Continuing the theme

Tuesday 15 October 2013
Continuing the theme...... of rubbish pictures that is. An hour off afforded me a lightening strike to somewhere on the coast, so into the car and heading North. Down the unsurfaced road towards the shop and a covey of Red-legged Partridges shot over the hedge, not sure if there is a maximum to how many in a covey but there were more birds than you could shake a twelve bore at. Two of them actually hit the side of the car (only gently Sam, don't panic about the mini) and bounced off. Quite a fright for me and I guess them as well.

So following that distraction and I was nearing the coast, I decided on Holme, the small car park by the toilet block which had previously been good for Pied Fly, and maybe if time allowed a walk down the Holme road, everyone drives this and never walks it so whom knows. The toilet block car park held a few Continental Robins but that was it. I still had some time so started walking the road. Nothing very unusual apart from loads of Starlings swooping round, a Green Snadpiper calling from somewhere over on the marsh that I couldn't see. A little further down the track and a few Sycamores (where the Collared Fly had been a few years previous) with tons of Goldcrests in it, and a few Chiffchaffs. Collective name for Goldcrests ? a "rush" .....

and then in the middle of the Sycamore was this little chap, a  Yellow-browed Warbler. It stayed mostly hidden from the lens !

It showed occasionally but only as the sky clouded over ready for rain, the bird was particularly well marked I thought, oh for sunshine and it getting closer ( don't worry Mr Bedford it didn't ).

 It did have two wings and although this was a poor shot it did show the majority of ID features rather well, greyish green uppers, long prominent supercilium with dark eye-stripe. Broad yellowish white wing bar on tips of median coverts and a shorter less conspicuous wing-bar on the greater coverts enhanced by dark surround on the wing. Tertials dark centred and edged whitish - Sounds just like the  Collins Field Guide, 2nd Edition large format on offer in the shop for just £29, reduced from £50 - a bargain ! Can't really remember from my ringing days but think the pointed outer tail feathers mean something about it being a first or second year bird ???? Anyhow the pics are slowly improving !