Started off at the salt marshes this morning where we met up with Jim x 2 !! We were lucky enough to be there when the first Avocets arrived on reserve this year although a little distant so had to hard crop these shots...... there were four Avocets amongst the Lapwing flock but only managed to get either one or three in same pic...
There were numerous ducks and waders around although some were distant for camera lenses ...... however, the Pintail and Goosander came a bit closer .....
Mrs Pintail ......
Goosander who'd just returned from the hairdressers ....... looking very smart
On to the main reserve and an obliging Treecreeper posed for the camera ............... it is there each day by one of the feeding logs
showing that specially curved bill which can seek out insects in the crevices .......
At Grisedale hide there were 4 Great Egrets showing, some more distant than others but they kept taking off and coming back again !
Almost colliding in the air as they followed one another ...............… unfortunately the sun was straight in front of the lens ...
and what a strange shape they look sometimes as they peer downwards !............. like an arrow aiming at a target
Someone was perched distantly in one of the trees ..................... !
then she took flight ...... hard cropped but she is a beauty of a bird
Great Egret's smaller grumpy cousin was on Grisedale pools too complaining bitterly when other egrets came close to his area
but it wasn't going to take on the big brother
A lovely snipe came out into the open
Goodbye G.Egret as it headed off towards the salt marsh to join the others ...........
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Regards, Hazel
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Forgot to post my last picture of the day.
Snipe
Jim
My Pictures
My Fbook Group
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
No sign of the Avocets this morning, Redshanks, Wigeon, Bk-t-Godwits were snuggled into a tight group in readiness for storm Ciara.
Lapwings as always spook at the slightest thing but it's lovely to see them in flight mode
pity the Avocets were not with them like yesterday
Salt Marsh Robins were thankful for the waxworms and mixed seed/suet/nuts
There was a bit of territorial chasing going on and a lot of "squeaking" murmuring sounds at times
this was very quiet squeaking - not shouting as it looks here !!
probably my favourite shot today as I love the pose !
a silent sound ............. just opening the beak but saying nothing !
then on to main reserve for a quick recce before heading back down M6 to Cheshire
by the "swan" feeding log we saw a number of birds with tits, nuthatch, treecreeper, blackbird, dunnock, robins and two bank voles
I didn't take many pics as we met a very nice lady (Sarah) who was an extremely knowlegeable birder and it was fascinating listening to her birding experiences and stories; she had incredible skills for IDing and it was such a pleasure to meet her.
female Blackbird....
spot the treecreeper lol
and it seems the TC likes the suet/seed mix and not just the waxworms
Mr Blackbird
and yet more robins
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Nige Flickr
This is a good place to start Linda, Whistling Joe has done a good job setting this page up, it has even helped me on a couple of things.
Getting off Auto - Index