leedingain.com
Almost Birding: February 2015
http://www.leedingain.com/2015_02_01_archive.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Jack Snipe encounters and patch ticks: 14 February. The highlight of an afternoon and evening session at the patch today was 7 Jack Snipe on Staines Moor, one bird in particular giving incredibly close views! Fascinating to watch their behaviour and take in the detail. 1 of at least 7 Jack Snipe seen today - I watched this bird for 45 minutes at a range of about a metre. In the NE corner (patch tick). Posted by Lee Dingain.
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: January 2015
http://www.leedingain.com/2015_01_01_archive.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Half Snipes at Staines Moor: 27 January. Staines Moor is a traditional wintering site for Jack Snipe. The first record was of 2 on 26 September 1937, and the highest site count is 8 on 20 March 2003. The earliest returning date is 1 in July 2002 and the latest departing record is 1 on 11 April 1951. One of three Jack Snipe today - this bird was just two metres from me! Spot the Jack Snipe (click to enlarge)! Spent much of...
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: Smartphone wildlife macro photography
http://www.leedingain.com/2015/08/smartphone-wildlife-macro-photography.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Smartphone wildlife macro photography. Back in May I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone and discovered that the camera is excellent for macro photography. While not quite the same quality of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, the Note 4's 16 MP front camera doesn't do a bad job and is great for those impromptu photographic opportunities. Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum. Worcester Park, Surrey, 28 July 2015.
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: November 2014
http://www.leedingain.com/2014_11_01_archive.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Pond clearance at Staines Moor: 30 November. Rachel and I spent a few hours today volunteering with Spelthorne Natural History Society. And Egham and Staines Conservation Volunteers, clearing bulrush and other spreading plants from Butts Pond and nearby pools. Butts Pond supports a nationally scarce diving beetle, as well as other aquatic invertebrates and amphibians, therefore it is important to keep the ponds open.
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: Staines and Stanwell Moors
http://www.leedingain.com/p/staines-moor.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Staines and Stanwell Moors. Staines Moor and Stanwell Moor have been my local patch since 2003, although I visited on and off long before then. This page describes Staines Moor and the wildlife to be found there (this page is far from finished so please bear with me). Page contents (click on link to jump to section):. Staines Moor, looking east, with King George VI and Staines Reservoirs in the background (WikiPedia).
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: December 2014
http://www.leedingain.com/2014_12_01_archive.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Med Gull over Weybridge: 31 December. A quick notebook entry. Parking the car for work when an adult Mediterranean Gull flew low east over The Willows in Weybridge at 08:52 - probably the same adult seen at Walton Bridge over the last few days and possibly one of the two birds I found at Cowey Sale back in February. Nice end to the year! Posted by Lee Dingain. Review: Cluson ML8 Pro Spotter torch. Reviewed back in March?
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: July 2015
http://www.leedingain.com/2015_07_01_archive.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. High Brown Fritillaries at Aish Tor: 7, 8 and 9 July. South-west England is now the species stronghold. There is some good news though - last year their numbers increased. By more than 180% compared to 2013 - a ten year high. Still in flower beneath the Bracken at Aish Tor was a nice surprise, and 1 Grey Wagtail on the River Dart and a Yellowhammer were the best birds noted. A quick visit late afternoon on the 8th found j...
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: Pagham Harbour RSPB: 28 June
http://www.leedingain.com/2015/06/pagham-harbour-rspb-28-june.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Pagham Harbour RSPB: 28 June. Watched it for a few hours - great scope views but just out of DSLR range. It was finding a lot of food - mainly crabs, which it caught and took to a patch of water to clean before breaking off the limbs and swallowing. Also watched preening for a while. It didn't associate with the 2 Eurasian Whimbrels present and in the evening at high tide it roosted alone. Caterpillar were also seen.
leedingain.com
Almost Birding: August 2015
http://www.leedingain.com/2015_08_01_archive.html
A naturalist struggling to survive in birdless Surrey. Published stuff and reviews. Just back from a really fun family break in Tuscany, Italy. Spent much of my time chilling out, reading, shopping in local markets and shops, mucking about with my nieces and nephews, eating and drinking, but I did have some time for a little birding and bugging locally around the villa, with three fruiting fig trees in the grounds of Villa Bordoni being particularly good for inverts. 1 on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th. Pearl...
