Jet Stream Disaster
Everyone enjoyed that fabulous warm, summer last year but, unfortunately, it came at a price for Islays Barnacle Geese in Greenland. While we had the good weather all the Atlantic weather fronts that we usually have ended up on the east side of Greenland. As they were so far north, it was still very cold, […]
Goose Feast
The one bonus of thousands of Geese on Islay in winter is that there are always sick and injured birds available for Islays raptors. The commonest of these is the Buzzard as shown in this weeks blog photo. This winter there are good numbers of juvenile Sea Eagles on Islay with some of these coming […]
Well Chough-ed
Any visit to Islay would not be complete without time spent with their special member of the Crow family – the Chough. Despite inclement weather and strong winds I was able to spend time with forty seven Chough at Ardnave Point. Supplementary feeding has helped juvenile birds to survive to adulthood but even with this […]
Jack Snipe At minus 8c
All winter I have been waiting for some severe weather to have any chance of filming Jack Snipe. I have several bogs that don’t freeze up in severe frost and occasionally Jack Snipe will remain in situ if you approach cautiously. This happened last week when late one afternoon I spotted a Jack Snipe but […]
Snowy Owl
Well not quite a true Snowy Owl but a Barn Owl hunting in the snow. When this winter started I never thought that I would be in a position to photograph local Barn Owls during the day let alone take photos of one hunting in the snow. Nothing is predictable in wildlife and you never […]
Snow At last
This winter we had our first snowfall on the 18th January making it the latest arrival date for more than fifty years. At long last we have had some classic sunny, frosty days and it was good to be out with the camera, some of the results of which are in this weeks gallery.Click here
Eclipse-Barn Owls
Thick cloud and mist negated any chance of seeing the eclipse of the moon last week so I have included, for this week’s blog and gallery, photos taken three to four years ago when we had the last one. Still only two years to the next one but over twenty years to the next Wolf […]
Waxwings – At Last
Last weekend I finally caught up with two Waxwings in Salford. The weather was foul and the birds were sub-adults but as they are my favourite birds I could not let another winter go by without seeing them.One is this weeks blog photo and just to remind you how good they can look I have […]
Peregrine Surprise
Its always a nice surprise when a Peregrine appears from nowhere and flies past you at breakneck speed. This happened during the week when I was exercising our two dogs along the local canal. It had its sights on a Canada Goose but veered off at the last minute and gave a high pitched call […]
Bird Watching 2019
What better way to start the new year than watching Kites from a Hot Tub in the valley of the River Dee in Wales. Its that time of the year again when I look back and choose my ten favourite photos from 2018. Every year it becomes more difficult and no excuses from the weather […]