On March 28th 2017.... One for the Record...
One for the record! Record shots that is.... Finally got chance to check out the flood and this very early Wood Sandpiper was still present! Found by Reevesy on the 18th! In the scheme of Whixall floods, it was showing very well, always distant but no obstructions...
Not a lot else here or at Wood Lane, the only other highlight was a large gathering of Sand Martins (c 120) over the Mere at Ellesmere.
Meanwhile on On March 28th 2014, I was at on a speaking tour of the south coast and called in at Blashford Lakes, Hampshire...
... The final instalment from Blashford lakes and a variety of Lesser Redpolls showing really well! I'd managed to negotiate myself into the open window space, taking advantage of the unobstructed view :-) They really are smart little birds in such a variety of plumages.....
Poised ready for feeding....
This one stayed longer than most, giving a variety of poses.....
Nicely coloured underparts....
And they know how to show off :-)
Here's the Mealy Redpoll for comparison...
There were two Mealy Redpolls present but always in a position which required shooting through the glass :-) Here's one of them - showing what can be done with a little PC processing increase in the contrast.....
Performing seal pose!
Even a catchlight!
The combination of glass and feeder were far too restricting!
On March 28th 2011 it was blog entitle 'Boats and Cranes' set at Whixall Moss...
Having been away all weekend, this was my first chance to have a go for the Whixall Moss Crane. An early finish off work and I was there mid afternoon, bumping into Pete Jordan at the car park!
It all looked good, walking along the towpath, two pairs of birders commented - "still showing well" just opposite the parked boat". Not a care in the world then - except..... when we got to the boat, the friendly couple who had been putting birders onto it all day, announced - "someone's just flushed it!"
Horror of horrors, allegedly birders too!! They had gone for a closer look in the fields over the canal! I'd better not repeat what we said.....
All we could do was keep looking and hope it would return? After walking further along the towpath we realised it was impossible to see the fields on the opposite side as they were well below the level of the canal. Eventually, we walked back and crossed the footbridge, walking up to the next 'drawbridge' (is that what the're called) and crossed over. Looking back we could see..... nothing! We walked back towards the footbridge, and scanning the fields again, I suddenly realised - I'd got it! Very distant in the small wooded area roughly opposite from where the track comes out of the Moss and just to prove it.....
Pete had to go, I had an hour or two to spare and was hoping it would wander back in the field to where it was originally (opposite the parked boat). I'd crossed the footbridge again, just to see what it was doing (still very distant in the wood) when I heard the chug chug chug of a canal boat...
In a moment of madness, I flagged the boat down.... The two lads on the boat looked a bit startled as I asked if I could hitch a ride? To photograph a rare bird a few hundred metres away.....
No problem they said, full steam ahead!!!
I could tell roughly where the Crane was feeding and we came to a halt. The view was not exactly plain sailing either with bankside brambles in the way and only one small corner of the field in full view. After a few minutes, unbelievably - the Crane wandered into full view!!
I fired off a few shots - stood on the roof - with the motion of the boat, there weren't many keepers and before long it was gone, back into the wood again!
These will do though!
I promised the boat guys I'd post a picture of the boat, so as they sailed off into the Sun.......
... as I walked off into the sunset! One of my more memorable and maddest moments and the first time I'd ever been on a canal boat!!!
