Venus Pool - Snipe and Teal close up

 No real stand out birds today apart from a close up opportunity of...

Male Teal

Common Snipe

Shoveler and Shelduck in a flap - Venus Pool

Getting a little monotonous at Venus Pool today! Occupied myself with a Shelduck and Shoveler... 

In a flap! Shelduck first...              

And a Shoveler in a hurry!

 Glad I did with the dry conditions disappearing from tomorrow!

Venus Pool - Oystercatcher and Dipper

Two Oystercatchers have arrived recently and lets hope for breeding success?

And the Dipper at Cound Stank gave extended but distant views...

Venus Pool - Pochard

It's been a good winter for Pochard at VP and there were eight present today including this female which came a bit closer than the norm...

Battlefield - Cattle Egrets

Had a quick stop whilst driving to Ellesmere and the seven Cattle Egrets were still showing distantly in the stubble field they now called home... As I was passing on the way back it seemed rude not to have another look? 

There were now none in sight but I was about to have one of my stored up 'lucky moments' as all seven returned in flight near the car park. I managed one frame filling bird with nothing cropped...

And then three of them perched in a nearby tree!

What a turnaround in luck (but it was my 7th visit)...

Wood Lane - Redshank

Redshank have not been too plentiful in the county in recent years and with one on offer at Wood Lane today, I took a chance it would still be there at midday? It wasn't showing, so a waiting game ensued in the company of one of the friendly local birders... Best part of an hour later it was in view but sadly 100m+ away, oh well, wasn't a wasted visit.... Record shot alert!!

The nearest it got was behind a reed bed, just enough room for a 'stem free' pic!

There were plenty of Shelduck, Gadwall plus a Treecreeper / flock of 15+ Siskin in the little copse behind the hide. 

Venus Pool - Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper are tricky waders at this time of year so quite a surprise to see one today, courtesy of eagle-eyed Dave Chapman! It was certainly tricky to keep tabs on as it roamed in the dense vegetation of Snipe Central!

These were taken when it briefly showed itself...

It was lost to view once the heavy mob of Canadas moved in early PM and wasn't see again!