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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Well, the end to another year list. 244 for the year is my best since starting listing the birds of the year in 2008. Many thanks to all those who read and rated this list thread, and to all those birders who helped me along the way, particularly all the friendly birders I met on Lesvos in...
  2. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Best birding & photography excursion: Irvine Harbourside and River Mouth, low tide, 9–10.30am 27/12/11 I’d already managed some good shots of Turnstone here at high tide on a previous outing (see below), but low tide enabled me to get down by the river mouth on the sand for some low angle...
  3. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Updates to the year list: 233. Whooper Swan 234. Common Eider 235. Red-throated Diver (1st for UK) 236. Shag 237. Red-breasted Merganser 238. Ruddy Turnstone 239. Razorbill 240. Gannet 241. Rock Pipit 242. Common Guillemot 243. Purple Sandpiper 244. Common Scoter
  4. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Ayrshire, Scotland – Christmas 2011 We headed up to Scotland for Christmas this year – returning today/tomorrow, though foul weather seems to have put paid to any more birding en route during the return leg. So far (up until mid-morning on Wednesday 28th), I’ve had 70 species, which is pretty...
  5. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Otmoor, 12th December After a very long absence from this thread, my list makes a very welcome return from the birding doldrums. A preliminary visit to Otmoor last Saturday produced a Hen Harrier for me, a UK tick for the year (though I had already seen one on Lesvos earlier). A return visit...
  6. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    As Maenad has already reported, the summer has been rather too busy to get much birding done. However, a fortuitous trip to Slimbridge on Saturday came up with some goodies for the list, including a couple of lifers and some good UK ticks. Having toddler in tow precluded any camera gear, but...
  7. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Butterfly update: We took a family trip to Whitecross Green Wood near Otmoor on Sunday looking for Brown Hairstreaks, but the weather wasn't great so we didn't see any. However, I had the opportunity for a return visit this morning. The weather was still a bit iffy, but the sun did come out...
  8. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Some updates to my butterfly list for the year (still pretty meagre, but some good encounters; Oxfordshire unless stated; lifers in bold): 1) Peacock 2) Small Tortoiseshell 3) Brimstone 4) Orange Tip 5) Holly Blue (+ Lesvos) 6) Speckled Wood 7) Comma 8) Large White 9) Eastern Bath White...
  9. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Back to more mundane stuff now to bring things up to date. More focused on butterflies than birds lately, but one or two additions: 224. Green Woodpecker (Finally!!) Local fields, Banbury (also Corn Bunting and Yellow Wagtail), 15th May. Plenty more seen since, most probably active...
  10. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Reptiles: Balkan Wall Lizard in Achladeri forest; Agama Lizard at Ipsilou
  11. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Insects: One of the Dung Beetles in Achladeri forest; and two Shield Bugs, one from my hotel room balcony, and one from the seaside scrub in the Kalloni sheepfields. The shot of the green bug was pretty much the only occasion I had to use my macro gear the whole time since otherwise the...
  12. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Some final pics from Lesvos: One or two mammals: Mole Rat digging up Parakila Chapel; Fox and Squirrel at Potamia Valley
  13. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    [Day 14 am: nothing much on drive to airport, with weather still rather cold and cloudy, though a nice larger group of Little Terns at the saltpans on my way past.] Lesvos Trip summary: Birding highlights: the number of species (and the number of Whinchats and Collared Flycatchers), and...
  14. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    26th April, Lesvos Day 13 Weather: Some sun, some cloud. Strategy for finding the final day’s birds was hatched partly thanks to various chats with Steve Dudley, Paul Manning, and Bob Buckler the previous evening. Roller was looking pretty unlikely because of the continued relatively cool...
  15. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    25th April, Lesvos Day 12 Weather: Hazy sun, breezy. Only two full days left, so beginning to think about species I hadn’t found yet. Looking like I’d be dipping on Bee-Eaters and Rollers, sadly, but the April weather just hadn’t been hot enough for them. Anyway, went back to Kavaki for more...
  16. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    24th April, Lesvos Day 11 After much careering around the island over the last few days, I decided to stay relatively more local to the Kalloni area today. Weather was sunny, but still pretty breezy. Some nice finds today around the Saltpans as some new migrants increased in numbers. Around...
  17. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Many apologies for my total lack of activity in the last couple of months: work has been very busy and domestic life is also increasingly time-consuming. Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to finally finish off this list, with more updates from Lesvos. Thanks for being patient. 23rd April, Lesvos...
  18. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    22nd April, Lesvos Day 9 Today was a bit of a mixed bag: I decided to try out some sites I hadn’t yet visited, partly on the search for a Middle Spotted Woodpecker, and partly to try some of the areas to the East of Kalloni. Neither turned out to be hugely successful, but I still came up with...
  19. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    21st April, Lesvos Day 8 The weather today was sunny but windy; I decided on another trip out to Sigri, after a morning visit to Metochi Lake, and to the small reservoir nearby (following a tip for Night Heron, a species very thin on the ground as per records so far). A stop-off at Ipsilou was...
  20. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Many thanks for the new 5-star vote! 20th April, Lesvos Day 7 Again the weather today was cloudy, with some heavy rain showers. Unperturbed, however, I decided on another visit out to Sigri to build on the excellent birds to be had on day 4. I wasn’t to be disappointed! Before making the...
  21. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    19th April, Lesvos Day 6 Weather was once again overcast with some rain in the morning, though it was sunny in the afternoon. Today, another visit to the Tsiknias river was followed by a relatively brief visit to the Napi Valley area (a failed attempt to find some woodpeckers!), then the...
  22. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    18th April, Lesvos Day 5 Again overcast; I chose to stay local to the Kalloni area today. An early-morning walk down to the Kalloni pool was followed by a drive up the Tsiknias river to the Saltpans area. In the afternoon I made a first visit to Potamia valley. The walk to the Kalloni pool...
  23. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    17th April, Lesvos Day 4 Day 4 was again overcast, with also quite a bit of rain, but today I decided on my first visit to the west of the island, on the hunt for some passage migrants and more resident species. This was one of the best days of my trip despite the weather, partly because of...
  24. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    16th April, Lesvos Day 3 Day 3 was overcast and windy, but still produced some excellent birds. The day started with a drive through Skala Kallonis to Metochi Lake again, followed by a trip north to Kavaki and Perasma reservoir to see what warblers I could pick up. Following that, a visit to...
  25. CactusD

    CactusD's List 2011

    Some more shots of birds so far:
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