A morning at Brandon Marsh.

On Thursday morning I went across to Brandon Marsh getting there just before 10.00AM.I timed my arrival very well because I bumped into the pretty waitress just as the cafe was opening up and after a chat I was so cheered up I did not care too much if there was no birds about to point the camera at.

This was a good job because an hour's stay in the Steetly hide was dire with only a couple of Moorhens there.Things went further downhill when I saw that there were about a dozen volunteers on the East Marsh islands all armed with strimmers stripping the vegetation.

Luckily the Teal pool did have a bit of action.The 4 Green Sandpipers and a couple of Common Snipe were showing a bit distant but nice to see.A bit of a bonus was when a Muntjac showed for a while.

The Carlton hide was also very dire with only a couple of Coots showing.Only one other birder came in the hide and he cracked after 10 minutes and left after a very loud sigh.However just as I started to eat lunch a Jay dropped into the bushes to the left of the hide.Dropping everything I managed a few shots which pleased me no end as I struggle to get close to these chaps.

The only other bird I saw whilst in the Carlton hide was a distant Blackcap  which I think is a juvenile rather than a female.

Left click on shots to enlarge.