The flock of Dunlin at Oshamanbe were coming into summer plumage............
As you can see it was a beautiful spring day..............................
I tried to get a few group shots..................I'm a big fan of the 'front bird only in focus' type shots.
And some on their own of course................
I was more than happy with these Dunlin shots but other birds didn't pose for the camera at all. A shame as there was a lot of interesting stuff around. If I kept a year list (I don't bother these days) I would have added half a dozen. Flocks of White Winged Scoter offshore at several locations, Eastern Marsh Harriers at Yakumo and Oshamanbe, several very early Siberian Stonechat and also Little Ringed Plover, Japanese Bush Warbler and Common Reed Bunting.
Other stuff included 7 species of gull including lots and lots of Glaucous Gulls, Brent Goose, Whooper Swan, a flock of 20 or so White Fronted Goose (Yakumo), Great Egret, Long Tailed Rosefinch and a pair of Long tailed Duck in full summer colours (Oshamanbe).
Sounds like a birders paradise Stu, the most exciting thing I've seen recently are common buzzard circling and mewing over the village. They are slowly creeping further east after years of occupying mainly Wales and the west country.
ReplyDeleteHi Derek, I noticed loads of Buzzards in Penwortham last time I went back in spring (about 6 or 7 years ago). Buzzards and Nuthatches were both common, 2 species I almost never saw when I was living there in the 1980's................
DeleteI especially like the 6th from last shot of the bird coyly looking at you. Nice ones.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Wilma, yes they have some cute expressions sometimes...........
DeleteNice "pottering in the seaweed" atmosphere...is that a length of railway track in a couple of shots ? - it beats mud, anyway.
ReplyDeleteHi John, no it is taken in a fishing port, I think it is where they haul the boats back up................
DeleteAh, I see. it makes me want to scatter seaweed on Mai Po's mudflats....
DeleteJudging by the brilliant stuff you see there (and the great photos you take) I don't think Mai Po needs so many improvements...............
DeleteLovely shots :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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