After the Osprey again.

I went over to Upton Warren again on Monday morning hoping the Osprey would stay for a fourth day.

Got into the car park at just after 10.00AM and since I'd never seen an Osprey fishing never mind getting shots of one fishing I decided to settle myself down along the bank of the sailing lake where it seems to favour when it's hunting and for once to be patient.

I joined a few other birders along the south bank and immediately got some good news because the Osprey was sitting in a dead tree right across the other side of the lake.Not long after 11.30AM it suddenly appeared and flew around the lake.What a site !!!!

We were lucky because it stayed quite a while as it kept failing to catch a fish.When it finally did I managed a few shots not great but I was chuffed to bits to finally get some Osprey fishing pics.What a show it put on.

Chasing after an Osprey.

Early Sunday morning I raced over to Upton Warren hoping the Osprey seen there since Friday was still about.Got into the sailing club car park at 8.15AM just as it started drizzling and soon found that it not been seen on the sailing club lake that morning.

Not disheartened (well a bit really) I headed over to the flashes and as soon as I entered the new hide I saw the Osprey straight away on a post about 100m away.What a great looking bird!!!! I was well chuffed and I rattled off a few distant shots.

I then made a major error.I had waited for 90 minutes for it to do something but it would not move off the post so I thought I'd walk back to the sailing club hoping it might head back there and do some fishing.I didn't find out till a little bit later but it flew off just as I left the hide and flew to the sailing lake where it caught a Roach and flew back to it's post on the flashes.All the togs that stayed on the sailing lake bank got cracking shots of it catching the Roach.Bugger!!!!!

There were quite a few other birds around besides the Osprey.Here are a few.

Another visit to Grimley.

On Friday morning I decided to go over to Grimley again to see if the Great White Egret was still there and if so to try and get some better shots than last time.This would not be difficult because my previous shots were pretty poor because the Egret was too far away for my lens.

Got there just after 10.00AM and soon spotted the Egret.It was a little closer but still a long way off and when I walked down the path a little it flew off to land much further away in it's usual spot by the end of the second pond.

Chatting to a couple of photographers later who had tried several times to get decent shots said it was a very nervous bird and the only way to get a decent shot was to get there at dawn settle yourself down along the bank on the left and cover yourself in camouflage and be prepared to wait till it's dark.I've got no chance then as I get fed up in one spot after 10 minutes unless something is happening.This is all I got but better than last time.

Had loads of fun later when a lone Hobby turned up and zoomed around for an hour.The trouble was he was zooming in the distance and when it did come closer it always was with the sun behind it.Still great fun trying for shots.

The Marsh Lane female Garganey.

There has been a female Garganey at Marsh Lane for several days now but I'm afraid I'd missed out on seeing it and getting any shots.This is not necessarily down to it being elusive but much more likely down to me being unable to pick it out amongst all the other ducks on the ponds.It is not very distinctive.

Luckily on Thursday afternoon I was sitting next to the right chap because he found it for me.I'm sure now I've seen it I could pick it out again.

Not a bad morning at Brandon Marsh.

After doing the shopping on Tuesday morning I headed off to Brandon Marsh getting there just before 10.00AM to find  pretty decent weather.I headed straight for the Steetly hide as I knew some friends would be there trying for Kingfisher shots.

I didn't have to wait too long for one to turn up and it put on a great display for a few minutes treating us to some diving,fishing and hovering before shooting off towards the river.

I was lucky enough to see a Hobby hawking for dragonflies at the Steetly,Teal Pool and Carlton hides and what a great site it was to watch however that's where the good news ends because I struggled to get any decent shots when I should have done much better.All right it was often too far off for decent shots but when it did come close I was not quick enough to focus on it and messed up a load of shots.This is the best I could do.

A bit of a thin visit to Marsh Lane.

Went to Marsh Lane on Sunday morning and as usually happens when it's a fine day ideal for taking shots there's little decent to point the camera at.

I did get a couple of flight shots of some Gadwalls on the railway pool.

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After a long stay in the Oak hide the only bird of interest that we saw was this chap which unfortunately was right the other side of the pool.There was a lot of discussion what it was most thinking it was a Hobby but I wasn't sure as it looked too pale for me but what do I know.

There was a nice Kestrel in the Oak tree near the CP hide.

Some recent shots.

Here are a few shots I've managed in the last couple of visits out.Nothing special I'm afraid.It's still a struggle to see anything decent locally.

Went to Marsh Lane on Sunday morning and although the weather was very pleasant the only shots I managed were of a Wren and a pair of Common Snipe.

I got stitched up yet again on Monday morning by the weatherman.I'd finished all my chores and was having a cup of tea in front of the telly when the weatherman said "It would be dry and the sun would come out mid morning to give a fine day".I got my gear out and headed off to Brandon Marsh but I hadn't gone a mile when the heavens opened up and I was in a deluge.Wonderful !!!!

It was still raining when I entered the Steetly hide but luckily this didn't put off a Kingfisher that did a bit of fishing in the gloom.The KF followed me to the Teal Pool and I managed a nearly decent flight shot.

It was a struggle to find any other birds to get shots of.The only success I had was with the Green Sandpipers that have been on the Teal Pool for a few days now.

Left click on the shots for a bigger version.