Garden Bonanza
A couple of weeks ago we had the return of snow and frost which brought an influx of birds back into the garden. Our star species in the garden is the Reed Bunting and we had at least seven visiting some days.In addition four Redpolls and five Robins were also coming daily to what is […]
All Fired Up
When you have been filming birds for more than 55years there are not many local ones that you have not captured on film. However, last week one of our smallest birds called a Firecrest turned up in a Manchester park. I visited several times and eventually obtained several shots of what was one of the […]
Stick Time
The first breeding bird of the year is usually the Heron. It is always a delight in February to spend time at my local Heronry and capture on film the comings and goings of our local birds. Some sticks are picked up from the ground while others are broken off nearby trees. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
Welsh Buntings
One of the delights of our recent visit to the Dee valley was the discovering of a garden that had dozens of Yellow Hammers coming to feed on the ground under some bird feeders.It is a bird that I have only ever filmed some years ago on Islay. When I was growing up in Bury […]
Crossbill Magic
An advantage of going to Rivercatcher in the Dee valley is that vast pine forests of Wales are all around you.One of the most colourful inhabitants of these forests is the Crossbill. They can be hard to find but last week we came across some fabulously coloured female birds but no red males. Perhaps an […]
Hot Tub Egret
Where else but Rivercatcher, on the river Dee in North Wales,could you sit in the bubbles and steam of a Hot Tub and watch a Little Egret feeding below you? Last week-ends superb weather was made full use of by a long weekend at Rivercatcher – Many more photos to follow!! […]
Clattering Of Jackdaws
When you have been filming birds for more than 55years there are not many species that you have not got on film. However, whilst in the hills the other week I came across a large gathering of Jackdaws that were about to go to roost. Its called a clattering of Jackdaws and I could not […]
Another Waxwing No Show
Last October tens of thousands of Waxwings were waiting in Scandinavia to cross the North Sea to Britain. We were promised one of the best invasions ever and all birders waited with baited breath. It never happened!! It took me over 40 years before I saw my first Waxwing. It was instantly elevated to my […]
Young Raptors
Looking back on last year it was a very good year for finding the young of Owls and Raptors. It is always a privilege to examine the nests of Hen Harriers so this weeks blog photo is of four healthy young in a moorland site. Other young this week include Little Owl, Short Eared Owl, […]
The Assassin
Each winter we acquire a Sparrowhawk that hunts all the birds that come to feed in our garden. Last year he was a superbly marked male and it looks like he has come back this winter, even though this weeks photos were taken through double glazing! It is a well know fact that Sparrowhawks are […]