This was my fourth visit to the area which had been pretty unproductive on the Whooper Swan front! Today however, I was looking at a decent number, nineteen in total and they were not too distant!
There were two family group, here with two juvs (plus one)...
I was meant to be concentrating on the swans but spotted some movement out of the corner of eye... A Red Kite...
Into some blue sky...
Probably the first worthwhile images of the the year? Blue sky has been a limited commodity for a month or so!!
There's been a Black-tailed Godwit (now in its second week) and every time I've seen it, always hunkered down on the middle island... Thanks to a Sparrowhawk flushing the Lapwing flock, it took off with them, still distant but much better views!
Another visit by presumably the same Great White Egret seen during the past couple of months and today in less than favourable light! A familiar pattern of behaviour with the local Heron...
Hmm looks quiet today, a few gulls and ducks?
Maybe I'll try again tomorrow?
It never fails to amaze me how 'fish eating' birds can pull off the impossible and swallow outrageous specimens! Like this Common Carp being casually tossed to it's doom by a Cormorant on Christmas eve at Venus Pool!
My third Grey Phalarope in Shropshire didn't exactly prove to be a showy success on Sat 13th when it was truly a distant dot!! Two days later I jammed onto it much closer and some decent pics were at last forthcoming...
All that activity seemed to wear it out and a rest on the bank beckoned!
Popped down to the ole Patch mid afternoon and nothing much was happening until... Yet another (or the same one I keep seeing there) Great White Egret!
And it was close, very close, I could only just fit him in the frame!
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