Venus Pool - What on earth?

Sunday was going to be another day spent cruising the East and North of the County. A quick check of Polemere confirmed this remained a very happy Winter haven for Teal and Wigeon (but not a lot else). The Ruddy Shelduck was feeding with Greylags in one of the fields on the approach to VP .......






As I entered the main hide I was greeted with ‘What the hell is this’ by one of the regulars. I had a look - what on earth was this?

This strange Herring type Gull was stood near the main island.








I say 'strange' - my first thought was that it had upended a can of wood preservative on a tip somewhere – the brown colouration could not be natural? All the visible white plumage parts were stained or streaked orange brown. I've seen blood dstained and dye stained Gulls before but this was in a different league!






It walked about a bit, giving a wingflap in the process. The underparts covered by the wings appear pure white which leads me to a likely conclusion that it had been bathing in some type of ‘staining’ liquid? Or is it just from red clay slurry??








Within a couple of minutes it flew off, no doubt to puzzle birders elsewhere.

Oh and there's plenty of Lapwings building up, I counted 215 on the pool on Monday.....






Onwards then......

Trench Pool - Glaucous Gull

I’d resigned myself to the Glaucous Gull doing a flyer but after an hour word reached me thatit remained settled. So, with no sign of Crossbills on Bury Ditches, I decided it had to be the dash to Telford! At least the journey had turned up Peregrine and Red Kite near Aston on Clun!

I was waiting for the commiseratory ‘it’s flown’ text which never came and less than an hour later, I was watching a pretty docile 1st Winter Glaucous Gull. No problem with motion blur with this subject – it hardly ever moved!






A couple of head turns.....








The alert pose.






A bit of a stretch of those lovely ‘white wings’ and you could see what was going to come next.....






Up up and away!








Lets hope it stays around for some better light!

Longnor - Dippers

It was dip-dip-dip a week ago with not a Dipper to be seen. Good news today, the pair were obligingly waiting for a quick photo call (I only seem to call in January -memo to self - must put that to rights!!)

Here's the delightful twosome.....








The next good news was that they didn't fly off but proceeded to search for food.....








Ever wondered why they are calleed Dippers?









They are quite adept at 'swimming' around for food

Or maybe this is the reason?






Whether they are hunting, swimming or dipping - they are fascinating birds to watch.

They sometimes stand still too!










Next stop Bury Ditches and I was virtually there when news of a Glaucous Gull present at Telford - Trench Pool, came through - I was feeling a little bit 'twitchy'....

Venus Pool - Ruddy Shelduck

A quick lunchtime 'Goose check' looked proming with a flock of about 80 Greylags present. They were flying out in small groups though and those remaining were all - Greylag! Apart from this little one.....

A rather smart looking (whatever its origins!) Ruddy Shelduck.........






Showing really well?








Taking no nonsense from an inquisitive Coot!






Then getting in a flap.






Seems to be a male with signs of a black neck ring appearing....








And still no White-fronted Goose :-(

Venus Pool - Gadwall

The camera is being kept busy this week. Wednesday's bird was a drake Gadwall, fresh in at Venus Pool.....

Gorgeous light with the Gadwall having a bot of a snooze!






Waking up and having a bit of a stretch.....






And a shake of the feathers!






Before posing nicely.....








Then off for a bit of a dabble!

RSH - Waxies again!!!

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! I was just leaving work for lunch when I got a text reporting 'Waxwings at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital' the previous day. Now for those of you who don't know where I work, my office is within 200m of where they were seen! Walking to the car, what should fly overhead.....

......a small flock of Waxwings, eventually at least a dozen and quite obliging they were too!

They were feeding on rose hips, quite astonishing to watch these giant fruits being forced down






Do I attempt to swallow this thing?










Down it goes......






The digestion phase was carried out on the small trees nearby and quite a change to have one or two on the same 'level'.....








They were pretty close too!






A final burst was reserved for one bird nicely perched with a distant grassy bank behind. Gone are the distracting tangle of twigs and branches normally encountered....











Wonder if I'll ever tire of them?

Polemere - Pink foot

The White-front chase continues and any Greylag flock is worth a check now having seen the image from Venus Pool on the 14th! Martyn Owen texted me to say he had a Pink-footed Goose at Polemere which is only a few minutes down the road.......

I literally had a minute or so before the whole flock departed - it was a particularly scruffy individual anyway, what a relief it won't be taking up too much space!









A quick wingflap.....






And then it / they were gone.....