Scuppered in the Nineties

Walking on the river Yarrow around Croston looking out for Owls, a flash of electric blue zipped past me and turned off into a reed-bed, even a non birder would have recognized a beautiful Kingfisher. That was before Christmas. After many visits I have managed to build a makeshift hide and drop in a perch, now it was time to reap the rewards. The other day missus Kingfisher duly obliged  and landed on the perch for all of two seconds, old man Cookson wasn't quick enough and missed the shot, but I took heart from the fact she had discovered the perch and some time in the near future she will make me a happy man.
It wasn't a complete disaster (darling) as she afforded me views with four fly pasts and a landing on a reed a little farther upstream where she discharged a pellet, something I had never witnessed before, and I did manage to get a snap of her on the reed.

Although Thursday the 12th wasn't a disaster when I returned last Friday (the 13th ) it unfortunately was. I arrived  to find the spot completely frozen over and spent some time breaking up the ice, but to no avail it was freezing back over in an instant. On a four hour watch in the area on Saturday I had no sightings of my friend. If she survives this cold snap, I wonder if she will return, I will have to wait and see.
Returning home on Friday I called in at Yarrow C.P. one of my favorite haunts and although the light had gone the burning embers of the setting sun was lighting up the tree tops and this was giving some great  reflections in the water and as luck would have it one of my favorite birds swam into view, a Great Crested Grebe.

 So the 13th wasn't all bad news, and although I have been scuppered in the nineties I still have another innings.
Fortitude

Settling In.....

Settling in after a sticky start, keep patting the crease, keep concentrating, the buggers won't get me out, in the sixty's now, I'm going to get a century, I'm going to get a bloody century.

Fortitude

First shots of 2012

Like an opening batsman striding out to the crease to get his team on the score sheet, so the photographer heads out into a bright New Year to get his account under-way.

Take Off

In for the kill

On Patrol

                                             

Short-eared Owl

Snow Bunting

More to follow on my Web Site

Fortitude