Colemere - Cattle Egrets

North Shropshire and the Meres in particular seem to be popular for Cattle Egrets and a group of TEN were on my radar. My daughter Kate came along too (the family 'bug' for birding seems to have grabbed her!)  What a way to tick a new species for her - not just one but an amazing ten were here once more!

They were well spread out and distant - the most I could get in the camera field of view were 5 of them!

They seemed to be constantly on the move, which augured well for flight shots!

And this is a landing, not a take off!

Perhaps the pick of the bunch...

A great morning although our other target bird (Goldeneye) failed to show!

On this day (Jan 14th)... 2017 - Scaup trio!

 Flashback to Jan 14th 2017 and more wildfowl, this time three Scaup at Colemere...

I was on my way to the Mere gull roost, stopped off at Colemere and with the 3 Scaup right out in the middle of the mere, decided to check out the wood? A few Redpoll and a Treecreeper were the only worthwhile birds seen and with the clock ticking away, I retraced my steps... only to find the Scaup had now paddled within camera range!!!

I literally gave them 5 minutes but still managed to get some half decent record shots in the gathering gloom!

Ladies first - the female...

And the first winter male showing off his developing plumage!

The adult male always an irritating distance behind the youngster, impossible to get them both in focus!

But just about managed all three as they drifted away....

The Mere roost beckoned, only a few minutes lost!

On this day (April 30th)... Black Terns Colemere

I love Black Terns, maybe moreso because you only get two or three opportunities a year to catch up with them locally and April 30th 2017 was the best encounter I can recall...

The prospects for today were awesome, low cloud and a fresh south easterly wind (after a week or more of northerlies) ... it looked as if a cracking Ternsday was looming?? Question was, where to go? Not for the first time I put my faith misguidedly in an early start at Venus Pool,  but by 9.30, NOTHING! So I decided to head North and check the Meres. Colemere was my first destination and whilst literally 10 mins away...news came out from Rob Dowley... TWO Black Terns!

I joined him and spent the next few hours trying to do justice to these two beauties (not easy!) 

Over white water they looked awful so I concentrated on getting them against the distant green background and it was manual focus all the way!

Here we go, with head on opportunities within 50m!

This individual looks like it's primaries have seen better days! Looks like it's in moult which (according to an old paper I've just read) does happen in 2cy birds which (rarely) replace all their primaries in May?

And seemingly getting most of my attention!

Here's the other, neater bird - just as obliging!

And perhaps my favourite moment - once in a while, banking and briefly hovering...

First Hobby of the year over the trees and a Common Tern had also passed through 9.30ish and another (or the same bird) was present until mid afternoon too! A few record shots to follow...

Colemere - Scaup

Old habits die hard but with January over, the need to see all the better winter visitors like this drake Scaup still persists. Dave Chapman and I chanced the Sunday morning free range dog mayhem at Colemere for distant views (it never strayed from the middle of the Mere!)

There was not much more to show from the morning.  The Whixall floods Little Egret was still in town but the Cetti's kept its head down in the freshening breeze!

Colemere - Arctic Tern

Despite being out of the county all day Saturday, I managed to call in at White Mere and witness the 9 Arctic Terns present there, very distant in pouring rain! They had all cleared out today but after checking the meres, I called in at Colemere and right on cue there was a single Arctic Tern waiting for me!

It was an Arctic on fluttery flight jizz and structure, the solid dark trailing edge was there too!

The only odd thing about it was a black tip to the bill...

This can occur in 2cy Arctics or maybe not quite lost the all black 'winter' bill? It was giving a cracking display over the water!

Dive dive dive... Very short legs obvious and even more so when perched on a buoy.

The Meres are working their magic for now but wouldn't a wrecked seabird be a better prize?

Colemere - Black Tern

Colemere has become the number one  'go to' site when Black Terns are moving. Having been busy and missed the four on Thursday evening, thanks to Rob Dowley, I got another chance this afternoon!

There's only one 'spikeless' buoy so at least it had somewhere to perch...

A few images of it dancing over the water...

Heading my way!

Full throttle...

A mosquito bite hastened my departure and with my wrist swelling badly, it's Piriton for the next few days?

Colemere - Black Terns!!

The prospects for today were awesome, low cloud and a fresh south easterly wind (after a week or more of northerlies) ... it looked as if a cracking Ternsday was looming?? Question was, where to go? Not for the first time I put my faith misguidedly in an early start at Venus Pool,  but by 9.30, NOTHING! So I decided to head North and check the Meres. Colemere was my first destination and literally 10 mins away...news came out from Rob Dowley... TWO Black Terns!

I joined him and spent the next few hours trying to do justice to these two beauties (not easy!) 

Over white water they looked awful so I concentrated on getting them against the distant green background and it was manual focus all the way!

Here we go, with head on opportunities within 50m!

This individual looks like it's primaries have seen better days! Looks like it's in moult which (according to an old paper I've just read) does happen in 2cy birds which (rarely) replace all their primaries in May?

And seemingly getting most of my attention!

Here's the other, neater bird - just as obliging!

And perhaps my favourite moment - once in a while, banking and briefly hovering...

First Hobby of the year over the trees and a Common Tern had also passed through 9.30ish and another (or the same bird) was present until mid afternoon too! A few record shots to follow...

Colemere - Scaup threesome!

I was on my way to the Mere gull roost, stopped off at Colemere and with the 3 Scaup right out in the middle of the mere, decided to check out the wood? A few Redpoll and a Treecreeper were the only worthwhile birds seen and with the clock ticking away, I retraced my steps... only to find the Scaup had now paddled within camera range!!!

I literally gave them 5 minutes but still managed to get some half decent record shots in the gathering gloom!

Ladies first - first winter that is...

And the first winter male showing off his developing plumage!

The adult male always an irritating distance behind the youngster, impossible to get them both in focus!

But just about managed all three as they drifted away....

The Mere roost beckoned, only a few minutes lost!