Lockdown Birding 28th - 31st March 2020

Goldfinch

It's hard but no one said it would be easy. Lockdown as spring bounds into life could not have been predicted. Normal life being put on hold. Worries, concerns and anxieties about life in general, our families, friends and those going the extra mile, putting themselves at great risk to keep essentials on track.

A big thankyou to our normally unsung heroes!

We are perhaps luckier than many. In the village communities of Bempton and Buckton, the great outdoors is on our door step and social distancing is not difficult. An early morning permitted exercise walk is undertaken without seeing a soul!

Hopefully, I will be able to post images on a regular basis, for the enjoyment of all and to assist in keeping me sane!

Take care and stay safe!

Roe Buck in golden light

Yellowhammers cannot fail to cheer

In golden light!

Female Linnet (couldn't capture the male!)

Pheasant

Goldfinch

Lockdown Birding 24th - 27th March 2020

Curlew

What a strange time! We are all in lockdown, we have got the best weather so far this year, migration is occurring with the return of breeding birds and much of it is going to be missed. Hopefully, the lockdown will prove to be the right course of action to defeat Corvid-19. Indeed, nature will probably benefit from the minimal disturbance. Lets hope so!

I have to say that I am not feeling the love at the moment and thought I may suspend my blogging. However, I needed to do something! Living in Bempton makes us very fortunate with limited contact in a small village. Exercise is, at the moment allowed and I am taking Symphony for a daily walk from the house, so it would be rude not to carry my camera and bins!

There was no contact with any humans while taking these local images!

Curlew

Shelduck

A little bit of brightness and no cheese!

The three Cormorants of the apocalypse (the fourth felt unwell and is self isolating!)

Reed Bunting

Lapwing

Dunnock

Three of five Roe Deer

And finally, even during the toughest conditions, brightness can shine through!

Take care folks and keep your distance!

Bempton Circular Walk - 23rd March 2020

Fulmar

A lovely, crisp spring morning, but I can't say that I am feeling the love. In fact, I felt very guilty and my heart was not in it. I chose to take Symphony for a walk of about four miles, early this morning avoiding crowds and only saw four people, which was good under the present difficult circumstances. I have decided to carry my camera everywhere I go for as long as I am allowed. Today, for some unbeknown reason, I decided to attach my old Canon Mk1 100-400mm lens. I wish I hadn't as my images turned out rather poorly and not a patch on my 400mm 5.6 prime. Lesson learned!

As I say, my heart was not in it and I really couldn't care if I took any images or not. But I did, so perhaps you will forgive the poor quality.

For anyone venturing to RSPB Bempton Cliffs

Walking up Hoddy Cows Lane, I was amazed to see the remnants of an early morning frost

I looked for something bright and cheerful and found it the Yellowhammers

And the Gorse flowers

A "new" but temporary water feature on Hoddy Cows Lane, but was barren of life

"Bempton" guardian of the cliffs continues to look out

The cliffs were quieter than they have been. Gannets and Fulmars were in good numbers but the Kittiwakes were fewer, with most forming large rafts on the sea. There were no Auks on the cliffs, but a few were seen in flight or on the sea (Puffin 1, Razorbill 4, Guillemot 10).

Gannet Life

Kittiwakes

Fulmars

Reed Bunting

The frogs have been rather busy in the pond!

I'm not sure what the future holds for us all. I think "lockdown" of the country is very close. I'm wondering if this will be my last blog post. I hope not. All I can say is please act responsibly and above all, stay safe. I wonder what tomorrow will hold?