The Greenshank.

I was reminded I had this book by seeing its mention on another birders blog when he said he was settling down to start reading this excellent book published in 1979.

Desmond Nethersole Thompson had been studying the Greenshank since May 1932. This book was in fact the second on the species, his first The Greenshank - which was published in 1951 -  had told the story of his early research much of which was in Spey Valley, Inverness, the book is now a collectors item having become a classic.  

This second edition illustrates an obsession the whole Thompson family had with the Greenshank, a family eight strong, with two daughters, and four sons who went on to work as a team in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. The book concentrates on the birds displays and breeding, food and feeding behaviour, and its remarkable voice. 


From a personal point of view there is nothing more delightful than hearing a Greenshank flying in from the Lune Estuary to come in to land in front of you on Conder Pool. 
And the pics in the post....

Stonechat. Colin Bushell.

Well....I couldn't resist this one of the brilliant male Stonechat on the wires at Hesketh Out Marsh, on his way to meet up with a nice little female hopefully to help pump up the population in the UK for the next year or two to get the numbers on the increase once again.

Long-tailed Duck. Colin Bushell.

And this one from CB of the Long-tailed Ducks at Burghead, Moray, Scotland. Thanks to Colin at ribbletoamazon.com for the photographs, much appreciated and helping to keep Birds2blog head above the water 'till I get back to normal....whatever that is!


And we have that curious white background once again....can't work out how come.