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I spent a couple of frosty mornings this month photographing common woodland birds.
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Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
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| The feeding station was quite busy, but there wasn't a huge variety. Almost all of the visitors were Blue Tits and Great Tits, but a couple of very fidgety Coal Tits were also regular. |
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Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
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Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
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Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
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Great Tit (Parus major)
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| The variation in breast colour of the Great Tits was quite marked. Most were a bright lemon yellow (above), but a couple of individuals had a very pale, washed out tone to their breast and belly feathers (below). |
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Great Tit (Parus major)
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A couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers also put in occassional appearances.
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Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
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| The local squirrels were also attracted to the feeders and made a nuisance of themselves by driving all the birds away. |
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Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
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| Later in the month, on a beautiful, calm Sunday morning I paid a visit to Hilbre Island (just off the coast at West Kirby). Here, on the receding tide, about a dozen Purple Sandpipers were feeding on the rocks among a small flock of Turnstones. |
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Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
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Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
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| Just offshore, a few Grey Seals were taking an interest in a couple of kayakers. |
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Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus)
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