Can't believe I have a Grey Phalarope before a house sparrow!

Went down to the coast today and spent an hour or 2 getting some photos prior to my son's football game in Brighton. I can't believe I have photos of a Grey Phalarope but not yet a house sparrow! Unfortunately the lightng wasn't geat (very cloudy on the coast) but got a few good shots. Also managed to add a cormorant to my list of photographed birds.
15. Grey Phalarope

16. Cormorant

Also managed to get a few more pictures of red-breasted mergansers. I particularly like the first pic as the males are trying so hard but the female looks particularly unimpressed!!

5 new birds, a new place to go photograph birds and an Albion win!

Thanks to Warren (http://pittswoodpatch.blogspot.co.uk/) I had a great morning. He showed me round his patch at Pittswood and showed me where to see a little owl - my first for over 20 years! I even managed a picture (even if it is rather blocked by branches!)
10.

Saw a number of bullfinches which was nice and generally enjoyed the great company. Saw a lot of other birds too some of which I managed to photograph.

11. Goldcrest

12. Canada Goose

13. Barnacle Goose

14. Siskin

A good afternoon as well - a 1-0 win for Brighton including the resident peregrine flying round at half time!

A morning on the coast.

Had a good morning but sadly the best photo opportunities occurred when the sun went in so the pics aren't as good as I'd like (still pleased with them though!). 141 to go :)

 

(Tried to enlarge all the pics but it only gave me the option for 2 of them for some reason - still trying to get to grips with this blogging lark!!)

 

 

6. Greater Black Backed Gull



7. Little Egret

8. Purple Sandpipers

 

 

 

 

9. Red Breasted Mergansers

 

 

 

and not a new bird but a few more turnstone pics!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Slow Start

So my original plan of going out on New Years Day went out of the window due to the weather. Managed to get out today and the weather was good - sadly my photography was not so good! Still the aim of this challenge is to improve my photography so hopefully by the end of the year I will be seeing some better quality pictures. I managed a few semi-decent pics which are posted below. I also got pics of Little Egret, Mute Swan and Lapwing but think I will get better pictures of them during the year so am not counting these yet. 5 down - 145 to go!!
1. Marsh Harrier

2. Dunlin

3. Grey Plover

4. Red Legged Partridge

5. Turnstone

Last Practice Picture

One final practice picture before my challenge starts on Wednesday!

Ok not a bird but lovely to see

Was birdwatching last weekend when I saw this little fellow running around in broad daylight.Quite a suprise!

A good day :)

So with Brighton beating the league leaders and me seeing a few Purple Sandpipers it is safe to say that today was a good day! Managed to get a couple of half decent shots of the sandpipers - hopefully can see them again when my challenge begins in a few weeks.