Have you ever had one of those days..... part 2

Welcome back, intrepid readers, to a monster day out.  Part One Here where you will find the background, some waders, ducks, butterflies and even a sheep!

So I left Lodmore as planned, and headed just round the corner to Radipole, slightly disappointed at no Marsh Harriers, but over the moon at all the other species, and hopeful that if the Marshies weren't at one, they would be at the other.

Crossing the bridge by the visitor centre, amongst the ducks, was a Great Crested Grebe in inflatable dinghy form

And a little further out a Cormorant, either with Mumps, or he'd just snaffled breakfast

Following last weeks' success with the Migrant Hawker in flight, I was a little disappointed to only get one vaguely in focus this week lol

Overhead something caught my eye, a rarity for me, a Hobby

Then something I'd never seen before, in-flight meal

There was rumour of some Cattle Egret around by the viewing screen, so I pootled round there, and on the way there was another Darter

An intricately patterned Gadwall

I don't recall seeing "teenage" Great Crested Grebes before, but two of the little humbugs were mooching about separately

There were a number of other Common Darters about, and also a couple of Speckled Wood and on the approach to the viewing screen a swarm of Sand Martins, and in their midst I saw at least two swallows

I loitered for a short while at the screen, scanning for the Cattle Egrets with some other equally hopeful folk, but to no avail, so decided it was time to head for The Fleet, and hopefully a waderfest, the disappointing lack of Marsh Harrier alleviated completely by the Hobby Slight smile

Ten minutes down the road, and at the car park, before I even got a ticket fluttering caught my eye, just the other side of the road....

I got my ticket, and then headed towards the mudflat, avoiding the hoard of school children that were obviously on a field trip. Thankfully they were heading over Chesil shingle, not toward the mud!

At first I thought the movement I was seeing was pipits, but I think now they are Skylarks (must admit, I thought they would have migrated long ago)

And in amongst them a single Pied Waggie

I'm not sure if the Godwits stalked me, but a familiar looking pair were feeding

I was a little disappointed as I wandered the edge of the mudflats, as besides the Godwits I could see nothing but a flock of gulls. Slowly as I got nearer (and remembering my previous thoughts about how teeny tiny some of our waders are) I could see flitting movements out on the flats. I didn't want to try getting too close, so some distant shots of Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover... there were also some Turnstones, but not even vaguely in camera distance

I headed back towards the visitor centre, to try my luck the other side of the mudflats, and a flying flash of white caught my eye...Wheatear bum!

As I looked back over the mud, something had caused the gulls to rise up!

And looking back. another Skylark caught my eye

You may remember a couple of weeks ago my sisters absolute Kestrel failure whilst she had my big lens (redeemed by the Wryneck she spotted)... well this time I had no excuse, as two very obliging Kestrels hovered, and generally did Kestrel stuff, for my delectation and delight!

  

You don't realise actually how small they are until they're perched

And on that note, I decided it wasn't going to get much better than that, and headed home.

So target birds... Owls, Marsh harriers and Bearded Tits....

....Success at finding target birds = 0.....

...Quality of the day 10/10!

As I said...have you ever had one of those days!!?? Grinning

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed

Stay Safe All

  • PimperneBloke said:
    Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed
    PimperneBloke said:
    Crossing the bridge by the visitor centre,

    What wonderful captures,

    Thank you so much PB,

    Love the commentary and (view across the mud flats, for this arm chair viewer, )now unable to visit the wonderful reserves,it is welcoming to be able to enjoy glimpse ,of your journey and of their habitat.

    Look forward to your next escape CHOL:):) Enjoy and Thanks again.

  • Great 2nd set PB and despite no owls, MH's or BT's (of the moustached type !) you got some fabulous species; amazing how some birds have not migrated yet but guess any day now and hopefully the weather will remain good for their long journeys. Next week get's colder so those migratory birds may decide it's time to leave our shores any day now so I think you timed your visit well. What an obliging Kestrel and as you say they are quite small birds when seen close. Once again, lovely photos and commentary !!
  • Another fabulous et of photos, and another good day out PB, and well done seeing the adolescent GCG's.

  • Absolutely wonderful pictures - it's a pleasure to view them.
    I am familiar with"those days". My targets are similar to yours, but i get no booby prize!
    I haven't operated my shutter for weeks!

    All the best
    Tony
  • Thanks Tony :o)
    If you look close enough there's always stuff to click at... today, for example, was really misty, so it was beautiful dewy cobweb creations!
  • Hi PB,
    Another great set and commentary, love the little waders and some great shots of the Kestrel and Hobby.
    I'm not sure about Skylark migration as I've photographed them on Dunwich beach in January and February in the past, I see them at the start of a long trudge along the shingle to a reliable spot for seeing Snow Buntings.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Trevor
  • Cormorant with mumps!!!!!! Lovely pics PB especially getting the Hobby and also the Kestrel, it does look small on the wall, but remembering Wendy's Mr K the plumage is just amazing. Another shot for the wall, the Kestrel standing in the grass. Good day out to be remembered.
  • Cormorant with mumps!!!!!! Lovely pics PB especially getting the Hobby and also the Kestrel, it does look small on the wall, but remembering Wendy's Mr K the plumage is just amazing. Another shot for the wall, the Kestrel standing in the grass. Good day out to be remembered.
  • Thanks Kate :o) I'll try and remember to include habitat shots in future ventures out... 4 days staying at WWT Welney in a couple of weeks, so maybe the vastness of Cambridgeshire (I guess...not been there before!!)
    Thanks Hazel, as Trevor said a short while back, the positive comments posted make the time spent sorting resizing etc worthwhile (I took over 800 pics that day!!)
    Cheers Mike, who wouldn't love a Humbug lol
    Thanks Trevor, I read up on Skylarks and as they say, every day's a school day...one of the joys posting here is the nuggets of information you get back (ready to forget for next time you need it lol)
    Thanks Gaynor... I was chuffed seeing the Hobby, even more chuffed recognising it without looking it up, and absolutely flabbergasted with the flukey feeding shot (I should have bought a lottery ticket!! lol)
  • Another cracking set PB, a lovely day out you had, none on the hit list but others that were exciting to see.