Saturday 26 March 2016

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??