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.

DOWN TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

Been down to Marsh Lane the local patch a couple of times since the excitement of seeing the Little Stint on Tuesday but things have been very quiet so few shots to post.

Did have a bit if success in the N Causeway hide where a Little Grebe was having some luck in catching it's breakfast.

A Water Rail also showed very briefly.It was so close that I was lucky to focus on it. 

After that despite staying for a couple of hours I did not need to use the camera again.I did have some success without knowing it for certain when I was in the oak hide for a last look before leaving I thought I saw a Little Stint very briefly in flight.It was a long way off so I dismissed it as wishful thinking but much later near lunchtime I heard that it had been seen by a couple of birders.

Here is a shot I took earlier of a Little Stint.Much earlier in fact on 18th September 2010 at Titchwell.This will have to do I'm afraid.

A GOOD MORNING AT MARSH LANE.

Having had a bad run with the camera at my local patch Marsh Lane lately it was great to do much better there this morning and this despite it being gloomy and quite misty.

Got my first Meadow Pipit shots for a few years when along the path to the RW hide Ben Dolan the ringer put me onto a flock of 30+ that settled down on the newly mown grass bank.

   

A bit earlier on I was surprised when John Hunt in the Oak hide put me on to the Little Stint that had stayed on overnight for it's second day.That was the good news the bad was that it stayed a long way off and when it did get a bit closer the reeds in front of the hide got in the way.There was a lot of swearing but great to see at the local patch.

It was good to see some of the returning ducks showing again.A pair of Wigeon cruised nearby.

STRUGGLING TO GET ANY SHOTS.

Been down to my local patch Marsh Lane 3 times last week but have struggled to find anything even a bit exciting to get shots of for this blog.I've been down there when it was very windy when it was sunny and when it was raining but had no luck at all.Nothing has worked.

The only shots I've managed were of a Water Rail and a Common Buzzard in the week and of a Little Egret (one of three) and of a Common Snipe (one of three) this morning in gloomy drizzle.