A Firecrest.

Although it hadn't been seen the day before I thought I'd press my luck and drive over to Hams Hall on Wednesday morning and try to see the Firecrest that's been there for a few days now.

Parked up by the bridge at 10.00 AM and walked down to the sewage outfall stream bridge where I met an old friend Alan.He'd been there a while and had no luck so when he left I thought I'd try my luck along the path that goes under the road bridge and along the river.

Just as I began to walk under the road bridge I had some luck when I met up with Bob Duckhouse who showed me where he had seen it a few days earlier.Quite soon we met up with another birder who put us onto the Firecrest approx. 70 m along the path in the hedgerow/trees on the left.

I then had an hour battling to get a shot of our little friend who was pinging around as they do mainly in the gloom of the hedgerow.My god it was difficult to get onto it and I now have a vast collection of out of focus twig shots.When I did managed to get onto it this happened.

Here are my best shots which although nothing to write home about I was chuffed to bits to get them of a cracking looking bird.

On the way home I had a quick look at Shustoke reservoir to check on the Great Northern Divers but as usual for me they were way out in the middle.They did show great interest in one of the buoys.

Fun and games with a Bittern.

Still very much in wimp mode with the after effects of man flu I very bravely on Saturday morning went over to Brandon Marsh with the camera very much hoping I could drag myself around.How pathetic !!!

Got there mid morning to find a bright,calm and warm day. Didn't see anything of note on the way to the Carlton hide where I joined three friends.Quite soon a Kingfisher showed up but it restricted it's activities to some distant hovering before flying off so no pics.

Shortly afterwards I spotted a Bittern in the distance as it did a short flight across the reeds before disappearing back into the reeds.A few minutes later it popped up again and flew a little closer before dropping into the reeds again.Managed a couple of shots this time which were the first for a couple of years.

Just as we were all in relax mode the Bittern popped up again and we all fought to get some shots as it flew across the front of the hide then down the south side of the hide to land 50m away in the reeds at the back of the hide.All this excitement had got me out of wimp mode.Managed a few more shots.

Headed to the cafe lunchtime and as I'd slumped back into wimp mode I was pleased to get there unaided.I perked up again when I saw the pretty waitress was on duty but today pretty was a poor description I think stunning was more appropriate.How can I shed 40+ years !!!!!

First trip out for ages.

On Thursday morning I had my first trip out with the camera for ages.There are a few reasons I hadn't been out including Christmas family duties and the rotten weather  but the main one recently was the dreaded Man Flu.Mind you at first I didn't think it was Man Flu because the speed and severity it hit me lead me initially to believe it was the Zaire strain of Ebola fever.Luckily this was not true.

So on Thursday morning still feeling grotty I forced my self out and drove over to Marsh Lane.There were loads of birds on the Car Park pool but I could find nothing decent.I had a good look at the Reed Bed pool where the Bittern has been seen recently but had no luck.

The Railway pool was also very busy with loads of Ducks,Gulls,Geese etc. but yet again I could not find anything interesting.The Marsh was very quiet with no sign of the Jack Snipe or Water Rail.My luck changed when I checked out the Oak feeders and a female Brambling appeared briefly on the barbed wire.I was very pleased to get some shots as I hadn't seen one for a couple of years now.

Feeling dead on my feet now (What a wimp) I headed back to the car park.Luckily I decided to have a last look in the Car Park hide because I bumped into John Oates.John is always nice to meet up with so you can catch up with his latest birding trip (Egypt this time).John also pointed out to me a female Peregrine perched in a tree.The trouble was it was on the flood plane so was miles away.So only a crappograph.

A little later on we spotted the male Peregrine in another tree even further away.

You now have a reasonable chance at Marsh lane of getting decent shots of Peregrines so fingers crossed.

Brueton Park.

I had not planned to go out with the camera on Sunday morning as all my local patches would be flooded and it would be a waste of time.However when I had to nip out to the local shops I decided to have a quick look at the river at Brueton Park to see if it had burst it's banks.

The main lake at Brueton Park is not known for getting any decent birds all you normally get are Mallards,BH Gulls and Canada Geese. Brueton Park is only famous because often it records more dogs racing around than you get at Crufts on a busy day.

After I had a look at the river racing under the bridge I decided to have a quick walk round the lake.When I got to the top end of the lake I was very surprised to see a lone female Goosander hiding in the gloom of the far bank.A very good bird for Brueton Park.

Anyone who knows Brueton Park would know that that end of the lake is very gloomy as it is surrounded by tall trees so to get any shots I had to wind up the ISO pretty high.This Goosander unlike her mates at Shustoke Reservoir and most other places was not shy and was soon cruising round the lake pretty close in.

Amazingly my new best friend then decided to tackle the rapids just before the top bridge.

After she got through the rapids she started to fish near the bridge and I managed some more shots.I've never got so close to a Goosander before.She didn't seem to mind about people or dogs.

After failing catch any fish it decided to clear off and flew into the distance eastwards.

A local tour.

When I found out on Friday morning that it was going to be the last day for a while when it would be "Dry and sunny" I grabbed the camera and set out on a local tour.

I headed for Shustoke Reservoir first and as I parked up I encountered my first bit of bad news.The weather was not " Dry and sunny" it was "gloomy and damp" so well done weather man you've done it again.

The second bit of bad news was that those pair of miserable Great Northern Divers yet again stayed miles away for me.I am convinced now that they have got it in for me and this was confirmed later on when one of them gave me a wing flap which is the equivalent in the GN Diver world as the finger.I'll get them though !!!

Luckily for me there were at least 15 Goosanders on the water.

However it was the Goosanders that delivered the third bit of bad news.They also spent most of the time way out from the shore well out of range of my lens and when they did venture in they spotted me as I crept towards them and headed out again.Being spotted was a big surprise for me as my camo gear and fieldcraft skills are legendary often when I'm walking round reserves people I know well will walk straight past me not knowing I'm there.Well I think they don't.

Did manage some flight shots which aren't too bad considering it was so gloomy.

I gave up not long after 11.00 AM and set off to Marsh Lane.

By the time I entered the Oak hide it was at last beginning to brighten up but the railway pool was very flooded with the water not far from the hide.With rain forecast for the next few days I can only see things getting worse and this hide may be cut off.

There was very little around with most of the islands under water but I did spot the Jack Snipe hiding away in the reeds in the flooded marsh area.The trouble was in the hour I was there it didn't move more than 10 centimetres.

I was lucky when I spotted a Tree Sparrow on the Oak feeders.First I'd seen for a couple of years.

Chasing the G.N.Divers again at Shustoke.

Two friends at Marsh Lane on Sunday morning told me that last week that they had both got one of the Great Northern Divers at Shustoke Reservoir close in by the disabled car park so on Monday morning I thought I'd better get over there and get some shots.

Got there at 10.30 AM to find a sunny morning.It took me ages to find the GND's mainly because they were miles away.Oh Dear !!!! I'd have to wait with fingers crossed hoping that they would come closer.

All was not lost because I found 3 Goosanders just beyond the jetty.They didn't pay ball either and refused to come close all morning here is the best I could get heavily cropped .

After 2 hours of waiting for the GND's to come in closer and failing badly because they stubbornly stayed in the middle.This is all I got which is much worse then the last two visits.

To prove I can get shots of these chaps here are two I took earlier.Much earlier in fact November 2008 at Draycote Water when it was a great winter birding spot.

It's obvious that my kit is not up to getting decent shots at range so I may upgrade to this set up but I will need a porter to carry it for me.

Two trips out but little to show.

Went to Brandon Marsh on Saturday morning but it turned out to be a bit of a mistake and I hardly used the camera at all as there was very little around some of the ponds having no birds on show at all.

Did manage some shots of a Kingfisher that showed very briefly from the Carlton hide which was the first one I'd seen for ages.

The only other bird I found all morning was a Song Thrush and that was it.It was a good job the pretty waitress in the cafe was on duty and looking good because otherwise it was a poor morning's birding.

Popped over to Marsh Lane early this morning.There were loads of Geese,Ducks,Gulls etc. on show but nothing of note so no pics.