TAUNTON WILDLIFE - Nature Photo Diary Archive

February 2010

27 February 2010 - Ilfracombe (Hillsborough)

The fulmars are beginning to sort out their nesting positions and took a keen interest in us too. The first photo below is the uncropped version of the one above. All these shots bar the one of the two birds on the cliff are taken with a loaned 70-200 mm L-series lens which is now on my Christmas list!

Below: A couple of displaying ravens also put in an appearance.

19 February 2010 - Crow Point

I was pleased with how close I was getting to this Shelduck when a nearby Redshank I hadn't spotted let rip with an alarm call that cleared the entire beach of all life. B*gger.

18 February 2010 - Northam Burrows CP

The rain seemed to make the waders, like this Oystercatcher, more tolerant - these were taken through the car window and, incredibly, when I opened the window the bird kept walking closer. Just after this it was within the focal length of the lens (3.5m). No Snow Buntings still though.

16 February 2010 - Ilfracombe Pier

OK, so I said no more Rock Pipit photos - but this one just asked to be photographed and I already had the camera on the tripod with the converter on pointlessly trying to photograph a Guillemot that was more or less in Wales.

16 February 2010 - Greenfinch and Blackcap (in the garden)

Some people might think it's a bit weird sticking a long lens out of a toilet window, but in our house it gets you close to the bird feeder. This fresh male Greenfinch looks ready for Spring and was singing as I took these photos, and the wintering female Blackcap was tucking into the peanuts.

15 February 2010 - Braunton Marsh

Curlews, but still no Crane - so much for third, or even fourth, time lucky.

13 February 2010 - Braunton Marsh

A second trip here to fail to see the Common Crane (thanks to persistent flushing by the RAF), so all I got were this Little Egret and these Lapwing. Better luck next time.

6 February 2010 - Northam Burrows CP and Tarka Trail

From top: Skylark, Common Gull, Curlew and two Rooks. I am getting rather fed up of seeing seabirds with fishing hooks and line hanging out of their faces like this Common Gull. Below: some Tarka Inn birds: Bullfinch, summer plumage Redshank, and Wigeon.