But I didn't go and today was another day with another twist of fate - an opticians appointment at 10.15!! And the possibility of dilated pupils which would have scuppered driving!! Fate delivered an understanding optician and I was on the road at 11.00, parked up by 12.45 and ticking UK bird no 381 just after 1.00 :-)
The gallery was small and the KP (a stunning male!) obliging but not tremendously so! It was always sort of into the light from the East bank of Res no 3 (cloud helped) and given the distance to the waters edge, a bit distant! I filled a 16Gb card however (which I haven't even looked at) and the first few shots from the 2nd card were representative from that period - here's two of them!!
In the scheme of things I was over the moon to a)see it b) get a half decent record shot - couple of examples below.....
But then after a couple of downpours, it disappeared from view! Luckily eagle eyed Steve Nuttall relocated it on the West bank and after a km or so yomp, the sun came out and I was as near as you can be to a birding heaven!
A quick ruffle.....
As it started feeding in earnest, I became preoccupied to get a 'running shot' - these are a composite series from several attempts!!
And why was he running? Food of course, flies aplenty and the need to get them when they are down to save effort!
Small worms too!
Stopping very occasionally for a posed image....
But what's this all about! The leg over feather ruffle shot - a first for me!
Maybe I was fated to suffer the frustration of 4 dips going for Kentish Plover in the past before finally one was delivered? And maybe folk will refer to me as 'Lucky Jim' once more :-)
Whatever, these are just the few from a very exciting card full of Gbs more! A few days on the road beckon with of talk and a show in Devon but more to come next week...... Hopefully some just like this!
