Kensington Jay

Managed some reasonable Jay shots in Kensington Gardens today despite many uncontrollable dogs rampaging through the Leafyard. I guess they were getting tired of mauling the swans and thought Jays were better sport. A Grey Squirrel climbed up my Gitzo tripod, though funnier still was the man who allowed a Brown Rat to climb up his leg for some food. Looked for the adult Med Gull at the Round Pond (different bird from last winter) but difficult amongst several hundred Black-headed Gulls.

Docklands Shelduck

I never really feel the cold but sitting at East India Dock Basin in London’s Docklands today for four hours was fairly chilly. A dozen Shelduck were present and occasionally a squabble would break out over a favoured muddy patch and they would fly around the basin allowing some flight shots. Also 130+ Teal, Yellow-legged and Great Black-backed Gull, Kingfisher (1-2), Little Grebe (3) and Redshank (12) with the regulars.

Regent’s Pigeons

Took a lunch break in Regent’s Park to make the most of the good light and autumn colours.

Bloomsbury Firecrest

Hyperactive Firecrest in Gordon Square near Euston/UCL at luchtime today.

Hinotori

System 7, one of my favourite groups, have released a video edit for the track Hinotori, from their forthcoming album Phoenix. Here is the press release...

We present the new video made to an edit of our new track Hinotori. A lot of time and a lot of love went into this 21st century manga animation, based on Tezuka Osamu's original image of the mythical bird. Maximum respect to the animation team Mu-°C Magic. Hinotori - literally ³Bird of Fire² ­ is the Japanese title of Tezuka's groundbreaking series of manga graphic novels about the legend of the Phoenix. When intervening in human events Hinotori speaks with a magical telepathic voice directly into peoples¹ minds. It is our wish to celebrate the power, the magical voice and the emotion of the Phoenix in music.
Steve & Miquette (System 7) www.a-wave.com/system7/

Urban Parakeet Study

Ring-necked Parakeets at the feeding station at the Wildside Hide, London Wetland Centre WWT. The side windows don't open here so I had to shoot through some dirty plastic.

Barn Elms WWT

After some frosty, blue sky days (perfect for photography) during the working week, it was back to dull, damp grey at the weekend, grrr!

Isle of Islay with Ayrshire SOC Touring

I was lucky enough to be Bird Leader on a recent trip to Islay with SOC Touring arranged by Tony and Gerda Scott of the Ayrshire Branch. Having been to the island seven times before I was keen to go back following my last visit in 1998. Next time I won’t leave it so long! Islay has a special magic which can be hard to pin down but 50,000 wild geese, Golden Eagle, Chough, Otter, the diverse landscapes, and the Hebridean air are certainly some of the constituents behind it. We stayed in Bridgend, an ideal location for watching the crepuscular arrival and departure of thousands of Barnacle Geese to and from their roosting sites at the head of Loch Indaal. The sight and sound of flights of wild geese over the island imparts a true sense of wilderness and it was real pleasure to be miles from London for a change! The six day trip notched up 109 species of bird, Otter, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Wild Goat, Grey Seal, Common Seal and Pipistrelle Bat following exploration of Loch Gruinart, Loch Indaal, Ardnave Point, Machir Bay, The Oa, Kildalton and Claggain Bay.

Highlights included masses of Barnacle and Greenland White-fronted Geese, small numbers of Brent Geese and a couple of hutchinsii Canada Geese, five Golden Eagles, an immature White-tailed Eagle, Snow Bunting, Chough, Twite, Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Merlin, numerous Great Northern Diver, Long-tailed Duck, Pintail, Grey Plover, Purple Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Jack Snipe, Grey Phalarope, Crossbill, and a late Arctic Tern.

And of course we found time to visit both the Bruichladdich and Ardbeg distilleries and sample a fair few of the Islay Real Ales! Thanks to Tony and Gerda for organising a marvellous trip and all the participants who helped to make it a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

A full trip report can be found on my website at www.fssbirding.org.uk/islay2007trip.htm