Martin Watkins

@mjw2

Retired social care professional.Dad to three, grandad to four boys.Married.I have physical disability, refuse to let this stop me from gardening and bird watching .Autistic.Support Spurs & Lancashire cc.Socialist.Really like Pratchett,movies and nature.

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Bluesky

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Martin Watkins@mjw2· 25d

#Birdoftheday #Birdseyeview

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Jul 18

#Birdoftheday #Screenfiller #Birds

Little egret hunting close up.I sat in a hide for about two hours taking hundreds of pictures.About seven were any good.White feathers,with just a hint of yellows and oranges contrasts with the dark spear of a bill and the grey blue background of the water.

Avocet swimming.It had been sifting around in muddy water to get food and suddenly just seemed to want to head for deeper water.Only 3 main colours in photo,white,black and grey.The upwards curve of the bill and the beautiful plumage marking take centre stage.It was swimming quite fast but picture looks calm as if it is just bobbing around on the surface.In fact it was heading to have an argument with some gulls too near to the Avocet nest.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Jul 14

#Birds #Perfectpoise #Birdoftheday

Martin Watkins@mjw2· May 12

While I am visiting my daughter in Yorkshire we have been going to RSPB sites.St.Aidans,near Leeds is really good.I saw a Little owl,50 +Swifts,Kestrels,Marsh Harrier,Sedge Warbler,Reed Warbler,Willow Warbler, Bearded Tit.Volunteers really helpful and regulars were also welcoming. #Birds

Martin Watkins@mjw2· May 3

@mrjamesob.bsky.social I enjoyed the discussion about birding/twitching last week.Being able to see and share moments of beauty and wildness is relaxing and exhilarating,helping me remain calm and to have moments of joy.I have learnt about threats to the natural world and why we need to protect it.

Aircraft coming into land,geese waiting for their turn at sunset to do the same.I took this from the edge of Burton Mere RSPB where I had been watching marsh harriers, waders and woodpeckers.
I like this photo as it shows the beauty and colour of the evening sky,our magnificent sunset and the fragility of nature.It is slightly menacing as the pylons,cables and aircraft in the back and middle ground seem to pose a potential threat to nature

Great Egret hunting at Burton Mere RSPB.Backdrop of tall reeds.Egret waiting patiently for a fish to swim by .

Kestrel hovering above marshland in the Dee Estuary, Cheshire.Kestrel surrounded by beautiful blue sky with some faint smoky clouds in the distance.

Large female Sparrowhawk eating a wood pigeon she had ambushed in my back garden.She is perched on a fence which is covered in ivy.This bird specialised in catching pigeons and the occasional Starling. She stayed nearby for three months.Lots of small birds around,but she was big enough to successfully catch larger prey One of my favourite birds,but not surpassing Goshawk.Lucky enough to see several of these amazing but persecuted birds in Wales this year.Credit to the landowners there who have resisted the urge to shoot,trap and poison them .

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Apr 22

Avocets,Lapwing and Black headed/Mediterranean gulls at Burton Mere RSPB, Cheshire. #birds

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Feb 7

Kestrel hunting #birdoftheday #birds

Kestrel hovering while hunting,about to swoop down.Wings raised,head pointed towards target.Kestrel in centre of photo. Smoky white cloud in top half of frame,clear blue sky is main background.Kestrel is dark ,with winter sunshine showing little flecks of colour and markings.Taken on my phone when walking near the marsh between Cheshire,England and North Wales...the Dee estuary.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Dec 14

Recent photos of Robin,Sparrowhawk and Shoveler duck #birds

Robin perched in leafless tree.Cloudess blue sky as backdrop.

Sparrowhawk perched on ivy at the bottom of the garden.It is eating the remains of a pigeon.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Nov 16

Anything that makes me feel happier.Walking the dog,bird watching,reading books that aren't depressing,same for watching movies,making models,gardening,looking after grandchildren and anything else that works.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Nov 4

Some photos taken on a recent return journey by sea ... Liverpool to Faroe islands and Iceland.Great scenery,wildlife and people #Birds #wildlife #BirdsOfTheDay

We visited a bird reserve in Iceland.Remote and beautiful So many Kittiwake,Fulmar and Arctic Terns.

Ptarmigan in Iceland .Happy to land near us and feed.Striking white plumage very easy to see as unusually hot weather meant there was little snow.

Redwing gathering nesting material and food... just avoiding Short eared owl hunting nearby.I see these birds in flocks in the winter in UK.Nice to see them at their home in pairs and singly,preparing nests and raising chicks .

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Nov 4

Sparrowhawk in our back garden today.I thought it had taken a Starling,but in fact it had killed a pigeon #birds

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Oct 31

Nightjar not doing a good job of camouflage #hiding for #BirdOfTheDay

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Oct 18

Large mixed flock of Long tailed ,Great and Blue Tits spent a few minutes hunting for food in the garden.Long tailed tits were particularly active #birds

Martin Watkins@mjw2· May 27

On a trip to Iceland and return to Liverpool by sea we were very lucky to see a lot of beautiful scenery,birds,whales and dolphins #nature #birds.

Single dolphin,part of a large pod we saw while heading towards Scottish waters.It has jumped out of the sea and is heading back in while chasing fish.

Tail of humpback whale .The Humpback whale is preparing to dive

Coast of Iceland.Mountains are snow capped but glaciers melting as it is sunny .Mountains reflected clearly in the water as we head out of fjord into the open sea.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· May 21

Visited Iceland/Faroe islands.Amazing opportunity to see whales,dolphins,porpoises ,birds on the voyage.Raven,Eider, Ptarmigan,,Arctic tern, Kittiwake,Puffin,Gannet,Fulmar, Guillemot,whooper swan,Pink footed geese,short eared owl plus Humpback,Sperm,Minke,Fin whale,Orca,dolphin,porpoise #birds

Ptarmigan in all white plumage on hillside.

Two Ravens One on a roof ,the other one on a wooden beam just under the first Raven.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 15

Seal watching in Norfolk,UK . We were here before Christmas to see hundreds of Grey seals giving birth and protecting their young , usually from bull seals.Today we saw about 50 near Winterton at a place called Horsey Gap :a mix of Grey and Common seals on beach and in the sea #naturephotography

About 50 Seals resting on a beach in the sunshine,a few metres from the sea .

Large Seal,dark in colour with lighter brown speckles on top of head and back,head erect and watchful. Another Seal in background,closer to the sea .

Young seal looking at photographer The seal was in a large group of 50 and I was on the dunes,at least 30 metres away .Seal is a mixture of greys,browns and black in colour

My dog,Angel, sitting on the dunes while my wife and son watch seals on the beach.Angel is a Red and white Papillon, very good natured and quiet.She also rarely barks,and never outside.She is wearing a green fleeced coat as the weather was sunny but cold...around 3 degrees.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 9

Dee estuary,Neston in Cheshire.When news gets bad,I am lucky enough to be able to get here every day.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 6

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 2

Egyptian geese,Great tit and Nuthatch at RSPB Burton Mere #birds

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 1

Avocets,Little Egret, Immature male or female Black cap that lives in my garden and a Cattle Egret #birds.

3 Avocets on a mere.Black and white birds with an upward curved beak .Side on view,swimming to the left.

Close up of the head,beak,neck and top part of the body of a Little Egret.Water in background.I was in a hide about 20 metres from this bird .

Blackcap upside down hunting in a tree next to bird feeder .The bird is about the size of a Great tit.Light brown body,lighter brown and white underneath,darker reddish brown cap on head .Probably female but could be a young male.We have Black Caps in our garden all year,probably due to climate change as the weather in NW England is much milder now

Close up of Cattle Egret when we were on holiday in Canary islands .It was hunting insects in trees in front of houses with orange brown tiles .The picture shows the head and neck of the Cattle Egret,bright white plumage,Orange /yellow beak,head erect and one eye visible staring intently at something off camera .I was really close to this bird There were so many cicadas and lizards in the trees it was just intent on catching them after it worked out that I wasn't a threat.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 1

A Rook deciding it wants to have garden bird food and some of the thousands of pink footed geese that spend winter in the Dee estuary #birds.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Mar 1

A selection of Robins,all defending territory and ready to fight against other Robins #birds.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Feb 13

A few close encounters with Grey Heron,Egyptian goose,Pochard and Coot in London.

Egyptian goose eating grass by the side of a pond.Coot in the background.

F Pochard on the pond with a female mallard just behind.

Coot on pavement near a pond.Blueish feet clearly visible.

Grey Heron by water's edge near a bridge.Mallards swimming nearby .

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Feb 9

I managed to get this photo on mobile close up to Whimbrel when on a recent holiday in Canary Islands.We were only about a metre away and I didn't have my good camera with me . #birds

Whimbrel,which is a large brown wading bird,a bit smaller than Curlew, with long downward curving beak to help it hunt on shoreline.It is perched on rocks at bottom of photo with ocean at top of photo .I had to be very careful not to scare it as it would not normally allow anyone to get this close...about a metre.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Jan 18

Ruddy Shelduck,Whimbrel and Berthelots Pipit on Fueteventura#birds

Two Ruddy Shelduck on a hotel roof waiting for two others to fly past.

Another two Ruddy Shelducks walking on the beach.They alternate between beach,hotel green areas and especially golf courses,with ponds and grass.

The Whimbrel is finding plenty of food this morning.

Berthelots Pipit on the coast right next to path .Previously seen them in scrubby and remote areas This one got quite close to us,which was a surprise.

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Jan 16

On holiday in Canary islands. Surprised how many Cattle Egrets there are here#birds

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Jan 16

Cattle Egret and Ruddy Shelduck in good numbers in Fuerteventura.Also have seen Little egret,Berthelot's pipits,Ravens,Ruddy Turnstone,Whimbrels,Sanderlings and lots of other birds in a small area of about a mile radius from where we are staying .

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Dec 7

Over last week watched hundreds of seals giving birth and weaning their pups on Winterton beach in Norfolk UK .A large number of gulls and other birds,such as Sanderlings,Jackdaws and Wagtails had good meals from the natural waste after birth. Without them the beach would have been unpleasant .

Seals having pups on a beach on a wintry day.Gulls all around, feeding.

Great black backed gull in flight over sea .

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Nov 30

@amazingnature.bsky.social I have spent several days watching hundreds of Grey seals having pups on a beach and dunes in Norfolk UK.It has been a great experience .

Martin Watkins@mjw2· Nov 28

Drove down to Norfolk for the week to watch the colony of seals and their new pups on the beach at Winterton on sea.First day here and not disappointed after a six hour journey.Will get better pictures tomorrow.Hundreds of seals here.