More battles with two old friends.

The first of my two old friends I went into battle with again was a Grasshopper Warbler at Brandon Marsh.My two previous attempts had ended with total failure and despite one reeling close by I hadn't even managed a glimpse let alone a shot.

So early on Friday morning I found myself on the path running next to the golf course waiting to hear that distinctive reeling.It took me an hour before I heard one and then, even though it was reeling out seemingly very close by, another 30 minutes to actually see it.It was low down at the bottom of a small bush.My God these chaps are hard to spot.

Here are a few shots I managed before it shot off.The first one is an uncropped shot showing how difficult they are to spot.

The second of my old friends I went into battle with was the Lesser Whiethroat that gave me such a runaround yesterday.So just before lunch I went over to Marsh Lane hoping to do better with the camera than yesterday's crappograph.

As I got out of the car I saw this Common Buzzard flying over the car park pool carrying something.An egg ????? Why would it be carrying an egg round ?????

After a bit of lunch I went into battle again with the Lesser Whitethroat that favours the hedgerows along the old road near the car park gates.I quickly located it with it's rattling call but like yesterday it was moving around with a wingman a Common Whitethroat which makes it even harder to spot.

Just like yesterday it was a devil to spot in the hedges always deep in the gloom and flitting about constantly.For a short while I had Paul Johnson as a spotter but he soon tired of my efforts to get onto it.After 90 minutes in the Death Valley heat I was wilting badly and all I was doing was amassing a large collection of twigs shots but I had a moment's luck and managed a few shots.The first two are what you usually get ie. deep in the hedgerow and you have to lucky to get a glimpse of one in the open.