Images of 2010

My Top Ten images of 2010 - Leach's Petrel, Coton Lake, Warks.

Arctic Redpoll, Unst, Shetland Isles

Buff bellied Pipit, Shetland Isles

Maghreb Wheatear, Morocco

Stone Curlew, Morocco

Temminck's Lark, Morocco

Snow Bunting, Draycote Water, Warks.

Pied Kingfisher, Eilat, Israel

Jay, Brandon Marsh, Warks.

Sparrowhawk, Brandon Marsh Warks.

Another year another post. Hi, hope everyone is fit and raring to go. Spent New year's eve enjoying the hospitality of Margaret and Pete and some locally brewed Ale in Leaminton Spa. So 2011 started slowly from a birding point of view, that was until I saw a male Blackcap in their back garden. What a good start to 2011, so despite the weather it was back to do a bit in the Tame valley after breakfast. If the Bewicks' or some wild geese were to be seen then that would be an even better start to the year. The swans were difficult, most of the flock had moved a good distance away so with only bins a bit of a yomp was required to get any sort of a view but 2 adult Bewick's Swan were eventually located. Moving to Coton I year ticked my first group of Birders, most looked in remarkably good shape despite tales of unmentionable disease, injury and misfortune over the Christmas period. The hide at Coton was pretty full but there were some good birds to keep us all entertained. The Bittern showed well and the 2 red head Smew were still present. Other birds seen included; Water Rail, Common Snipe, Yellow legged Gull and Sparrowhawk and Skylark. I vacated my seat just before a Glaucous gull dropped in to roost. Typical, but thats birding for you.