A midday call turned into a session with a good showing by a group of at least seven Bramblings in the woodland area. Four females and three males seen simultaneously was the max but there was undoubtedly more...
A couple of the females...
With this dark-headed male the showstopper!
Always best to get them off the deck for less cluttered background!
The closer the better!
A bit more time might spent might have yielded better but waders (at last) had dropped onto the pool...
A drake Garganey was at Polemere in 2013...
I was away in London when this drake Garganey first appeared and then it disappeared elsewhere! News came out today that it had 'reappeared' and thank's to Mike S for bringing me up to speed!
It was never close, associating with the Teal on the left had bank....
With a wire fence not detracting too much somehow, this was the nearest approach!
Drakes are always well worth the effort :-)
In 2011, it was a battle for possession of screes amongst the returning Wheatear!
I wasn't going to give up on a Ring Ouzel, yet..... Another morning session, another blank but at least there were plenty of Wheatears to keep me company.
Setting the scene....
Possession of a stretch of rocky slope + possession of one of these.....
= TROUBLE! And there was plenty in store!
Plenty of posturing.....
Before letting fly.....
A few close quarters tussles....
A close call........
The weather dictated an early finish after I took a look to the West and this fast approaching storm (and it did get very very wet!)
In 2010, I turned my attention Corn Buntings...
After sessions concentrating on Ring Ouzels recently, it was back to Buntings and with Cirl in the bag, I realised our local big billed relative had somehow eluded me this year, That is until today.....
The Crudgington area is a local hotspot for Corn Buntings and it wasn't long before a singing pair were picked up.....
Getting a picture can be quite another matter - they are very adept at placing themselves behind every bit of twig and foliage available!
Until lured into doing their Crossbill impression that is.... gotcha!!
Wheatears still following me around today - female at Venus Pool and a pair on Isombridge lane....
