10 May 14 - Centennial Post (Part 1) - My Best Non Passerine Photos

It doesn't seem that long ago since I bought the Canon 7D camera & 400 mm lens & started blogging. The first trip out was the 24th October 13 & I was lucky to catch up with a Pallid Swift at Stanpit. Since then I've had some excellent birdwatching with memorable twitches to Shetlands for Cape May Warbler, Rum in the Hebrides for Mourning Dove & Holland for Hawk Owl. Foreign trips have also been a lot of fun with an extended trip to India (Dec 13 - Jan 14) as well as trips to Morocco & Western Sahara (Feb 14) and Israel (April 14). All these trips have been a great opportunity to really get to know the camera & settings. At this point, I should say thanks to my good mates, Peter Moore & Brian Field, for help in getting use to the camera & the best settings. Thanks guys.

I've just had a quick tot up & have already photographed 84 families of birds so to celebrate the 100th post, I've decided to put together a compilation of my favourite photo from each family over the previous 99 posts. Here are the Non-Passerine photos & the Passerine photos will be in the next post. Enjoy.

Divers: Great Northern Diver - South Haven (13 Nov 13). Not the sharpest of photos, but I like the posture

Grebes: Dabchick - Oued Massa, Morocco (14 Feb 14)

Pelicans: White Pelican - Bharatpur, India (28 Jan 14)

Boobies & Gannets: Gannet - Crossing to Rum (31 Oct 13)

Cormorants & Shags: Cormorant - Periyar, Western Ghats, India (10 Jan 14)

Anhingas: Oriental Darter - Periyar, Western Ghats, India (10 Jan 14)

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns: Yellow Bittern - Chiriya Tapu (25 Dec 13). It has to be this Yellow Bittern which we rescued from the clutches of 2 young boys & released

Storks: Woolly-necked Stork - Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India (22 Jan 14)

Ibis & Spoonbills: Red-naped Ibis - Tal Chappar, Rajasthan, India (25 Jan 14)

Flamingos: Greater Flamingo - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)

Ducks, Geese & Waterfowl: Lesser Whistling-duck - Sippighat, Andamans, India (23 Dec 13)

Osprey: Osprey - Periyar, Western Ghats, India (10 Jan 14)

Hawks, Eagles & Kites: Black-winged Kite - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)

Falcons & Caracaras: Lesser Kestrel - Beit Yatir, Israel (8 April 14)

Pheasants, Grouse & Allies: Painted Bush-quail - Eravikulum, Western Ghats, India (4 Jan 14)

Buttonquails: Barred Buttonquail - CEDO, Gujarat, India (20 Jan 14)

Cranes: Crane - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (16 Jan 14)

Rails, Gallinules & Coots: Andaman Crake - Chiriya Tapu, Andamans, India (27 Jan 13). Whilst I have better photos of other members of this family, this had to be the selected species given how long it took us to see an Andaman Crake

Jacanas: Bronze-winged Jacana - Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (28 Jan 14)

Oystercatchers: Oystercatcher - Brands Bay (21 April 14)

Stilts & Avocets: Black-winged Stilt - CEDO, Gujarat, India (19 Jan 14)

Thick-knees: Indian Stone-curlew - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)

Pratincoles & Coursers: Cream-coloured Courser - Aoussard Road, Western Sahara (8 Feb 14)

Plovers & Lapwings: Red-wattled Lapwing - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (16 Jan 14)

Sandpipers & Allies: Marsh Sandpiper - CEDO, Gujarat, India (20 Jan 14)

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers: Sabine's Gull - Cogden Beach (4 Nov 13). No problem in deciding which was the best species photographed in this family

Sandgrouse: Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (15 Jan 14)

Pigeons & Doves: Mourning Dove - Rum (31 Oct 13). Although there were other good photos of other Pigeons, it had to be the Mourning Dove as this is my first published photographs (Published in Scottish Birds, March 14)

Parrots: Vernal Hanging-parrot - Chiriya Tapu, Andamans, India (26 Dec 13). For sheer character & attitude means it has to be this Vernal Hanging-parrot

Cuckoos: Common Koel - Bhuj, Gujarat, India (19 Jan 14)

Owls: Oriental Scops Owl - Parambikulam, Western Ghats, India (2 Jan 14). Tough decision as a few other strong candidates

Frogmouths: Ceylon Frogmouth - Thattekad, Western Ghats, India (5 Jan 14)

Nightjars & Allies: Red-necked Nightjar - Oued Massa, Morocco (13 Feb 14)

Swifts: Little Swift - Oued Massa, Morocco (14 Feb 14)

Trogons: Malabar Trogon - Parambikulam, Western Ghats, India (2 Jan 14)

Kingfishers: Pied Kingfisher - Desert Coursers, Gujarat, India (16 Jan 14)

Bee-eaters: Little Green Bee-eater - Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India (29 Dec 13)

Rollers: Indian Roller - Tal Chappar, Rajasthan, India (24 Jan 14)

Hoopoes: Hoopoe - Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India (30 Dec 13)

Hornbills: Malabar Grey Hornbill - Thattekad, Western Ghats India (5 Jan 14)

Asian Barbets: Coppersmith Barbet - Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India (29 Dec 13)

Woodpeckers: Speckled Piculet - Travelling Chinnar to Munnar (3 Jan 14)

That all for the Non-Passerines, I will cover all the Passerines in the next post.

5 May 14 - Dubrovnik

Occasionally, I will let the blog drift onto non wildlife posts & the afternoon visit to Dubrovnik looked so good that it deserves a post of its own. It's just another example of why Croatia would be a good location for a family holiday. It is only about 20 km up the road from Cavtat & is an easy drive. Although there is apparently a boat which also goes from Cavtat & might be a fun option. But we decided to take the car as it would allow a quick return visit to the Velji Do road on the way back.
En route to Dubrovnik, I tried to get into Bosnia as there is a road which goes across the border. I hadn't expected a checkpost, but I had forgotten that Croatia is in the EU & Bosnia isn't. The car hire company had said there would be no problem taking the car across the border. But it looked like it would take some time crossing the border with the car & it didn't help that one of the team, didn't have his passport. So a second dip on getting Bosnia onto the Country list (after the failure to translate a border sign by Velji Do till after we got home).

Bosnian hills: With Croatia in the foreground

We were advised parking close to the old walled city was limited, but we drove down anyway, just to have a quick look around. We then returned to the large well sign posted car park on the road in. It was about a 15 minute walk down to the town walls. I will leave the photos to tell the story of this great city.

The outer walls

The outer walls

Looking South towards Cavtat

The old port: The cruise ship port is a few miles North

Old canon: It wasn't any use from stopping the old city getting shelled in the wars during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia

The old port

Another view of the old port

The old port

Inside the old city (at last)

Don't know who this is: But he was above the gate in the previous photo

The cathedral

The main street in front of the cathedral

Looking the other way: There is a great clock tower

The old city is a maze of narrow alleys

Some of the alleys are steep

Ice cream stand: Anybody who followed the Israeli trip posts will know that know that ice cream is an essential way to celebrate a tick (& we had seen the Rock Partridge, so just had to choose the appropriate flavours)

The Northern city walls

Fortunately, we didn't have to walk up this alley on the way back to the car

We did get back to Velji Do for a final short visit, but there was little new in the way of species seen. After collecting the bags from the accommodation, it was time for the evening flight back to the UK. It had been a great trip with a good bunch of mates.

5 May 14 - Croatian Orchids

As previously mentioned, Croatia was a good place to see Orchids. Both in the hills around the Velji Do road and also in the sheltered fertile meadows close to the airport. We were surprised that these hillsides & fields weren't being grazed heavily with Goats, as that would have been typical in many Mediterranean countries. But as a result it was good for flowers in general & Orchids in particular. The Orchids were well scattered across the fields and hillsides around the Velji Do road area. Others were found in greater density in some of the fertile lowland grassy meadows near to the airport. Whilst not being particularly interested in flowers (I prefer things that move), Orchids have been the exception for me from my early days of photography. Like Butterflies & Dragonflies, there are a good selection of the UK species on the South coast to keep me interested with the camera. To my eyes, they are probably more photogenic than many of the other UK flowers. So not surprisingly, it made for a good diversion from the Bird photography. In ended up seeing 9 species of Orchids & missed the Monkey Orchids seen at Velji Do.

Sparse-flowered Orchid: Velji Do (4 May 14)

Sparse-flowered Orchid: Velji Do (4 May 14)

Green-winged Orchid: Start of the Velji Do road (4 May 14)

Green-winged Orchid: Start of the Velji Do road (4 May 14)

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (4 May 14)

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (4 May 14)

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (4 May 14)

On the final afternoon, Gav found a large group of Woodcock Orchids close to Velji Do village. Some looked like the ones seen the previous day, but others had these white petals & another was a mixed coloured petals.

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (5 May 14). This individual looked like the ones seen the previous day

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (5 May 14). This one had white petals

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (5 May 14). This one has a mixture of white & pink petals

Woodcock Orchid: Velji Do (5 May 14). This one has pink petals, but a more complicated flower

Three-toothed Orchid: Velji Do (4 May 14)

Loose-flowered Orchid: Velji Do (5 May 14)

Loose-flowered Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14). The meadows were stunning

Tongue Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14)

Tongue Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14)

Bee Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14)

Bee Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14)

Bee Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14). The upper part of this flower looks like it ought to be the latest cartoon duck to come out of Disney

Bug Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14)

Pyramidal Orchid: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14)

Unknown Flower: Meadows near Cavtat airport (5 May 14). Finally, another interesting looking Flower

If I've made any errors in the Orchid identification, please let me know by leaving a Comment to this post.