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

Summer - Twitching Tree Highlights

Redpoll - Carduelis flammea
June 6th.

During the Summer the Twitching Trees see mostly resident species and a few tourist.

Twite - Carduelis flavirostris
July 27th

Resident (Eurasian) House Sparrows - Passer domesticus
July 31st.

Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix
Aug. 25th

Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula hypoleuca
early migrant, Aug. 25th.

Bird, Stick & Tree Highlights May 2013

(European) Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis 

Bird, Stick & Tree Highlights in Photographs from May 2013.

(Eurasain) Siskin - Male - Carduelis spinus
May 2nd, in the rain...

Siskin female in the rain.

Sunny May 3rd - male Siskin.

Brambling - Fringilla Monifringilla
female May 3rd

(European) Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis

May 8th.

Brambling - Fringilla Monifringilla
Male as the fog rolled in. May 8th.

Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes
May 10th.

Female Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla
May 10th.

Lesser Whitethroat - Sylvia currura
May 10th.

Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus
May 14th.

Eurasain Wryneck - Jynx torquilla
on the Twitiching Tree May 14th.

(European) Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis
on the Stick May 14th.

Garden Warbler - Sylia borin
on the Stick in a rain shower May 14th.

Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes
and also a common House Sparrow on the Twitching Tree May 15th.

and again on May 16th.

Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes
on the Stick, May 16th.

Garden Warbler - Sylia borin
May 16th.

Red-backed Shrike - Lanius collurio
on the T-Trees, May 21st.

Thrush Nightingale - Luscinia luscinia
This rare UK. visitor was favouring one of my small T-Trees in my garden May 29th.

          

Watch the video (35 seconds)