Wednesday 24 November 2010

Scraping the barrel at Brandon Marsh

I had not been out with the camera for a few days not because of the weather which had not been good but because I've got man flu.What a wimp!!!!! So before the walls closed in on me completely I made the effort on Tuesday morning and limped over to Brandon Marsh.

Although the weather was not too bad it turned out to be a day when I had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get some shots.Mind you that could have been due to me not being 100% and missing loads of shots.

Checked out the car park for Waxwings and found none which was not a surprise as I was 48 hours late.I next headed for the East Marsh hide where I was put onto a Jack Snipe which was so far away I think it was in Leicestershire.Here is the worst shot of a Jack Snipe ever taken.





To prove I can take a decent shot of a JS here is one I took earlier (At Marsh Lane some time ago).








Had lunch by the Carlton hide bench where I saw my first Siskins of the winter when about a dozen landed high up on a nearby tree.Another look in the EM hide showed the JS was still miles away but two fighting Water Rails flashed across the front of the hide but that was all.The Bittern had not been seen all day apparently.

A quick look in the Baldwin hide produced the pair of Goldeneye but not close and a Cormorant but that was all.






I then headed to the sheep field to try and see the Short-eared Owl recently seen there.I have never seen one.Yes I must confess that the only birder in the midlands not to have seen a SEO is me.The secret is out.

So how did I get on?Well I did see a Kestrel but not the SEO so you can imagine my frustration when I later found out that while I was by the sheep field it was performing for everyone on the East Marsh and the Teal pool.Bugger Bugger!!!!!







So no decent shots and I missed the SEO but I'm glad I went out even though I was knackered when I got home.

1 comment:

Kevin Groocock said...

Cest le vie, Max! Apparently the SEO is best viewed from the railway bridge on Brandon Lane as this viewpoint covers a larger area of sheepfield and from an elevated position. I have not seen it, though but I have not been to look! Waxwings are definitely eluding me! All I can say is that I stood NEAR to where they had been seen!