CHASING A LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER AGAIN.

After finishing a few chores on Friday morning I went to Brandon Marsh again to try and get some better shots of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker than I managed to get on Wednesday.Went straight to Horsetail glade and was surprised to find no one there.Not a good sign.

To cut a long story short I made several visits to the glade during the day but never saw or heard the Woody and no one else had by the time I left just before 3.00 PM.To make up for not seeing it I've posted one I saw earlier.Much earlier in fact March 2011 at Whitacre Heath.

Giving up on the Woody I went for a walk round avoiding the hides I stuck to the paths to see what was showing.It was hard work because despite the fine warm weather there was not too much around.One of the birds at Brandon that has been showing very well lately has been Treecreepers and I got some more shots including some where they were gathering nest material.

I hadn't intended going for more Blackcap shots unless a female was showing but one bird we met was singing out for ages as it flitted around a Hawthorn tree and I couldn't resist trying for more.Very pleased with the flight shot.

Quite a few butterflies were about and I managed a flight shot of a female Orange-tip.

Just after lunch I was lucky enough to get some shots of a little known and very rare sub species of a common bird.Everyone is familiar with Jays which fly off to the next county when you get within 50m of them but very few people know about the Sociable Jay.These love to sunbathe are very happy for people to approach them and love to have their picture taken.One of them was found enjoying the sun along the path to Horsetail glade and it was very happy to allow several photographers to take it's picture.

CHASING AFTER A LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER.

Before I get onto the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker I must post a couple of shots I got of a Green Woodpecker at Marsh Lane because I struggle to get good shots of these chaps.I had been after a couple of Blackcaps in the back gate coppice and was doing very poorly when a loud cackling announced the arrival of a Green Woodpecker in a nearby tree.Unfortunately for me there was a bush in the way but I managed a couple of decent pics before it flew off.

I was told on Tuesday that a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers had been spotted 

in Horsetail Glade at Brandon Marsh so on Wednesday morning I went over there to try my luck.Headed straight there and joined several other birders but after an hour with no sign I got fed up and went for a wander round the reserve.Did manage a couple of decent Blackcap shots.

After an hour I went back to Horsetail Glade but after half an hour with only a shot of a pair of Nuthatches kissing and no sign of the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers I got fed up again and went for another walk round.

On my walk round the tip area I came across this Jay which seemed to be sunning itself and when it flew off I was very pleased to get a flight shot before it disappeared.Great looking birds.

After lunch I was back in Horsetail Glade again and joined a couple of birders who had had no luck with the Woody.After another hour with no luck and with my lower back complaining loudly ( I'd been on my feet for nearly five hours) I decided to give in and go home.Just as I was wandering off one of the birders called me over and pointed high up in one of the trees and there was one of the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers.

It stayed around for about 40 minutes often calling and drumming but always right up the top of the very tall trees.Very difficult to get any shots not only because of the light but also there always seemed to be twigs in the way.Here are a few of my shots found amongst loads of crappographs.

 Another problem was the bird was at the top of the trees that were pretty close to the path so you were looking straight up most of the time.This puts a tremendous strain on your neck and shoulders holding the camera straight up above your head trying to get some shots.

When the bird flew off I had to give up because of the pain in my back,neck and shoulders.What a wimp !!!.As I walked through the centre I must have resembled an arthritic crab as I shuffled along and parents with young children were covering their children's eyes in case they got frightened.What we do to get some shots !!!!  

A DULL DAY AT BRANDON MARSH.

On Friday morning when I saw that the weekend was going to dull and wet I thought I'd better get out there with the camera today. I decided to go to Brandon Marsh hoping that the gloomy weather would brighten up.

I was hoping to get some Willow Warbler and Blackcap shots for the first time this year but although I found both without too much trouble the weather remained gloomy all morning and I'm blowed if I could get a decent shot.These two crappographs  are all I could manage of a Willow Warbler and I got no shots at all of the Blackcaps I saw. Oh Dear ! ! 

The only good thing about  the morning was the number of Treecreepers that were around.I seemed to bump into them everywhere.These were taken in a pretty dark Horsetail Glade so I was pleased with the results.

Saw nothing from any of the hides to point the camera at so as it was showing no sign of brightening up at lunchtime I decided to head home.The trouble for me now visiting Brandon Marsh is I have to battle through the roadworks at the Tollbar island which can be formidable and go on to well into 2016.Oh Dear ! ! !

TWO FLYING VISITS TO MARSH LANE.

Although rain was falling Wednesday lunchtime I went down to Marsh Lane to see if what birder friends have told me was true  ie "At this time of year rain  may bring down any migrants that are flying through".

Well after an hour I found out that this was not true.Well it wasn't true today and all I got was wet and cold.All was not lost though because a Chiffchaff feeling sorry for me posed for pics on the causeway enabling me to get my best shots of these chaps so far this year.

Back in the car park hide sheltering from another shower a Redshank also felt sorry for me and came pretty close.

I went again to Marsh Lane again this lunchtime and although it was dry it was very gloomy probably down to this Sahara dust cloud because something was getting to the back of my throat and making me cough a lot.

Very pleased to see my first Common Tern of the year on the car park pool but couldn't get a decent shot.  

I'd been in the oak hide for about 10 minutes and a scan round had revealed nothing new when I soptted just in front of the hide at the water's edge a Jack Snipe was bobbing up and down.First one I'd seen this year close enough for some shots.

MARSH LANE AND BRANDON MARSH.

Monday lunchtime I went down to Marsh Lane to try and see the female Garganey reported that morning on the car park pool.I find most female ducks tricky to ID so I checked in a guide before I went but that was unnecessary as I met up with 3 top midland's birders in the car park (Andy,Glen and Dennis) and I joined them in the river pool.

The duck was soon located and it was fascinating listening to these guys checking it out.Needless to say I was unable to contribute to the discussion.It took a fair time but in the end it was ID as a female Teal.Here are a couple of shots of it.

Tuesday morning I met up with a couple of friends at Brandon Marsh and we soon spotted a Treecreeper along the bridge path to the Baldwin hide.I'd seen one there on my previous visit but had I learned that it's gloomy there and you need to up the ISO if you want a decent shot.Of course not. I just rattled off a few shots like a complete clown and ended up with loads of blurred images.Here's a few that weren't a disaster

As we left the Baldwin hide path we were told that the only decent bird showing from the hides was a Water Rail from the Carlton hide.

After having a cup of tea we went looking for Warblers.I wanted some Blackcap and Willow Warbler shots but drew a blank.I didn't take any more shots of the Chiffchaffs that were showing well but when I saw one having a tiff with a Wren I ended up with one of those "What could have been" shots where with a bit more skill/luck I could have ended up a very interesting shot.