Venus Pool - Shelduck

Venus pool has become quiet but you have to be in there on the off chance that something good drops in? And why not point the camera at a Shelduck in flight while you wait?

Or two even...

Does that qualify as a 'near miss'...

Shropshire - Four-spotted Chaser

Had my first Four-spotted Chasers of the year today. They have an extra wing spot on each wing unlike the other chasers. This species is unusual in having no easy visual clue regarding sex. Just by chance, they were a male and female so how did I make the decision? First and foremost, you need a very close view when at rest or a closeup photograph.

It's all about the anal appendages, the male is built for clasping hold of the female when mating... 

the  'claspers' flare outwards at the tip of the abdomen.

In the female, the appendages are more widely set. They converge at the tip (or as here they are parallel).

They converge at the tip (or as here they are parallel).

They either converge at the tip or as seen here, are parallel.

The shape of the abdomen holds some clues as well but that's another story...

Long Mynd - Pallid Harrier

Shades of the Black-winged Stilt! Another mega for the county and my luck goes awol but I offer no excuses - I went, I saw, I ticked a Pallid Harrier on the Long Mynd. That ought to mean 'success' for this post...

Two relatively close passes on my 'second encounter' resulting in 'images'! Spoilt by heat haze and distance!

The 'first encounter' below had shades of a Pantomime with the shout "its behind you"! Thanks Chris! Much closer but the 'moment' was lost...

Never mind, I could have come away with nothing quite easily. Thank goodness John Martin had the sense to go walking and drop on the Harrier where I stayed still. Well done John, Cracking image!

My Garden Pond - Broad-bodied Chaser

My second species of Odonata to emerge in the garden, a teneral male Broad-bodied Chaser which was spooked as I was doing a spot of weeding!

Sadly, I'd missed the emergence in the pond and its probable maiden flight then ended up on the garage wall! The images are in chronological order over an hour... 

The wings harden and colours deepen although its quite subtle!

Both sexes have a similar appearance at this stage but the relatively narrow body and appendages point to a male

There's a few more species to come!

Venus Pool - Mediterranean Gull

John Martin had a 2cy Mediterranean Gull early on today at VP so I thought I'd see if was still hanging around mid morning? It was but always pretty distant and often on the move as time went on. Meds are always smart gulls and worthy of some effort...

Here is is with the other two species present...

Taking a snooze in the Daisies....

And standing up to the territorial Black-heads!

Another distant relocation to the island across from the North hide.

And maybe a bit closer? 

Nice one John!

Polemere - Garganey pair

Garganey are classy Ducks, always worth a look? Sometimes distant, sometimes close and this evening was fortunately the latter! I started with views of 60m or so and ended up a lot closer...

Some pics from a very brief appearance on the water...

I didn't expect this!! It disappeared under the bank and now walking through the vegetation towards me...

Crikey!

Great bird, great light, a great evening!

Venus Pool - Ringed Plovers

The wader interest continues with two Ringed Plovers dropping in at VP this morning and still there late afternoon...

The individual birds...

One in flight about to land!

What an excellent few days! Let's see what May can offer!!

 

Venus Pool - Avocets

After the long awaited County Stilt tick, I relaxed a bit too much and had accidently put my phone on silent... Big mistake and news of a pair of Avocets frolicking their way around Venus Pool had gone undetected... worse still they had flown off :-(

I had to get some fuel so chanced a late check at the pool en-route just in case I was due another dollop of luck? When told by folk going home, "still no sign", I nearly drove back out of the car park! Just as well I didn't do that as the hide window was duly opened and moments later, there they were...

They seemed to be full of energy, feeding then dashing all over the place!

Sometimes going their own separate ways

Tome for some nice poses?

Then off to catch up with their partner and dash around some more!

Bridgwalton Quarry - Black-winged Stilt

Earlier in the week, I ended with a comment 'wondered if we would get a mega before May' with my Hobby post? I wondered correctly with the arrival of a Black-winged Stilt at Bridgwalton Quarry the previous day!! I joined the two Daves for a successful journey and it was still there...

The Stilt was a good distance away but a landing sequence made it a larger subject...

Just look at those amazing legs!

From then on it was a matter of getting a few (even more distant) feeding pics...

The second record for Shropshire after a wait of just over 58 years + a few days (when two were present)! All we need now is for the Stilt to relocate to Venus Pool and I'll be even happier!!