A MORNING STRUGGLING ROUND BRANDON MARSH.

After having been forced to stay in for a few days I was very keen to get out there with the camera so on Tuesday morning I headed off to Brandon Marsh again.I'd had to stay in because in addition to my still aching knee I'd strained my back again this time by cleaning the underside of the conservatory roof which left me hobbling around for a few days.What a wimp ! !

Headed straight for the Steetly hide where exactly a week ago I'd had a cracking time with a Marsh Harrier which showed well.This time though it was very quiet and after over an hour I left the hide not having used the camera once.The KF didn't show.

I then all the way to the Ted Jury hide which took me ages with all my injuries.At one time I was overtaken by a snail but in my defense it was a racing snail.Anyone seeing me shuffling along would not have believed that half a century ago I was the same chap who burst through defenses and scored many spectacular goals.

Just before I reached the hide I was able to use the camera for the first time when a flock of Long Tailed Tits took over a tree and a young Blackcap showed briefly in another tree.Light was poor though.

The Ted Jury hide was empty.I headed to the right hand end and settled down to have lunch.As I scanned down the tree line that borders the golf club I spotted this young (?) Hobby perched up in a tree.Pleased with these shots as my friend was a long way off and it was very gloomy there.

Whilst I waited an age for the Hobby to fly round hawking I was entertained by a young Moorhen climbing quite a way up a bush to go blackberry picking and a Great Spotted Woodpecker that showed well for a while.After well over an hour the Hobby finally took flight but instead of hawking it flew off.No dragonflies (?).

On the way back to the car park I called in to the EM hide to see if what I was told was a Blue Morph Snow Goose had woken up.It had and I was able to get some long range record shots. 

By this time I was knackered and although I was aching pretty well everywhere it had been  nice to get                                                                                    out.