Crossbill

We saw a group of for our five birds in a tall tree about 100 yards away. With the 10x binoculars it was clear that these were very orangey red birds that would be easy to identify from bird recognition sources, some of which refer to them as "brick red." The colouring is unlike any other bird, so we are sure they were definitely Crossbills, probably Common Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). Seen in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, about 08:35h Sunday 15 March 2009.

The first photo, no.76 gives some indication of the distance, as this was taken with a 300mm lens on a digital camera (equivalent to about 450mm on a 35mm camera). The second photo, no.77 is simply a 600 pixel crop from the bigger photo, at full size.

76. Common Common Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, about 08:35h Sunday 15 March 2009.

77. Common Common Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, about 08:35h Sunday 15 March 2009.

 

Blue Tits

78. Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) feeding on buds, Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk.

 

79. Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) feeding on buds, Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk.

 

Robin

80. Robin (Erithacus rubecula) on brambles in the winter at Dunwich Heath.

 

Long-tailed tit

81. Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) in pine trees at Tangham, in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk

 

Swans

82. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) cygnet.
"There once was an ugly duckling, with feathers all stubby and brown..."   ***

 

83. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
 "A swan? Me a swan? ... And he looked, and he saw, and he said; I am a swan!"   ***

 

84. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  
"...but a glide and a whistle and a snowy white back..."   ***

 

85. Portrait of Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) on the River Deben.
"...And a head so noble and high"   ***

 

*** Extracts from the lyrics of The Ugly Duckling, sung by Danny Kaye in the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen.
      All the lyrics to The Ugly Duckling are here.

 

Egrets

86. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) are now a quite common site on the Riber Deben.

RSPB: "Little Egret is one of the UK's most recent colonisers. They first appeared in significant numbers in 1989, and can now be seen in most parts of the UK.

 

87. Closer in on the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) fishing in the outfall from the Woodbridge Tide Mill.

 

88. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) fishing on a rising tide in the Marina.

 

89. Closer in to the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) fishing on a rising tide in the Marina.

 

 

Starlings

90. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding young

91. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding young

92. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding young

93. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding young

 

Barn Owl

For the third or fourth time, we've seen Barn Owls in this area of Suffolk. We've seen them at Ramsholt and Wantisden. This one was near Blaxhall, on 2nd February 2008. All three images are snipped out of much larger pictures, of which the owl is a very small part!
Photos 95 and 96 are particularly fuzzy because the camera focussed on the nearby grass.
Photo 97 was taken from about 50 yards away. Not great photos but what a lovely sight.
For more information on Barn Owls (and much better photos!) visit the Barn Owl Trust website.

95. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) on a fence post.

96. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) on a fence post.

97. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) quartering a rough grassy field near Blaxhall.