TWO MORE VISITS TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

Been down to my local patch a couple of times this week on Wednesday and yesterday mornings.On both days it was sunny and not too cold but on both days I struggled to find any great birds.

Did get some shots for the first time this Winter of Fieldfares and Redwings but no keepers.Good to see though.

On Wednesday I failed to catch up with the Brambling that others had seen.Some Long-tailed Tits felt sorry for me and posed for some pics.

This is a shot of a old fool searching in his garden for a Goldcrest that was singing but  not showing.What an idiot.

TWO VISITS TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

Popped over to Marsh Lane early on Friday morning and after the ringer left I had the place to myself which was not a surprise as it was pretty gloomy.

Saw a pair of Linnets near the CP feeders.

Still in the CP area I then had an interesting half an hour with a Greater Spotted Woodpecker.The flight shot with a bit better luck could have been a really good one. 

I spotted what I thought may be a juvenile Herring Gull on the CP pool but I'm not too good with Gulls.

Thought I'd made a mistake this lunchtime when arriving at Marsh Lane for another visit the weather that had looked like it was brightening up had gone very gloomy and the wind had got up.I was not too down for long because for the first time in a while the Tawny Owl along the streamline was showing.Managed my best shots ever of an adult Tawny Owl.

SLIM PICKINGS AT THE LOCAL PATCH.

Went down to Marsh Lane again on Wednesday morning.Got there at 9.00 AM to find no other birders there and the weather a bit gloomy.

The CP pool was as usual full of Ducks Geese and Gulls but I could find nothing interesting.Both of the hybrid Canada Geese were there on the grass to the right of the hide.

In the N causeway hide a Water Rail showed very briefly as it dashed across one of the channels. 

The only other bird that showed there was a Wren.

Since the marsh to the right of the oak hide has been worked on it has been great for birds visiting it but not today for me.Despite an hour's stay I did not see a single bird there.A Little Grebe did show well in front of the hide but that was it.

A WADER AT MARSH LANE.

Went down to Marsh Lane again this morning braving the early morning frost.It was cold but sunny and as happens when conditions are great for taking pics there was nothing new or interesting to point the camera at.

The morning was saved by my good friend John Hunt who found a Dunlin on the RW pool which showed quite well from the Oak hide.

I tried for some flight shots but didn't do that good.

We got excited when the Dunlin landed on the little island which is much closer to the hide but each time a Lapwing chased it off.

The only other bit of excitement this morning was when the Beast flew in low over the wood.First time I'd seen it for a few months now.

A COUPLE OF VISITS TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

Not been out with the camera lately mainly due to doing work on my own garden but also helping with someone else's as well.This unsurprisingly produced even more aches and pains than usual.That and some poor weather totally unacceptable to a Fairweather Birder has kept me away.

Did pop down to Marsh Lane last Monday week in rather poor weather.Did see my first Common Gull this winter though on the CP pool 

Went down there again this morning in excellent weather.Soon found out the CP pool was out of action as a party of contractors/volunteers were working on one of the islands laying down a Tern Scrape.This upset all the Geese and very large flocks were flying around most of the morning.

The newly worked on marsh to the right of the oak hide is already producing results.This morning there were at least 6 Common Snipe there and several ducks but best for me was finding a Kingfisher fishing there.At first it was right down the far end.

It did get a bit closer.

Then very briefly it came pretty close and posed for a couple of shots.

It was in the marsh area for at least half an hour catching a few fish.I had several attempts at flight shots but ended up with loads of crappographs.This shot is my best.

After that bit of excitement I finally got a glimpse of the Tawny Owl.It's well off the beaten track in a gloomy well hidden spot so seeing it is very hard and to get any shot at all is almost impossible.

STILL STRUGGLING TO GET ANY SHOTS.

I'm having a bad run with the camera lately.I have been out and about locally several times since my last blog but have had no luck at all finding even a half decent bird to point the camera at.It seems a long time since the heady days of the Greenshank and Little Stint at Marsh Lane.

Went over to my local patch Marsh Lane again this morning and although it was a very pleasant morning my poor run of form continued.The most interesting thing I came across was when I entered the oak hide and saw that the marsh to the right of the hide had had a much needed overhaul.

I had a very pleasant walk round in the morning sunshine but the only shots I managed were these.Oh Dear ! ! 

I could hear a Cetti's Warbler calling out in a nearby bush but in 10 minutes all I got was a couple of quick glimpses.A Kestrel being chased flew past me but I was far too slow and only got a couple of shots.