AN EARLY VISIT TO MARSH LANE.

Last Saturday I went over to Marsh Lane very early.Well very early for me.I was in position just a little way down the path to the CP hide by 7.30 AM ready to have another go at getting some decent shots of Hirundines.

It was a cracking morning with the sun shining and very few clouds about.The trouble was  there were no Hirundines to be seen  so I thought I'd have a look in the CP hide.Scanning the islands looking for something decent I was put off by the fact that there were loads of Greylag Geese everywhere leaving little room for anything else so I quickly gave up.This turned out to be another in a long list of birding errors I've made over the years.

Back out on the path outside the hide I was pretty pleased when quite soon I managed a shot of a juvenile  Peregrine that flew across the CP pool unfortunately in the distance and away from me.It was then that Paul Johnson (who had been there since dawn) appeared and told me that the Peregrine had been on one of the islands on the CP pool eating a kill at the same time I was in the hide.Oh Dear ! ! Never spotted it.Not got a shot of one on the ground feeding.Damnation ! ! 

By this time a few Hirundines had turned up and I spent the next 90 minutes trying to get some decent flight shots.Didn't do too bad.

Didn't do as well as last time getting in flight feeding shots only getting this lone shot and that at distance.Great to watch though.

Concentrating on trying to get the flight shots I didn't notice that some Sand Martins had landed on the barbed wire fencing only 6m away.Changing the settings on the camera as quickly as possible I managed to rattle off some shots but I needn't have panicked because they hung around for quite a while and didn't seem at all phased by an ancient photographer being so close.What cracking birds they are.

TRYING TO PHOTOGRAPH HIRUNDINES AT MARSH LANE.

Earlish on Friday morning I went over to Marsh Lane with one aim and that was to try and get some flight shots of Hirundines and in particular my favourite Sand Martins.

To have a chance of getting a half decent shot you need the sun out and behind you otherwise you are wasting your time as I found out the day before when I amassed a large collection of crappographs.

The sun was out (well it was to start with) and behind me as I stood in the car park not long after 8.00 AM.Managed some pretty decent ones as they whizzed round.

I was very lucky as a few very briefly landed on the barbed wire fence near the hide.Couldn't get close though but one of them was a Sand Martin.Lovely birds.

The previous day when I was trying to get some shots I noticed something I'd never seen before and that was adult birds feeding young on the wing.So I had a go at getting some shots of this on Friday.Got some heavily cropped shots of both House Martins and Sand Martins feeding young on the wing.A first for me. 

It quite soon got gloomy and as I was about to pack in and head for home a Hobby flew by  and I managed a couple of so so shots but nice to see as they've been thin on the ground for me this year.

A VISIT TO MARSH LANE.

On Tuesday morning I went over to Marsh Lane.Yet again the weather man had got it wrong and instead of being bright it was gloomy and a strong wind was blowing.Worst of all was that it was bitterly cold.

Had a good look round but struggled to find anything of note.Did get a couple of shots of what I think is a young Linnet on the causeway.

There were quite a lot of Hirundines whizzing round the CP pool and I couldn't resist at having a go at some flight shots.What a game that is.Almost impossible.These are the best (or should that be the least bad) of what I managed.

On Monday afternoon I'd gone over to see if Red was still there because he must soon fly off to Africa.Luckily he was still there and he must be getting used to me now because he let me get some decent shots.I'll miss him when he goes.

MORE FUN AND GAMES WITH RED.

Last Sunday morning after the rain stopped I popped over again to see my very good friend Red (the Netherwood Common Redstart).I don't know if it was because it was chilly and pretty windy because I had to wait 10 minutes before Red showed.This will not do.

Over the last few weeks Red and I have been engaged in a battle with me trying to get close and getting a decent shot and Red stopping me.You've got no chance when he's in the paddock because there's no cover but Red sometimes hops over the fence and goes on the gate and fencing of the next field and if you're lucky and can remain hidden you've got a chance of a better shot.It's not easy as he spots you most times.

Had a bit more luck on Sunday when Red hopped over to the next field and managed a few better shots usually shot through vegetation that doesn't help.

A COMMON BUZZARD AIR SHOW.

Whilst waiting for Red to show last Sunday morning I was treated to an air show put on by 5 Common Buzzards.

A couple of them came pretty close and enabled me to rattle off a few shots.It was impressive stuff as they were calling out all the time to each other and great to see so many together.

A PHOTOSHOOT WITH AN OBLIGING COMMON WHITETHROAT.

Last Friday morning I popped down to Marsh Lane.I was lucky when I got there because the clouds rolled away and it became very pleasant.

The Black-tailed Godwit was still on the CP pool and from the Oak hide both a Common and a Green Sandpiper were on show together with a Little Egret but what pleased me most being interested in getting shots when a juvenile (?) Common Whitethroat showed very well in the marsh.Lovely looking bird.