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!!

My Garden Pond - Large Red damselflies

I haven't been looking at the pond for quite a while but checked this afternoon for Damsels? There were four teneral Large Red Damselflies including a male and female close enough for the camera...

Here's the male, note the slim abdomen...

A female forma typica amongst the Aubrieta flowers

Same Damsel offering a nice close up!

I'm sure there will be more soon!!

Venus Pool - Hobby

The first Hobby of the year is always an exhilarating moment and nice to see two in the sky thanks to Simon / Helen... Whilst there were two, the images are of the 'showy one'!

Feeding on small insects, despite the absence of Dragons / Damsels they showed even more amazing dexterity in the feeding routine!!

Circling overhead, this whole visit was less than 2mins...

It's been 'warming up' recently so far, wonder if we will get a mega before May ?

Venus Pool - Common Tern

The conditions look good for a Wader or Tern passing through today and it was the latter which complied with brief views in the pouring rain!

Just a couple of worthwhile pics (albeit awful quality!) to seal the species and with a helping hand from John Martin it's a Common Tern. The primary wedge on the upperwing, diffuse trailing edge to the underwing and bill which is variable...

Venus Pool - Greenshank

 A nice little find this afternoon by Simon Twigger! A smart Greenshank in Summer plumage...

Somewhat timid, it occasionally emerged from the vegetation!

And very briefly in open water...

Busy feeding...

Keep 'em coming!!

Venus Pool - Common Sandpiper

This has to be the closest I've encountered a Common Sandpiper! In a very 'cluttered' spot, I deleted all but these two images as it walked by...

That's two lucky moments in one day!

Venus Pool - Marsh Harrier

Lady luck shone down on me once more after dipping the arrival of a Marsh Harrier at Venus Pool today. I decided to stick it out in case Lightning struck twice and it duly did :-)

Here it comes...

Having foliage in the background helps enormously to show off the Harrier!

The final two wing flaps before departure...

Just over one minute's worth of lazy wing flaps. My third encounter such as this over the VP reed bed!

Polemere - Yellow Wagtail

Chanced a quick look at Polemere this afternoon and welcomed my first Yellow Wagtail of the year, a cracking male too!

Basically tracking him as he approached me on the mud!

Welcome to Shropshire and as it flew out, happy breeding somewhere?