Venus Pool - Black tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwits have been hard to come by at VP this year. The April 7th bird was a stunning summer plumage bird whilst today's was a drab grey winter plumage job. 

Attracting a crowd however...

The Geese couldn't were certainly curious!

Oh well, winter here we come!!

Venus Pool - Great White Egret washing

It's becoming difficult to find original images of Great White Egret but I can't remember seeing one have a wash?

It started off ever so gently...

Then went mad with most of head and body immersed!! At least there were two pics just right!

 

The after wash ruffle...

Then breaking into a run...

The background light changed dramatically with the sun dropping.

And I finally managed a pic of the Egret threesome: Great, Little and the usually absent Cattle!!

A warm welcome to the three amigo's....

Venus Pool - Tundra Bean Goose

After a bit of identity crisis a Tundra Bean Goose appeared like magic at VP mid morning...It spent most of the time sat down snoozing or preening!

Eventually, a paraglider flushed everything...

This was what the Tundra thought if it!

At least it made the orange legs visible!

Finally walking up close!

There's a foot forward for all tastes...

It's been a while since one dropped in!

Cattle Egret - Venus Pool

It's Egret time once more at Venus Pool with Little, Great White (3) and Cattle Egret all on view today. The Cattle Egret was the 'most wanted' for some VP listers and this was lucky Jim's third on the patch! Looking back, the two other sightings came on 26th Oct 2017 and 31st Aug 2022 (for me).

I settled down in the Memorial hide with Dave Chapman. Our bodies were aching from holding big lenses and the awkward places the 'Cattle' favoured.

The sun shone!!

Time for posing and replenishing water intake...

Finally settling down with some different poses!

And for feet lovers, a glimpse of them whilst perched!

Looking quite jaded and probably blown in by storm Ashley!!

Wood Lane - Purple Heron

I was a bit unenthusiastic to take on the 'now you see it now you don't' having had a really good time with the Rednal bird! 24 hours stewing on it both Dave Chapman and I thought it shouldn't be missed!

So here we go... Sadly, looking into the sun as it flew over the scrape! Loving those translucent primary and secondary feathers!!

Then Lady Luck shone down as it finally stepped out from the cover of the reed bed!!

And this was a fitting finale...

Venus Pool - Great White Egret

Three Great White Egrets were keeping company with the Whooper Swan (which I was concentrating on) and I had the wrong lens to do them justice!

Showing too well! 

Never happy am I ??

Venus Pool - Whooper Swan

Whilst one was seen over at Worlds End recently, it was nice to encounter a lone Whooper Swan on the Patch despite the gloomy weather! It had disappeared late morning but reappeared mid afternoon

Looking settled and preening...

With plenty of company and more yellow bills!

The water level is quite low, this was the middle of the pool!!

The closest pass...

At 3.15 it flew out over the fishing pool...

Always a pleasure to see Whoopers and I'm sure will cross my path in the New Year?