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?

Venus Pool - Ringed Plover

Juvenile Ringed Plover have dropped in and stayed for a while this year. Here's the most showy one I connected with...

Venus Pool - Peregrine

 One bird that always gets the pulse racing is Peregrine Falcon and a juvenile has dropped in recently when I failed to get images! Today I was ready and whilst it was never close gave really good views.

I left the wingbeats in order as they came out of the camera...

Always looking menacing!

It circled once then departed. You haven't got much time with this one!!

Venus Pool - Temmincks Stint

I was hoping for another wader and news of a Temminck's Stint at VP  had me dashing to the car! Well done Ian Sheppard on his find! It wasn't a County tick for me but it's one of those waders worth pulling all the stops out for!

Sadly the Stint had relocated to the muddy island in the middle of the pool which is a good 100m away but a record shot beckoned...

I called back late afternoon, it was still there and managed a flight shot for what it's worth!

At the rate this species drops in at Venus Pool, the next one will be due in May 2040!!

Venus Pool - Marsh Harrier

A very quick look at Venus Pool to see if the Ringed Plover was still present had a surprise in store after a couple of minutes scanning then looking up... A large Raptor was flying towards the fishing pool! 

You're not the expected Buzzard! A female Marsh Harrier, sadly just a back end view into the light!

Venus Pool - Ringed Plover

The Ringed Plover was still present, very mobile but always good to see at Venus Pool...

From the main hide...

Then the Memorial hide

Another new wader for the year...