Venus Pool - Whimbrel

Busy getting ready for a trip to the States. I couldn't resist the report of a Whimbrel at VP!

So here it is!

Venus Pool - Common Tern

I was pretty much tied up by an afternoon talk today so missed out on what could have been a BIG Tern day?? Nevertheless I was on 'quick response' diversion, travelling home late afternoon when Mike Stokes alerted me to a Comic Tern at VP!

The identity was debatable but I managed a few record shots after it had relocated to the fishing pool - clearly showing it to be a Common Tern! Quite a tern up with the vast majority of Midlands sightings being Arctic!

Record shot alert.....

Still waiting for an Arctic then.....

Prees - Tree Sparrows

Tree Sparrows may have disappeared (for the moment?) from Venus Pool but they are doing very nicely elsewhere in the County! I caught up with a sizeable but spooky flock in a Prees garden....

Venus Pool - Common Sandpiper

There were 2 Common Sandpipers at VP today, here's one of them having a walk in front of the Memorial hide....

 

Venus Pool - White Wagtails

In addition to the Yellow Waghtail influx there have been up to 7 White Wagtails present recently. At least 3 were showing well in front of the Memorial hide today.

The striking black bib and grey plumage announcing their presence.....





Mopping up any flies the hirundines overlooked!



Reflective pose....



Coming ever closer!





My pick of the shoot.....



It wasn't the quietest of sessions, two pairs of Oystercatchers were disputing territory and the two males were doing their utmost to tear each other apart.....

Venus Pool - World War IV

Twos' company as they say......



Three's a crowd (note the something's going to kick off menace here!)



And in Oystercatcher terms FOUR means all out war!



At least it was between the two males! Those bills make pretty menacing duelling swords! Some red stains becoming evident.....



Touche! (twice)





Feathers were certainly flying.....



This was no short term scuffle, it went on for hours!



No signs of the water cooling them down either!



I presume one of the pairs cked down and moved off elsewhere overnight (peace and tranquillity did return the following day!

Venus Pool - Channel at last!

I've been putting in some hours at VP, the recent Osprey was one good reason and the other.... Well, the other reason was to try and get a decent shot of the Channel Wagtail! The day started off promising when it truned up briefly on the mud in front of the memorial hide mid morning....



I suppose that was as close as I could expect to see the bird from the hide - the only other chance was going to be in the top field? The Wagtail flock: Yellow (6), White (7), Pied (3) had not been associating with the sheep, that is until today! The dandelions near the sheep were noted to be moving during an evening visit and I hadn't been drinking :-)

I staked out a gap in the top field, did my best impression of Helen calling the sheep - "Come on boys" and they did!! With the male Channel Wagtail in tow :-)

What is a Channel Wagtail? It's the offspring between the continental race
of Yellow Wagtail - 'Blue headed Wagtail' (Motacilla flava flava) and our own race (Motacilla flava flavissima). The male hybrid offspring is quite distinct from either race and the defining features are clearly shown in this posting. The most obvious feature is the pale blue 'powder or lavender blue' head. The throat is pure white too rather than yellow and if you want to see the difference betwen hybrid and Blue headed Wag - check out the 2010 posting here

Back to the present.....



Constantly on the move, it was a nightmare to keep track of and there weren't many 'motion blur' free shots.....







Eventually the flighty little so and so sat still and (apart from wishing the light could be better) I was actually quite happy :-)





It was very easy to ignore the male Yellow Wagtails with the Channel taking precedence but one came close.



And another VERY close....



The male Redstart was still showing very well on occasions (given a lot of patience!)



All things (well most things) come to those who wait.....

Venus Pool - Redstart etc

The smart male Common Redstart is still performing well along the hedgerow in the top field. Patience was rewarded with a few images, he doesn't take kindly to being approached, just sit and wait......







In the last remnants of blossom....



Pick of the bunch, posing nicely



Not a lot happening with the LRPs, one in relective pose....



At last got the Channel Wagtail (nearly) within range, I shall keep trying!





The closest moment, sadly into the light :-(



Seconds out - it's round two and Moorhens this time!