Leaving the normal places........

Last November we were enjoying the fabulous weather in Nevis, so although my blog is about birds in South Africa and Europe, I thought I would reminisce and try to bring a bit of sun into our lives here on a cold, wet and windy day!  Hope you enjoy.

Grey Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) - an amazing Flycatcher....

As above.

Green-throated carib, (Eulampis holosericeus)...

As above...

as above.

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - not a great photo but a record of having seen it.

Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita).

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

I have a few more photos from Nevis, so probably there will be some more memories next week.

As always I hope my ID is correct, please let me know if I have it wrong!

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Seen in the garden or close by in the past week.

As always, I hope that my identification is correct, please let me know if there should be any mistakes.

European robin (Erithacus rubecula). We never see one all summer but as soon as there is a bit of chill in the air here it is...

As above...

As above.

Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

Common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - it was quite far!...

As above.

Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) and this was also quite far!

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea).  Quite far as well but easier to see!...

As above...

As above.

Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European starling or simply starling.

Red-legged Partridge (Electorus rufa), it is still around and has been in the garden now for 10 days...

As above...

and on our verandah.

Common cranes (Grus grus), also known as the Eurasian crane flying South over the house.  It is a good job they are so noisy or I would have missed them...

As above.

They were milling around a bit and these were heading in the wrong direction!

Just down the road the other day I spotted these starlings...

A small murmuration. I saw a great murmuration in the UK last year so hoping to get some better photos of them over the Christmas period whenI will be there again.

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Magic in the garden.....

Great excitement here in our garden today.  I saw this bird yesterday outside our property, but it was gone in a flash and I did not have the camera with me anyway.  This morning I looked out of the window and saw, what I presume was the same bird at the bottom of our garden.  I took a few photos of it in the distance willing it to come closer which it eventually did.  All shots are through the window but they are quite reasonable I think.

The first photos were taken at a great distance (abt 25 metres) down the garden...  Red-legged Partridge (Electorus rufa)...

as above...

As above.

It then started walking up the side of the hedge towards me...

getting closer and closer...

as above...

as above...

as above...

as above...

At this stage, it was probably about 8 metres away...

finally disappearing into the undergrowth.

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04/11/2018 Birds seen in the garden and overhead this week in France.

Eurasian Blue Tit. (Cyanistes caeruleus).  We never see them in summer but they return in winter,  here they are on the window sill asking for food...

As above...

As above.

The Great tit (Parus major), also not very visible in summer but they return for winter food...

As above on an African soapstone carving...

Also on the window sill...

As above.

Male Common blackbird (Turdus merula) and another African soapstone carving... 

and I think a female blackbird if not a juvenile!

Female house sparrow (Passer domesticus)...

As above.

House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto).

Common cranes (Grus grus), also known as the Eurasian crane, calling and milling around overhead yesterday waiting presumably for a bigger group ready to fly South...

As above...

As above getting into formation.

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