November 2014

A Starling on a Twitching Tree.

Redwing

October Highlights 2014

Blackcaps - Male & Female
Oct. 10th

House Sparrows - Oct 1st

Sleeping Juvenile Rose-Coloured Starling. Oct 3rd

 I first saw it sitting on the stick... by the time I got my camera it found shelter in my window box and started to take a nap. Sadly, I never did get a photo of it on the stick. So it's not a full record.

Blackcap - male

Starling & Female Blackcap

September Highlights 2014

Willow Warbler & Twite sharing a Stick by the pond.
 Sept. 19th

   

Pied Flycatcher on Twitching Tree. Sept. 3rd

House Sparrows. Sept. 5th

House Sparrows. Sept. 10th

Meadow Pipit on a fallen Twitching Tree. Sept. 19th

Twite on Twitching Tree. Sept. 22nd

A new  "Stick" found on the South Harbour beach - Fair Isle.

The New Stick was given to Klaus & Gaby to take back to their home in Germany. Sept. 30th.
Once there they will collaborate with my Twitching Trees environmental arts project.
They should start sending photos of bird upon it soon.

Update for June, July & August 2014

Not much of note over the Summer months...

White Wagtail & Meadow Pipit on a Twitching Tree.
August 7th

May Highlights 2014 - Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
May 10th

Reed Bunting was a first for my "Stick" unfortunately it didn't come back after I cleaned the window.

That moment when the camera focuses on the salty window and then the Reed Bunting flies away...

Redpoll - sort of cool I took this photograph using red colour select in my camera.

Redpoll - May 10th

Twite on the Stick.
May 6th.

April Birds 2014

Redpoll on The Stick.
April 26th

Tree Sparrow on the Twitching Tree.
Accompanied by resident House Sparrows.
April 17th

2 Hooded Crows on the Tree.
March 17th

House Sparrows and Starlings

Feburary Nature Lovers

A Starling... 
Just the regular winter resident birds in February. 

This photo was taken between wild gales as the sun broke through the clouds. The weather has made havoc on my Twitching Tree sculptures this winter, some broken or blown over, all needing to be repaired, (spruced up) or to be reworked. A sign of a hopeful Spring, I did see a pair of Fair Isle Wrens, one singing in the tree pictured above. With no new birds around and as bad as the wild winds and raging seas are here in Winter, Winter is an important time for finding the raw material I need, drift wood. I have to be diligently searching the beaches as other islander are using driftwood to supplement their peat and coal fuel supplies. Some islander think I'm silly, while I think it's a shame that some nice natural wood I would of loved to found first is cut up and burned. Oh well, you can't have it all... I'm still looking and now have a growing stock pile of newly found wood and have plans to make a few new Twitching Trees before bird migration starts. 

A Coot! and a old Coot.
 A uncommon bird on Fair Isle this one was in my garden pond, sadly not a bird found in trees.

I would also like to share this Valentine's Day video about one of my other on going photography projects.
 If you want to join in on the fun cheque out this Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/189007764455958/ 

Extreme Bird Feeding! December 2013 - January 2014

While searching the beaches for wood to make more Twitching Trees after a wild December storm I made this video. It spans visits from  over two weeks and over laps into the new year.

            

Not many birds about in January...
Species seen on Twitching Trees this time of year would be: Starling, House Sparrow & Hooded Crow.

Look what I hauled out of the surf!Jan. 31st, 2014.

That is the biggest wood I have ever found on Fair Isle. I wonder where it came from? I will be replacing one of the tree sculptures broken in the winter gales using this huge find and other recently collected wood.

Blackcap - November 2013

Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla 
Nov. 4th, 2013

On the Stick.

3 Goldfinch
Nov. 2nd, 2013

October 2013 - White Wagtail on the Stick.

White Wagtail - Motacilla alba 
Oct. 10th, 2013
Finally a good photo was captured on the Stick.

Note the infection or growth on the foot?

White Wagtail on Oct. 5th.
This elusive bird made appearances in my garden since the end of September.
Occasionally it sat on the Stick picking of flies from the windows.
Never sitting still long it took a frustrating two weeks to get a descent photo.

The ever present Starlings & House Sparrows

Brambling
Oct. 12th, 2013

Hawfinch on the Twitching Tree.
Oct. 21st, 2013

September 2013 Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat -  Sylia curruca
Sept. 24th 2013

On the Stick...

After the rain -Sept. 25th

Sunset - Sept. 26th

A unsatisfying photo of a White Wagtail
New to the Stick list.
Sept. 30th, 2013