Yellow Wagtail - a turn of the head

Wagtails, wagtails everywhere with the Channel and possible flava dominating attention. Let's not overlook how amazing a male flavissima Yellow Wagtail looks?

But it really does take a turn of the head?

That's better :-)

Colemere - Arctic Tern

Despite being out of the county all day Saturday, I managed to call in at White Mere and witness the 9 Arctic Terns present there, very distant in pouring rain! They had all cleared out today but after checking the meres, I called in at Colemere and right on cue there was a single Arctic Tern waiting for me!

It was an Arctic on fluttery flight jizz and structure, the solid dark trailing edge was there too!

The only odd thing about it was a black tip to the bill...

This can occur in 2cy Arctics or maybe not quite lost the all black 'winter' bill? It was giving a cracking display over the water!

Dive dive dive... Very short legs obvious and even more so when perched on a buoy.

The Meres are working their magic for now but wouldn't a wrecked seabird be a better prize?

Channel Wagtail shining bright

Is there a more beautiful bird? This was the highlight of a North Shropshire tour of the Meres and North Shropshire.The answer is probably 'yes' but I fell in love with Channel Wagtail after my first encounter at at Venus Pool in 2011 and despite the fact it's an untickable (hybrid) bird, worth every effort to enjoy... Having seen several now, they are consistently uniform in appearance but the light can play a huge part in the colours we see. A hybrid between the European Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava) and our resident 'Yellow wagtail' (M. flavissima) it combines the head of the former (in a paler grey blue tone) plus bright yellow underparts. Simply drop dead gorgeous...

It was looking good even 60m away...

So, I picked spot to stand and wait... patience is a virtue of course!

Just a turn of the head and movement of the grass...

The pristine white throat and sharp demarcation with the yellow add to the charm. The dark patch is the wind ruffling the feathers!

With two successive thunderstorms, the background (distant trees) colours were constantly changing.The darker tones set it off quite nicely?

How about a lucky moment calling!

'Showing well' would be a safe description...

Children of the Oilseed Rape

I would have preferred the more romantic post title 'Children of the Corn' but you can't get away from the incandescent fields of yellow nowadays. And don't my eyes (eyedrops at the ready) know it!!
Oilseed Rape looks set to turn our green and pleasant land yellow now but the birds just get on with what they do...

Corn Buntings with their rattling jangling call, hypnotic or what?

The sound of Spring/ Summer?  Skylarks strutting their stuff...

And foraging in the roadside grit!

A chance Wheatear, probably passing through?

And of course Yellow Wagtails, but they deserve a post all on their own!

None of them need eyedrops either, so far as know...

Longmynd - Emperor Moths!!

A planned trip to the Longmynd and Bridges with Dave Chapman turned up trumps and not for the birds, this time it was a rather exciting Moth. I'd never photographed Emperor Moths before but there were plenty of fast flying males from the moment we wandered from the road. We must have seen dozens! Was this a fresh hatch? They were constantly on the move but one or two were located on the ground... they were all pristine!

A few were located on the ground, here's the habitat...

The first obliging male was quite pale coloured.

Needed to get down close for a close up the feathery antennae, aren't they amazing?

The colours seem quite variable and this final brightly coloured individual had scarlet inner wing margins - what a stunner!

Eventually opening its wings...

Watch out Hawkmoths, I may have found a new favourite?

Venus Pool - Wigeon whistling

Gorgeous light today and this noisy drake Wigeon caught my attention. Getting the moment it whistled (facing the right way) took a little longer...

First one way and then the other...

Looks like he's threatening to spend the summer here?

Venus Pool - Common Sandpiper closest

As with the Bramblings, I don't like to feature repeat posts but the Common Sandpiper showed so well this afternoon in light to die for, this had to be done...

Walking by probably the closest bit of margin to any of the hides...

And then doing a return pass...

Hunkered down as it lined up to catch an insect...

sooo small whatever it was?

I think that might be the final offering...

But you never know with this place! The hot spell will break shortly and then hopefully some proper passage...

Venus Pool - Greenshank

Not before time, a bit of passage going on at Venus Pool. Pulses weren't racing but a Greenshank, LRP, 2 Common Sandpipers and two smart Wheatears on the shingle island were a start...

Let's start with a few images of the Greenshank. Initially very distant and always a bit flighty...

But eventually dropping in front of the Memorial hide!

And working around the margin...

Those long legs are handy in deeper water!

The closest approach...

 The Wheatears coming up next!