For the year that's in it, I couldn't leave out Waxwing. The first ever birds I twitched were Waxwings, way back in December 2004 in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. With a failure of the berry crop in Scandinavia this has been a classic Waxwing winter. Hundreds of birds showing up all over the country.
I caught up with this flock not far from my parent's home in county Dublin and was very pleased to able to take my Mum along with me where we got eye-level views of the flock as they drank and fed on Cotoneaster berries.
Not my best photos of the year but I couldn't leave Waxwings off the list could I!
Focal length - 700mm, f5.6, ISO400, shutter speed - 1/250 with lens resting on car roof.
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| Juvenile Waxwing, Glenageary, Co. Dublin - November 2012 |
The twelfth bird
I've already written two separate blog entries about these two birds - see A lifer, a year tick and a Leinster win and also Bird of the year
Dotterel was a long overdue tick for me and this pair from Robert's Cove, Cork were special. Nice light, approachable birds and lifers to boot.
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| Dotterel - Roberts's Cove, Cork - October 2012 |
Focal length - 700mm, aperture f5.6, ISO200, shutter speed - 1/200s with tripod
So that's it. My twelve birds of Christmas. I'd like to thank everyone who's taken the time read my blog, comment on it or leave likes on facebook. It means a lot to me. From 2013, as you may know, the blog will be coming from Norfolk, a part of England with a rich history of birds, birding and birders.
I hope you'll keep reading!
Merry Christmas and very best wishes to you all for the New Year.
Graham Clarke
Saw the first pic of the Dotteral in Birdwatch today.
ReplyDeleteMust buy that copy of Birdwatch myself. Happy Christmas!
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