Beret Bird

Grumpy BLACKCAP in a NW London Garden

This lovely little beretted critter arrived early Saturday and stayed, on and off, all morning. In the photo he's taking a break from struggling to reach the half-coconut feeder I'd suspended in a tree. As his agility was not on a par with the tits that he'd seen gorging away, he would hop on to the nearest small branch and stretch out his entire body to reach the fatty goodness.

As well as all the 'exciting' garden activity, a trip to a very boggy Staines Moor was undertaken. A few good spots were recorded, notables include: Water pipits, Reed buntings, some Redpolls, a good flock of Linnets and many Green woodies. Alas no Short-eared Owls, which was our main objective of the expedition! But one exceptionally good spot and equally poor sighting was noted - a Bittern, sighted flying across the reedy patch by the reservoir wall through heavy cover, and only clarified by the birder that had actually flushed it. I personally thought it was our elusive SOE.

Norwegian Parrots

A gloomy photo of a magical Waxwing taken on a bright sunny day at South Ealing tube station.

The flock of 13 Norwegian Parrots alternated their time between sipping rainwater that had gathered on the roof of the station - to staring off into the distance (Norway perhaps?) back at the top of an ash tree.  

A lucky viewing of a dazzling migrant, who sporadically irrupt on to UK shores from Scandinavia thanks to either harsh winters or poor berry harvests.

Hastings Turnstone

        

A Turnstone ruins an otherwise decent phone-camera shot of Hastings' fishing area.

The single Sanderling and the 9 other Turnstones had the decency to move aside. 

Haws and Moors - Christmas 2012

Fajolles, France.

Hawfinch - one of a flock of four regular garden visitors.

Common Buzzard - in the same tree as the above Hawfinch, but not at the same time.

Charm of Goldfinches in a neglected sunflower field - before a sparrowhawk arrived for lunch.