Dip. Dip.. Dip.... Franklin's at last!!

It's been a while coming - I'd dubbed him 'Frank' - the mythical Chasewater Franklin's Gull present at Chasewater over that past couple of weeks (random evenings that is, unless I'm anywhere near the area!) I've been three times and just stared at a waterless, Franklin'sless reservoir.....

Today it all came good! Cutting it fine though, as I had been otherwise engaged dipping a Lesser Yellowlegs at Inner Marsh Farm! All I had to show for the visit (image wise) was a distant shot of a Dingy Orangelegs!






Anyway, to cut a long story short, at 7.45pm I arrived at Gailey sailing lake - then, after an initial heart stopping moment when the assembled birders had 'lost it' - with a huge sight of relief - it had turned up again on the far bank!

In the gathering gloom then - here's Frank in all his monochrome glory, with a little dash of red on the bill!

The initial sighting.....






Drifting closer.....










A blurry wingflap before the departure which was even more blurry and impossible to contemplate posting here! It flew high and looked to be heading East to wake up and entertain the nocturnal Chasewater crew but I note from the information services he returned to Gailey at 9.15??






Given better light, I'm sure there will be some stunning shots of Frank emerging - eventually??

Venus Pool - new kids in town

Been a while coming but after the Godwit invasion, a mini influx of juvenile waders today.....

Common Sandpiper.......










Redshank.....








And in the gloom a Little Ringed Plover.......






Every little helps......

North Shropshire - flava of the month

I love a puzzle and where birds are concerned (don't ask me why) I like to struggle and take on the complex / esoteric species of the bird world ...eg Gulls!

The Yellow wagtail complex should appeal then? A glance at any decent reference book will provide an array of heads just waiting to amaze and confuse you? Latin names become the order of the day to split them (cos the're all Yellow Wagtails!)

Our British population of Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava flavissima) are pretty well defined and here's a nice male bird.....






The barley field off the A41 between Whitchurch was to be my first encounter with Motacilla flava flava

Here's the first bird Yvonne and myself were greeted with (a female).....











Even better was to come, a cracking male Blue-headed Wagtail.






No Channel powder blue hybrid here - just look at that head.......







Checking out the features, this is a classic Blue-headed wagtail. The forehead, crown nape and ear coverts were all ash grey - lit up in late evening sunshine, this bird looked a treat!










White chin and yellow throat....






Whilst the obvious 'Blue Head' was an easy bird to identify, the Wagtail population of this field has quite a bit to offer the Motacillaphile?
There was another (or the same bird) here again today.......

Venus Pool - more insects....

I had a date with a Kingfisher on my mind today? The river was high and chocolate coloured, its that time of year when they show well.....

Not today though but there was another bright blue creature flying - a male Broasd-bodied Chaser.....








Common blue Bamselflies busy making more common blue Damselflies.....






A Small Copper butterfly was making the most of ragwort before it all disappears








Watching my punctuation, here's a comma,






I resisted the temptation to swat and stamp on this attractive but extremely pesky Horse Fly (Chrysops relictus)






Birds next??.............

Venus Pool - then there were 27.....

Still on a high from from yeaterday's invasion - crikey, we're getting more waders than Blithfield and Belvide put together! (Over two days of the year anyway).

I just had to check and by lunchtime today the flock of Black-tailed Godwits had dwindled to 27! By Shropshire standards, a pretty impressive count nevertheless. Just possible to squeeeeeeeeeze them all into this frame??






Then, down to the serious business of feeding up before departure.....






Quite amusing to watch the flock dynamics, there wasn't a leader and where one bird went the rest duly followed - then all change, lets follow someone else....

Start counting, a bigger than usual image to click on......






Oh well, they'll be gone by tomorrow - wonder what's looming next? Osprey methinks.....

Berrington Pool - Old red eyes

The Godwits had departed departed from Venus Pool by evening.....

After all the storms and torrential rain, the insects have had a torrid time. I though a quick look at Berrington Pool might be in order?

I knew I wouldn't see anything on the wing (it was late evening) but there is always the chance, in these conditions - if you do find something - it will oblige......

And this little fella did! A nice little Red-eyed Damselfly, clinging to the vegetation! Poor light but perfect posing weather.....






A Blue tailed Damselfly at first glance? Size, the all back top of the thorax (and of course red eyes) distingishes 'Red eyed' from 'Blue tailed'....






The close up, just look at those eyes....








I left him, probably hoping the heavens will ever open like that again - back to the Lily pads in the morming?

Venus Pool - Invasion of the Godwits!!

The scene at lunchtime.... Two Black-tailed Godwits looking bored and fed up.....

Maybe a suitable caption: "This place needs livening up - where's the rest of our party got to?"






Later that afternoon....

I got a call (many thanks) from Geoff - "Jim, there's FORTY black-tailed Godwits at Venus Pool!" I was still at work and with a thunderstorm brewing I reckoned they wouldn't be going anywhere, a quick bite to eat and I was there....






Trouble was they were quite mobile and stretched over a wide area so no way could I get them all in a single shot!






Ironically, the Ragwort plague was due to be pulled this very evening - the team of volunteers were assembled but we agreed to leave everything undisturbed - these birds were clearly hungy and in need of a rest/food. That very same Ragwort acts as a nice backdrop to some isolated goups.....








Now that certainly did liven things up! So far as I know, the second largest count at a single location in Shropshire. The highest count was 68 - again at good old VP!

Venus Pool - Blackwit duo up close!!

A brief call at Venus Pool - there had been three Black tailed Godwits the previous day, now there were two, and guess where they were? Right in front of the memorial hide!!

I joined a couple of smiling faces, camera soon very busy, saving some amazing moments.....






Posing before feeding away furiously.....








Using those long legs to good effect in deep water....






The looking back over the shoulder moment.....








Looking cool on one leg.....







The preening series, these were blink of an eye moments - looking amzingly relaxed!










Show us your legs!!!






Safe landing.....






The difference a bit of bright sky makes!






I haven't looked at all the images yet, totally bogged down with toooooo many shots - I'm not complaining too much though.....