023 Dipper

Cinclus cinclus




















Padley Gorge. 21/7/06

022 Collared dove

Streptopelia decaocto
































This nest is on the security light next to our bedroom window. It's the second brood this pair have had this year - they laid another egg only a few days after the first chick had fledged. As you can see, there's a young dove (I believe the correct word for a dove chick is a squab) underneath the adult. 19/7/06

021 Tufted duck

Aythya fuligula

Female. Chatsworth. 20/7/06

020 Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris




















These things move fast as well! Chatsworth. 20/7/06

Not a tick, but worth posting I thought.

Sand martin nests. You can just about make out a sand martin in the middle of the picture, but it isn't identifiable from the picture so doesn't warrant a tick. We enjoyed watching these nice little birds skimming the water catching insects, and going in and out of the holes in the bank to feed their chicks, but couldn't get close enough to get a decent picture - they move so fast too!

019 Rook

Corvus frugilegus




















Eating a chip! Our garden, 18/7/06

018 Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos



















Female, Chatsworth. 20/7/06




















White duckling - mother is a perfectly normal mallard. Maybe a crossbreed. Chatsworth. 20/7/06

017 Grey wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

Chatsworth. 19/7/06

016 Greenfinch

Carduelis chloris




















Male, our garden. 19/7/06

015 Coot

Fulica atra



















Chatsworth. 20/7/06

014 Blue tit

Parus caeruleus



















Looking a bit messy there. Our garden. 20/7/06

013 Wood pigeon

Columba palumbus



















Our garden. 18/7/06

012 Mute swan

Cygnus olor




















Holmebrook Valley Park. 18/7/06

011 Starling

Sturnus vulgaris



















Juvenile, our garden. 18/7/06

010 House sparrow

Passer domesticus



















Male, our garden. 18/7/06

009 Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus



















Holmebrook Valley Park. 18/7/06

008 Canada goose

Branta canadensis



















Holmebrook Valley Park. 18/7/06

007 Blackbird

Turdus merula

Male, in our garden in Chesterfield, England. 18/07/06

006 Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis



















Thorpeness, 16/07/06.

005 Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs



















Female. Minsmere 16/07/06.
























Male. Minsmere 16/07/06.

004 Marsh harrier

Circus aeruginosus



















Minsmere 15/07/06

003 Avocet

Recurvirostra avosetta




















Minsmere 15/07/06. A favourite of Michael's.

002 Little tern

Sternula albifrons

Another high mag shot, so not very sharp. Minsmere 15/07/06.

001 Black headed gull

Larus ridibundus



















Somewhat fuzzy juvenile, taken at pretty high magnification. Minsmere 15/07/06.



















Adults in summer plumage at Thorpeness, 16/07/06.

In the beginning...

Inspired by the purchase of Michael's new camera (a Panasonic FZ30), we've decided to start a new project.

The aim is to identify and photograph as many British birds as we can. We're defining "British" as "happens to be in the UK", whether it's normally found here or not. Obviously captive birds don't count.

We're only counting birds that have both been identified and photographed. Eventually we'll build up a gallery of the birds that we've "ticked". If we happen to get a better photograph of a species we've already listed, it will replace the old one.

The project started on Saturday 15th July 2006 with our first visit to RSPB Minsmere.