A COLD MORNING AT THE LOCAL PATCH.

On Wednesday I popped over to Marsh Lane again getting there at 8.00 AM to beat the forecast rain.Unlike the previous Monday when it seemed that Spring had arrived it was bitterly cold.Where is the Global Warming everyone is telling us about.

Not at all happy walking round in the cold I also struggled all morning to find some decent birds to point the camera at.I did spot a Cetti's Warbler  along the causeway but twigs and frozen hands resulted in no shots worth keeping.  

Had a discussion in the CP hide with another birder whether 3 juvenile Gulls on the central island were Herring Gulls.I thought they were.After this I headed home for a warming brandy coffee. 

MARSH LANE IN THE SUN.

Went over to my local patch Marsh Lane this morning getting there at just after 9.00 AM to find I had the pace all to myself.There was good news straightaway it was warm there was no wind and the sun was shining.This was the first time I hadn't been cold there since last October.  

Didn't have much luck with the camera for a while.All I'd got was a shot of the numerous Reed Buntings on the reeds.

As I walked round the back gate coppice I heard a Chiffchaff singing it's heart out.I spent the next half hour trying to get some shots but it was a struggle.The bird was high up in the trees and was hopping around like crazy.I think it must of spent the Winter doing a Goldcrest hopping course.This is all I could get in over half an hour.

Back in the Oak hide I found the Med Gull that had been seen the day before.This is quite a feat as the islands are carpetted with hundreds of BH Gulls.Managed a few heavily cropped shots,

Back along the causeway whilst I was trying to get shots of a Goldcrest and failing a Chiffchaff landed in a tree right in front of me.It could have been the one I'd seen earlier because it was hopping around like crazy as well.Did much better with shots this time.Cracking birds great to see each Spring.

A FEW SHOTS FROM THIS WEEK.

The snow on Sunday bought a few Thrushes into the garden but they didn't stay long.No keepers but nice to see on a bad day.

Yesterday at Marsh Lane I got a shot of a LBB Gull eating a mole and my first shot of the year of a Chiffchaff.

Went to Marsh Lane again this morning.Got a long distant shot of one of the Linnet flock high up a tree on the crop field.

I thought Spring had arrived early on.It was sunny and quite warm and along the causeway a few birds were singing out including this Dunnock.

A bit further along the causeway I was very pleased to find 4 Bramblings (a male and 3 females) however there was as usual good and bad news.The good was that it was still bright and the birds were fairly close the bad was that there were masses of twigs in the way.Here are a few shots the good and the bad (mostly bad).

By the time I got to the Oak hide all traces of Spring had gone the clouds had swept in and a cool breeze was blowing.There was good news though I found my first Ringed Plover and Common Redshank of the year. The Redshank had 5 rings.

BRUETON PARK SOLIHULL.

Friday morning wanting a change from Marsh Lane I drove the short journey to Brueton Park in Solihull to see if anything was about.

Got there not long after 10.00 AM to find it pretty gloomy and very muddy but the good news was there were few people there which means that there were not many dogs about.Often at Brueton park there are more dogs than people.

There were surprisingly not many birds on the lake but at the far end I found a couple of Goosanders. A female adult with I think a juvenile. The good news was that they both came fairly close but the bad news was that at that end of the lake it can be very dull in the mornings.Still great to see.

Just as I was leaving the hybrid Whooper Swans turned up.These have been fooling people for many years into thinking they are Whooper Swans.There was a couple there that morning who had to be put right.Mind you many years ago when I first saw them I was confused.

A BIT OF A STRUGGLE AT THE LOCAL PATCH.

Been down to Marsh Lane a couple of times since my last post but have struggled to find anything decent to point the camera at.Also on each visit the weather was gloomy which is not good for taking shots.

A Little Grebe showed from the river hide briefly.

Had a go at some flight shots.There were 5 Shelducks on site and several Oystercatchers.

There were 4 Common Gulls on the CP pool yesterday and I tried to get all 4 in the same shot.Managed to do so once.

As I left the site by the cottages a very nice Bullfinch was feeding on the ground.

A MISTY MORNING AT THE LOCAL PATCH.

Went over to Marsh Lane Friday morning despite it being a bit misty.Got there at 9.30 AM to find the mist clearing but it was pretty gloomy.

On the CP pool there were 5 types of gull.A lone GBB Gull,several LBB Gulls ,a lone Herring Gull and a lone Common Gull among the dozens of BH Gulls. 

Despite joining up with two top birders (John H and Glen G) for the rest of the morning nothing of note was spotted.

On the way back to the car park along the causeway my luck changed and I found a Goldcrest hopping around in the bushes.Although it was still gloomy and the bird was on the wrong side of the path for the light I managed a few decent shots.

I soon lost sight of the Goldcrest but soon spotted a Sparrowhawk very high in the sky over the car park.Managed a few shots no keepers but I was pleased with the shots as it was still pretty gloomy and the bird insisted on staying at plane level.