The morning started at Venus Pool and sat with Rob Stokes and Paul Burgess in the Memorial hide, I couldn't quite believe my eyes as I picked up.... a Dark bellied Brent Goose out on the mud in the middle of the pool!
I've waited years to get a Shropshire Brent and Venus Pool turns up yet another one for the year!! It eventually moved into the water and had a good wash.......
Before eventually swimming over for a closer look!
Landfall....
Always seeming to include vegetation in the way but occasionally finding the gaps!
I could see it was working it's way towards the main hide so nipped over there, just at the moment it flew onto the mud in front of the hide.....
The last pose before disappearing around the corner out of view....
A final fly around.....
And that's your lot!
Then back to the same day in 2013 and maybe the most popular bird of this series. The Spotted Redshank at Whixall Floods!
I couldn't get out until mid afternoon, the light was awesome so I went for a second look at the Spotted Redshank - which was in a very obliging mood :-)
Coming ever closer....
I know how you feel! A bit of a leg stretch.....
And then the wings!
Here's a little mystery.... How did all the fish he's eating get into a flooded field? Presumably connecting via a ditch or the nearby canal somehow?? All the fish I saw caught appeared to be Sticklebacks.
This has to be the largest Stickleback I've ever seen!
Then down the hatch!
Such a smart wader and definitely worth the second visit!