had just got to our street when I noticed it in a bush above our heads. It was about five feet away. We stopped talking about dipping.




We had simply wonderful views as this thing peered down at us, before it flew off into nearby gardens - gardens on our side of the street! We ran the short distance to the house and dashed out into the garden. I stood on a little garden table, cupped my hands together, and made a "Whoop whoop" kind of sound. Twenty seconds later and it was in our garden with the whole family watching. I continued to "Whoop" at it until our neighbour came out....