Providing holiday cover, we have to again thank Nick Watmough for his perspective on the pictures submitted alongside the daily sightings. An excellent choice Nick.
‘October always promises so much to birders, especially birding photographers, such that when nothing special turns up it feels a bit flat. And that turned out to be a metaphor for POTW this week – there were a lot very good images that I really liked but in my first pass there was not one single photo that grabbed my attention and shouted, “choose me”. So back to basics and a plod through the week just see where I got to.
Monday saw several observers head out to Brew Farm to check out the lingering Turtle Doves and we received fine submissions from M James and Adrian Lea. Also out west were plenty of Firecrests in the Cot Valley where one was nicely photographed by N Brookes
The doves were still there on Tuesday where one was imaginatively framed by Sarah Talbot on an electricity pylon. Elsewhere in the county Deena Sharp managed a nice shot of the elusive Siblyback White-rumped Sandpiper and Adrian Langdon photographed a Grey Heron at Walmsley gripping an enormous Carp that it surely couldn’t swallow….
One of the doves was still there on Wednesday for Jonathan Warner who also managed to get a nice shot of the Glossy Ibis at Gwithian. The wonderfully consistent Martin Webb provided a nice selection from Helston Boating Lake including an obliging Common Sandpiper returning for its fourth winter.
Alan Lobb photographed a different Turtle Dove on Thursday at Zennor and also gave us a nice shot of a Spotted Flycatcher. I enjoyed Martin Webb’s flight shot of a Meadow Pipit and the technical excellence of the images of Kestrel and March Harrier Robin Chiffers obtained at Walmsley. Specifically I would like to highlight a “record shot” submitted by Michael Scott-Ham of a Barred Warbler at Trewellard which in the true spirit of the sightings page is more than good enough to corroborate his record.
By Friday there were no doves but another useful record shot – this time of a Lesser Whitethroat by David Collins which hinted at a more easterly origin. Elsewhere on the Lizard Elizabeth McGrew was clearly having fun with the local Choughs.
A little bit of role reversal on Saturday when a passing White Stork buzzed a gaggle of photographers loafing on the Hayle causeway resulted in a range of submissions from Jonathan Warner, Gerry Gillard, Simon Willson and Tim Culmer. Tim also photographed some of the Marazion Cattle Egret flock two of which were captured trying to outstare a cow by Alex McKechnie.
Still no more doves by the end of the week, but Trevor Chambers captured the entire Cattle Egret flock at Marazion with the reserve as a backdrop. A shoreline Wheatear from Sean Witte reminded us that migration is far from over. Paul Davies did a great job with Walmsley Marsh Harriers including one in hot pursuit of a Common Snipe and shout outs to Caroline Taylor for her high-stepping Curlew and Gavin Willaims for a Kestrel in flight.
Did my tour of the week helped me decide? Probably. Until I got to Sunday, I was leaning towards Sarah Talbot’s Turtle Dove on a pylon as my POTW not because it was a dove but because of its framing and the imaginative use of colour. Then I got to Sunday and saw Sarah’s photo of a grumpy Goldcrest and completely changed my mind. I really like her use of portrait mode to frame the tiny bird in a way that accentuates its frown and the way the dark green moss of the tree trunk offsets the olive tones of the subject.
So I got there in the end, and it is perhaps apposite that a “Woodcock Pilot” (Google it kids) is the subject of an October POTW.’
Congratulations Sarah on winning your first Photo of the Week and yes Nick I did Google it… and in 60 years of birding I had never heard that before! You learn something everyday.
