As Old Man of Minsmere mentions in his Crake thread, Bittern hide was heaving on Sunday, queues formed outside and all in all, Mrs WJ and I decided it would hardly contribute to the relaxing day we'd hoped for, so we gave it a wide berth. No shortage of other stuff to see!
This chap was on a bit of a mission, striding across the scrape
until a suitable Little Egret posing spot was found
Stonechats were flitting about (at least, I think it's a Stonechat!)
A Greenshank and Spotted Redshank were eyeing each other up and obviously avoiding one another...
Uh oh - too close for comfort! Bit of a flurry and off flew the Greenshank
Little Grebes were fishing well in front of the Wildlife Lookout
and Mrs WJ had a Beardie land right next to her. It was probably running away from me at the other end of the boardwalk where I was laying in wait with the big lens (sigh)
Mrs WJ had more success with the cruising Hawkers
nor could she resist getting down and talking to the spiders!
Glad we didn't join the crush for the Crake :-)
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So am I! Beautiful photos from you both, especially Mrs WJ's beardie. Sorry.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Great pics - I guess avoiding the hide definitely makes you a birder rather than a twitcher ;-)
"Let loose the Kraken!"
Thanks WJ. Great photos as ever. Love the hawker and spider - well done to Mrs WJ - and the little grebe. I can confirm it is a stonechat.
Definitely a good idea to avoid the crowds in Bittern Hide - though everyone was very polite, helpful and orderly when I went in mid afternoon. I wonder how many of the twitchers bothered to stroll around and see some of our more familiar, and much more showy wildlife.
Luckily the crake was quite obliging on Sunday, so the twitchers did move on relatively quickly - unlike yesterday when it was missing from 9.30 am till about 6.15 pm. It's still there this morning too.
Great pics, WJ. The light on those waders is to die for!
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fantastic pictures - what camera & lens is the "Big Lens" if you don't mind me asking
Clare - that's ok, I don't mind being shown up by the missus!
Aiki - it was lovely light, getting on in the day and really made the birds show up well.
LeMans - a 5D3 and a 600 f/4 + 1.4x. Though they aren't necessary. For contrast, the Beardie and Hawker shots Mrs WJ took with a 40D and 300mm prime
Nice pics there Steve, especially the spotted red. :)
I paid the little crake a visit on Wednesday, but to be honest it was way too far off for any sensible photo opportunities, especially in the near darkness.
I hope its presence doesn't force the Saturday club to re-locate to another hide. Life just wouldn't be the same!..........and Malcolm would be left all on his own.
Lol! I agree, sticky buns just don't taste the same in any other hide :-)
Fabulous photos, thanks for posting them. You are obviously all 'regulars', do you have any advice for a 1st time visitor, good places to sit etc?
My favourite place to be is sitting in the Gorse (well not actually in it) down near the sluices, go to the right hand side (as you face the sea) is best looking at the stand of shrubs and brambles. O and check the 'magic pool', beach and sea, often get seals down here.........
aiki said: Great pics, WJ. The light on those waders is to die for!
It's amazing isn't it?
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
The best place to sit depends on what's about really. If you've never been before, I'd suggest you try and get there as early as possible and do the two loops. Visitor Centre, through the woods, Bittern, Island Mere, back to the road, Canopy Hide, Visitor Centre. Give yourself a decent hour in Bittern and another in Island Mere at least, but keep your ears & eyes open as you wander along. Lunch at the Centre, then do the second loop; pond, North hide, North bushes, along the North wall to the sea. Along the beach, East hide, Public hide, Sluice (all those gorse bushes Phil mentions). Back into the reserve, South hide, Wildlife Lookout (West hide) & back through the woods again.
That will give you a good flavour of what Minsmere has to offer :-)
Hi Joe, I do like to sit around the Sluices if I am there on my own, but for a first time visitor or if there is more than one of you I would recommend your route, including the lunch break! And yes check what is around on the day cause you can always change your plans, eg yesterday if I had been there I would have spent the whole day around Island Mere looking for the Penduline Tits!