'Hogging all the Bread'

We had a really enjoyable long weekend up in Glasgow the weekend before last, visiting friends in their new abode in 'rural' north Glasgow. The journey up was a mere 7 1/2 hours! but with Costa Coffee & Burger King to keep us fat & entertained on the way up, as well as our cheesy music selection, time just flew by. As well as memorable wine sampling, 'wii' playing & meals out in a local pub (where we had our first ever taste of 'Haggis'), Indian Restaurant & a delicious Italian 'at home' we also managed to get out into the air occasionally . . .

I was amazed to see Goosander's scrapping for bread along with gulls & coots at Hogganfield (all pics shown) but not so amazed at dipping a Firecrest at Gosford Estate (great area though & we did see 2 nuthatch). We also briefly visited SOC HQ & had a very fresh walk along the coast at Musselburgh, where we spotted numerous Velvet Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, a couple of GC Grebe, 1 Slav Grebe, Barwits, Knot & flushed a smart Lapland Bunting along the path which we called through to birdline Scotland. After doubling our hosts 'house list' & enjoying his fine river & mountain window views it was time to depart south again! Where's the coffee . . . .

Blackcap Returns . . .
We have had a female Blackcap in the garden for the last few days, feasting on apples and oranges we have stuck on canes and guarding it's garden territory and food aggressively. We had a female Blackcap over wintering in the garden last year . . .wonder if it's the same one?! Two Song Thrush have also spent lengthy periods feeding in the garden, an unusual sight here and one of many different behavioural changes in the birding world we have noticed during this prolonged cold, snowy snap in our Suffolk patch.

Otter on Ice . . .

A superb sight caught my eye along the Deben Estuary today towards Martlesham Creek- an Otter came marching out of the reeds & padded out over a frozen pond in full view, allowing me to grab a few record shots! A beautiful, large animal & a pleasure to see along this part of the Suffolk coast . There were lots of Wigeon & Teal in the Creek at low tide, along with a Green Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk, Redwing & Fieldfare overhead & several Cetti's Warblers in the reedbed area.

A Snow-filled Sunday in Suffolk . . . .

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow . . .

'Wildlife Passion' Greeting Cards

New 2010 Stock Now In !

I am pleased to have received new stock of my popular range of 4" x 4" professionally printed photographic greeting cards (black inside). The delightful cards are made using FSC certified, 100% recycled card with accompanying biodegradable corn-starch clear sleeve & 100% recycled white envelope! The 8 small card designs are shown below & are available in various stockists around the UK, from the Isles of Scilly to Shetland! I am now taking orders for the 2010 season. If you would like to purchase any number of these popular eco-cards, please email me & I will forward on my price list to you (a trade price list is also available upon request). rebecca@rebeccanason.com

Goodbye 2009 - HELLO 2010 !

Photographically, the year 2009 ended on a high after being invited by 'Bird Watching' magazine to be the December issue's 'Showcase Photographer'. I was delighted with the image reproduction of a number of my favourite recent images which covered 6 pages & the contents page, including the shot below of a Puffin, taken on Fair Isle, Shetland, which took up a double page spread. A full page was also devoted to my popular 'Polar Bear Slumber'(shown here). Both available as high quality A3 Giclee prints upon request. . . . .

I had another article 'Birding on Ice' with accompanying images published in the November issue of 'Birdwatch' magazine, which gave an account of my superb Polar voyage to Svalbard with the Travelling Naturalist last year ;-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR & BEST WISHES FOR 2010 - Rebecca

Wader Weather

I have really enjoyed the cold turn in the weather and the incredible snow falls of the last few days. My car is stuck in the snow & has been since Thursday night when the blizzard began. So I have enjoyed birding and photography on the Deben Estuary in Woodbridge, just a 5 minute walk from home. Freezing temperatures did cause a bit of pain whilst stalking the waders at high tide, but no pain no gain I guess! I have now recovered from a nasty lung infection & am loving being back out in the field - where I belong ;-)