Venus Pool - the current locals....

Not a lot on offer at Venus Pool today but nice views of the usual suspects. Although Common Snipe may not be here much longer.....

Just a couple of seconds as he realised he was rumbled in the open!

And into cover....

One of the Oystercatcher pair having a wash - or a  break from patiently sitting....

A hop and wing flap or two.....

That water still feels cold!

Still no White Wagtails! A lone Pied Wagtail.....

And Shelducks fighting - nothing ever changes on that score.....

But producing opportunities for flight shots!

That will do nicely!

Three Chiifchaff calling and 20+ Sand Martin plus a few Swallows

Whixall Floods - Water Pipits

At last two birds to really get me interested! I had given the Water Pipits four attempts at getting images shortly after their discovery in February but with so much going on, didn't feel inclined to waste time watching mud and floods!

BIG MISTAKE.... (John Reeves had tipped me off the pale bird was developing Summer plumage) and then lady luck can turn around any corner....  after a fruitless 30 mins of a bank holiday Saturday morning, a call grabbed my attention as one of the pipits flew in....

This turned out to be the so called 'dark' bird but crikey, despite looking somewhat tatty in the wind this was developing a hint of pink too!

I'd only snatched glimpses of this one previously through a scope and it was now a mere 40m away!

The closest approach.....

Job done with the dark bird from the bridge, I walked back to the lay-by and another call grabbed my attention!! This was turning out to be my lucky day (at last!!)

Now this was a smarter bird altogether, complete with blossoming pink blush to the underparts and neat grey head!

Which was proudly shown off here....

Chasing small insects....

And catching this not so small one!

After this scuttle....It then flew over to the field viewable from the bridge.....

Where I got even closer views - okay - still at least 30 to 40m zone!

 Job done!

And it wasn't just about the Pipits! 2 Dunlin, 2 Green Sandpiper and 1 Redshank augur well for the impending wader goodies to come??

Venus Pool - Swallows but is it Summer?

I left the Water Pipits with large rain spots starting to fall and headed over to VP with hopes of a wader or two? With the water level still high and precious little mud not much chance of holding anything at the moment, at least the hirundines seemed happy! My first Swallow here had flown through on the 24th and by late afternoon there were at least five plus c30 Sand Martins.....

Don't expect too much from these!

One of the Swallows in a brief moment between squalls!

And an arty slow shutter speed Shoveler in the torrential rain

I know one Swallow does not a Summer make but do five - surely not given the conditions!

Venus Pool - Shovelers

A familiar conversation took place at VP several times today, usually preceded by .... "Where have you been?"....  "What's happened to your blog?"..... "Why aren't you posting images?"....

The simple answer was "I've been mega-busy for the previous two months and the reality is (when I have been birding) - nothing of note had been in front of me to be photographed!"

I tend to get enthused only when there 'something of note' in front of me! But then I thought, the light is awesome today, lets see what we can do with the resident birds? The camera came out of the bag!

'Take-one' was Shovelers, 70+ of which have been present recently.....

The bill may be outrageous but the drakes are smart ducks!

Whichever way you look at them!

Constantly dabbling means the feathers are always wet however!

See what I mean?

A riot of colour from the rear!

Something has grabbed his attention?

Yeah, quite a looker!

Full steam ahead.....

Now that's a bill to be proud of!

Which is more than can be said of this female Wigeon?

Who think's she's a Phalarope?

Mute Swans next......