A morning with Flash

Week 44 - 05 November 2011, Pivot Fields

Please bear with me as I try and post my backlog of images from the past month. On this morning I was back at Pivot Fields, but weather was terrible with low dark clouds and scattered precipitation during the course of the morning.

All images taken today were supplemented with flash which is not ideal, but overall the results were acceptable - learning on the fly, so to speak!

The inclement weather didnt seem to bother the birds much and good variety was seen. A Duarian Shrike was first up, huddled on its perch in the morning gloom.



Daurian Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

 Driving slowly around the fields, I picked up Crested Lark



Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

Tawny Pipit


Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris)

and many Water Pipit's


Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

 A few Yellow Wagtails (this one is Sykes) were seen, but most have pretty much departed. This one devouring a caterpillar (from a Clouded Yellow butterfly, I believe)



Sykes's Wagtail (Motacilla flava beema)

 However, there are still loads of White Wagtails about.



White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

 Spanish Sparrow's were seen feeding in amongst the Wagtails

Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis)

At one of the fields with maize, I found a lone Caspian Stonechat (the one with a Wheatear like tail)



Caspian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus variegatus)

 As well as the more regular European Stonechat



European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)


Driving to a small depression filled with water, I came across a single Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola)

At the depression, a single Great Egret really stood out

Western Great Egret (Ardea alba)

above the smaller Western Cattle Egrets



Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

 Raptors were fairly well represented this morning, with a dark phase Steppe Buzzard

Steppe Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus)

A Long-legged Buzzard

Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)

A single Spotted Eagle

Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga)

and a Common Kestrel

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

So, despite the welcome but miserable conditions it turned out to be a good morning out.