Dipping Out

"Dipping out" is a term used by birders when they fail to see a bird they have travelled to see. Not wishing myself any further "dips" I have to say I have missed a few scarce birds recently, in fact I am on something of a "dipping streak". None of them would've been life ticks for me, but when you put the effort in to try and see a bird it's nice to achieve success once in a while. Additionally, maybe there should be a new term for bird photographers who actually manage to see a species but then fail to actually obtain a photograph! This has happened on two occasions recently when I have found urban flocks of Waxwings both on main roads which have then flown off before I have even left the car, not as a result of my presence I hasten to add. Waxwings are getting harder to pin down as the year progresses, probably due to a lack of suitable berry-bearing bushes combined with their urge to return to their breeding grounds.
Recently I have also failed to connect with (another birders term meaning "see") Hawfinches at a number of sites, Great White Egret at Hale and Black Redstart at Neston. I even failed to see Crossbills at a favoured site in North Wales today. But I have a plan; leave all my photographic equipment at home and the birds will be tripping up to feed out of my hand!
But, ever the optimist, there is always something to photograph as shown by the following shots of Bullfinch at Leighton Moss and Red Kite in Wales.

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