Once upon a time

One of my big tasks earlier this year was to scan 51 large photo albums into the PC so that the pictures could be put onto what turned out to be 5CDs, thus saving a lot of space in the house. Amongst the copious railway, scenery, cricket and family pictures were a few vaguely recognisable bird pictures: Bearded Tits at Minsmere, Sept 1996. My first ones, and very showy indeed!

Yellowhammer at Newton-under-Roseberry, North Yorks, April 1997

Red Grouse on the North Yorkshire Moors, April 1997. A good day, heard Hawfinch singing later in some local woods.

Short Toed Lark, Overstrand, Norfolk, October 1997. My first one.

Later the same day Common Cranes near Waxham.

A group of Ring Ouzels grounded by the weather near Niewpoort, Belgian coast Easter 1998. We saw at least 30 of them, a Blue Headed Wagtail amongst Yellow Wagtails, Redstart and Black Redstart in the same bush.

Assorted seabirds on the Farne Islands during 1998 and 1999, when I made three visits.

Roseate Tern:

Long Tailed Skua on Redcar Golf Course Sept 1999. I've only seen one other. 2 Blue Winged Teal were a few hundred yards away at the same time.

About 120 Waxwings were present in Newcastle in Dec 1999.

This juv Kumleins Gull was in Whitby Harbour January 2000, coming to chips...

The black dots are Black Grouse (honestly) near Langdon Beck, North Yorkshire, March 2000.

Dipper near Goathland, North Yorkshire March 2000. Mink were also present.

Nuthatch near Guisbrough, North Yorkshire, May 2000.

White Wagtail in the Ardennes, Southern Belgium, Easter 2001. The morning that I took the picture I saw this bird, Black Redstart, Crested Tit, Firecrest, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Black Woodpecker before breakfast! Oh, and heard what was probably a

Western Bonelli's Warbler.

Ptarmigan on Ben Alligan, Scottish Highlands, June 2003. Still my only sighting.

Audouins Gulls at Porto Pollenca, Majorca, October 2003.

And soon afterwards, I went digital....