Saturday 28 February 2009

A Good Week











Following on from our first Green Winged Teal we have had a good week (isn't it always when you are off work) culminating in another lifer.

On Monday we visited Old Moor RSPB in the Dearne Valley and despite greyish weather the picture juvenile Mute Swan was bathed in sunlight. Highlights from the day were a Pintail and four male Goosander and a pair of Goldeneye.

Wednesday we watched a pair of Peregrine Falcon on Castle Hill Scarborough and visited the Mediterranean Gulls at Holbeck for a short while. I took some shots in fairly grey conditions. The short time we were there I caused a feeding frenzy and the Med Gulls seemed the most aggressive of all the birds. I thought they would snatch the bread bag off the park bench!

We did look for the Purple Sandpipers and Icelandic Gull around the harbour but had no success.
Friday we again saw alone Peregrine on Castle Hill before taking off to Flamborough for the King Eider seen off North Landing and viewed the bird for a good while, distant out at sea, not a bird in the brilliant summer plumage like the one off Flamborough last year that we missed but a King Eider nonetheless, a first for us. Two Lifers in a week!

Friday was capped off by two Peregrine flying around Thornwick Bay. A brilliant display swooping over and around the cliffs.
A good week.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great shots of the Med Mike, you certainly had a good week.

Mike Randall Bird Photography said...

Thanks Roy.
One of the Meds had a fuller black hood. All my shots were of the other two gulls (we saw three in total but there are four). I think that at this stage of plumage the Meds are most attractive.
Regards
Mike

Chris said...

Hi Mike,
I love these portraits, there are very cute... And yes it looks like you got a nice week... Congrats

Mike Randall Bird Photography said...

Thanks Chris
We are lucky to have these gulls locally.
Cheers
Mike