TWO VISITS TO ICE STATION MARSH LANE.

Went down to Marsh Lane on both Monday and Tuesday mornings and my godfathers it was very cold.My thermals were penetrated within minutes of setting off to find some birds to point the camera at.

On Monday a lone Jack Snipe was in the marsh from the oak hide.It was very close to the hide but  it was hidden by tufts of grass so great shots not possible.Still as always nice to see. 

There were 4 Oystercatchers on site but they spent most of the time flying round the pools.

On Tuesday a Jack Snipe was showing again in the marsh but it was well hidden.A Water Rail crept out of the reeds in the marsh and shot across the open water to disappear in the reeds again.It was on view for only 5 seconds so I was very pleased to get a few shots.

Whilst waiting in the oak hide on Tuesday during a quiet period I got into a deep discussion about staying in or leaving the EU.Heavy stuff.I changed my mind at least 3 times.So it was a relief when Buffy showed up.  

I was very impressed with Buffy when whilst it was trying to get warm in the morning sun a Swan approached it attack mode and went for Buffy .Buffy was having non of it and stood it's ground and after a bit of a scuffle the Swan moved on.Well done Buffy ! !

SOME RECENT LOCAL SHOTS.

Either side of my twitch on Wednesday into deepest Gloucestershire for the cracking pair of Penduline Tits I have visited a couple of local patches and managed a few shots.

On Thursday of last week at Marsh Lane I got some shots of what I believe are the first of the year Oystercatchers. They did not stay long before flying off NW.

Last Tuesday a pair of Pintail were on the CP pool but despite waiting for ages and getting frostbite the darned things would not come close.This despite me shouting and swearing at them.

Yesterday I drove over to Shustoke Reservoir hoping that the ice would bring something close in.The trouble was when I got there there was no ice.However I did spot the long staying juvenile Great Northern Diver which was in it's usual spot near buoy 1.

When sometime later it started to move near the west end shore I headed over to that end to try for some shots.It of course didn't come too close but I did OK.

By mid morning the place was beginning to fill up with dog walkers who each seemed to bring more than one dog.On the walk back to the CP I didn't do too bad as only 2 dogs came close and growled at me with the owner looking on proudly.Pratt ! ! !

Other birds seen were a pair of Goosanders and a Common Buzzard who flew off before I could get close.

WOW ! ANOTHER LIFE TICK.

Whenever there is a rarity reported within a decent driving distance I often dither and don't go and see it straightaway.Recently another rarity was reported and again I dithered but inspired by the stunning shots taken by my good friend Pete Walkden and the fact I'd never seen one before I decided I must go and see it hoping I was not too late.

On Tuesday evening as soon as the weather man said tomorrow would be a good day I decided I would go for it.I should say go for them because at a site just south of Gloucester a pair of Penduline Tits had been favouring the reeds on a small lake.

Got up early on Wednesday and was greeted with steady rain when I opened the blinds.Thanks a bunch weather man ! ! ! Undaunted I set off at 8.15 AM and after a damp journey got to the site (only a couple of miles from J 11 on the M5) at not long after 9.30 AM.There was no one else there. Oh Dear don't tell me I'd got to find the birds myself.  

After about 30 mins I spotted one low down in the reeds but it soon shot off. Great a Life Tick! ! I then had a spot of luck Pete Walkden turned up and advised that we should stand by the streamline and the pair of Peduline Tits would eventually fly over our heads and land in the bushes the other side of the stream.After a short wait they did just this but didn't stay too long and I only got this shot.

After another 30 mins they flew in again and landed in the reeds.Very hard to get a shot as they were about 40 m away and well hidden.This is my best shots.Not good but getting better.

Again as Pete predicted after a while they flew from the reeds and back into the bushes just the other side  of the stream.This time they did not fly away straightaway.For an age they remained deep in the bushes so shots were hard but I was able to increase my already very large twig shot collection.Here are my best in the bushes shots.Getting better.

  

After a while they began to show more in the open so I was able to get some better shots.What cracking looking birds.

There were other birds on the site amongst the better ones were Chiffchaffs,Reed Buntings, Long Tailed Tits and this Grey Wagtail. 

BRAVING THE SIBERIAN WINDS.

I have been out twice with the camera since last weekend visiting Marsh Lane on Saturday and Tuesday both times in the morning.On both occasions although it was sunny there was an icy wind howling across the ponds.

On both visits there were masses of Gulls,Geese and Ducks on show but we were unable to spot anything decent to point the cameras at.Did manage a shot of one of the Common Gulls,another shot of Buffy and a shot of a Little Grebe.  

From the Freezer hide (formally known as the Oak hide) other than getting frostbite on Saturday I did not see a Jack Snipe in the marsh.I had much better luck though on Tuesday when after meeting up with four birders just leaving the Freezer hide who had not seen anything I found a Jack Snipe immediately after I took a seat.A lone birder who had remained in the hide was very impressed.

It had just emerged from the reeds about 8 metres down the marsh on the right hand side.It remained in the open till I left the hide over an hour later.

Whilst waiting for this Jack Snipe to wake up again I spotted another one much closer to the hide and very near the inlet pipe.It soon moved into the reeds and remained very close but annoyingly well hidden.This is the best I could do. 

TWITCHING IN DEEPEST WORCESTERSHIRE.

There has been a few Short Eared Owls just west of Kempsey a village some miles south of Worcester so yesterday morning armed with info where to find them from my good friend Pete Walkden I set off at 8.45 AM to try my luck at getting some shots.

Despite using the M5 to get there which is such bad shape it looks as though it has been strafed by RAF fighters on an exercise that has gone wrong I parked up by the church in Kempsey just after 9.30 AM.I then walked the few hundred metres to join up with the photographers already in place.

So how did I do with the Owls then ? Well not too well really despite a stay of over 3 hours.There were 4 about but the trouble was that they were very elusive and distant and they insisted on landing in the middle of fields and staying there out of site for ages.Also it was cold ( very cold later when the wind got up) and very muddy (this not surprising as only a few days ago the nearby river had flooded the area) and there were loads of dog walkers about.

A disastrous trip then ? No not at all. It was sunny and area was very nice with great views of the countryside There were several friends there and it's always great to catch up and it's also nice to chat to the other photographers of which there were quite a few.I did notice however that all the other photographers had bigger lenses than me and this took me back to my younger days and embarrassing times in the showers.

Also there were other birds about to point the camera at including loads of singing Skylarks.

We were also entertained by a pair of Stonechats that were flying around nearby as we waited patiently for the Owls to show.Couldn't get the male to come into range though.

Did manage my first shot for ages of a Kestrel that was hanging round the pumping station.

Right back to the Short Eared Owls.I did manage a few shots that weren't too bad but no keepers though.I didn't help myself at all because twice with my good friend Vince Garvey we decided to move to a better spot and both times an Owl flew over where we had been standing and when we finally decided to stay in one spot we never saw one.Then when they did show I managed to have the settings on the camera wrong which you can see from the shots below the exposure compensation was not set right.  

I gave up just before 1.00 PM mainly because standing up for so long was making my back ache.What a wimp ! !  On the muddy walk back to the car park the 3 dogs with a couple of dog walkers decided to "play" with me jumping up me with muddy paws.The comment "They are only being friendly" didn't go down well with me.I cannot print what my comments were.

My troubles were not over because my wellies were so muddied up by the time I got to the car I had big trouble getting them off.Only some very heavy duty swearing and metal fence post saved the day.

BUFFY THE LITTLE EGRET.

After some early morning shopping on Monday and seeing that it was sunny I thought I'd pay a quick visit to Marsh Lane.However when I arrived at 10.00 AM any brightness had gone and it was a bit gloomy but at least it was not cold.

The water was still very high on the CP pool with the islands beginning to disappear.There were masses of Gulls ,Geese and Ducks there but I could not spot anything new.I thought I'd spotted a decent bird but it turned out to be a white necked Cormorant.Also there was a Shellduck on one of the islands.

Joined Jeff Rankin in the oak hide and despite a patient scan we couldn't spot a Jack Snipe in the marsh.I'm sure they were there but very well hidden.At long last I caught up with the Little Egret named "Buffy" for obvious reasons by the Marsh Lane regulars.Very attractive bird.Here are a few shots that show it's unusual colouring.