RUNNERS UP (2)

Some great shots from Barry Boswell,

Black Skimmer

Black Guillimot

Great Skua

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Martial Eagle

Red Kite

Next Indoor Meeting...Wednesday 2nd March 2016

Hello

A reminder to members and an invitation to non-members that our next indoor meeting will be at the Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir, Brixworth Road, Holcot on Wednesday 2nd March 2016 starting promptly at 7.30pm. Parking is available around the Lodge and also by the waters edge by the fishing boats and on the road causeway.

The first agenda item is the club's AGM with our Chairman Bob Gill presiding. After a successful year for the club, it is likely that this formal business will be a rather brief affair, and then the main item for the evening will be Bob Bullock presenting a digital presentation on the Birds of Northamptonshire. This will be the first half of a presentation of Bob's images of eventful birds in the county during the last decade or so.

As usual hot drinks and biscuits will be available all evening and we look forward to seeing you there!

Regards

NBC Committee

Peregrine

Spotted Crake

RUNNERS UP

Some of the other great entries from the Northants Bird Club Photographic Competition.

Tibetan Sandgrouse

Saker Falcon

Lesser Sandplover

Hawfinch

Stoat

Cuckoo

Top 3 are entries from Andrew Cook which sadly were accidentally overlooked.
Also some shots from Alan Coles.
I will try to add to these as and when I can.

Some more images from the car trip...

Hello

Some more images from the NBC car trip yesterday, courtesy of Jacob Spinks...

Neil M

Penduline Tit

Drake Pintail

Woodpigeon

Bewick's Swan

Bird Club car trip

Hello

Six members of the Northants Bird Club ventured south to Gloucestershire today, our first venue being a roadside flood pond on the outskirts of Gloucester. Here we eventually enjoyed prolonged views of two Penduline Tits which appear to be wintering at this site. Tiny birds, they were often difficult to see as they fed amongst the reed mace.

Low cloud and very grey conditions over the Forest of Dean called for Plan B, so we spent the remainder of the day at the splendid Wildfowl and Wetlands reserve at Slimbridge. Here there is an opportunity of watching wild birds in suitable habitat, plenty of captive wildfowl and similar and a number of Common Cranes feeding in the fields as part of the reintroduction scheme. With a mix of small birds, some raptors and a good number of waders too, we always had something to admire...

A few images from the day today, hopefully some more to follow during the next few days...

Regards

Neil M

Leucistic Woodpigeon

Rook

Bewick's Swan

LIFE IS A CABARET

Something to brighten your day.

Dave Jackson has reworked his Puffin entrant from the N B C Photographic Competition.

I would say he's definitely added a little something to an already fine entrant.

Delicious Donuts

Common Buzzard

After Tesco's,a jammy donut and quick cuppa,Wend and I had a walk around Pitsford as far as the
the Lagoon hide...........where I devoured another donut and a cheesy topped roll from Smithy's
farm shop.
I forgot to mention yesterday about a hunting STOAT in the hedgerow at Sywell Res.Too difficult
to get shots.
Anyways, again not a lot about today so ended up taking pics of the usual suspects and then we went home.......I reckon theres another donut awaiting.

C

Female Goldeneye

Lapwing

Female Pochard

Reeves Muntjac

Red Kites

Male Wigeon

A cold but bright day saw Wend and myself  at Sywell Res.Birds were thin on the ground,with several NUTHATCH around the feeders accompanied by MARSH, BLUE,  GREAT and LONG
TAILED TITS being the best.
Anyways, here are a couple of my shots for the day.And yes that appears to be a square crop
ooh eeerr.

MUTE SWAN

NUTHATCH

NUTHATCH

ROBIN

CORMORANT

CORMORANT

Interesting stats from N B C Photographic Competition.

Number of positions gained,

10 x Dave Jackson.

 9 x Dave Thomas.

 3 x Martin Swannell, Bob Bullock, Barry Boswell.

 2 x Jeff Blincow,Clive Bowley,

 1 x Andrew Cook, John Showers, Peter Gilbert, Bob Gill.

Dave Jackson,  4x 1st, 3x 2nd, 3x 3rd.

Dave Thomas,  4x 1st, 4x 2nd, 1x 3rd.

Barry Boswell,             1x 2nd, 2x 3rd.

Bob Bullock,                1x 2nd, 2x 3rd

Martin Swannell,  1x 1st, 2x 2nd.

So using Formula one scoring .

Dave Jackson...............199 points.

Dave Thomas...............187 points.

Martin Swannell........... 61 points.

Barry Boswell...............48  points.

Bob Bullock..................48 points.

Jeff Blincow..................40 points.

Clive Bowley................33 points.

Peter Gilbert.................25 points.

John Showers...............25 points.

Bob Gill.......................15 points.

Andrew Cook..............15 points.

So the overall point winner is again Dave Jackson,

Points awarded could depend on how many
categories the photographers entered but if someone gained 3rd position in 13 categories
a total of 195 points awarded.
So next year enter as many categories as you can, as you could do very well without a first .

This is all a BIT OF FUN as is the competition, so please take it that way and enjoy your photography.

MANY THANKS to ALL who entered.

Winner of the Graham Soden Trophy for Best Overall Photo in the Bird Club Competition

In memory of former Bird Club member, Graham Soden, a trophy will be awarded each year to the photographer whom members vote produced the best photo in the annual competition.

The first winner is Dave Jackson for his photo of a Western Red Colobus Monkey, taken in The Gambia.

Well done Dave.

The voting was very close. The other winning photos will be added to the competition results page over the next few days.