Ham Wall - Ring-necked Duck

Whilst the Shortie might have delayed progress around the lagoons, our luck was in for the drake Ring-necked Duck was still hanging around with a couple of Tufted Duck on the far side of the complex....

The first image (possibly the closest) was taken through a hedge!  We can do better?

Eventually, whilst still looking nervous it carried on feeding with the two tufties.

It wasn't to last as it started to swim away!

 Eventually disappearing out of view but we had another view when 'three' ducks appeared over the reed beds in flight! Yep, he was still tagging along....

It was worth the walk for these two ....

What an afternoon, which certainly had not been a wasted trip! If only every dip had a silver lining like this......

Whixall floods - flighty Spoonbill

A 1st summer Spoonbill was a fantastic find on the Whixall floods the previous evening - well done Anthony Griffiths!! Needless to say - only my second Spoonbill in the County and there haven't been any twitchable ones other than these in recent years - I was on my way over there.....

Luckily my timing was impeccable as it had just flown into one of the floods adjacent to the roadside - some 100m away but that's one sizeable bird!

Spooked by something, it remained jumpy....

and just after 9.00am it flew out to the east! A few folk were gathering and whilst the prospects didn't look good, it didn't depart too high and I reckoned it would be back!

30 minutes later my prediction proved correct!

Taking me by surprise but circling around....

And then a nice sequence as flew towards me!

Not easy to keep up with it as it loomed overhead!

Back in the frame and bit of a ruffle to finish......

I need a session with it much closer?!

Venus Pool - Oyk vs worm

In an attempt to break the monotony of 'nothing doing at VP, I turned my attention to photographing hailstones..... falling on this bedraggled Oystercatcher!

Then it started to ease.....

And the clatter seemed to have brought more worms to the surface, a tug-o-worm ensured!

Which after a long (blurry) struggle eventually ended with the Oyk as victor!

Down the hatch!

Venus Pool - Going Batty

Apart from seeing my first Little Ringed Plover of the year, there was not a lot going on until Reevsey (scanning the far side of the pool) commented "that looks like a bat over the far side"!

Crikey..... it was! And given that it was approx 150-200m away over the trees, a bloody big one! Even my camera lens could lock focus on it! It was basically hunting flying insects much like the hirundines but at 3pm in the afternoon!!!!

Given the size, it has to be a Noctule (any comments on this welcome!) which has a wingspan of over 30cm which would fit with what we were watching....

And I later cursed myself for not being quicker off the mark to investigate closer!!

By the time I reached the fen hide over which it had been flying..... it was no longer airborne or simply gone!

And the LRP made an even smaller object in the frame on the far island!!!

I'm sure there will be a closer one soon!!

Venus Pool - Willow Warbler

With nothing happening wader wise, a highlight today was the first Willow Warbler of the year singing next to the main hide. It was confiding too!

 And adopting some strange postures!

Difficult to keep up with, flitting in the tangled branches of an elder...

But occasionally pausing in a more open situation.....

And eventually, a half decent shot or two!

The light could have been better but these will do for now :-)

More warblers needed - bring em on!