MARSH LANE.

Fed up by being unable to get any decent close shots of the Black Necked Grebe that's been at Marsh Lane for a few days now I set out for there on Saturday morning with a cunning plan.I would get there early when it wasn't expecting me and when it would be close to the CP hide.

Arrived at 7.30 AM to find the weather sunny and warm as I crept into the CP hide.So did my cunning plan work ?  No it damn well didn't. Not only was it not close to the hide but also it was not even there.Oh Dear ! !

Did get a few shots including a kidnapping, a Common Tern chick and a young Linnet.   

At 8.15 AM I decided to go and see if Mel was still showing down the bridle way.There were 4 cars parked across the far side of the main road so some birders must be down there but when I got half way down the path and scanned down to where the bird is to be found there were no people on the path. Had Mel gone ?

It wasn't till I got much closer did I see that all seven of the birders there were up on the bank.Although this was my fourth visit I'd never seen anyone up the bank before.Did I tell them all to get off the bank.No Way I joined them.

This was not an easy task because the bank is about 3 m high and is pretty steep.The good spots at the top of the bank with a level bit to stand on had been taken up and muggins here had to make do with a sloping bit to stand on.The wire fence at the top of the bank was not much help to hang onto as it was very loose and I wobbled a lot.Not good for taking pics.

Mel did not seem to mind all the birders on top of the bank and showed well the hour I was there and as usual it was still singing it's heart out. I believe it's been there 16 days now and is still bringing birders in from far and wide.That morning I spoke to two birders from Leeds, one from Oxford and one from Lincoln.

Took a few shots from my wobbly spot.Cracking bird.