Friday 28 July 2017

Venus Pool - Black-tailed Godwits x 8!!

A busy morning meant a late arrival at the patch but with rain starting to fall, I had an optimistic spring in my step? They aren't going to win any awards for rarity but the first Black-tailed Godwits of the year here weren't travelling singly or in two's or three's - there were eight waiting for me! Smart Icelandic adults in moult but still sporting summer plumage!


They were best viewed from the Memorial hide but at a frustrating distance and often behind vegetation but once in a while, grouped up and with Lapwings alarming, I sensed what was going to happen!


A quick lap of the pool beckoned, even though they initially flew quite high!




Back they come...



And feeding as though their life depended upon it? It does of course :-) Wait a minute, there's only seven here? Where's the other one?


Braver than the others and approaching the hide at a rate of knots! Another worm down the hatch...


Marching into as close as it could possibly be!




Shame about the light but a welcome fix after weeks of waiting!


Yep, that close :-)


But we can do better than this? Can't we...