Marsh Lane.

Although it was still gloomy Wednesday morning I was so fed up with staying in I decided to nip over to Marsh Lane getting there at just after 1.00PM and finding I had the place to myself.

So did I do any good ? Well on the birding front yes there were some decent birds to see but not so good on the photography front everything was too far off for my lens and it was very gloomy.For me to get a decent shot the bird must be close,it must be still and it must be bright conditions.

There were a male and a female Wheatear on the crop field.At least 4 Dunlin on the railway pool.A lone Common Sandpiper also on the railway pool.All annoyingly would not come in close.Miserable so and so's !!!

The only bird that did come into range of my lens was one of the Redshanks that sometimes feed in front of the Oak hide.

I had an entertaining hour trying to get a shot of a Reed Warbler from the southern causeway screen but you needed to be very quick to succeed whereas I was moving slower than a elderly snail with a limp.Managed a few shots but yet again it was a pity about the reeds.

I did meet up with John Oates a little later in the Oak hide and whilst I think a journey to Cannock Chase is a big adventure he had just returned from a few weeks in the jungles of Borneo.I would not last more than a minute or two there.Very interesting chat though about what he saw.