Venus Pool - Greenshank

With rain starting to fall, a Greenshank dropped in this afternoon only to be harassed by Lapwings from the word go! Luckily it chose the shallows in front of the main hide for a while, chasing fry / hoovering insects off the surface...

Followed by a quickstep of the mud in the now pouring rain!

Then it disappeared in the direction of the North hide and wasn't seen again?

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!!

Hadnall - Greenshank

A small flooded area in a stubble field is often a productive habitat and this Greenshank was my first for the year!

Bit of a mad paddle about every now and then every now and then!

Posing nicely!

My attention was then focussed on seeing if the Common Tern at Priorslee was still present?

On this day (April 18th)... in 2019

Just an average day at Venus Pool on 18th April 2019, seems like only yesterday?

Not before time, a bit of passage going on at Venus Pool. Pulses weren't racing but a Greenshank, LRP, 2 Common Sandpipers and two smart Wheatears on the shingle island were a start...

Let's start with a few images of the Greenshank. Initially very distant and always a bit flighty...

But eventually dropping in front of the Memorial hide!

And working around the margin...

Those long legs are handy in deeper water!

The closest approach...

 The Wheatears coming up next!

It wasn't just a bit of wader action at the pool today, a couple of male Wheatears dropped in. Surprisingly, they weren't in the top field or quarry but giving an amazing show on the shingle island in from of the main hide!

This was the smartest male which resolutely stayed rooted to the island

The second one which looked as if he was a 2cy bird, flew over to the grassy area in front of the hide.

Briefly perching on molehills...

Then working its way towards the hide!

Eventually I had to adjust the lens focussing to the sub 10m zone...

The pool came to the rescue too giving a nice soft background.

Yep, it was this close!

A 'one off' if ever I saw one...

Venus Pool - Greenshanks

Two juv Greenshanks at the pool today and showing really well! Here's the first...

Come in no 2, with darker wings...

And if the water gets too deep, Greenshank are quite happy to swim!

The Little and Large show as the juv Dunlin stole onto the scene...

Dunlin coming next...

Venus Pool - Greenshank

Not before time, a bit of passage going on at Venus Pool. Pulses weren't racing but a Greenshank, LRP, 2 Common Sandpipers and two smart Wheatears on the shingle island were a start...

Let's start with a few images of the Greenshank. Initially very distant and always a bit flighty...

But eventually dropping in front of the Memorial hide!

And working around the margin...

Those long legs are handy in deeper water!

The closest approach...

 The Wheatears coming up next!

Venus Pool - Greenshank gone fishing

The Dunlin which has been hanging around for a few days has departed but in addition to the 6  Green Sandpipers present today, we have a Greenshank dropping in...

They have a varied diet, including fish and this one was totally reoccupied with fish - feeding Avocet style except to was a straight line rather than sweeping action! And it was quite happy to try the trawler technique in deeper water!

 

In the shallows...

And success!

Down the hatch!

Even the gulls ended up copying him!!