I left the comfort of bed early this morning to get to Minsmere early and make the most of a rare opportunity to sit in Island Mere Hide and enjoy the wildlife. Normally I am busy feeding little people and doing the nursery run before I get to work but as today was Good Friday I had the chance to sneak out the house early. I arrived on the reserve and began a leisurely stroll down to Island Mere. I was walking through the Rhododendron tunnel with a smug expression on my face as I envisaged the mayhem that was probably happening at home when two goldcrests surprised me and landed briefly on a bush in front of me. They flitted off quickly before I had a chance to raise my camera and then danced around in a tree a little way off teasing me as if to say “not so smug now are you!”
I made my way down to the hide enjoying the peace and quiet thinking the highlight of my morning maybe what I had just seen and the flask of coffee and hot cross bun I had in my bag but I was seriously mistaken! As I walked up to the hide I saw two bearded tits fly into the reedbed. I waited for them to come up the reeds for a photo but they didn’t oblige...this time.
There was a lovely atmosphere in the hide and it was fairly busy with everyone making the most of the glorious day that was unfolding. The views from the hide were simply stunning and just in front of the hide were some pretty teal, greylag geese, two mute swans and three little grebes. It wasn’t long before two bearded tits and a reed bunting flew past the hide and into the reedbed. This time all three of them obliged and came up the reeds to bask in the sunshine and have their pictures taken. The reed bunting was particularly keen on giving me his best side!
I was thrilled to see the bearded tits as I had often heard them pinging but not yet seen one. It was great to get such a good view of these lovely birds and to see both a male and a female too. I felt very spoilt. Before I had to tear myself away from the hide I spotted two marsh harriers displaying in the reedbed opposite the hide. So for me it certainly was a “Good Friday” and after seeing what else had been spotted around the reserve today and talking to the some of the visitors as they left it certainly had been a Great Friday for them too!
An early morning stretch!
The weather was certainly glorious today, though the Beardies didn't come out to see me when I was in Island Mere later that morning. The Great Crested Grebes are trying to build a nest on the end of that bit of land where you photographed the swan. Not sure how successful they'll be - the swans keep trying to sit on the weed brought in industriously by the GCGrebes - and earning a pecked bottom for their pain! I foresee a major falling out between them in the very near future :-)
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