Tuesday 28 December 2010

Christmas 2010

I Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas?! If you didn't, well, it's finished now for another year isn't it.
2011 is looming and the brand New You can nearly be set free into a new world with a new outlook. You're going to practice kindness and respect to everyone, including yourself right?
Right.


I had a lovely Christmas,tg. I was one of the lucky few to arrive at Dublin airport and leave Dublin airport - on time, no delays, no messin, just took off. A can of beer and packet of peanuts on the plane to celebrate and I was in Leeds in 50 mins. 
My favourite thing with wings this Christmas
Over the last few days I was able to go on some short rambles around the house and these are the photos I got.
My 2nd favourite thing with wings this Christmas. Red Kite.

Just look at the red kite shaped tail
Red Kite
Mum had said that she saw what she thought was a Woodcock at the top of the garden. She was right, but there wasn't just one, after a few days we actually saw 3 of them feeding in the garden. I had never seen a Woodcock so it was a thrill for me to see them. They're very, very nervy though and I was lucky to get these shots. As you can see from the grass, there wasn't half as much snow in Yorkshire as there was in Dublin. It was still freezing though.

Woodcock, it was about -6 degrees.
The traverse lines on the crown = Woodcock
There's a Kestrel at the top of the tree on the left.

Long Tailed tit at feeder
Couldn't work out if this was a juv Curlew or Whimbrel flying off. There were 6 of them.
Female Pheasant
The weather over Christmas here has been very grey and foggy and snowy. Not great for bird photography, but I've seen Red kites, Sparrowhawks, Buzzards, close ups of Bullfinches, Redwings, Fieldfares and Jays nearly everyday. I've heard Lapwing, seen Curlew, Woodcock and all types of garden birds at the feeders. The two birds I thought I might see, which I didn't, were Brambling and Yellowhammer.
A friend of mine said that he loves living in Dublin, but he's not in love with it - probably something to do with Dublin not being home.
I know how he feels.



Here's to the huge light of 2011. 
Happy New Year.