North Sea Bird Migration Continued

I forgot to mention to checkout Natural Born Birder to see yet more amazing photos and info about migrants out in the north sea landing on man made super structures!.....WOW

I hope Julian Bell doesn't mind me borrowing a photo of his to advertise his website but i couldn't help but show it off...... doesn't get much more stunning than this!

Migrating Blackbird on the back deck of a vessel working near Sleipner B, Julian Bell March 2009

p.s The 1st winter Citrine Wagtail photo is a bit special!

North Sea Bird Club....WOW

For me there is nothing more mind blowing than bird migration!

I regularly sit awake in bed and count down the days until I will once again hear the the piercing 'srrri' of migrant Blackbirds rolling in off a drizzly north sea at Spurn.

For anyone who lives for those moments the North Sea Bird Club Website is for you and the pictures in the bird gallery speak volumes of how harsh a sea crossing must be and reinforces just how resilient birds are.

I think the reason why this website is so incredible is because we as land mammals only sea the birds leaving and arriving and rarely get to see what happens to them out there!

That's not to say we don't think about them out there but its hard for us to even imagine what they have to go through during their journey......its simply beyond our comprehension!

Female Blackcap May 2004 (Borrowed from North Sea Bird Club)

I have also attached some links to some Youtube videos of birds at sea that I found which i find truly amazing!...i just hope all the migrants re-orientated successfully

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1_aXZFZKeg (PrarieWarbler at Sea including a legend of a man giving it a drink, what a star!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrOe43-zGBQ (Asio Sp. at Sea, probable Short-eared Owl 500 Miles Out!!!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEm5sZ38Fls (Probable Yellow Warbler at sea?)

I also attached this one of what appears to be a White-throated Sparrow and can't get over why anyone would feel the need to scare a bird in general let alone at sea whereby it is seeking refuge on a boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er_yPRUABwY

Lewington Brothers! LEGENDS!

I would like to thank Martin Garner for sharing this with the world on twitter as it is an awesome article!

http://www.richardlewington.co.uk/pdf/atropos.pdf

It was written by Richard Lewington (aka the wizard of invertebrate illustration) and looks at the benefits of  artwork over photography for identification guides

Check out Richard Lewingtons artwork at http://www.richardlewington.co.uk/

HIS SUBJECTS MAY BE SMALL BUT THEY ARE MOST CERTAINLY PERFECTLY FORMED!