Norfolk 2013

I've been busy working and marathon training recently so photographic opportunities have been limited. But, as usual, the weather hasn't been conducive to producing decent wildlife images.

On the 24th of last month (February) I ran the Blackpool Half Marathon in a decent time of 83 and a half minutes, which I was pleased with because of a recent hamstring injury. Its two minutes slower than my time at the same event last year but I'm not complaining. After the race I visited Marton Mere local nature reserve but was failed to find any Long-eared Owls; I've seen them here a few times before but they can be difficult to find without local knowledge.

At the beginning of March I spent a family weekend in Norfolk. I had problems with the image stabilisation system on my 500 lens so many of my photographs were unusable. I saw many Barn Owls on my morning runs, often perched on roadsigns or on one memorable occasion sat on the fence in the back garden of our cottage! I love Norfolk, it really is a very bird-filled county.

Brent Geese Over Blakeney



Curlew at Wells

Oystercatcher, Wells

Pheasant

Rooks fighting at Kelling

Song Thrush

Fieldfare

Sunset over Cley Windmill with Blakeney Church in the background.

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Norfolk in October

Burton and Blackpool

After an easy 12 mile run yesterday, I went down to Parkgate where the immature Spoonbill was showing quite well but a bit distant for decent photographs. So I headed to Burton Mere Wetlands where the White-fronted geese where hiding behind some distant vegetation and there was no sign of any Bewick's Swans. So I set my camera up near the feeding station and took some shots of woodland birds. Also saw my first Spotted Redshank for the year.
Drove to Blackpool today to take part in the Great North West half marathon. Wasn't too sure I'd be able to run after aggravating a muscle pull at circuit training last Monday. But I shouldn't have worried as I managed to complete the course in 1 hour 21 minutes. That's my second personal best in two weeks. Rewarded myself with a few beers while watching the football this evening.

The lichen on the branch nicely highlights the yellow of this

Blue Tit.

There was lots of activity among the

Chaffinches. This male is not quite in

breeding plumage yet, but they are already

starting to sing.

I don't normally photograph birds on

feeders but I couldn't resist a shot of this

Long-tailed Tit.

One of our commonest breeding birds, the Wren behaves more

like a small mammal than a bird.