22/07/2011

Wheatears and Winshields

I've had a horrible day for all sorts of reasons, things were going from bad to worse so I decided to get out and walk off my mood.
Off to Winshields with my new compact camera, it's one of those camera's described as a bridge camera with a lens that allegedly goes from 35mm to 850mm.
Because the weather has been poor I've not had a chance to try it out and while it was showery today it wasn't bad enough to put me off.
Climbed to the top of the hill, pressed some button that I shouldn't have and wiped out the battery - it's been one of those days.
Called in to Winshields Camp Site Tea Room for a coffee and got chatting to Billy about Wheatears.
Juvenile Wheatear

He gave me some tips on where to find them so tonight, after tea (TT has been engrossed in the Tour de France coverage) I headed off out again with my 200-400mm lens.
I was really too late for them, found one juvenile fluffed up on a rock but non of the nice males, though I suppose most adult birds will have lost their breeding plumage by now and are reverting back to 'little brown jobs'

I had the presence of mind to put my 18-200mm lens in my pocket and I was so glad I did.
Up at Winshields Trig Point I came upon a technicolour sky.
I have never seen anything quite like it.



You could see for miles tonight, Criffel, the Scottish mountain way beyond Dumfries looked as if it was just a mile away, amazing.



Not much light to the east, just a quick burst on the top bit of the Wall then it was gone.



When I got to the bottom of the hill I looked back and all the colour had gone to be replaced by big black clouds, nature putting on a show.
Now in Gilsland at 9.30pm there's not a cloud in the sky.

Hope you don't mind if I just share one of my garden bird pictures with you, a Nutchatch. We have two adults feeding young although they keep them well hidden in the thicket of the oak tree. I'm hoping they will bring the youngsters down within range of the hide if only to teach them about peanut feeders.


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