SNIPE is invariably associated with waterlogged or boggy ground, they are more widespread and numerous in winter, found in a wider variety of freshwater habitats, seen at the scrape, Sandwich Bay Kent UK.

======================

THANK YOU for your visit and friendship, it means a lot to me, an extended family, hope you enjoy this image.

Stay safe and well in the knowledge that Jesus is with you, you just have to ask him into your life, and ask for forgiveness of your sins, of which we all have fallen short off

You will never regret it.

Tomx

MINUTE WOODLAND kingfisher, the size of a blue tit,

================================================

=========================================================Perched near fresh water to drink, but hunts insects around damp grassy margins, or picks them off on the surface of the water.. Africa's smallest kingfisher., and it made my day, as have got seen one for several years !!

======================

THANK YOU for your visit and comments, will enjoy visiting your photostream and commenting on your latest captures.

Stay safe and well..............God bless Tomx

SMALL and compact bird with a relatively short. dark tail. This male was seen at Sandwich Bay Kent and was the only bird of note seen today, and a bit distant, hope you enjoy it!

=======================

Trust you are staying safe and well, thanks for your visit, please leave a comment, it is always appreciated, and find it encouraging . God bless.........................Tomx

ACTIVE BIRDS, and not common as the name suggests, are found in dense forests and mangroves, I found them very hard to photograph as to their jerky fast movements, love seeing them.

=====================

THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, will soon be looking at your latest posting, which I very much enjoy, being transported around the world from the comfort of my armchair. Keep warm, safe, and well, God bless you ............Tomx

QUICK MARCH !!!

TALL robust plovers with long yellow legs, usually in pairs or small parties of up to ten birds. Favors a variety of fresh and saline aquatic habitats. Difficult to get close to, and very entertaining in their behavior. Seen at Kotu, Banjul, Gambia.

=====================

THANK YOU for your visit, friendship, and comments.

Another very wet day in Kent, hope you remembered to put the clocks forward an hour, stay safe and well........ God bless............................. Tomx

WELL MARKED and distinctive warbler, the Sedge Warbler has a lively and beautiful song that is a useful aid to identification. This one was deep into the reeds but found a small gap to focus through, love seeing them.

=====================

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, leave a comment, and I will eagerly return the visit to your latest posting.

Enjoy the Lords day, God bless..............................Tomx

============================

"COUNT your blessings, name them one by one, you be surprised what the good Lord has done !"

REDSHANKS favor areas of undisturbed damp grassland, moors, and the margins of marshes. Utters a yelping tiu-uu alarm call, the song is musical and yodeling. Always a pure delight to capture these.

Double click for more detail.

=============================

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, do so hope you are all well, enjoy the weekend, even if it's gone back a bit wintery again in Kent UK, God bless...............................................Tomx

REMARKABLY bold and inquisitive, and walks with a acteristic swagger, a opportunistic feeder, and comes in mob handed at Briar Cottage, A real villian seeing off the smaller birds!!! This one is saying "Do I look like a villan ?"

=======================

THANK YOU for your friendship and visit and comments will do my best to return the visit, if not now then in a few days, my life is a bit hectic still. Keep safe and well, God bless you all..........................Tomx

FAMILIAR little finch, a delightful little bird of wayside habitats. In Summer the male as above is colourful and distinctive. Seen at the Reastharrow Scrape lead in path, at Sandwich Bay Kent.

================================================

THANK YOU for your visit and friendship, Keep safe and well,enjoy the weekend my friends, God bless you........ Tomx

A GREETING CARD star, one of the nations favourites. Often bold and inquisitive in garden settings, strongly and conspicuously territorial, so how can you not take its picture, I love them, seen at Stodmarsh, Kent, UK.

====================================================

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP in these difficult times, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting.

Enjoy the rest of the week, stay safe, God bless..............Tomx

RARE SIGHT for me, as kingfishers in Kent, are few and far between, so I have to show this as they are so dazzlingly attractive, and love that dagger-like bill, a favorite among British birders, This perch is used over and over again by this beauty.. and witnessed it catching many very small fish.

=====================

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, and I will eagerly look forward to doing the same on your lastest posting. Stay well and safe in these crazy lockdown times.......................God bless you .......................Tomx

WORKING the shoreline near Herne Bay Kent, using its powerful bill to feed on mollusks and other invertebrates. A very distinctive and noisy wader.

======================

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, it's one thing that is helping me from going stir crazy. In our household, you can tell when things are beginning to take their toll when the Jigsaws puzzles come out. Hope your all well and staying safe .........................God bless.............................Tomx.

A pair of freshly emerged females

SUMMER VISITOR, this bird was busy feeding up close to the coast , to make the hop across the Channel and work its way south to warmer climates. I know that I am still fairly new to birding, but it seems like a lot of birds think its Autumn already, and indeed the weather has been a bit autumnal, at times. have you seen any signs ?

Bit of a heavy crop on this, but not a lot to show you.

===================================================

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, Enjoy the Lords day, keep safe, God bless...................Tomx.

=====================================================

"Dear GOD, help us to focus on the greatest gift of the whole year through. THANK YOU for sending your one and only Son, that we might be saved through Him.

One of our most loved birds

URBAN and RURAL bird, extremely vocal, and a proficient mimic , it forms sizable flocks out-side breeding season, The starling walks with a characteristic swagger, and a joy to see .

============================================

THANK YOU, for your visit and kind comment, will return to see and comment on your latest images. please stay safe, God bless. ........................................Tomx.

DAZZLINGLY ATTRACTIVE bird, not often seen in our corner of Kent UK, and was not expecting to see it in the Grove Ferry Feast Hide, but what a joy when it landed, he caught a couple of tiddlers and was off, leaving me with the biggest grin ever.

=========================================

THANK YOU for your visit and friendship, please leave a comment, it is always appreciated, and find it very encouraging

.The weekend is coming on strong, stay safe, may God bless you.............................Tomx

UNOBTRUSIVE little woodland bird, this one lost his nest in a decaying tree stump, during the resent thunderstorms, and is now proceedind to go for a second brood. Seen with cobwebs fot the new nest., wish them more luck this time.

=======================

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, so many things going on in my life at the moment am struggling to get onto Flickr so often, please bear with me. Wish you all good health and happiness, stay safe, God Bless................Tomx.

An elegant bird with a strikingly long tail that it continually pumps up and down. The Grey Wagtail is invariably associated with flowing fresh water and often perches on mid-stream boulders.

==================================================

OUR ANNUAL trip to The Gambia in Feb has been cancelled by the agent, the third holiday lost to the Covid epidemic.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2021.

=============================================

Mine is. of course, seeing the back of Covid19.

Seeing family and Grandchildren.

Being able to sing and praise the LORD in church

Seeing people smile, not hiding behind a mask.

Going on holiday.

Open nature reserves and hides.

Enjoying a pint in a pub. And a good curry in an Indian Restaurant

WHATEVER you wish, I hope it is so !!!

==================================

Stay safe and well my dear friends, God bless..........Tomx

FAMILIAR black, grey and white bird. The Pied Wagtail has a bounding flight and distinctive habit of pumping its tail up and down. They love locations such as playing fields and supermarket car parks, where this one was captured, but I was willing it to go into a little grass area to get a better image.

========================

THANK YOU for being a friend, please leave a comment and I will look forward to returning the visit.

We have the road map out of lockdown, just hope the nature reserves and hides will soon open.

Stay safe and well, God bless..........................Tomx.

===============================================

JESUS LOVES YOU and died for you, let him into your life today as your savior!

LARGEST SEABIRD in the region. Very distinctive, easily recognized in flight by its cigar-shaped body and long narrow wings it was a real l delight to see so many at Bemton cliffs.

====================

THANK YOU, for your visit friendship and comments, love seeing your images and being transported around the world from the comfort of y armchair. Keep safe and well...........

God bless you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Tomx

CHARMING little reedbed specialist has a rather compact, rounded body and a proportionately very long tail. The distinctive call has earned the species the affectionate nickname of "pinger" which utters a diagnostic, high-pitched ping call.. Was overjoyed to get this chance encounter at Oare Marshes in Kent of a male, as I normally only see the female or juveniles, a bit of a nemesis bird for me.

==============================================

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, its a joy seeing your images and being transported around the world without leaving my armchair. Beautiful sunshine in the U.K at last, enjoy but stay safe............God bless......................Tomx

FORAGING in low scrub, rather warbler like, picking and hovering from the underside of leaves, Was told of this uncommon bird to the Kotu area, and have to admit to spending more time looking or waiting for an appearance, than any other bird on the trip, but it did put an appearance just for a few seconds, would have loved to have got a side image, to show its full beauty.

========================

THANK YOU, for your visit to my Gambian images, hope you are still enjoying them, I love reading your kind comments and doing the same to your latest posting. Enjoy the Lord's day, God bless and keep you safe and well..............Tomx.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UNITE IN PRAYER FOR UKRAINE

================================================

A forest dwelling butterfly with black-brown wings marked with white spots, streaks and bands. The underwing patterns are repeated but against a pale orange back ground colour.

DISTINCTIVE water bird, the largest in he region, when swimming the neck is held in a elegant curve. FAMILY gruops with parents are often seen. They mate for life.

TRY TO POST all British birds seen, but have not put up a SWAN for years, shame on me. Seen at Stodmarsh nature reserve Kent.

============================================

THANK YOU, for your visit and kind comments, will return the visit as soon as possible. Enjoy the Lords day, stay safe and well , God bless.......................Tomx.

The brimstone is a fairly large, pale yellow butterfly, with distinctive, leaf-shaped wings. Adults hibernate through cold weather, so may be seen flying on warm days throughout the year, although they are most common in the spring. Usually seen in ones or twos, they are never very common, but are widespread. They can be found in damp woodlands, along sunny, woodland rides and mature hedgerows, and in large gardens. The foodplants of the larvae are buckthorn and alder buckthorn. Both shrubs are found in wet woodland, while buckthorn also occurs on dry chalk and limestone soils.

FAMILIAR SPECIES, but still in heavy decline, familiar because of its affinity for human habitations, found in small groups, can become remarkably tame. A constant source of entertainment on the trees and feeders around the cottage!

CRAZY MILD WEATHER ! look at the buds on its perch in December !

++++++++++++++++++++++++

THANK YOU for your visit, and kind comments , much appreciated indeed. Enjoy the weekend my dear friends, Stay safe, God bless .................Tomx

RECALLING GAMBIAN images from my 2013 trip, so wish I was there now. Hope you enjoy my Big footed capture, seeing them Stalk, creep, and runs on floating surface vegetation of lakes and pools, occasionally forages on open farmland.

================================================

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, it is always appreciated, and find encouraging.

Hope you are all coping better than me, in this lockdown,?

Please stay safe and well................God bless....................Tomx

Swallow taken from the out the window of our guesthouse room

male bird in Kafue National Park, Zambia

Nikon D500 with Sigma 150-600mm 5.0-6.3 Sport

sometimes called Black-bellied Korhaan

lissotis melanogaster (in the past it was eupodotis melanogaster)

zwartbuiktrap

outarde à ventre noir

Schwarzbauchtrappe

Your views, favorites and supportive comments are highly appreciated.

All rights reserved. ButsFons©2020

Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.

AFTER THE LORD MAYOR SHOW IMAGE!

=========================================

A GROUND-DWELLING bird, a familiar species across much of Britain and Ireland, partly because of its predilection for gardens and suburban locations. A beautiful singer, but can also utter a harsh and repeated tchak alarm call,at dusk or if a prowling cat is discovered. Hope you like this image, was not sure if to post it or not...............

=========================

THANK YOU for your support, and kind comments, am having a few health problems, which is hampering my photography a bit,

and am showing old images a bit more. Please stay Safe, God Bless............................

---------------------Tomx.........

====================================

"Weave JESUS into your life, your never regret it !"

A FAMILIAR MIGRANT VISITOR, that can be recognized in flight by its pointed wings and in the adult long tail streamers. But to photograph one is the problem as the adults rarely perch, and then it's on roadside wires, so this had to be taken on something natural !!!

====================================

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISIT AND FRIENDSHIP, hope you all have a great weekend, God bless............... Tomx

=====================================

"Jesus loves you, yes you !!"

Ask him into your life today.

VERY RUDE GESTURE, poking his tongue out, this Grey Heron, is a large and familiar wetland bird, often stands motionless for hours on end, waiting for prey to pass within striking range of its bill. However sometimes it will engage in active pursuit, fish and amphibians are its main prey. Seen at Bough Beech Reserve. Kent.

=====================

THANK YOU for your support, and kind comments, am struggling with a lame computer, and internet that keeps tripping out, but will try to keep up with your images. Stay safe, God Bless.............Tomx.

=====================

You can see, GODs BEAUTY IS SIMPLY AMAZING !

DELIGHTFUL PLUMP-BODIED WADER, not often seen, and taken in very dark conditions, the best of a bad bunch, but just enjoy catching up with this pair every-year at the sea side defense wall, from Jan to about April. Seen a Hampton near Herne Bay, Kent, U.K.

WETLAND BIRD, widespread and familiar, swims with jerky movements and constantly flicks its tail. Looks rather labored in flight, with its legs dangling. Moorhens are usually rather wary and disappear into cover when alarmed, and by contrast this one is a regular visitor to our garden, and quite tame, it comes from a pond over the road the size of a football pitch.

=============================================

THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, always try to return any visit made. Please stay safe, God bless you!.........

------------------------------- Tomx

==============================================

"Ask Jesus into your life today! say this simple prayer "

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LORD JESUS CHRIST, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life, please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your spirit. I now receive that gift. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me forever. Thank you, Lord Jesus.......

....................AMEN.

I'm on holiday in Scarborough until Sunday, so my uploads will be hit and miss

The meadow pipit is a common nesting bird of moorland, heathland and rough grassland. In the autumn and winter, it moves out of upland areas to lowlands where it gathers in small flocks and can be found on farmland and saltmarshes. In the spring, it performs a fluttering, 'parachute' display flight. There are 2 million breeding territories in the UK.

On moorlands, meadow pipits are the most common 'foster parents' of young cuckoos. The adult cuckoo will lay a single egg in a meadow pipit's nest. After hatching, the cuckoo chick will push the other eggs or young birds out of the nest, giving its foster parents more time to concentrate on feeding their new, oversized chick.

Nothing like a fresh fish breakfast folks, and nothing like getting a shot of the moment.

Thanks to all for everything.

ONE of SEVEN SNIPES seen at the Restharrow hide at Sandwich bay Kent yesterday. EASILY RECOGNIZED by its dumpy, rounded body, short legs, and its incredibly long straight bill, to probe vertically downwards into the soft mud. Often very shy, and hide away, but got lucky today, was a real joy to have something to photograph..

========================

THANK YOU for your support and very kind comments, am struggling to keep up with seeing and commenting on your images, please bare with me. God bless and keep you well and safe.......

...................Tomx

================================================

"GODs BEAUTY is SIMPLY AMAZING !"

I don't know how many I took of this guy folks, and mostly half body and feet, and that's at 30-f.p.s. timing all wrong and camera work needs some touching up, sad but unfortunate.

Thanks to all for everything.

Have a happy sunday and new week.

Thanks for always my friends.

Good Monday morning everyone and as always hoping a great weekend was had by all and that a great week as well. There is someone I'd like to mention that has been a great help and support factor for me here on Flickr, there are quite a few but he is a special friend, very knowledgeable and has been super helpful, especially of late.

www.flickr.com/people/drgnmastr/

And here is where I'd just like to thank him,

so thank you so very much

Sir Dragon Master.

Well folks soon after he posed and danced and we said out good-bye's he left, literally left and missed the shot only to have the wings clipped and for that I apologize, but I tried.

Thanks to all for everything.

Red Squirrel

Lens Sigma 150-500