It was a very cold but absolutely beautiful day as Limpy and I arrived at Minsmere on Thursday. Our first port of call was the Island Mere hide and Limpy lost no time in getting out of the car and heading down the path:
He's very determined.
We'd only been at the hide for a few minutes when I saw a large bird flying across the reedbed:
Yay, my first bittern in ages! I love herons and it's always a bonus to see this particular one.
I was pleased to get some clear shots of this wing-tagged marsh harrier. He's looking good!
There were several about, all looking gloriously beautiful in the sunshine.
After heading to the Visitor Centre our next stop was South Hide. There was plenty to see here:
Two lovely dunlin.
A male teal. Love those colours and markings.
One of many lapwings in flight.
Surely this innocent great black-backed gull couldn't have spooked all those lapwings into panic?
A pair of wigeon heading out.
The three dunlin manage to avoid disturbing the shoveler. Just as well, that's quite a beak!
I don't often manage to get these in flight so I was happy with this.
This male shoveler looked a bit worried at having a long lens pointing at him. Relax, I'm not a wildfowler.
This female shoveler (and her massive beak) looked beautiful in the afternoon light.
After South Hide I headed for the beach, where I found a sunbather:
It was good to see this herring gull, though it's too early in the year for the grey streaks to have gone from its head.
This obliging turnstone was on the concrete groyne. I love turnstones.
Always nice to see a meadow pipit
The stonechats were showing very well.
OK, I got a bit carried away with the stonechats. They are just too irresistible!
This was on one of the WW2 concrete blocks near the entrance to East Hide. I thought the message was spot on.
Our final stop was at the North Hide. Cue more herons:
A beautiful little egret.
Yay! The great white egret flies in.
What a stunner.
Finishing with this crow from the car park. Hope you all enjoyed these.
Unknown said:Great photos, but no photos of robins or magpies! Were they hiding from you Clare?
Not quite, but neither were flaunting themselves at me (sadly). At least the crow was more vocal.