Venus Pool - Tundra Bean Goose

After a bit of identity crisis a Tundra Bean Goose appeared like magic at VP mid morning...It spent most of the time sat down snoozing or preening!

Eventually, a paraglider flushed everything...

This was what the Tundra thought if it!

At least it made the orange legs visible!

Finally walking up close!

There's a foot forward for all tastes...

It's been a while since one dropped in!

Cattle Egret - Venus Pool

It's Egret time once more at Venus Pool with Little, Great White (3) and Cattle Egret all on view today. The Cattle Egret was the 'most wanted' for some VP listers and this was lucky Jim's third on the patch! Looking back, the two other sightings came on 26th Oct 2017 and 31st Aug 2022 (for me).

I settled down in the Memorial hide with Dave Chapman. Our bodies were aching from holding big lenses and the awkward places the 'Cattle' favoured.

The sun shone!!

Time for posing and replenishing water intake...

Finally settling down with some different poses!

And for feet lovers, a glimpse of them whilst perched!

Looking quite jaded and probably blown in by storm Ashley!!

Wood Lane - Purple Heron

I was a bit unenthusiastic to take on the 'now you see it now you don't' having had a really good time with the Rednal bird! 24 hours stewing on it both Dave Chapman and I thought it shouldn't be missed!

So here we go... Sadly, looking into the sun as it flew over the scrape! Loving those translucent primary and secondary feathers!!

Then Lady Luck shone down as it finally stepped out from the cover of the reed bed!!

And this was a fitting finale...

Venus Pool - Great White Egret

Three Great White Egrets were keeping company with the Whooper Swan (which I was concentrating on) and I had the wrong lens to do them justice!

Showing too well! 

Never happy am I ??

Venus Pool - Whooper Swan

Whilst one was seen over at Worlds End recently, it was nice to encounter a lone Whooper Swan on the Patch despite the gloomy weather! It had disappeared late morning but reappeared mid afternoon

Looking settled and preening...

With plenty of company and more yellow bills!

The water level is quite low, this was the middle of the pool!!

The closest pass...

At 3.15 it flew out over the fishing pool...

Always a pleasure to see Whoopers and I'm sure will cross my path in the New Year?

Venus Pool - Ringed Plover

Juvenile Ringed Plover have dropped in and stayed for a while this year. Here's the most showy one I connected with...

Venus Pool - Peregrine

 One bird that always gets the pulse racing is Peregrine Falcon and a juvenile has dropped in recently when I failed to get images! Today I was ready and whilst it was never close gave really good views.

I left the wingbeats in order as they came out of the camera...

Always looking menacing!

It circled once then departed. You haven't got much time with this one!!