AN EARLY MORNING VISIT TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

As soon as I saw the sun was shining this morning I shot over to Marsh Lane getting there just before 8.00 AM.

A nice Linnet was showing well along the causeway again.

I heard the Grasshopper Warbler reeling out somewhere in the orchid field again but I could not find it. Whilst waiting for it to start reeling again a Sparrowhawk appeared from nowhere and shot across the orchid field. I managed to get onto it but the sun was right behind it and all I got was silhouettes. 

 The Grasshopper Warbler was not playing ball this time and only showed briefly a couple of times before flying off through the feeder hedge.

Thought I'd got a Greenshank from the Oak hide but when it came fully into view it was a Green Sandpiper.My first one for a fair while now.

A FEW RECENT SHOTS FROM THE LOCAL PATCH.

Here are a few shots taken at Marsh Lane on Sunday and Monday mornings.Nothing special but I was pleased with nearly getting a decent Swift shot Sunday morning.

On Monday morning after getting some decent shots of the Whinchat I watched a Little Grebe teaching it's youngsters how to eat a fish.It was hard work because while they were still in view both failed to swallow it despite trying several times.

A WHINCHAT AT MARSH LANE.

Marsh Lane has been very good for me for Whinchats having got some decent shots in recent years there.In fact all the shots of these cracking birds I've kept have all been taken at Marsh Lane.

One was spotted there last Sunday morning in the car park when I was in the Oak hide and despite racing there and searching for quite a while I was very disappointed at not finding it. 

When the weather man told me Monday that it would be a poor morning I went over to my son's new house to do some repair work for him.Bad mistake ! ! The weather was not bad at all and my friend John Hunt sent me a text mid morning" Whinchat in CP showing well".

I finally got there not long after midday.Although there were cars in the car park no one was around looking for the bird and a check on the fencing there drew a blank.Damn ! ! Missed it again.

I went into the CP hide and almost straightaway look what I spotted on the reeds just to the right of the hide. 

After a while it flew off over the hide.Quickly I went along the main path to see if it landed on the fence.Shrewd move it had.

FRIDAY MORNING DOWN THE LOCAL PATCH.

Went over to Marsh Lane pretty early on Friday morning and headed straight down to the place I saw the Grasshopper Warbler on my previous visit.

Could not hear it calling so I had a go at getting some shots of the Sand Martins chasing insects over the RW pool.I like to think that these two shots are of an adult and juvenile ?

It was very quiet on the RW pool but one of the Little Egrets was fairly close and was giving itself a good preen.

From the river hide a trio of juvenile Common Whitethroats were feeding on the blackberries.

Back along the causeway the bushes were alive with birds.I think these shots are of a juvenile Chiffchaff ? 

Annoyingly just before I left I spotted a very distant Dunlin which was asleep and when it woke up it went round the back of the island.Miserable so and so ! !

CAUGHT UP WITH GRASSHOPPER WARBLER AGAIN.

I haven't seen the Grasshopper Warbler at Marsh Lane since the Saturday before last but it had been seen by others.

My luck was in this morning when walking towards the Oak hide with Nick Barlow not long after 8.00 AM he heard it reeling over the bank to the right of the path not far past the gate.We could not see it despite a search by Nick.

I was soon left on my own and I filled in my time waiting for the Grasshopper Warbler to show with trying for shots of the Sand Martins flying around nearby.This is my best effort. 

I was later joined on the path by John Hunt and Brian Harris by which time the Grasshopper Warbler seemed to be much closer.The reeling was a lot louder.John spotted soon it high up on a rose bush just below the top of the bank.Managed my best ever shots of one.

A FEW RECENT SHOTS FROM THE LOCAL PATCH.

Been over to the local patch a couple of times recently (Friday morning and this morning) and have struggled to find anything decent which is not a surprise this time of year.

Best spot was a Black-tailed Godwit  on the CP pool on Friday which annoyingly would not come close.Even more annoying on the same day the Grasshopper Warbler showed very well on the orchid field but only after I had left. 

There were 13 Common Terns on the CP pool this morning the adults feeding up the young before heading off to Africa.