A bit too distant for anything special but at least there were a few keepers....
Another midge bites the dust!
Best of the bunch?
A skulking Sedge Warbler singing in the willows off the causeway was new for the year list!
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Venus Pool - Sand Martins....
Blue skies and it was back to 'business as usual' at VP! A nice sunny evening (on Whimbrel watch?) and nothing better to do than try and catch the wind - or the Sand Martins flashing up and down the pool....
A bit too distant for anything special but at least there were a few keepers....
Another midge bites the dust!
Best of the bunch?
A skulking Sedge Warbler singing in the willows off the causeway was new for the year list!
A bit too distant for anything special but at least there were a few keepers....
Another midge bites the dust!
Best of the bunch?
A skulking Sedge Warbler singing in the willows off the causeway was new for the year list!
Monday, 19 April 2010
Venus Pool - Dunlin movement.....
*** CLOUD ALERT *** Overcast skies made a refreshing change from the clear blue variety of late and what a difference it made!!
A brief lunchtime call at Venus Pool turned up SIX Dunlin in addition to the three Common Sandpiper and four Little ringed Plover also present....
Two were busily feeding in front of the main hide.....
The other four kept to the island in front of the new memorial hide....
Oh well, hopes alive now of something more exciting!
All we need now is some low grey murk, driving rain and a bit of wader movement which is clearly happening right now! Or something else to Tern up?
A brief lunchtime call at Venus Pool turned up SIX Dunlin in addition to the three Common Sandpiper and four Little ringed Plover also present....
Two were busily feeding in front of the main hide.....
The other four kept to the island in front of the new memorial hide....
Oh well, hopes alive now of something more exciting!
All we need now is some low grey murk, driving rain and a bit of wader movement which is clearly happening right now! Or something else to Tern up?
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Venus Pool etc - Patchwork...
Another local day picking up some new birds for the year. A 'not so dire' Ruff got the day going very nicely.
Venus Pool could still do with another two or three inches less water but at least there is some mud now! There have been up to three Common Sandpiper and one particular bird was able to relax on the feeding front, courtesy of this lobworm (calorific equivalent to 3,500 midges?? - I'm making this up though!)
First catch your tasty worm.....
A quick wash.....
Then down the hatch.....
And off to find another one.....
An evening Kingfisher fly through (bit scarce of late) and a mixed 40+ mixed flock of Hirundines containing at least 2 House Martins completed a relaxing day.
Not a day to produce much in the way of images - but enjoyable nontheless.....
Venus Pool could still do with another two or three inches less water but at least there is some mud now! There have been up to three Common Sandpiper and one particular bird was able to relax on the feeding front, courtesy of this lobworm (calorific equivalent to 3,500 midges?? - I'm making this up though!)
First catch your tasty worm.....
A quick wash.....
Then down the hatch.....
And off to find another one.....
An evening Kingfisher fly through (bit scarce of late) and a mixed 40+ mixed flock of Hirundines containing at least 2 House Martins completed a relaxing day.
Not a day to produce much in the way of images - but enjoyable nontheless.....
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Venus Pool - One flew over....
The cuckoo that is! Sort of blogging in reverse (this is the middle) as I was on my way back from Longnor late in the afternoon (the Dippers were there but playing hard to get!)
As I was nearing Cound Stank, a Cuckoo flew over the brook and me! I quickly turned round and after a couple of cruises up and down, eventually spotted a giant Swallow on the electricity wires! Problem was the hedges were high and I knew the moment I got near / out of the car, he'd be gone!
An initial shot 'through the hedge' amazed this is so clear!
Then through a nearby gap in the hedge - he was so aware of me by now - and did what I expewcted him to do in the first place.....
A very nice surprise and one less trip to the Netherworld of Mordor?
The middle done, the day started with a Green Sandpiper and Barnacle Goose(whatever!)
And ended with a drake Common Teal lit up very nicely in the low evening light....
As I was nearing Cound Stank, a Cuckoo flew over the brook and me! I quickly turned round and after a couple of cruises up and down, eventually spotted a giant Swallow on the electricity wires! Problem was the hedges were high and I knew the moment I got near / out of the car, he'd be gone!
An initial shot 'through the hedge' amazed this is so clear!
Then through a nearby gap in the hedge - he was so aware of me by now - and did what I expewcted him to do in the first place.....
A very nice surprise and one less trip to the Netherworld of Mordor?
The middle done, the day started with a Green Sandpiper and Barnacle Goose(whatever!)
And ended with a drake Common Teal lit up very nicely in the low evening light....
Friday, 16 April 2010
Venus Pool - Yellow Wagtails galore!
The Osprey appears to have moved on and has not been seen since yesterday lunchtime. A shame but all good things have to come to an end!
The Wagtail population has been steadily building up however and there were at least 12 Yellow Wagtails this evening in the Sheep paddock.
Then just about every angle you could want....
Closer and closer they came.....
Posing oh so nicely......
A Pied Wagtail to break the monotony.....
I won't be going far this weekend - still hobbling about with an inflamed toe - ouch! (and no socks with the sandals!)
The Wagtail population has been steadily building up however and there were at least 12 Yellow Wagtails this evening in the Sheep paddock.
Then just about every angle you could want....
Closer and closer they came.....
Posing oh so nicely......
A Pied Wagtail to break the monotony.....
I won't be going far this weekend - still hobbling about with an inflamed toe - ouch! (and no socks with the sandals!)
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Venus Pool - OSPREY takes 3, 4 and 5!
I had a Marsh Harrier on my mind after a few domestic activities and for some utterly misguided reason, opted to see if I could chance upon the Whixall Moss Marshie which has been reported recently....
I ended up with Andy Latham and Howard Prince in the middle of the Moss, putting the world to rights and other than a dozen or so Common Buzzards, not being troubled much in the way of birdlife! I think a male Brimstone butterfly was the highlight!
Common sense eventually prevailed and I thought I'd ease the ensuing 'Mordor Grip' or Moss Fever by checking out VP and maybe that Osprey (again!)
A sunny Sunday afternoon at VP is not normally recommended (that 'moss fever' coming on again) or get your bum on a seat - I actually managed to sit down in the new Memorial hide! At least there were a few Yellow Wagtails (four counted), Hirundines, a Common Gull (first seen here for quite a while) plus a singing male Blackcap.
After 45 minutes or so, I picked up the now nearly 'resident' Osprey gliding in (Take 3) and with good light and blue sky - MORE flight shots.....
This was now becoming hard work, (but someone's got to do it) I had to endure the sight of the Osprey circling for just over 15 minutes, sometimes almost overhead. My instinctive habit of stopping breathing whilst pressing the shutter coupled with hand holding a 500mm lens began to take it's toll!
Step hovering.....
Eventually it departed, fishless.....
Don't drop off to sleep or start ignoring my blog though, there was the odd splash and dash takeaway coming in Takes 4/5..... but at approx 3.20pm...... something I have not seen happen at VP before - happened! You'll have to branch off to the post below to see....
Meanwhile, (or.... welcome back) lets carry on with 'Take 4'
I should really have gone by now but..... I nipped back from the car as there was a 'year tick' Common Sandpiper in front of the main hide......
Whilst I was there, barely an hour after the last fish was taken - look who came back for take 5!!
Can these fish really get any smaller??? A great bird but would you believe it could have been overshadowed by the Marshie?
I ended up with Andy Latham and Howard Prince in the middle of the Moss, putting the world to rights and other than a dozen or so Common Buzzards, not being troubled much in the way of birdlife! I think a male Brimstone butterfly was the highlight!
Common sense eventually prevailed and I thought I'd ease the ensuing 'Mordor Grip' or Moss Fever by checking out VP and maybe that Osprey (again!)
A sunny Sunday afternoon at VP is not normally recommended (that 'moss fever' coming on again) or get your bum on a seat - I actually managed to sit down in the new Memorial hide! At least there were a few Yellow Wagtails (four counted), Hirundines, a Common Gull (first seen here for quite a while) plus a singing male Blackcap.
After 45 minutes or so, I picked up the now nearly 'resident' Osprey gliding in (Take 3) and with good light and blue sky - MORE flight shots.....
This was now becoming hard work, (but someone's got to do it) I had to endure the sight of the Osprey circling for just over 15 minutes, sometimes almost overhead. My instinctive habit of stopping breathing whilst pressing the shutter coupled with hand holding a 500mm lens began to take it's toll!
Step hovering.....
Eventually it departed, fishless.....
Don't drop off to sleep or start ignoring my blog though, there was the odd splash and dash takeaway coming in Takes 4/5..... but at approx 3.20pm...... something I have not seen happen at VP before - happened! You'll have to branch off to the post below to see....
Meanwhile, (or.... welcome back) lets carry on with 'Take 4'
I should really have gone by now but..... I nipped back from the car as there was a 'year tick' Common Sandpiper in front of the main hide......
Whilst I was there, barely an hour after the last fish was taken - look who came back for take 5!!
Can these fish really get any smaller??? A great bird but would you believe it could have been overshadowed by the Marshie?
Venus Pool - MARSH HARRIER
Venus Pool lifers are memorable events for me, they just don't happen very often....!
With really memorable events, you always remember where you were? Like when JFK got shot for example (showing my age now) - I was in a fish and chip shop actually! Reckon I'll always remember where I was when a Marsh Harrier turned up at VP - LOL !!
Anyway, I wasn't in a fish and chip shop, it was the Memorial hide and that wasn't the Osprey sneaking back low over the North Marsh! It wasn't a Buzzard or Red Kite either - the brain went into overdrive with the realisation female 'MARSH HARRIER'!
The amazing thing was, instead of doing the quick flyover that scarce raptors do - it cruised backwards and forwards, hunting over the far reed bed.....
This Harrier was clearly hungry and after a couple of missed attempts, it clearly spotted something tasty?
Eventually, after sitting down with whatever it had just caught for 5 mins - it departed - back the way it came over the Northern plantation, mobbed by corvids......
The Osprey had been impressive once again but absolutely no doubt which bird stole the show - the Marshie moment 20 mins or so long - appropriately, a Tunnocks teacake followed to celebrate!
With really memorable events, you always remember where you were? Like when JFK got shot for example (showing my age now) - I was in a fish and chip shop actually! Reckon I'll always remember where I was when a Marsh Harrier turned up at VP - LOL !!
Anyway, I wasn't in a fish and chip shop, it was the Memorial hide and that wasn't the Osprey sneaking back low over the North Marsh! It wasn't a Buzzard or Red Kite either - the brain went into overdrive with the realisation female 'MARSH HARRIER'!
The amazing thing was, instead of doing the quick flyover that scarce raptors do - it cruised backwards and forwards, hunting over the far reed bed.....
This Harrier was clearly hungry and after a couple of missed attempts, it clearly spotted something tasty?
Eventually, after sitting down with whatever it had just caught for 5 mins - it departed - back the way it came over the Northern plantation, mobbed by corvids......
The Osprey had been impressive once again but absolutely no doubt which bird stole the show - the Marshie moment 20 mins or so long - appropriately, a Tunnocks teacake followed to celebrate!
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