tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48864053726018928922024-03-16T01:11:56.014+00:00Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife SafarisTaking you to the best wildlife sites in Lancashire and beyond.Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.comBlogger2407125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-40101101047892928832024-03-14T15:48:00.007+00:002024-03-14T15:50:13.703+00:00Southbound to the long distance marshes<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari has been</b> out n about trying to increase our tally for our Challenge, our target for March is just six new species now that the Law of Diminishing Returns has kicked in after our ridiculously fast start in January and coninuing succcess in February. Last week's pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Scaup</span></b> were a nice 'bonus bird', one that was completely off the radar so to speak, so we now only have five to get from our March 'target list'. One of those is <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Sandpiper</span></b>, they've successfully eluded us all winter so far so with an errand to run up Fleetwood way it was time for (yet) another attempt for them. We hoped that the raising tide would mean that there would be waders on the beach close to the sea wall but when we arrived...disaster! The crew building ther new sea defences had their giant Tonka toys out on the sands building giant mud pies and so not a wader, or anything else, to be seen. No <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Sandipers</span></b> here for us today so we concentrated on the golf course behind the sae wall hoping we might get some better <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylark</span></b> shots or even fluke an early <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wheatear</span></b>, the latter's median date of arrival is next weekend so one could pop up at any moment. One didn't and all the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> were either too far away or exaulting from on high up in the ether but at least there were a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits</span></b> to keep us entertained.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYs0azjFXAL9DHR-d9wbAyUlGmegChvCtY7SartAwKZ654omC70TP5d9y9ZwB4mVfRFGJNRjiGQnIR8VYMEvrknqu6Tm8Pe8XUXp-6uPbWZwyOBfZklIrMy6-V31z7aDgg2KzasAe5EeOXygSmS7ljKAsZinKRRHO1tbE1CXMA-IK3oH5Hd62SvEwO7HN/s1249/01%20Stonechat%20on%20gorse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1249" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYs0azjFXAL9DHR-d9wbAyUlGmegChvCtY7SartAwKZ654omC70TP5d9y9ZwB4mVfRFGJNRjiGQnIR8VYMEvrknqu6Tm8Pe8XUXp-6uPbWZwyOBfZklIrMy6-V31z7aDgg2KzasAe5EeOXygSmS7ljKAsZinKRRHO1tbE1CXMA-IK3oH5Hd62SvEwO7HN/w640-h518/01%20Stonechat%20on%20gorse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AFKIFd9m_yb6aT2yy-i5Wfja-G6erwt3dsW52vBSCJLvfmIc_0O4EcUofV2f5M-L5z0Hidtd5h9cBBFqxjo2zs75OC2SYBWhVLY68dNPonpTQpOR1bZ3Gee8Zl4TmIxNaoJmO-D0YCPBMghDt7CFnIW3oskvsWvW8XksrV5dwd6bj-YISECZLIyVPbTA/s1305/02%20Meadow%20pipit%20on%20jap%20rose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1305" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AFKIFd9m_yb6aT2yy-i5Wfja-G6erwt3dsW52vBSCJLvfmIc_0O4EcUofV2f5M-L5z0Hidtd5h9cBBFqxjo2zs75OC2SYBWhVLY68dNPonpTQpOR1bZ3Gee8Zl4TmIxNaoJmO-D0YCPBMghDt7CFnIW3oskvsWvW8XksrV5dwd6bj-YISECZLIyVPbTA/w640-h482/02%20Meadow%20pipit%20on%20jap%20rose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On the way back we saw that the rapidly rising tide had forced the Tonka toys to higher ground and back to their compound. With much of the beach now under water we had a quick look at the wader roost on the island in the Marine Lake. There were loads of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstones</span></b>, and many more on the bankside being fed handouts from a lovely lady armed with hundredweights of bird food. No sign of any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Sandpipers</span></b> for us...again, or should that be as usual?<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The tides are huge this week - the biggest of the year, well over 10m, so we had already arranged to meet IH down on the Dee estuary at Parkgate Marsh, famed for it's high tide birding spectacles. Picking up CR on the way we hit the motorways; M55 - heavy rain, nothing doing, M6 - still raining lots of spray, lots of traffic, nothing doing, M56 - brightening up, less traffic, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzard </span></b>off to the left, then another one oh no wait - - that's a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Kite</span></b> said CR. Excellent, our very first Chrshire <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Kite</span></b> - if only we had a dash cam it would probaly have been recorded and perhaps a usable still made for our Challenge. While driving you're very much supposed to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel unless you're a birder in which case it's one eye on the road the other scanning for anything moving either side of the road and one hand ready at the firing of a neuron to point a distant bird. We arrived bang on time and sliding into a side street in the village saw IH's car already parked there. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As we walked down towards the promenade we could see that the sea was still way way out so we'd have a bit of a wait before the action happened. We'd arranged to meet IH in the Old Baths car park and walking into there saw a familiar face, not IH at first but renowned wildlife cameraman and film maker Simon King and next to him...we had a little giggle, was IH, who has told us several times in the past he's never been keen on SK for no particular reason - he just prefers other wildlife film makers. Anyways we joined up with IH and chatted away. We asked SK's helper if he'd brought a net to whisk out any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rails</span></b> struggling to get up the wall and onto dry land when the tide came in - he shook his head and that was about the end of the conversation between him and us. We got the impression SK had him reined in as a spotter and needed to be concentrating not engaging with the riff-raff. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The tide began to rise and the birds on the outer marsh became increasing agitated, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Thousands of Pink Footed Geese</span></b>, more egrets than the Danube and Ebro deltas, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlews</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b>, a twinkling flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plovers</span></b> all in the air together, the sight and more-so the sound was fantastic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEGhT5tZN55qFnK6Evh71ev2H2fNnGf-Sb32JxrH9nJHoUeyqYnNYAsGb5owIZ-qS26T_ot7XahXrJNyyCe6VzjqVuFLhtErMzquZa_fawfLw1e5FVmPOFbxh-qcNEE-CDIHcZJdxlUzp-dbm5hNzPcn-cMLDi7ZUFiK5QJRSNh3wyGEuHVc906WN00tz/s1649/03%20Pink%20footed%20geese%20in%20flight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1649" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEGhT5tZN55qFnK6Evh71ev2H2fNnGf-Sb32JxrH9nJHoUeyqYnNYAsGb5owIZ-qS26T_ot7XahXrJNyyCe6VzjqVuFLhtErMzquZa_fawfLw1e5FVmPOFbxh-qcNEE-CDIHcZJdxlUzp-dbm5hNzPcn-cMLDi7ZUFiK5QJRSNh3wyGEuHVc906WN00tz/w640-h484/03%20Pink%20footed%20geese%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjln2SsCN1ISQpFx1lGZngqJZBZRKI1vSiw7UDQ1_QK14Uai6c5bh25K-xGFSZGWIfy6BFvc-s4qXatS5ejhGBPCJWhOwBAsisK7vkvgPMCZurOf1IeYm_9MSBJMCo5ulNDj-O9saV4LcD7dUmRq61YEWREJvkdqw3vyWzDCPqc5UowyhHfW_NUK1FpmEpn/s1327/09%20Curlew%20in%20flight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1327" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjln2SsCN1ISQpFx1lGZngqJZBZRKI1vSiw7UDQ1_QK14Uai6c5bh25K-xGFSZGWIfy6BFvc-s4qXatS5ejhGBPCJWhOwBAsisK7vkvgPMCZurOf1IeYm_9MSBJMCo5ulNDj-O9saV4LcD7dUmRq61YEWREJvkdqw3vyWzDCPqc5UowyhHfW_NUK1FpmEpn/w640-h374/09%20Curlew%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We scanned left and right but could only find a couple of distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harriers</span></b>, other than an overhead <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> hanging about where were all the raptors? We were hoping for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrines</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Merlin, Hen Harrier </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Short Eared Owl</span></b> and hopefully the latter two or even three would be close enough for some pics. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylark</span></b> song filled the air amid the pip-it calls of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits</span></b>, a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> hoped around the tall vegetation beside the car park as did a flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldfinches</span></b> and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings</span></b> flitted in and out of the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hawthorn </span></b>bush to our right never landing on the right twig for their pic to be taken. As the tide inexorably rose we heard the chew-chew-chew of a distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Greenshank</span></b> flost over the increasingly watery scene. The pool in front of us began to enlarge as the tide reached it bringing in a flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> wanting to roost on its still dry margins, where they'd come from was now well under water.<br /></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPEuB5mhObEM33DfYlGOhLzZ1OqrE81TuCvmDaG3_KFM2UPsLjCojWOCyfLjb4BG0nWS18cdy4EqyTktkB3N8i1YO815qH0u3eJAp2KxuPpFL3Tth8iy0KvTtzqVSCvpFtQi99nK3OOVsNQ9Uc4lvAXZUqLVe1c90pcTddVlNeHl1C1Zv0rRngWDhQpab/s2090/04%20Flock%20of%20Redshank.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="2090" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPEuB5mhObEM33DfYlGOhLzZ1OqrE81TuCvmDaG3_KFM2UPsLjCojWOCyfLjb4BG0nWS18cdy4EqyTktkB3N8i1YO815qH0u3eJAp2KxuPpFL3Tth8iy0KvTtzqVSCvpFtQi99nK3OOVsNQ9Uc4lvAXZUqLVe1c90pcTddVlNeHl1C1Zv0rRngWDhQpab/w640-h312/04%20Flock%20of%20Redshank.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, off to our right, we saw an unusual sight, three small boats were making their way towards us. We've not been here very often over the years but have never seen anyone out boating before. One of them passed right in front of us.<br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWk3jfqevJej8Ew_XshGThRBb8kAeG5f1Izep_sAYlKtRVmkxzYm6FC5Dt1Yt0OeXCyaChkWzdztipp5-I5SrfDdc6J2IyJQ-Z0lcjSAYRQfhc50MMl0WvzqPup06Mr5AignA5Sttqj2PDiHUQepRc6rDl2Dqj2tWeo_QDo6dKMGfHKNjpP0bp7Npiy4y/s2284/05%20Pirate%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="2284" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWk3jfqevJej8Ew_XshGThRBb8kAeG5f1Izep_sAYlKtRVmkxzYm6FC5Dt1Yt0OeXCyaChkWzdztipp5-I5SrfDdc6J2IyJQ-Z0lcjSAYRQfhc50MMl0WvzqPup06Mr5AignA5Sttqj2PDiHUQepRc6rDl2Dqj2tWeo_QDo6dKMGfHKNjpP0bp7Npiy4y/w640-h402/05%20Pirate%20boat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The tide was now racing in towards us all bubbling, gurgling and slooshing. Unseen birds began to flee, first some previously hidden <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b>, then a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> and then a second which dropped down right under our noses but hid under dense vegetation...not for long two minutes later it was washed out by the rushing water, too quick for us to even think about raising the camera. The tzide hit the wall the other side of our toes as a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> raced past on a clump of floating vegetation - they were still feeding! Our still photo doesn't give any indication of the immense speed their little raft was travelling.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmTXnZkTJsL41etnFVqkm_1aXAdAdhYfGw3HikgBqFlhH-_6QnN0Ihd8Mtz90CqtLcQoIzRbRODsCAAW_5sAOnrxL4oaVmN4IOElwTLlQqzb_Y4k1H4arMW0yH3kNnTSm-g_B63up4Y-x-QP4kQoKCtf2pbK6cXqUXqMcWG-PVwVu2ffG0ip4-cB62hHD/s1841/06%20Redshank%20feeding%20on%20floating%20vegetation%20raft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1841" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmTXnZkTJsL41etnFVqkm_1aXAdAdhYfGw3HikgBqFlhH-_6QnN0Ihd8Mtz90CqtLcQoIzRbRODsCAAW_5sAOnrxL4oaVmN4IOElwTLlQqzb_Y4k1H4arMW0yH3kNnTSm-g_B63up4Y-x-QP4kQoKCtf2pbK6cXqUXqMcWG-PVwVu2ffG0ip4-cB62hHD/w640-h334/06%20Redshank%20feeding%20on%20floating%20vegetation%20raft.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herons</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egrets</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b> and a plethora of gulls looked for the best postions in which to pounce on the swimming or drowning small mammals, of which we only saw a small vole which made it to safety.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEPE320vjOlBC7LT0guy4BvybhEvxRFGBjQwxaGsRDmmC2pQhQb2BCiwwp9fQqlnJMf_ZEgPtO_KhKc32QC_yQf1EEUV_neR9YQsTvCD0xsGJrAVptsgVIwIiPmnZwvp5USOSjDxcPKv_VnKonixvrzQFRP6RjeYB5O657TbEY8ZxGIo0zeL5OZDS0lcr/s2155/07%20Heron%20and%20gull%20in%20flight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1736" data-original-width="2155" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEPE320vjOlBC7LT0guy4BvybhEvxRFGBjQwxaGsRDmmC2pQhQb2BCiwwp9fQqlnJMf_ZEgPtO_KhKc32QC_yQf1EEUV_neR9YQsTvCD0xsGJrAVptsgVIwIiPmnZwvp5USOSjDxcPKv_VnKonixvrzQFRP6RjeYB5O657TbEY8ZxGIo0zeL5OZDS0lcr/w640-h516/07%20Heron%20and%20gull%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Remember earlier we'd asked SK's helper if he'd brought a net? Well he should have done - it was needed. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rail</span></b> did indeed appear just as predicted right below our feet and in desperate need of somewhere dry to climb out on to.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W8hePqyFy89Qp1XScpzSl-jp2WJ0PDO_1QAZZvwiEQtBCyLjVafg2K4WfQP2J11yyHvd6dHGYzCBjHLnTatUsUMZEQUkY1GOWPHqjL44JkBWMV1uuNhp5Dk4dCXh0e4ZeJXGyivqdIQUHg2iJkhhVTrhMciCmdBggsSkxwbdtXUHvSRsH4csFj6QAP9H/s1739/08%20Water%20rail%20on%20raft%20of%20vegetation.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1739" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W8hePqyFy89Qp1XScpzSl-jp2WJ0PDO_1QAZZvwiEQtBCyLjVafg2K4WfQP2J11yyHvd6dHGYzCBjHLnTatUsUMZEQUkY1GOWPHqjL44JkBWMV1uuNhp5Dk4dCXh0e4ZeJXGyivqdIQUHg2iJkhhVTrhMciCmdBggsSkxwbdtXUHvSRsH4csFj6QAP9H/w640-h420/08%20Water%20rail%20on%20raft%20of%20vegetation.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Point blank views were had by all.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jTDdjMCfhbNh_uRxyU40jrujULZPPJuQJnavUk6p69tzlJJOO_tnRlsqYO8IViMERqrOuINkuw8gN1fFzB5FaSFl1_jNt0HH8a9ZkahiRKfWwwWJ2jBjI8jI77LujoJ0-JUItupnEek1qL8dhoEWZ6xEVA73IlU93xy8SNMooWJefIeUlPnTOePn2Xzt/s1261/08%20Water%20rail%20face.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1261" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jTDdjMCfhbNh_uRxyU40jrujULZPPJuQJnavUk6p69tzlJJOO_tnRlsqYO8IViMERqrOuINkuw8gN1fFzB5FaSFl1_jNt0HH8a9ZkahiRKfWwwWJ2jBjI8jI77LujoJ0-JUItupnEek1qL8dhoEWZ6xEVA73IlU93xy8SNMooWJefIeUlPnTOePn2Xzt/w640-h400/08%20Water%20rail%20face.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The tide turned, SK and his helper left and we still hadn't seen a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hen Harrier. Short Eared Owl</span></b> or a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Merlin</span></b>, just two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harriers</span></b>, we didn't even hear the cronking of any<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Ravens</span></b> all morning. On the flotsam and jetsam floating around on the ebbing waters several pipits, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings </span></b>poked about. SK's position was taken by a friendly lady who was scanning these hoping to pick out a Water Pipit. They were a little distant and tricky hopping in and out of clumps of half submerged vegetation. She thought she'd found one but when we had a scan with IH's scope could only find <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits</span></b> and then a single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rock Pipit</span></b>, which we were able to get her on to but it wan't what she'd seen a few minutes earlier. We continued to scan, using a washed up milk bottle as a landmark, and persistance paid off, we found, or should that be re-found, the missing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Pipit</span></b>, far too distant for 'proper' photographs it looked much better in the 'flesh'. It's still a bit moulty and the dark streak along the flank above its leg is actually wind ruffled feathers, it was a lot 'cleaner' than this pic suggests. #119.<br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JlA5XRhssZw2AMK7fJxfGjZ1dblNKTcwvAwYd1GPUsJeXWu4eh3ihRCQgX4phO3cVRe1CyrrzrvImlxxTcszzUeNZgk4k3Lb-pPZtBYqFt88mQTBhnzhGMaRxbNKGXENCMDABHGC7sq-7PWRsH-uErMl92H2A9Lz0WgmKCW7jQalyb09I3SDxTu3qtey/s1331/10%20Water%20pipit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1331" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JlA5XRhssZw2AMK7fJxfGjZ1dblNKTcwvAwYd1GPUsJeXWu4eh3ihRCQgX4phO3cVRe1CyrrzrvImlxxTcszzUeNZgk4k3Lb-pPZtBYqFt88mQTBhnzhGMaRxbNKGXENCMDABHGC7sq-7PWRsH-uErMl92H2A9Lz0WgmKCW7jQalyb09I3SDxTu3qtey/w640-h376/10%20Water%20pipit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A quick lunch was eaten before IH suggested heading out of town and going a couple of miles up the coast to look for the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brent Geese</span></b> that hang around Hilbre Island. It would be good to explore this area again; we've not been since saw a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Northern Diver</span></b> on West Kirby marine lake probably in the early 90's and not been over onto Hilbre Island since the early 80's.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As soon as we got to the beach we had a scan of the sea, the tide was dropping fast here now and there was plenty of mud exposed. Over towards the main island there was a flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brent Geese</span></b> bobbing about on the water but far far far too far to even think about a photo. But scanning further to the right we found another flock, this time on the mud a good bit nearer. A slippery shoreline walk took us that way, we could see the strandline left by the tide we'd just watched well up the bank on our inland side. Where we were walking would have been waist deep only an hour or so ago. We reached two enclosed ponds, dug for <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Natterjack Toads</span></b>, which was the limit of our exploration as none of us were shod in the necessary wellies or waders to get any further. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brent Geese</span></b> were still a bit distant but at least now identifiable. #120.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaBfsgpesTY_25ygmCO-yjyL2nAy7E6-iV_0a5Uube5e5X8StaO4hrgp6WNvpu9uXil8I0XyLrNXbHKH-SDWIcEa2zfw0TD1fk_GiYYGISMHMY2DqEk6VhFCa8Jobv2Am-bEv6cFekISQiBGA1JTedRpk4kABeLuFjF-LNHD_qRhgVfAb1EpIE6q5nMOk/s1454/11%20Brent%20geese.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1454" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaBfsgpesTY_25ygmCO-yjyL2nAy7E6-iV_0a5Uube5e5X8StaO4hrgp6WNvpu9uXil8I0XyLrNXbHKH-SDWIcEa2zfw0TD1fk_GiYYGISMHMY2DqEk6VhFCa8Jobv2Am-bEv6cFekISQiBGA1JTedRpk4kABeLuFjF-LNHD_qRhgVfAb1EpIE6q5nMOk/w640-h402/11%20Brent%20geese.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The walk back gave us a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b>, the female landed extremely close to us but soon scarpered, the male was more obliging landing on the fence seperating us lowly minions from the Royal Liverpool golf course.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqycw35M-qDEog7Uuk3RbtrvYMtaD_7e2Wu9h79SH3N5JPKSP1Dtc6bqcdjATjJr1Uz9I8JSyBGMSN6pRAxK8jK7cxKQi1cqWMt1iGbymGLffAJWnIUI2z5YqmKmnsRTNRw1llby2NFpeMqLvoFwHisUWhZX4695w8fIlC-EglM0vlT5eB6yep9sgXLrhM/s1964/12%20Stonechat%20male%20close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1964" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqycw35M-qDEog7Uuk3RbtrvYMtaD_7e2Wu9h79SH3N5JPKSP1Dtc6bqcdjATjJr1Uz9I8JSyBGMSN6pRAxK8jK7cxKQi1cqWMt1iGbymGLffAJWnIUI2z5YqmKmnsRTNRw1llby2NFpeMqLvoFwHisUWhZX4695w8fIlC-EglM0vlT5eB6yep9sgXLrhM/w640-h460/12%20Stonechat%20male%20close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JbU_bZNQNXYiF-TJ2S1c2SDxeK1ibk7-ISg-wkzyc5sZb4yAXqwumFyLKuIh6UZOeXUN5at9-2tUz17v7nI_9fBlytDnxrRdf8T1EQpgmdF5dRYspARZJlTnOgpug8f-nVPIl6JqF_S0OWPX0Dx3dk6ImSqR7MqKTZ_ZEwPOPBbyI9lhRL-UZhSkClEO/s1405/12b%20Stonechat%20male%20close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1405" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JbU_bZNQNXYiF-TJ2S1c2SDxeK1ibk7-ISg-wkzyc5sZb4yAXqwumFyLKuIh6UZOeXUN5at9-2tUz17v7nI_9fBlytDnxrRdf8T1EQpgmdF5dRYspARZJlTnOgpug8f-nVPIl6JqF_S0OWPX0Dx3dk6ImSqR7MqKTZ_ZEwPOPBbyI9lhRL-UZhSkClEO/w640-h510/12b%20Stonechat%20male%20close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A wander round the giant 'infinity pool' that is West Kirby marine lake with its water level walkway followed. There was very little on the lake, according to IH there are often <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldeneys</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Breasted Mergansers</span></b> and more but perhaps today's extremely high tide had made them seek more sheltered waters. Walk round we did. A group of Turnstones was photogenic on the rocks but got flushed by young mums with prams and toddlers before we could get there. A nearby group of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot</span></b> were settled enough though.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXoNqxs9Je0N4BEAaAOk87fkQWTkjTks8Jbui0q3jD0ZMuw4_5ZyuTwb_y1y82T-KCQ08jcZarAE678kKL1glnF47LdqJ_6_v0V2fu9LBbA7vBVAnqINscNMjZydhyphenhyphencVXBDonovoC31nuY1PkScv2El6p0tdksu-_YEUUnexZrrnJyp3N20YqUCWIjYL0/s3241/079a%20Knot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="3241" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXoNqxs9Je0N4BEAaAOk87fkQWTkjTks8Jbui0q3jD0ZMuw4_5ZyuTwb_y1y82T-KCQ08jcZarAE678kKL1glnF47LdqJ_6_v0V2fu9LBbA7vBVAnqINscNMjZydhyphenhyphencVXBDonovoC31nuY1PkScv2El6p0tdksu-_YEUUnexZrrnJyp3N20YqUCWIjYL0/w640-h316/079a%20Knot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once our circumnavigation of the lake was completed it was mid-afternoon and time to head back to the car and then back to Base Camp. A rather spectacular day out!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following day we were back in Fleetwood, this time with a different plan. The tide would be more out but still coming in so we rightly or wrongly assumed the heavy machinery would be on the beach again so we attacked from the southern end of the golf course for a change. The walk out we did on the golf course side of the sea wall. Not much doing appart from singing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> and a few flitting <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits</span></b> until we got about two thirds of the way to the Observation Tower when we started to find group of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks </span></b>with the odd <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipit</span></b> thrown in feeding on the golf course fairways. It looked like there might have been a hatch of some insects that was attracting them. We tried some pics hoping for an improvement on our previous Challenge effort but they were more or less useless, probably not even as good as we already had, everything was too far away really.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIaH3Eg1MApqp7z7rtUrLwMOCJPjZkaVxAbVu1tgGC_Pw-w8tDyavUUJcmyHys8x-5auC1ZC0lRFJSwgLOvu1i40Sd81WylZNpL4dVKJKDR632DXhb3KCHQFF_WrlvvYS12bordRlcfx-Eq0cTc8YsrgMAc1iE-ZzrQZxl1NoAYnGF1ScIpOvDfQ-xLM5/s1403/13%20Skylark.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1403" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIaH3Eg1MApqp7z7rtUrLwMOCJPjZkaVxAbVu1tgGC_Pw-w8tDyavUUJcmyHys8x-5auC1ZC0lRFJSwgLOvu1i40Sd81WylZNpL4dVKJKDR632DXhb3KCHQFF_WrlvvYS12bordRlcfx-Eq0cTc8YsrgMAc1iE-ZzrQZxl1NoAYnGF1ScIpOvDfQ-xLM5/w400-h214/13%20Skylark.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Linnets </span></b>were flushed by a dog walker before we saw them just ahead of us on the track and two pairs of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> were similarly flighty for the same reason.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We reached the tower and saw the water was beginning to reach the wall back where we had come from so walked back along the prom to see if, in the absence of Tonka toys, there were any waders moving back on to the drier areas of the remaining beach...there was...one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstone</span></b> and a bit further on one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ringed Plover</span></b>. Because we'd parked the car at the bottom end of the golf course for a change it meant we had to cover the new seawall and its huge boulder protection. We've occasionally seen waders roosting here before during high tides and before long came across a small group of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstones</span></b>...and with them were...wait for it.....not one but two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Sandpipers</span></b>...yippeee...at last! Needless to say we filled our boots #121.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCU7dP4P2uHX9aK8yIHiq80AON95OSlBzKhFbIYWvnsy1az62fnoK3Ry09ALVj6omBeAx40dPmhZQpq1gKCpg8YZk8Wr2ZPovJdbrrbI84yB9mUsP6d638knS271dq9i0rLX66mRUWFs0G6MSv7LO-yuEmPhC4wHVtJZMMj9UIjc6Pprf4JRC9KPPAeRf3/s1490/14%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1490" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCU7dP4P2uHX9aK8yIHiq80AON95OSlBzKhFbIYWvnsy1az62fnoK3Ry09ALVj6omBeAx40dPmhZQpq1gKCpg8YZk8Wr2ZPovJdbrrbI84yB9mUsP6d638knS271dq9i0rLX66mRUWFs0G6MSv7LO-yuEmPhC4wHVtJZMMj9UIjc6Pprf4JRC9KPPAeRf3/w640-h366/14%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OK-6PrZIiO-SDN4s-6woOMjLALVrtodWLYMYLB4pX4yCHT3OhCMWde2kJuVp8xV9eIZBYvlv1Lrs35WACvUx33WJOhiwjN2K-_K_a0u732UEBNsKkP-o8HpVpIQKqQYyn7I9OnfFPbWMtlftGXkdw5dJuiklfUK4QuknmPAe011UC_fg_-S5H7VBU8BJ/s1623/14a%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1623" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OK-6PrZIiO-SDN4s-6woOMjLALVrtodWLYMYLB4pX4yCHT3OhCMWde2kJuVp8xV9eIZBYvlv1Lrs35WACvUx33WJOhiwjN2K-_K_a0u732UEBNsKkP-o8HpVpIQKqQYyn7I9OnfFPbWMtlftGXkdw5dJuiklfUK4QuknmPAe011UC_fg_-S5H7VBU8BJ/w640-h382/14a%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe-8eaRUwpdFfqU7ukZKhobLauIMEXGAyj4S90kUytCvTOTuwCyIyVfNPn8ABlFTnkvOBnELU34wFIgyXVL5nmyHnJxmn-kzvv3VzXfrADu22NUMDYk9iRubGHYsrK9EaGm1Mbg3Z3GsryvTEYzpWtdauNaC809LMuHkiHIIDHqG5CoQlGZV_eiea42m-/s1238/14b%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1238" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe-8eaRUwpdFfqU7ukZKhobLauIMEXGAyj4S90kUytCvTOTuwCyIyVfNPn8ABlFTnkvOBnELU34wFIgyXVL5nmyHnJxmn-kzvv3VzXfrADu22NUMDYk9iRubGHYsrK9EaGm1Mbg3Z3GsryvTEYzpWtdauNaC809LMuHkiHIIDHqG5CoQlGZV_eiea42m-/w640-h568/14b%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAOBDp1xOEe8ohMOu0Xzca8JbmfzjOgagRu0eqzXZGmI2WVwl3suonsLZ8vHi13vfT3l5m1zD7ooXoUxsSG2l3t3mTukNmGJkVTSxVkK0xsSqeaQD8kyDI2EICSmLFGb9VnLOj9WLMJUFsqaPuowkuGCT36dyWqd4pH9_bszKXFm1uukJXYo6QBKKUjdN/s1272/14c%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1272" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAOBDp1xOEe8ohMOu0Xzca8JbmfzjOgagRu0eqzXZGmI2WVwl3suonsLZ8vHi13vfT3l5m1zD7ooXoUxsSG2l3t3mTukNmGJkVTSxVkK0xsSqeaQD8kyDI2EICSmLFGb9VnLOj9WLMJUFsqaPuowkuGCT36dyWqd4pH9_bszKXFm1uukJXYo6QBKKUjdN/w640-h484/14c%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz4eCaMclLMQ_qH_joKtQCJNSUwxSLV5tBQL5Y9IFDBsofBXv-UpWCB3h3Tj7khIGf6laz1h4STL_Tc-GTdedxLtke0PL0vXbpm7f8Ut6TGcu1ui6zcsrKkUtzWYSZqc-ZHw0CHP04dW8sv6WeDGClrh3WSL25RCf6yBqQWTQkEebdEmt4Gx-ftCQxttl/s1241/14d%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1241" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz4eCaMclLMQ_qH_joKtQCJNSUwxSLV5tBQL5Y9IFDBsofBXv-UpWCB3h3Tj7khIGf6laz1h4STL_Tc-GTdedxLtke0PL0vXbpm7f8Ut6TGcu1ui6zcsrKkUtzWYSZqc-ZHw0CHP04dW8sv6WeDGClrh3WSL25RCf6yBqQWTQkEebdEmt4Gx-ftCQxttl/w640-h554/14d%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrcP972-YBxyyFF2l9rfQXQxSDVpPai_Uthu7s0xapt8ldwYgI5T2f01wHhWpife1__B2KBXc1xqW8Y-O8lLMa9T0OsiSsbfOEuxMAHGrx8brKs1aVsm_5cDoteev43p_H7uBOb5WSENZipHTB1ZA68zRJAEtZ12zoQ6NjKfRRZryD9PaKSpk4APNNN4j/s1755/14e%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1755" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrcP972-YBxyyFF2l9rfQXQxSDVpPai_Uthu7s0xapt8ldwYgI5T2f01wHhWpife1__B2KBXc1xqW8Y-O8lLMa9T0OsiSsbfOEuxMAHGrx8brKs1aVsm_5cDoteev43p_H7uBOb5WSENZipHTB1ZA68zRJAEtZ12zoQ6NjKfRRZryD9PaKSpk4APNNN4j/w640-h390/14e%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVlGxzMk8AB_G0SKaejs3VUs-rME6aA05jOL6xgi6LmRBx3aAYXKR44s3-9x0kK1fqwjcERz9-Tc29oTRyEngknUzs_UjYRK53vhmU6k02kezC66teyuofoNgWzXfX9m6hD6XJ3CoCb6HOIX2CowgTxIVKMZzwdolbeBJGIiZbchoP_R2vG3Dx48FhkUu/s1463/14f%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1463" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVlGxzMk8AB_G0SKaejs3VUs-rME6aA05jOL6xgi6LmRBx3aAYXKR44s3-9x0kK1fqwjcERz9-Tc29oTRyEngknUzs_UjYRK53vhmU6k02kezC66teyuofoNgWzXfX9m6hD6XJ3CoCb6HOIX2CowgTxIVKMZzwdolbeBJGIiZbchoP_R2vG3Dx48FhkUu/w640-h408/14f%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOiXWHlFEajIXhpOp55gMSOUm1ysyymR8fowgYgfakFfI_gHIgpMhjpuyY_P_TC8HNa8jYgGpvv9vUxHt79BYCzrhvKVogN8_UEWTZTGxVFnWzssn-pixBYedF0SYiQzqoURMDIpcVfVkP1YXIYUu9PI-BFFyb5x2fe9ReGn8wP8ueJH7dcy1dBKyxWH6/s1702/14fg%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="1702" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOiXWHlFEajIXhpOp55gMSOUm1ysyymR8fowgYgfakFfI_gHIgpMhjpuyY_P_TC8HNa8jYgGpvv9vUxHt79BYCzrhvKVogN8_UEWTZTGxVFnWzssn-pixBYedF0SYiQzqoURMDIpcVfVkP1YXIYUu9PI-BFFyb5x2fe9ReGn8wP8ueJH7dcy1dBKyxWH6/w640-h522/14fg%20Purple%20sandpiper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Shame the light was so iffy but hey ho you can't have it all your own way all the time.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Local safaris for the foreseeeable mostly in search of the newly arrived Wheatear.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's turned up in the nick of time in your outback.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-33333341118873785282024-03-11T16:33:00.005+00:002024-03-11T16:34:05.843+00:00Away from Base Camp and getting all twitchy<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari had a</b> weekend away with Wifey and t'mutt in the Yorkshire Dales. Snow was forecast and the Yorkshire Dales are renowned for being snowy. And if you're going to get snowed in while on a mini-break is there anywhere better to be staying than a 17th century pub?<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQEsrZvgu1cGlzBVR1Wt6jbk7JB8s90Tyq0btJ2s1WQuuyc53x5YwFQhRE8F_tMsgR65jnxiprjT6gVjm1D1Vjvs_nuOjbhflTtDi1qjuUgC-FUuzT_BBQn19t-JdSGfx9yce7YlrtQeP5YZRWdhtMXU151kuMUtLYvmbWgyXm_W5mHyU7k0PKuKnyyMy/s1473/Wheatsheaf%20pub.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1473" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQEsrZvgu1cGlzBVR1Wt6jbk7JB8s90Tyq0btJ2s1WQuuyc53x5YwFQhRE8F_tMsgR65jnxiprjT6gVjm1D1Vjvs_nuOjbhflTtDi1qjuUgC-FUuzT_BBQn19t-JdSGfx9yce7YlrtQeP5YZRWdhtMXU151kuMUtLYvmbWgyXm_W5mHyU7k0PKuKnyyMy/w640-h522/Wheatsheaf%20pub.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Especially one that's esteemed in literary circles and has really good beer.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaK9eZV1zJJ6zQcoUUwl2fpgCBHsLI8ySgcuRpnRIrDqOMxGaTWWWeW3Ztf2uadNgB9m3h797j_Gk105JXqVK8Vh5KO_kVPJZzj20yVTBfyIJWJxpmlGXCpJYoJ1txSd_7e79BDPH7V3ef_xmExOPWneoJyoXlZSNUjRTB7k_rCyu-PH2ypvgZyzk7ePM/s1261/Wheatsheaf%20James%20Herriot%20plaque.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1261" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaK9eZV1zJJ6zQcoUUwl2fpgCBHsLI8ySgcuRpnRIrDqOMxGaTWWWeW3Ztf2uadNgB9m3h797j_Gk105JXqVK8Vh5KO_kVPJZzj20yVTBfyIJWJxpmlGXCpJYoJ1txSd_7e79BDPH7V3ef_xmExOPWneoJyoXlZSNUjRTB7k_rCyu-PH2ypvgZyzk7ePM/w640-h434/Wheatsheaf%20James%20Herriot%20plaque.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were there for some family time but there was the potential for a perhaps a couple of additions to the Challenge tally. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The hoped for snow never materialised at valley level so our picture postcard village pics weren't going to happen. There was a bit of mist though.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcj1W8Z5O5-wCj0-u_J6sXRhCoh0F1fC0qSxIrUkJnkRVpHMb4DvGweVaUo6vbUHTnIPCaE7bkWzrdFOvu0XVkt5Jzn1YG1h0JRjcASh86PrJDdI0UK3R4iQTIIqezUjmle3yxifKliezVA9aXhCt2bnN6A2tXwGfEZmPcAiqOzIBAexzxMAjj5JpSQJ7/s1980/Misty%20Carperby%20village%20green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcj1W8Z5O5-wCj0-u_J6sXRhCoh0F1fC0qSxIrUkJnkRVpHMb4DvGweVaUo6vbUHTnIPCaE7bkWzrdFOvu0XVkt5Jzn1YG1h0JRjcASh86PrJDdI0UK3R4iQTIIqezUjmle3yxifKliezVA9aXhCt2bnN6A2tXwGfEZmPcAiqOzIBAexzxMAjj5JpSQJ7/w640-h426/Misty%20Carperby%20village%20green.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjHV9xyvP4EoNkh4wrfKv6Tk_qPRTspN9c_ngNN4csmWI0-eJv-C_PJs3ZV9wZTkrC7NNWMxIdFMml8g0TWW97sgKzXo-RD-sVXnObB_VBQteMHMCzM8oabTRAJ_F7493fnuXZoHuwIm8QLM_kNUHRJMaUN7BJStNoCuU7JyNiqZEEqRuhNTzUXe3adgB/s1550/Carperby%20farm%20track%20mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1550" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjHV9xyvP4EoNkh4wrfKv6Tk_qPRTspN9c_ngNN4csmWI0-eJv-C_PJs3ZV9wZTkrC7NNWMxIdFMml8g0TWW97sgKzXo-RD-sVXnObB_VBQteMHMCzM8oabTRAJ_F7493fnuXZoHuwIm8QLM_kNUHRJMaUN7BJStNoCuU7JyNiqZEEqRuhNTzUXe3adgB/w640-h492/Carperby%20farm%20track%20mist.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The plan was to have a scrumlicious breakfast then head out for a wander around the nearby Aysgarth Falls. It was here we hoped to see (and phtograph) a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Wagtail</span></b> with a very outside chance of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Green Woodpecker</span></b>, we've seen one here before feeding on anthills a few years ago. The birds had other ideas; the village was full of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">House Sparrows, Blackbirds</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Collared Doves</span></b> but the woods along the river were full of nowt!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With plenty of water in the river the falls put on a thunderous show. Walking downstream from the car park there are two sets of falls, first the 'Middle Falls'.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHs1zb9AMH3Rxl0_HS0SZXW93IGfQlkiPuSGxEcBA2XYKtT_DXVAN67daZmDPRweQ0LjEpzkuJSxwdk-xXITlOLW6NyCueIzwjHgxPpD9LWelJY7d7Vn7kXZktsh3C48D5hfSKcDe3Yb7WSPDKxp1luWqb9KHa1WzL-8qRCAB_ECK6it6rlORszcrCK_i/s2160/Aysgarth%20Middle%20Falls%20400th%20sec%20wide%20view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2160" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHs1zb9AMH3Rxl0_HS0SZXW93IGfQlkiPuSGxEcBA2XYKtT_DXVAN67daZmDPRweQ0LjEpzkuJSxwdk-xXITlOLW6NyCueIzwjHgxPpD9LWelJY7d7Vn7kXZktsh3C48D5hfSKcDe3Yb7WSPDKxp1luWqb9KHa1WzL-8qRCAB_ECK6it6rlORszcrCK_i/w640-h426/Aysgarth%20Middle%20Falls%20400th%20sec%20wide%20view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGGe6eyvvlxyauGrIxAGFlFvx4Fgkp_tT6_9mtNwa6mjLHpawxJa0lrTPAlzWCbR7YPi3khvxsFIJh3tdPLsERCXmlnufeIJus-DDZi3hFTXBj7wqTk3JXOfrvCTPlA-CyPAsMNrvMR1OJR53dNQO6XDcRuyk1zmFiR_hqgXTH5vRJOwH3Dq2WaIf8wPm/s1899/Aysgarth%20Middle%20Falls%200.25%20sec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1899" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGGe6eyvvlxyauGrIxAGFlFvx4Fgkp_tT6_9mtNwa6mjLHpawxJa0lrTPAlzWCbR7YPi3khvxsFIJh3tdPLsERCXmlnufeIJus-DDZi3hFTXBj7wqTk3JXOfrvCTPlA-CyPAsMNrvMR1OJR53dNQO6XDcRuyk1zmFiR_hqgXTH5vRJOwH3Dq2WaIf8wPm/w640-h436/Aysgarth%20Middle%20Falls%200.25%20sec.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then a couple of hundred yards further on the 'Lower Falls'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAAR4G29Pajsj2P97QHZJZWHjOlZibnj7cNlOuAOHZtycvw4gNCYQ-a5xK1pVgSaOekTuZuNmPAFnsOtW0RwUrYrXucd9wUpyZ0jyMT4b-0U5abXHcOCeYVSTOZU2J0dWBxhtU5Z2s6CNXppukk8W8QdazgjCyU-GzV6SGSTJtzETyktbyuPebTWzgPzT/s2160/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%20400th%20sec%20wide%20view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="2160" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAAR4G29Pajsj2P97QHZJZWHjOlZibnj7cNlOuAOHZtycvw4gNCYQ-a5xK1pVgSaOekTuZuNmPAFnsOtW0RwUrYrXucd9wUpyZ0jyMT4b-0U5abXHcOCeYVSTOZU2J0dWBxhtU5Z2s6CNXppukk8W8QdazgjCyU-GzV6SGSTJtzETyktbyuPebTWzgPzT/w640-h388/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%20400th%20sec%20wide%20view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AQtA99FEekZYcOsRZnGPPxcf0KtCE-UT9Dk79tFH3EmrxmOJ47JsIcrkMKfLIjfKLAnMooNS6x571ZcW5lJ4su09uE3snBy7LZZMud6Eyb0KzPTv1AtPxWcLTgKSedtcGo4YCFW41cx5gi-dCzaYx7MneutsQpQEO-TSNG_LsbYGFFi_vt0_Yo6SjCMy/s1909/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%200.6%20sec%20wide%20view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1909" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AQtA99FEekZYcOsRZnGPPxcf0KtCE-UT9Dk79tFH3EmrxmOJ47JsIcrkMKfLIjfKLAnMooNS6x571ZcW5lJ4su09uE3snBy7LZZMud6Eyb0KzPTv1AtPxWcLTgKSedtcGo4YCFW41cx5gi-dCzaYx7MneutsQpQEO-TSNG_LsbYGFFi_vt0_Yo6SjCMy/w640-h422/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%200.6%20sec%20wide%20view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A close up view - <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3R3UPhfZFTrruU3dc5CmYcOvFpV2XzeWqmitp8_uyxMhgQ9RJbPaJnppO7TIiGK_2ndCEtcsH6s38XHrWJ1hbrljeuWObEPAX-PzKRBfdvTKC3xhSFNAKa3yjnMAcZKpNqpWZgh5uxcXc1pM-ZKEuOTn1Mea3mFVEm-sqTsPYwJA_7mzeLRngtqEmpRu/s1874/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%20sequence%20500th%20sec%20close%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1874" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3R3UPhfZFTrruU3dc5CmYcOvFpV2XzeWqmitp8_uyxMhgQ9RJbPaJnppO7TIiGK_2ndCEtcsH6s38XHrWJ1hbrljeuWObEPAX-PzKRBfdvTKC3xhSFNAKa3yjnMAcZKpNqpWZgh5uxcXc1pM-ZKEuOTn1Mea3mFVEm-sqTsPYwJA_7mzeLRngtqEmpRu/w640-h422/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%20sequence%20500th%20sec%20close%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhbhZNcr7EoTHF47mWyAGnh-z70TjtplcJ2wCBj01A4KXqchB1cJDhcvgF_DM337J0Rxry4WvnJX-Z3U9T3OcsVY-8DjmLj04ska_eGoxbu8LL74iflnb13aRn3SNRUQ7YX6IPr-Z83NpgFnQUQhfsdS2KuMmC2rgf2JchV-rA2sbUq8OCwKhecLGL6sQ/s1875/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%20sequence%200.2%20sec%20close%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="1875" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhbhZNcr7EoTHF47mWyAGnh-z70TjtplcJ2wCBj01A4KXqchB1cJDhcvgF_DM337J0Rxry4WvnJX-Z3U9T3OcsVY-8DjmLj04ska_eGoxbu8LL74iflnb13aRn3SNRUQ7YX6IPr-Z83NpgFnQUQhfsdS2KuMmC2rgf2JchV-rA2sbUq8OCwKhecLGL6sQ/w640-h422/Aysgarth%20Lower%20Falls%20sequence%200.2%20sec%20close%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>To get to the 'Upper Falls' it's back to the car park and a short walk beyond.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4RUXerM9LOOFkwyLkj74_3YYgpc-hyQRdwusRtfCCfuOEUQ57Ctu-fd70jV0iOr_llDidaaeB_OqDWBh_A_hICCQJCX68E1kGsIitYuFdzlXfzzW940Qu4-ULsN_qOFOA1WFsdOQGj8BW9I2fz1L3NyXVKcNpgiQBxXiHAr-xN-a6X6fmceCzcd27r9f/s1980/Aysgarth%20Upper%20Falls%20500th%20sec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1980" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4RUXerM9LOOFkwyLkj74_3YYgpc-hyQRdwusRtfCCfuOEUQ57Ctu-fd70jV0iOr_llDidaaeB_OqDWBh_A_hICCQJCX68E1kGsIitYuFdzlXfzzW940Qu4-ULsN_qOFOA1WFsdOQGj8BW9I2fz1L3NyXVKcNpgiQBxXiHAr-xN-a6X6fmceCzcd27r9f/w640-h388/Aysgarth%20Upper%20Falls%20500th%20sec.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDOKmc-ghOW132A-vl8s0pNdAmWl7wSIMO5Lnd2E7IAIfh38ep27KF_FzlWYbRjI7G8-uA-ld43wXG1L4gcjTqi2_lvtst_kGDgwbmt2UCK_yG3BM6cYYZ1W7AHxhnvD_oLwT_ZNvd37hylUFfhd8SCaD9Zrp3aN1SL3Qw-KTOGQ3FlUe22CKRXJQQpam/s1980/Aysgarth%20Upper%20Falls%200.3%20sec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDOKmc-ghOW132A-vl8s0pNdAmWl7wSIMO5Lnd2E7IAIfh38ep27KF_FzlWYbRjI7G8-uA-ld43wXG1L4gcjTqi2_lvtst_kGDgwbmt2UCK_yG3BM6cYYZ1W7AHxhnvD_oLwT_ZNvd37hylUFfhd8SCaD9Zrp3aN1SL3Qw-KTOGQ3FlUe22CKRXJQQpam/w640-h426/Aysgarth%20Upper%20Falls%200.3%20sec.jpg" width="640" /></a>As you can see we've try to go a bit arty - which do you prefer the fast or slow shutter speed?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We just got back to our digs in time before the rain came down heavy. We couldn't see it but it was snowing quite heavily on the fell tops. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Sat indoors chilling out watching the telly in the vafternoon was when news broke of a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Scaup</span></b> just two miles from Base Camp - and were were now 60 miles away - how horrendously unfortunate! But would they stick until tomorrow??? We'd be back by mid-afternoon.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In the evening the rain cleared and we managed a short wander round the village - if you can wander 'round' a linear village, down to the village green with it's 17th C Market Cross dated 1674 and 19th C chapel, denoted by the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Yew</span></b> trees at the gate, and tiny schoolhouse next door. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq-Ma25a4lEx5dHGc0GEnkQQVthpv730DEGX8H97ahE8N0lZTxyeRHmCBjOp0Ye7M4dpaXtTnOykW2b_p9sRcUz3I44Fj4R4oHX2ekvzIPjCzPJnG8j08IdZSeKf6B3XLsGTPcB-PQxclR3AbRd54CS-5rZSRsoexImYDSS56uuUAW20u8RfaoK-viCAr/s1624/Carperby%20cros%20and%20green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1624" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq-Ma25a4lEx5dHGc0GEnkQQVthpv730DEGX8H97ahE8N0lZTxyeRHmCBjOp0Ye7M4dpaXtTnOykW2b_p9sRcUz3I44Fj4R4oHX2ekvzIPjCzPJnG8j08IdZSeKf6B3XLsGTPcB-PQxclR3AbRd54CS-5rZSRsoexImYDSS56uuUAW20u8RfaoK-viCAr/w640-h470/Carperby%20cros%20and%20green.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was a small <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Starling</span></b> murmuration of no more than a 100 birds too, possibly going to roost in the dense branches of those <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Yew</span></b> trees.<br />The following morning the mist had cleared on our pre-breakfast dog walk giiving views of the fells and their smattering of snow, not much to write home about really.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDiSa-gSTJMWn-M1TAFeA5tnxBVvQbpdUPmB27PfBnQGMssaUl3eTFn7Mquhu7ewRovGlPRr7mqStRfwH71nXDpk1GlMigPV0isz75BmTx0LSvqpFbMJtPdrUb5SMXYb2hNLZehMn-VNCOnyOwySLHCoAdz_ARmmPH2YriuTTSLkl3p2ZWldrMXY78psV/s1403/Carperby%20farm%20track%20distant%20snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDiSa-gSTJMWn-M1TAFeA5tnxBVvQbpdUPmB27PfBnQGMssaUl3eTFn7Mquhu7ewRovGlPRr7mqStRfwH71nXDpk1GlMigPV0isz75BmTx0LSvqpFbMJtPdrUb5SMXYb2hNLZehMn-VNCOnyOwySLHCoAdz_ARmmPH2YriuTTSLkl3p2ZWldrMXY78psV/w548-h640/Carperby%20farm%20track%20distant%20snow.jpg" width="548" /></a></div>The drive back to Base Camp was very picturesque with some sunshine and more snow <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z60rDLihYSpVhUdS7_mq-ytZapdcHJbtcfOAJ0Q_uQWYdKTUS2ddx_-mqONBbqwj_ijP-wxZ4bulIfxxXFQPdliMIebqEg5_1xAn3yCFzQ0VWGfX7U-aQwM_TYDsA1W9U4pwpjb4edtzzxCTBH9UpHreaV_kTWwjdIJWFUNWmQY2OEs8Thk4C2GlZG3e/s1980/Yorkshire%20snowy%20hillside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z60rDLihYSpVhUdS7_mq-ytZapdcHJbtcfOAJ0Q_uQWYdKTUS2ddx_-mqONBbqwj_ijP-wxZ4bulIfxxXFQPdliMIebqEg5_1xAn3yCFzQ0VWGfX7U-aQwM_TYDsA1W9U4pwpjb4edtzzxCTBH9UpHreaV_kTWwjdIJWFUNWmQY2OEs8Thk4C2GlZG3e/w640-h426/Yorkshire%20snowy%20hillside.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeTgRj8W7v8gLnWTzORh_7heS6udK26sd7PiRGkXEHufKnYc7BRloRvwq1MHgcSCznOoTUL_HBbUnV8lH0vXTPBSWkZpljlHFpywhp9lfcY2bMmVt9HYQ77BCnwKahNFxw8B5njhIEUP92saB6uNiUPggLMKe9-JPxDO8aK9jdffMk7ag_BR50zL3cbPA/s5762/Yorkshire%20barn%20with%20snowy%20hillside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5762" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeTgRj8W7v8gLnWTzORh_7heS6udK26sd7PiRGkXEHufKnYc7BRloRvwq1MHgcSCznOoTUL_HBbUnV8lH0vXTPBSWkZpljlHFpywhp9lfcY2bMmVt9HYQ77BCnwKahNFxw8B5njhIEUP92saB6uNiUPggLMKe9-JPxDO8aK9jdffMk7ag_BR50zL3cbPA/w640-h406/Yorkshire%20barn%20with%20snowy%20hillside.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Ingleborough hill was looking particularly splendid with mist drooling over the saddle.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkn7Q6AoJaMb7at1o7ZhvdymobMPR5pc7-EW9zeeEUsyYqFaM1sQ4S76ExhNksdqvrOms8EKNx-elP1WcS5yhClHYmBv5oZzvYPj1GD6leaiCAVyeeCkTKCuge6Z6hed5BGHNEw3vM2w2cb_eVMd30cFVkAWxwj3H6CzPTioMpQFZgoEmx6RZ_DdsqH_p/s1980/Ingleborough%20Hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkn7Q6AoJaMb7at1o7ZhvdymobMPR5pc7-EW9zeeEUsyYqFaM1sQ4S76ExhNksdqvrOms8EKNx-elP1WcS5yhClHYmBv5oZzvYPj1GD6leaiCAVyeeCkTKCuge6Z6hed5BGHNEw3vM2w2cb_eVMd30cFVkAWxwj3H6CzPTioMpQFZgoEmx6RZ_DdsqH_p/w640-h426/Ingleborough%20Hill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Ribblehead viaduct never fails to impress especially under sa bright blue sky - no trains today though.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-RY2InGAzfSYqbh_aPf_OH9KB2XVuEe_Erzwm4RVbDFW_gf-RlQKKwHzqJophZevAqsDiAWzQ7im_OiicXqB9PF_nE3KKEOU-HtIDUfijIfdRy8ClyA0SOOC8uCI_pDJPXTGIaeaNndsyHHrQaQbCpyufjH9H7-y8mJ9PIj4A2gJ2CxpHvLFT318HJec/s2093/Ribblehead%20viaduct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="2093" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-RY2InGAzfSYqbh_aPf_OH9KB2XVuEe_Erzwm4RVbDFW_gf-RlQKKwHzqJophZevAqsDiAWzQ7im_OiicXqB9PF_nE3KKEOU-HtIDUfijIfdRy8ClyA0SOOC8uCI_pDJPXTGIaeaNndsyHHrQaQbCpyufjH9H7-y8mJ9PIj4A2gJ2CxpHvLFT318HJec/w640-h326/Ribblehead%20viaduct.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A lovely weekend away and we even spotted a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Brown Hare </span></b>on the drive home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Back at Base Camp we saw there had been no further local news of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Scaup</span></b> - they'd gone...but to where?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In fact they hadn't gone far, they'd pitched up at Leighton Moss but again would they stick until we could get there, fingers, toes, buttocks were all well and truly crossed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We picked up CR on Friday morning and headed north to meet IH at Lillian's Hide Leighton Moss with the intention of sprinting, aka slightly brisker walk than our normal dawdle, to Lower Hide. The plan paid off.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFBW_xxDFPGWlzSGJ4e8q3nINchZIKfAfxxJ8X9X6hYTS6xLJYRv7iYrwsUzV81cTPkDdhKQHVQDyg7Lhv_i6NlMIVqDEysDldJA6i9QXpDtXBUdvGWAFn1gV4qcao5ZtsDGFlVV_40kv0jx82qvUe6ua_i6kVMtAKdF0AxwzO96EuTysTW4qnmagANeQ/s1397/01%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1397" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFBW_xxDFPGWlzSGJ4e8q3nINchZIKfAfxxJ8X9X6hYTS6xLJYRv7iYrwsUzV81cTPkDdhKQHVQDyg7Lhv_i6NlMIVqDEysDldJA6i9QXpDtXBUdvGWAFn1gV4qcao5ZtsDGFlVV_40kv0jx82qvUe6ua_i6kVMtAKdF0AxwzO96EuTysTW4qnmagANeQ/w640-h392/01%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It only took a matter of seconds to locate the male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Scaup</span></b> in amongst a small flock of, mainly, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tufted Ducks</span></b>. #118. Job done - we could go home now but cjose to hang around to see what else was about - it'd be rude not too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CnE3SPuqpNs5_E6ySOL_CN2cZAGCg6NWhcvbugwXNO95ZHTpYD59e85JZoA7nC1ZNCr0aNWBwDGnEMtXHu-9aHJCUmVT2-QgCcdxPtt_2QVEpX6WjAfMnIlKqWJgVv0Tq5kKL_CciuPxLl2vWPNevQ3RTe6AJEDR-xz5xF6-DLr2aHNOJEwxUyFRKSZX/s1418/03k%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1418" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CnE3SPuqpNs5_E6ySOL_CN2cZAGCg6NWhcvbugwXNO95ZHTpYD59e85JZoA7nC1ZNCr0aNWBwDGnEMtXHu-9aHJCUmVT2-QgCcdxPtt_2QVEpX6WjAfMnIlKqWJgVv0Tq5kKL_CciuPxLl2vWPNevQ3RTe6AJEDR-xz5xF6-DLr2aHNOJEwxUyFRKSZX/w640-h424/03k%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmwN1X8WEm2Ebc2p4lhQY_ZGKsUfwFrr1DITT7aROQ42vMdC096LXwH8nJjLM232hcqQfnsPKpydTJE8Jnx4CSDIRbGP5_HsEzaXayp4Sf_ougSwTxtTrOSbHfv0V6McYTIw_hSDsPy0w7Yxm3tyLi8-qhUNWyIbt9oNmfcZGPAL2a-VqdS08nCyXOlSq/s1876/03oa%20Lesser%20scaup%20good%20pair%20shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1876" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmwN1X8WEm2Ebc2p4lhQY_ZGKsUfwFrr1DITT7aROQ42vMdC096LXwH8nJjLM232hcqQfnsPKpydTJE8Jnx4CSDIRbGP5_HsEzaXayp4Sf_ougSwTxtTrOSbHfv0V6McYTIw_hSDsPy0w7Yxm3tyLi8-qhUNWyIbt9oNmfcZGPAL2a-VqdS08nCyXOlSq/w640-h312/03oa%20Lesser%20scaup%20good%20pair%20shot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwF8Ei1EFd1m1XiZQJUNdWXd09a-YbUwGVfHip0OaaJ7ZjY-ihmLM8yJy9p2KRXzRkeIYp7XE_Sp7kdJ-nRuJOTsSBfEnVxGJBHHIn01ImUtzLCo4hUqIBw-UHUsRiGx6tftnhkg6IN5iOLH_PapElyWp5pLtixtglGrnh6xA6nxjXxKstx8vkR6znksZ_/s1126/03n%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1126" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwF8Ei1EFd1m1XiZQJUNdWXd09a-YbUwGVfHip0OaaJ7ZjY-ihmLM8yJy9p2KRXzRkeIYp7XE_Sp7kdJ-nRuJOTsSBfEnVxGJBHHIn01ImUtzLCo4hUqIBw-UHUsRiGx6tftnhkg6IN5iOLH_PapElyWp5pLtixtglGrnh6xA6nxjXxKstx8vkR6znksZ_/w640-h438/03n%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6y_SxxeO7q_mwZTqQiZ9iaXUo3DhyFwTQXcOezIy7JcN49T1GTaOPE0Zp5jjqvsD3OrY1gFe30m-D9YAlhiUsT0NefF2Yrxqu_MDx3ITGSHuHcVkd49jas1oW5LKRyHZn127neIhjzgJsOgVC5ymfOBp3cesne7Z57iNtX_8lxeyPWJ-WX4EnY7xl_RsO/s1616/03pa%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1616" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6y_SxxeO7q_mwZTqQiZ9iaXUo3DhyFwTQXcOezIy7JcN49T1GTaOPE0Zp5jjqvsD3OrY1gFe30m-D9YAlhiUsT0NefF2Yrxqu_MDx3ITGSHuHcVkd49jas1oW5LKRyHZn127neIhjzgJsOgVC5ymfOBp3cesne7Z57iNtX_8lxeyPWJ-WX4EnY7xl_RsO/w640-h408/03pa%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDtC8cEynoKNyTgxn3eGuxhC_JBFhYPv95rcaag12P7eAv-gvawgGvILCymV9b-xxcPjfL9h89WV5W-ku-ChdiK6zH1yolPZclUjhWK70vMF4GKg6k2f18eEkeSJEJYretaApFCIEVzkBcqbJ9cjfexlt4V_kRZ3N0ADkxVzYZMCBl2WimQDK4MRunh26/s1100/03q%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1100" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDtC8cEynoKNyTgxn3eGuxhC_JBFhYPv95rcaag12P7eAv-gvawgGvILCymV9b-xxcPjfL9h89WV5W-ku-ChdiK6zH1yolPZclUjhWK70vMF4GKg6k2f18eEkeSJEJYretaApFCIEVzkBcqbJ9cjfexlt4V_kRZ3N0ADkxVzYZMCBl2WimQDK4MRunh26/w640-h558/03q%20Lesser%20scaup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As you can see in the back ground there was a selection of other ducks on the water.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUh4saNeFaAbgxjHtMvGnKTTYpN-476H8SANcn1hFBZLo3kCSSbFnbdZsbddCh_4KIEZ2Y22PaZVokQCzZP8pP2ePbWnbg_rrj342Zh4Ai5qKLHK0h4YGLYFpgYbKdQGLvSij5lm0MfpcP8ebsaPZVRq6E5Y-kquW92Iq8d8TlmXevVAj3aFWxKTh3NUKS/s1402/05a%20Gadwall%20pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1402" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUh4saNeFaAbgxjHtMvGnKTTYpN-476H8SANcn1hFBZLo3kCSSbFnbdZsbddCh_4KIEZ2Y22PaZVokQCzZP8pP2ePbWnbg_rrj342Zh4Ai5qKLHK0h4YGLYFpgYbKdQGLvSij5lm0MfpcP8ebsaPZVRq6E5Y-kquW92Iq8d8TlmXevVAj3aFWxKTh3NUKS/w640-h392/05a%20Gadwall%20pair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5apCD269nE4fH0DcsTQFj8rBw25lDrkPWFFvvnt5yV6DDMH9mvHvTxNRC2mUzcDfnwqj6eQB3NPwV8FtT3TsFO0CmE9j21hASIPA3Wq7cztM6sSUJugKcliYRK8sHSRHUHFB66dVRM_lV_Fo1TD6vWq0Sne_CWihuBbE04lB8w6NhvZP3lO2JzOQQ-So/s1425/02%20Shoveler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1425" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5apCD269nE4fH0DcsTQFj8rBw25lDrkPWFFvvnt5yV6DDMH9mvHvTxNRC2mUzcDfnwqj6eQB3NPwV8FtT3TsFO0CmE9j21hASIPA3Wq7cztM6sSUJugKcliYRK8sHSRHUHFB66dVRM_lV_Fo1TD6vWq0Sne_CWihuBbE04lB8w6NhvZP3lO2JzOQQ-So/w640-h354/02%20Shoveler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shoveler</span></b> with quite a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> too, along with some unphotographed <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldeneyes</span></b>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfmFzC8yuGfyHqRnz4nMPfBAi7Xc-ivSImWX6wQ_6a2lV4GK57TRcsr1q2tiz0qKz3dX_mMyP7vu9j9RdMozRXv8FcC07Jqsp3MoRer3HvcSd3T6gHOjYF9JVNSrbebaY_KbQRhv57BH5W12B_e5S2liTzfOKbr25SPm6xO57NU1-VPeSoashbzw0u2eS/s1666/04%20Flock%20of%20Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1666" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfmFzC8yuGfyHqRnz4nMPfBAi7Xc-ivSImWX6wQ_6a2lV4GK57TRcsr1q2tiz0qKz3dX_mMyP7vu9j9RdMozRXv8FcC07Jqsp3MoRer3HvcSd3T6gHOjYF9JVNSrbebaY_KbQRhv57BH5W12B_e5S2liTzfOKbr25SPm6xO57NU1-VPeSoashbzw0u2eS/w640-h348/04%20Flock%20of%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Indeed the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> were very vosl in the brighter minutes some of the males thought about doing some displaying.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjABmP04jAQWE6rwrG6Z5dfJyTr7m7nU4zsIjs1PfwZL5KUEzpeEqwbOvhJj9a6kKjtsWlFlnTB4bkvW-1W4_sG5sg3xsp54lxY8yClUViNMrQQyKbjiuj6_iVJsUTUEuwdMRaqMuGF5Yo-ncGCquS4GRIfP5eootqetVKPSNTii_ZwqT44CZhEO9Ht5h/s1273/04a%20Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1273" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjABmP04jAQWE6rwrG6Z5dfJyTr7m7nU4zsIjs1PfwZL5KUEzpeEqwbOvhJj9a6kKjtsWlFlnTB4bkvW-1W4_sG5sg3xsp54lxY8yClUViNMrQQyKbjiuj6_iVJsUTUEuwdMRaqMuGF5Yo-ncGCquS4GRIfP5eootqetVKPSNTii_ZwqT44CZhEO9Ht5h/w640-h414/04a%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Their almost bell like whistles filled the air with sound accompanied by the booming of several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns</span></b>. All of a sudden there was a commotion and a major panic. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier </span></b>that had been quartering the reedbeds in the distance had snuck round and was now attacking a group of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b> like, just to our left. One individual was hit but managed to free itself by doing a deep dive then coming up for air and immediatley doing a vertical take off right underneather the harrier but far too quick for it - a lucky escape, and a hungry <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b>. CR managed to get some shots off but we were content to witness the action through the bins.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the ensuing panic the ducks moved to another part of the lake so we took our leave of the hide and wandered slowly back to the Feeding Station passing booming <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns</span></b> and shouty <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> on the way - both completely hidden, the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> in particular taking the Micky out of us by singing just far enough into the cover of the reedbeds to be invisible to us. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the days star attractions was the large number of brilliantly coloured <b><span style="color: #783f04;">Scarlet Elf Cap</span></b> fungi brightening up the woodland floor here there and everywhere.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXgSuANghwun2c8PYdq14KiVBsPBF3IKZ7WrZR1u_C2uHhNHEwCFpXAihZMggcOUnobLwD5dzikDglFbur89u_Ep4_pZ60dPbdkFL0vH5yCBN6UyelYhJ9wr4XuWYqS4JdoGUQOBL5k8wgGRg5pOCT-ITAfBUK8MJHM7SGetAB9NNQ79bVOYlHQT1C-ht/s1240/06%20Scarlet%20elf%20cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1240" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXgSuANghwun2c8PYdq14KiVBsPBF3IKZ7WrZR1u_C2uHhNHEwCFpXAihZMggcOUnobLwD5dzikDglFbur89u_Ep4_pZ60dPbdkFL0vH5yCBN6UyelYhJ9wr4XuWYqS4JdoGUQOBL5k8wgGRg5pOCT-ITAfBUK8MJHM7SGetAB9NNQ79bVOYlHQT1C-ht/w640-h446/06%20Scarlet%20elf%20cups.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apparently if you blow on them (you have to get down to their level to do that though) they release their spores in a big cloud. But it's not the motion of the blown air that triggers this reaction it's the slight increase in temperate your breath brings. We surmise that in the shade of the woodland floor any dappled sunlight coming through and lighting them up would be what they were waiting for, not some kahki clad numpty down on all fours huffing and puffing at them...they might be there a while if they were waiting for the latter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Feeding Station was quite lively with the usual suspects <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Gd9NBJQVGik6uajWYIhYRVdRH8byRnkcM-NBTtRdmdkGnMpCc8VnM_WvSVJ85IzSsDKUeUq1yZTSRqX28FruXD0mclFiHsHv8Qnuy7bj9R7nA8HhjoTJAxAJnR9BRV-Fe45nm9T3LrxJE_ekflicjjuPwco6Fe0SgSDu31maWhA5cVBfkcXDxTtpEgPP/s1261/07a%20Robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1261" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Gd9NBJQVGik6uajWYIhYRVdRH8byRnkcM-NBTtRdmdkGnMpCc8VnM_WvSVJ85IzSsDKUeUq1yZTSRqX28FruXD0mclFiHsHv8Qnuy7bj9R7nA8HhjoTJAxAJnR9BRV-Fe45nm9T3LrxJE_ekflicjjuPwco6Fe0SgSDu31maWhA5cVBfkcXDxTtpEgPP/w640-h454/07a%20Robin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>But a strikingly bright male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bullfinch</span></b> stole the show. We failed miserably at getting an 'in habitat' shot of him so you'll have to put up with these two of him on the top of the feeder pole.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9wtYmsU-nrWunSrnVY_8ouYr86XVnRUn7JXR35ug3KKPyu4iCkBEuQpnh2rFFMsZ2h2uoRlO-zWefKGtY1R38AI580RUQ0UUFCrXGkv2keT4HYc0UwyhOgm-RXzGgJ2c8occH_ijpASbmDaLXczhtVB-aau7Ul1XiNQSf3Op3YnusKYzuPnpzM-8Cklv/s1539/08%20Bullfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1539" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9wtYmsU-nrWunSrnVY_8ouYr86XVnRUn7JXR35ug3KKPyu4iCkBEuQpnh2rFFMsZ2h2uoRlO-zWefKGtY1R38AI580RUQ0UUFCrXGkv2keT4HYc0UwyhOgm-RXzGgJ2c8occH_ijpASbmDaLXczhtVB-aau7Ul1XiNQSf3Op3YnusKYzuPnpzM-8Cklv/w640-h392/08%20Bullfinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdmaLA-byrXPIEC-STByFL974lrYeerCubBYiyXJ9tQRTGXHwbhBERzDPJaaQ_y51y0Pq9Glm_kL8NF3qZwZLFCM-Txr4Ucuo8_vFLKcOIOoqV2X_AEmvXlhDFDpezLvxuy-1hxOn6m4BVW8RGNfEdBZDkaT0a0j9Bq6D-I2ofDTxesx4uJTZsXUY-58D/s1558/08a%20Bullfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1558" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdmaLA-byrXPIEC-STByFL974lrYeerCubBYiyXJ9tQRTGXHwbhBERzDPJaaQ_y51y0Pq9Glm_kL8NF3qZwZLFCM-Txr4Ucuo8_vFLKcOIOoqV2X_AEmvXlhDFDpezLvxuy-1hxOn6m4BVW8RGNfEdBZDkaT0a0j9Bq6D-I2ofDTxesx4uJTZsXUY-58D/w640-h382/08a%20Bullfinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Butties were munched in Lillian's Hide were we soon ticked off the long staying <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b>, miles away so no pics today. After being fed and watered we set off for Tim Jackson Hide where a trio of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b>, the first of the day for us, were pointed out. We're still to find a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> here this year and not for wnat of trying.<br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOWfw9lGRXKIlGyxrOEL2Vf7HluJNaRDBag6Xf5jCLkCMwxyoMR8-bbS4oZ1nMI_i3kzgx7d43-AHWToIyRVXjiptDIOwhjXzf3jyyFjsV_4nL_GjGzQSN-T75WI_XCcGuWaCexBBjsrktXq1gDjtdk4Xqj_B9ScLvFz7NGVT6hIOrpMOeOmUV2L0PZNJ/s1287/09%20Snipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1287" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOWfw9lGRXKIlGyxrOEL2Vf7HluJNaRDBag6Xf5jCLkCMwxyoMR8-bbS4oZ1nMI_i3kzgx7d43-AHWToIyRVXjiptDIOwhjXzf3jyyFjsV_4nL_GjGzQSN-T75WI_XCcGuWaCexBBjsrktXq1gDjtdk4Xqj_B9ScLvFz7NGVT6hIOrpMOeOmUV2L0PZNJ/w640-h364/09%20Snipe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We took advantage of a rather dapper drake <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> making his way through the vegetation just outside the window.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFBoCYrwHUJA8DsWiv38cZqxaMyS4ahGC_VS1JtH_Dbuyy40SXv4UpbmN2w335JO5gFQds9rCgQHaIapPhzi-UXIcvJCcD8By1IzoiEeECzOMq9Am61-Y3CzvwwrSWjaQAJlOTQzgVjpKM5VvEHCLLeW5w7ISHV62mL7qjADOg_rj6uMf8ETVOGKNXmfY/s1410/10a%20Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1410" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFBoCYrwHUJA8DsWiv38cZqxaMyS4ahGC_VS1JtH_Dbuyy40SXv4UpbmN2w335JO5gFQds9rCgQHaIapPhzi-UXIcvJCcD8By1IzoiEeECzOMq9Am61-Y3CzvwwrSWjaQAJlOTQzgVjpKM5VvEHCLLeW5w7ISHV62mL7qjADOg_rj6uMf8ETVOGKNXmfY/w640-h442/10a%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8m8zqQ17sz2-LlmdLOwGcEqTSsv1qkZsl8f0mmq6hG1fjYRfe38ofrl5BRrgsFqfJ2lDejUYeKQIGEfIHU7NFZoGNoe6JIg3Nhh4C7WdoBn7JvlpUgIJUCMzRr6kyhJ3xUGsueH9pDgQSmYzq0VhfFEtqSnmPNcdWw1kNDmbPqVL_ZwyVThapS0jtC8P/s1344/10%20Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8m8zqQ17sz2-LlmdLOwGcEqTSsv1qkZsl8f0mmq6hG1fjYRfe38ofrl5BRrgsFqfJ2lDejUYeKQIGEfIHU7NFZoGNoe6JIg3Nhh4C7WdoBn7JvlpUgIJUCMzRr6kyhJ3xUGsueH9pDgQSmYzq0VhfFEtqSnmPNcdWw1kNDmbPqVL_ZwyVThapS0jtC8P/w640-h486/10%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Would you look at those vermiculations - simply stunning!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b> were in display mode too, a great sound as they divied making that unique 'peewit' call, the soundtrack of our youth.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp2D9IRSJyOV6L6jx2dhJNSJvv88f4IJi3s0skD2csyoWCoTIXE3PMPOkrQOLPpnJdpkYhahwkTUM-CqkRhts30drFWIj-Hpn0QIVwatNcQ-u__Q1EVV3vFS3tnm3ATQqon56qTlom3-IrnBf2L4UIrxtPCmcNPJdEzhptJTMuMrM_Adk-K6-Vw04WzFH/s1476/11%20Lapwing%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1476" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwp2D9IRSJyOV6L6jx2dhJNSJvv88f4IJi3s0skD2csyoWCoTIXE3PMPOkrQOLPpnJdpkYhahwkTUM-CqkRhts30drFWIj-Hpn0QIVwatNcQ-u__Q1EVV3vFS3tnm3ATQqon56qTlom3-IrnBf2L4UIrxtPCmcNPJdEzhptJTMuMrM_Adk-K6-Vw04WzFH/w640-h422/11%20Lapwing%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Looking closely at the diving bird you can see its tongue sticking out - we wonder if that's got any bearing on how the distinctive call is made...note to self - try to get better shots of this behaviour.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNCzFa1MapsBXtzaAWMNEqhi0vHO-wqix5IMjXTSyhIT8ftHN5NElFKtdPFAdb37nRM-_hXSiNdn6goj7xxJp5osrySJdHqOD5OMvcIF99WrGD3Om7tm4LLBQ7VaQd-IdtiARBKERs3HGlmejAEDSYTmcY-ojh_fNZyTZTd1w0_IawZ4u-gzTVLu9pipT/s957/11b%20Lapwing%20display%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="857" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNCzFa1MapsBXtzaAWMNEqhi0vHO-wqix5IMjXTSyhIT8ftHN5NElFKtdPFAdb37nRM-_hXSiNdn6goj7xxJp5osrySJdHqOD5OMvcIF99WrGD3Om7tm4LLBQ7VaQd-IdtiARBKERs3HGlmejAEDSYTmcY-ojh_fNZyTZTd1w0_IawZ4u-gzTVLu9pipT/w574-h640/11b%20Lapwing%20display%20flight.jpg" width="574" /></a></div>Splendid looking birds are <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b>!<br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Q4LihxmuWbVxs0XE5EJroopRdr1jENp4MK6dPnZvHyMu8DXMHk11TcdGg9L60HJLmew3rtQyGB2aobNr3V5-CmL7EKRBol8Q3wq4QwEPwFSp4Z42suxCGAhRLpCS6pO1lICeV5-xnHATRIDGYQRhdEwFM-bhd74gS600YhipdSFRwNIG7HenpvJT1a3i/s1183/14%20Lapwing%20on%20ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1183" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Q4LihxmuWbVxs0XE5EJroopRdr1jENp4MK6dPnZvHyMu8DXMHk11TcdGg9L60HJLmew3rtQyGB2aobNr3V5-CmL7EKRBol8Q3wq4QwEPwFSp4Z42suxCGAhRLpCS6pO1lICeV5-xnHATRIDGYQRhdEwFM-bhd74gS600YhipdSFRwNIG7HenpvJT1a3i/w640-h506/14%20Lapwing%20on%20ground.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> was in the pool too. So far we'd seen several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herons</span></b> and a couple of distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egrets</span></b> (as has been usual so far this year) but this was the first <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> of the day.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIam-GWiO2g-rmjFsLhfXIqceN3NMbFBZ0pIxvRgX9pRo1kzisxqZy8GKcGb9vMjiPodVrWG5Uw6nsPmirmggMKMaDqR-l_4Fkw__GTfIR2TRzygyqC_n-HyXy3Rf4TbQLjimqSs9egyJU4TowbCA7-MxU7cyC6IJMkn6zxEstZj-Jz6jasCL6E44Mptr/s1093/13%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1093" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIam-GWiO2g-rmjFsLhfXIqceN3NMbFBZ0pIxvRgX9pRo1kzisxqZy8GKcGb9vMjiPodVrWG5Uw6nsPmirmggMKMaDqR-l_4Fkw__GTfIR2TRzygyqC_n-HyXy3Rf4TbQLjimqSs9egyJU4TowbCA7-MxU7cyC6IJMkn6zxEstZj-Jz6jasCL6E44Mptr/w640-h518/13%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then another of the half dozen or more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harriers</span></b> flew over causing a bit of constenation and giving us our cue to head to the Grisedale Hide (spelled correctly for the first time ever).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYtRe1YZITfJ3qxGRa7I8UmB3XIT9vkPyRWPsZ0_EVNm3n6DGWXeV9Z5OYJbIVRVr-fjislW8cT6eexW1m85U_BH4M-kShWdgkikeG-2vLc5K3MrgJZUvUvAHo-FQhio3atVTlzVG_MUyqMWdPLuGemfslckIJ3n-BEGBioBtPnsX-IfpK7GbMBv4j0Gy/s1420/12%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1420" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYtRe1YZITfJ3qxGRa7I8UmB3XIT9vkPyRWPsZ0_EVNm3n6DGWXeV9Z5OYJbIVRVr-fjislW8cT6eexW1m85U_BH4M-kShWdgkikeG-2vLc5K3MrgJZUvUvAHo-FQhio3atVTlzVG_MUyqMWdPLuGemfslckIJ3n-BEGBioBtPnsX-IfpK7GbMBv4j0Gy/w640-h392/12%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Out of the Grisedale Hide windows we quickly found the bonny but dodgy duck known as the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cinnamon Teal x Shoveler hybrid</span></b> but couldn't get a pic of him and after a couple of minutes he flew and left the pool - so annoying as he is quite sriking. We had to make do with more 'normal' fare.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-XFLLrLIVjxLQXmg_1i3oKGVY4elPfgeboGcobrvBJIfCWxRPxcvjhN6XYBql-5ajmQTAt8VNNsFrQkiUAzTEFetPdl9GtSMQ2yI-0Tnm_j0JoI7FbJuiHEC8JpVEnEyA0ejcRiOWrEsMMkVS3TcBDIFr9gZchlpeWa4xTovFj6f2_rbP-6F3aYs5ct-/s1501/16a%20Shoveler%20male%20in%20water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1501" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-XFLLrLIVjxLQXmg_1i3oKGVY4elPfgeboGcobrvBJIfCWxRPxcvjhN6XYBql-5ajmQTAt8VNNsFrQkiUAzTEFetPdl9GtSMQ2yI-0Tnm_j0JoI7FbJuiHEC8JpVEnEyA0ejcRiOWrEsMMkVS3TcBDIFr9gZchlpeWa4xTovFj6f2_rbP-6F3aYs5ct-/w640-h408/16a%20Shoveler%20male%20in%20water.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTni2AqpFkXDOClAH-W8aEojS53dpcY_zl7nV4Pc907xMqn1DmwTRN9rBbvEh8Zi3MyS7ls0BFpHHUaQ0ZByeP9VX7dbC5MLd-agnfbgscBn_vJz3A2_PeaTzBrmDokK71ml6fSsHun2sdbLFOC0jOLrprUITWWGIkzJJ67bu_PiaVHKX58NhwEaWXtQW/s1407/16%20Shoveler%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1407" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTni2AqpFkXDOClAH-W8aEojS53dpcY_zl7nV4Pc907xMqn1DmwTRN9rBbvEh8Zi3MyS7ls0BFpHHUaQ0ZByeP9VX7dbC5MLd-agnfbgscBn_vJz3A2_PeaTzBrmDokK71ml6fSsHun2sdbLFOC0jOLrprUITWWGIkzJJ67bu_PiaVHKX58NhwEaWXtQW/w640-h464/16%20Shoveler%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVVcRGwbXxqBPXrmoPDbH07l8Ie4O5fMDhGZKPL3EFroH9K4pHaemew8JIBvUgWrPv23rviPdjNhdSQ6kt1DXuPmzgx_VxrWvyhGkxCYjYjx55Ygec1QStEVjBSiHmB2uMS5oLnBuK2NCtxNiLisG4pspNAzH0cLa4sR49Bvq9IDsIRSudoYugk52Hjc0/s1072/17%20Pintail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1072" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVVcRGwbXxqBPXrmoPDbH07l8Ie4O5fMDhGZKPL3EFroH9K4pHaemew8JIBvUgWrPv23rviPdjNhdSQ6kt1DXuPmzgx_VxrWvyhGkxCYjYjx55Ygec1QStEVjBSiHmB2uMS5oLnBuK2NCtxNiLisG4pspNAzH0cLa4sR49Bvq9IDsIRSudoYugk52Hjc0/w640-h494/17%20Pintail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Again the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> flew over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3Oibrzs2BUkTjTcHuJuyEDUIqUgIQD5W4uEpb-NYlvbPOBxNU-Pp5dMHoJUP3g6BlZu6epGMtbDsSrRdYK8esFTK_2GNDiYl72rWB9qsWP7rp4RmoxPfG3wtDUGlLmQdMscaUa87SU8W7jdieV0YqMdrjkZc23Js-wQLqbnxovevvCD90vWPOgh_zzH9/s1497/15a%20Marsh%20harrier%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1497" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3Oibrzs2BUkTjTcHuJuyEDUIqUgIQD5W4uEpb-NYlvbPOBxNU-Pp5dMHoJUP3g6BlZu6epGMtbDsSrRdYK8esFTK_2GNDiYl72rWB9qsWP7rp4RmoxPfG3wtDUGlLmQdMscaUa87SU8W7jdieV0YqMdrjkZc23Js-wQLqbnxovevvCD90vWPOgh_zzH9/w640-h382/15a%20Marsh%20harrier%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>and then circled again giving us undoubtedly our best ever shot of this species.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncoi3CPsu9uHRV4jSQdvrZSfwuhfa2X4TDkjYzUtsCcWMfWck-3u07bD3he92FM5QfYMVrUmLqMaQZutB7wvc79boIozfrmEHIZOCkKn2aedf8GE2KPuZGr07ONizfCdRtT8TeMpefznqBO7LdoUbR0lv4luIVrEhmrODvwGx3aJs16pOuKicu_PPF-Ri/s1051/15%20Marsh%20harrier%20male%20best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1043" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncoi3CPsu9uHRV4jSQdvrZSfwuhfa2X4TDkjYzUtsCcWMfWck-3u07bD3he92FM5QfYMVrUmLqMaQZutB7wvc79boIozfrmEHIZOCkKn2aedf8GE2KPuZGr07ONizfCdRtT8TeMpefznqBO7LdoUbR0lv4luIVrEhmrODvwGx3aJs16pOuKicu_PPF-Ri/w636-h640/15%20Marsh%20harrier%20male%20best.jpg" width="636" /></a></div>That eye has some serious menace!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once it was gone it was back to photographing the ducks. Unforunately the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail </span></b>wouldn't come any closer so you can't make out his wonderful vermiculations. <br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGvokTdjk_jcjuE_zze0S9UnWYVZ5L07hTqfEKRr17JYggT_IGJLhK3JFmv4kA0wwhbNtKvlpfFsTRZqepvTaSLGZEXHLzaUFlv4G1cMtH0c1PGGtPgMK6YTsTy_Kw9SXdA7Isdfi6ITAr82x40cnVwNUwRMs9HwLp98fbEUPkF-6hUFSJtX6YRnoo2ah/s1280/19%20Pintail%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1280" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGvokTdjk_jcjuE_zze0S9UnWYVZ5L07hTqfEKRr17JYggT_IGJLhK3JFmv4kA0wwhbNtKvlpfFsTRZqepvTaSLGZEXHLzaUFlv4G1cMtH0c1PGGtPgMK6YTsTy_Kw9SXdA7Isdfi6ITAr82x40cnVwNUwRMs9HwLp98fbEUPkF-6hUFSJtX6YRnoo2ah/w640-h454/19%20Pintail%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You might even think Shovelers don't have vermiculations with their big block of ortange on their flanks, but you'd be wrong. Have a close look at the upper rear of that orange block and you'll se the tell tale dark wigly lines of vermiculations.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6quy-840GyLEsnjak3EApbbAhVAt46cR7TuaGx0BzaSGVagaFKbKY-tT8LJikUMlZ2Bsocwr9-ujWqsiv8Ad2t-7qi8_OPebkzIb84LPb2aEjzRYRV8pBz1HUC6GkpllwOSv5MZmmu5FR7vL4hjIL0Vani4xo33oolzpwoWJmwS3p7QwP8-pWmCf6zpR8/s1392/16b%20Shoveler%20male%20on%20island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1392" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6quy-840GyLEsnjak3EApbbAhVAt46cR7TuaGx0BzaSGVagaFKbKY-tT8LJikUMlZ2Bsocwr9-ujWqsiv8Ad2t-7qi8_OPebkzIb84LPb2aEjzRYRV8pBz1HUC6GkpllwOSv5MZmmu5FR7vL4hjIL0Vani4xo33oolzpwoWJmwS3p7QwP8-pWmCf6zpR8/w640-h426/16b%20Shoveler%20male%20on%20island.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It would be very interesting to see what they look like under UV light, a wavelength that birds can see but we can't. Do they dazzle or dapple against the water surface or are they invisble, mysteries, mysteries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the left hand corner of the pool there lay a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> - yes Lay. It was having forty winks chilled out lying down on the dryish mound of cut reeds. It had been like that for many minutes until we ecided we'd get a shot of that unusual behaviourand as soon as we gotr to the window it stood up and had a right old shake. How rude of it. At least it was close unlike all the others we've seen this year.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVu-QXgHAnecEJkeNJkgXVdnHNpI8pBOtDHyeIpP47XNLXqDGd31XlruxUEK_ZYkmf5kG5-rJAShptstGhGRw9kk34Nr2zozC04ySIb9Uxyv8fCfHzmYRDGgwj8t1L3QNyOsKOuQ9_pmybsn8v1WXX_7zIhmqKZ55hdy3F6TIOQKeSnrkAUQwn6H3GN0u/s1562/20%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1562" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVu-QXgHAnecEJkeNJkgXVdnHNpI8pBOtDHyeIpP47XNLXqDGd31XlruxUEK_ZYkmf5kG5-rJAShptstGhGRw9kk34Nr2zozC04ySIb9Uxyv8fCfHzmYRDGgwj8t1L3QNyOsKOuQ9_pmybsn8v1WXX_7zIhmqKZ55hdy3F6TIOQKeSnrkAUQwn6H3GN0u/w640-h422/20%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Atfer a bit of a feather-settling shimmy and a short preen it had a bit of a walk about without doing much in particular.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvIia-ej1dGuvvwx0O0JiRwUgXWU2Dc0KdQ5ZtK7M9h-sU1tA9_MkVwSn2zoigi2oLhPwsZBjI1EkoVg_mSDphviZ14XZ8I5uiBoNlxsDfsyPspvvPpFaG2iSpwr92mjwYoCbblyk2gpxBd-J-U58EhpGHK2jPK8sd6-l3C3jqPrmHU94hfBSppfQvg3r/s1196/20a%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1196" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvIia-ej1dGuvvwx0O0JiRwUgXWU2Dc0KdQ5ZtK7M9h-sU1tA9_MkVwSn2zoigi2oLhPwsZBjI1EkoVg_mSDphviZ14XZ8I5uiBoNlxsDfsyPspvvPpFaG2iSpwr92mjwYoCbblyk2gpxBd-J-U58EhpGHK2jPK8sd6-l3C3jqPrmHU94hfBSppfQvg3r/w640-h498/20a%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHf9dllm7tPEXk1DFlHrlf7xOpQSyZavY26iPDJvR3i131WRhncr3L8TSUc2NK8MpUn4ZBxMICTJq7nkk9AsryDAvkt8OQF4S_5WszG3TYitXLdN-OnQdIEsKx903uGudS67pr6yJZ5WOHUlBnqDTQOU2JkRNIZi1BS2QZK62RaBM7S-qsiAqNoHOteZCC/s1046/20b%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1046" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHf9dllm7tPEXk1DFlHrlf7xOpQSyZavY26iPDJvR3i131WRhncr3L8TSUc2NK8MpUn4ZBxMICTJq7nkk9AsryDAvkt8OQF4S_5WszG3TYitXLdN-OnQdIEsKx903uGudS67pr6yJZ5WOHUlBnqDTQOU2JkRNIZi1BS2QZK62RaBM7S-qsiAqNoHOteZCC/w640-h558/20b%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Before settling down to have an upright snooze.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d12jtxpNTKQxpm7wiLHucVE4aILo-e1e0QdrFkOyRiJwHwRqq-dpq7OwF57H7CwODEFIGSOH2wKKjRsgOy9U8Zy6cgevABQrJxdWsqHDfguO4GHOADLL2KvDVwm2ID9D8I1DZ8H6obtRm1OH_maJwg1SqAi2kaejUrsbA3N4QOpTJ2Iqd0Cy-Pvo2d5m/s975/20c%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="932" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5d12jtxpNTKQxpm7wiLHucVE4aILo-e1e0QdrFkOyRiJwHwRqq-dpq7OwF57H7CwODEFIGSOH2wKKjRsgOy9U8Zy6cgevABQrJxdWsqHDfguO4GHOADLL2KvDVwm2ID9D8I1DZ8H6obtRm1OH_maJwg1SqAi2kaejUrsbA3N4QOpTJ2Iqd0Cy-Pvo2d5m/w612-h640/20c%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>We let it go about its vertical slumbers to watch a female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> drifting low over the tops of the reeds.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdw95fsDiBW3ce-PwcZlv_saIX1aOsXYLddvotT5VPz7n5ehLo0Ks4NudnwX6iBUwvIBpm2zfaDie5Vbi7PHZSi_x5gPL-fadPfIxpkOyFqjqwN_XTL8Bo5UJK1dVAgORkNASSsbmvA6MOkA88LHqAIDyMPsiXQilNgmR4DcJS2Rs6FcWp1kVDFkrEb0X-/s1486/21%20marsh%20harrier%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1486" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdw95fsDiBW3ce-PwcZlv_saIX1aOsXYLddvotT5VPz7n5ehLo0Ks4NudnwX6iBUwvIBpm2zfaDie5Vbi7PHZSi_x5gPL-fadPfIxpkOyFqjqwN_XTL8Bo5UJK1dVAgORkNASSsbmvA6MOkA88LHqAIDyMPsiXQilNgmR4DcJS2Rs6FcWp1kVDFkrEb0X-/w640-h396/21%20marsh%20harrier%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Obviously looking for something tasty. With no luck she rose higher and did a couple more circuits before drifting off out of view.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFAtvWdalupNRJ2Lzey59vmt_iVYHADdiiQ5D57xFeH6g7c-Gitc0gOXYMN3_j5JxWLMuL16N8Of67Iqwa9ZR5lBQ5T8sg4bJHiz2YMYxm0TLAl2BeJhRe7gHj4LjDJMneHGiaGJk1mmXRzN3_wMsInBnz2d8SB4Qk8O-Q0VKhDdPnMgbj4K6eKVWadHP/s1119/21a%20marsh%20harrier%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1119" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFAtvWdalupNRJ2Lzey59vmt_iVYHADdiiQ5D57xFeH6g7c-Gitc0gOXYMN3_j5JxWLMuL16N8Of67Iqwa9ZR5lBQ5T8sg4bJHiz2YMYxm0TLAl2BeJhRe7gHj4LjDJMneHGiaGJk1mmXRzN3_wMsInBnz2d8SB4Qk8O-Q0VKhDdPnMgbj4K6eKVWadHP/w640-h582/21a%20marsh%20harrier%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Although it was only early afternoon IH persuaded us to decamp and move on to another site. We had a brief stop at the Allen Hide on the saltmarshes seeing only a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b> upended in the deeper than usual water. We didn't do to the Eric Morecambe pool but maybe we should have as there were a good number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Avocets</span></b> there when IH went back later on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead we went to the nearby quarry and quickly relocated the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Raven's</span></b> nest, complete with the top of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Raven's</span></b> head just visible above the impressive mound of sticks. IH soon had us puffing and panting as we climbed the path that goees around the top of the quarry. There wasn't much to point the camera at, still not many signs of spring up there. We did get a brief glimpse of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jay</span></b>, more than we saw last week but still not enough of a sighting to even think about raising the camera...could <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jay</span></b> turn out to be this year's bogey bird for the Challenge?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A good afternoon's mini-hike but not much in the way of distant views due to the hazy cloud. Not been up there for a long while so it made a refreshing change from staring at the vermiculations on a variety of ducks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> A southbound safari is coming up soon. Hopefully it'll be full of good stuff for your delectation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's got all the vermiculations in your outback.<br /></div><div><br /></div><br />Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-52732865888202969662024-02-28T13:49:00.000+00:002024-02-28T13:49:14.526+00:00Onward, here, there, and everywhere and even further afield<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari mentioned at</b> the very end of our last blog that theres not much change in the local birdlife at this time of year, the birds are pretty much settled down in their favoured spots waiting for the winter to draw to a close, saving energy and staying warm are order of the day. Well that was about to change. As all UK based readers will know this winter has been a '<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwing</span></b> Winter' and these birds do move around...some so quickly they've moved on before we'd finished reading the news of their whereabouts on several occasions so far. Then news broke of two not too far away but we couldn't go that day, panic was setting in, this looked like it wasn't even going to be our fourth dip of the winter. We were mightily relieved to learn they had stuck overnight so picked up CR and off we went...arriving at the site, after a minor detour, we spotted a couple of birders who told us we should have been there five minutes earlier...ARRRRGGHHH. They pointed in the direction thwe birds had flown off in and we had a drive round the local housing estate being viewed with some suspicion by a few of the residents. Then we went up the lane we'd detoured down earlier (at least we were in the right area) but there was no sign of our quarry. It was indeed fourth time unlucky. Thankfully the birding gods were with us as again there was positive news the following morning so off we went again. This time as we approached we could see a birder on the other side of the road who looked to be looking at something...we waved and made a thumbs up and then a thumbs down sign...she replied with a thumbs up. Happy Days. A quick dash across the raod and two minutes later we were enjoying poor views of two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwings</span></b> high up in the tree tops. #111<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMLZQm_V7V8jbBX4BpYYvUaN6rP-JTB8tFY_Wa6D5zJbfQ6lFS1AvsXDxGRFyD5maQ7KB2Y568uHrD67e2TV-4gan8d-FXT8W1SBkUbkP21dcQYm2JSDGZPOjmOI_zVq-JV6RKp4WfLFXxkWGZ5dDy9-ZLiGvcC9KKg_CLnY6st30W-E9Bh9U1FrCq7rp/s841/111%20Waxwing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMLZQm_V7V8jbBX4BpYYvUaN6rP-JTB8tFY_Wa6D5zJbfQ6lFS1AvsXDxGRFyD5maQ7KB2Y568uHrD67e2TV-4gan8d-FXT8W1SBkUbkP21dcQYm2JSDGZPOjmOI_zVq-JV6RKp4WfLFXxkWGZ5dDy9-ZLiGvcC9KKg_CLnY6st30W-E9Bh9U1FrCq7rp/w616-h640/111%20Waxwing.jpg" width="616" /></a></div>Better was to come, they stayed another night and we were able to go back with the intention of getting some shots of them feeding on the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guelder Rose</span></b> berries down at eye-level like everyone else was putting on social media. (That puts paid to the widely accepted theory that nothing eats <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Guelder Rose</span></b> berries). Anyway we arrived on site, the birds were still there...and when we say there they were still high in the tree tops. Guess what..yep, the birders on site told us they'd been down to feed on the berries and were now up there digesting them, should have been here ten minutes ago...AAARRRGGGHHH. Best hang around until they drop down again. In the meantime we took some more, slightly better, tree top shots.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8udFaJH5lC79l7BA8kH1G1tCBMtCgVbYTKYt9oqglwwY1V4k7s6XxcFwjJn7FsjhAnZRgMhZOMcLzhzS2DD8RNmRjwOq0A-r77_WhQwp4vSVKw2TfqwYyIXso2UlkNfasNR8XsjgZ4C0u9xXnwIM4OfrI1A-5kWVtkJ9ECUsI325-2kjcfoG7ymQxX6f_/s1673/08%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1673" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8udFaJH5lC79l7BA8kH1G1tCBMtCgVbYTKYt9oqglwwY1V4k7s6XxcFwjJn7FsjhAnZRgMhZOMcLzhzS2DD8RNmRjwOq0A-r77_WhQwp4vSVKw2TfqwYyIXso2UlkNfasNR8XsjgZ4C0u9xXnwIM4OfrI1A-5kWVtkJ9ECUsI325-2kjcfoG7ymQxX6f_/w640-h478/08%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjM2ljBO8RiQZm304M837oOWjRzri4UGLM353ehhZOMMqL67UGCzDbaM9KDdHi6aPCQuKfOot9NwyZtIeY5fz5Z9HrJdoDaj0YE_mo-PNE6ckZJgZWd3MF6C1pZD3WVe1MneH73dtS3vnhyphenhyphenWaa2PMFIZErMSf3wwa_8saURxjQExlJRbSqDRCRxScyElDu/s1284/07%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1162" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjM2ljBO8RiQZm304M837oOWjRzri4UGLM353ehhZOMMqL67UGCzDbaM9KDdHi6aPCQuKfOot9NwyZtIeY5fz5Z9HrJdoDaj0YE_mo-PNE6ckZJgZWd3MF6C1pZD3WVe1MneH73dtS3vnhyphenhyphenWaa2PMFIZErMSf3wwa_8saURxjQExlJRbSqDRCRxScyElDu/w580-h640/07%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" width="580" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf0Nod9waedkMjsnDcMvJYi5RTAjtcj2-45aElMd_2d6ntTAyYVeKyW37p6-I4FD4CY6kC22HTYv7f2BaenOGAQFyc6am8MyyXvT_JKNuP_i_B5peCWgU4Yb0f8DUMXfijPL_jhi2DOLIwsQ51dldKLV292-nMCu-dNqnzPrcgRr9A6o0M6qny3Kqrus2/s1423/05%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="1423" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf0Nod9waedkMjsnDcMvJYi5RTAjtcj2-45aElMd_2d6ntTAyYVeKyW37p6-I4FD4CY6kC22HTYv7f2BaenOGAQFyc6am8MyyXvT_JKNuP_i_B5peCWgU4Yb0f8DUMXfijPL_jhi2DOLIwsQ51dldKLV292-nMCu-dNqnzPrcgRr9A6o0M6qny3Kqrus2/w640-h618/05%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYk4_ixcdvLtA44emTtdJhTOl-RnFQhh2Meh7JIqq6Pf4Sk0FzfjXpB0ik6ulJQLqhTnuW4Jr40Ohk71dzdX-HpRrOTe36-DpwO7Sl6SI6t8ulyPoo1ghn0j3KzE6orn4PjYzHvXuK-bj8MEEmYdOwm2BFqdhbBIliLhW5QwidBanyt9X8LwkFHgWEIsO/s1115/04%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="891" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYk4_ixcdvLtA44emTtdJhTOl-RnFQhh2Meh7JIqq6Pf4Sk0FzfjXpB0ik6ulJQLqhTnuW4Jr40Ohk71dzdX-HpRrOTe36-DpwO7Sl6SI6t8ulyPoo1ghn0j3KzE6orn4PjYzHvXuK-bj8MEEmYdOwm2BFqdhbBIliLhW5QwidBanyt9X8LwkFHgWEIsO/w512-h640/04%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-pRzGQePQAyAiuwJNPl2r9WIRw2vSaif-jTvjpC7Pqkauo9PE2Ua38_WAqN5A2wCrjUpp4mk63cUkpFbG7703aMWfec6702h0XHoTtfXIsGzMYjsfTvPptoCOyMzVICH68Jw0Ih_C9k9jlTKBcK11IWqucgJ9Sk9WHH2V5AQ_5jVnq4OLJWRKwm6dl-V/s1392/03%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1392" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-pRzGQePQAyAiuwJNPl2r9WIRw2vSaif-jTvjpC7Pqkauo9PE2Ua38_WAqN5A2wCrjUpp4mk63cUkpFbG7703aMWfec6702h0XHoTtfXIsGzMYjsfTvPptoCOyMzVICH68Jw0Ih_C9k9jlTKBcK11IWqucgJ9Sk9WHH2V5AQ_5jVnq4OLJWRKwm6dl-V/w640-h586/03%20Waxwing%20day%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Nearly two hours we stood by the roadside waiting for them to drop onto the berries. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwings </span></b>had other ideas, they started calling persistantly then flew off away over the houses... AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH. At least our dips had been broken, it would have been dreadful to be the only birder in the country not to have connected with them this winter.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">For our nest safari we had been hoping to head up north to Leighton Moss again but the coninuing wet weather meant we'd be wading through knee deep water to see the same few birds as last time so we decided to head back to (the much drier underfoot) Martin Mere to see the same few birds as last time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As usual we met IH in the Discovery Hide were we tried our hand at getting some gull in flight shots. There were many more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gulls</span></b> than last week and they were in the early stages of their pairing/breeding behaviour so there was lots of noisy activity. We've got a beginners talk on gulls coming up later in the spring (all will be revealed in due course) so took the opportunity to get a load of hopefully useful shots.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtP6Tm164OveVD-3oxDH7DHOcIddEyC9QcyxdTGB3wnQSHIWOQB-qNAD0d8iNqpQF1-7DbxbRR59KMzv_q7MhHacLhDA7HNSZTo4pGwj716HFcu4-0x8XBbzF_q1cjfnMo0_P2S5fLz7Ta6P9A29YCn32AYl6ZQxN-1sAb9u35fGqw4EHnrsOWmfB12J3W/s3002/02%20Black%20headed%20gull%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1692" data-original-width="3002" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtP6Tm164OveVD-3oxDH7DHOcIddEyC9QcyxdTGB3wnQSHIWOQB-qNAD0d8iNqpQF1-7DbxbRR59KMzv_q7MhHacLhDA7HNSZTo4pGwj716HFcu4-0x8XBbzF_q1cjfnMo0_P2S5fLz7Ta6P9A29YCn32AYl6ZQxN-1sAb9u35fGqw4EHnrsOWmfB12J3W/w640-h360/02%20Black%20headed%20gull%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A cold wet wind blew through the window of the hide so we soon decamped to the more sheltered feeders. It was fairly busy with the usual suspects but without the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></b> of our previous visit.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZf4xoxoE0JhxQvljlyrN3HOeVYR6hhh1Ba9iDhTmLYGbwiWOjVHoIidQ8v9SIAd7Ldcobik96g_zBPaMa9S5_8s2jh6lbV6D5BpXVpB_iuWr2PdBihSDSQ7o7yQAdskcqT9dIPYmz8osbvmb6D6K1uV2V-2wHYgZtio_06ZVq3E-35CJhZM8W4vWPSpB/s2024/09%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="2024" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZf4xoxoE0JhxQvljlyrN3HOeVYR6hhh1Ba9iDhTmLYGbwiWOjVHoIidQ8v9SIAd7Ldcobik96g_zBPaMa9S5_8s2jh6lbV6D5BpXVpB_iuWr2PdBihSDSQ7o7yQAdskcqT9dIPYmz8osbvmb6D6K1uV2V-2wHYgZtio_06ZVq3E-35CJhZM8W4vWPSpB/w640-h490/09%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVqKwqAIJu-aA1TfBLpq6LQzrIKGubWFfOkAr4auofBL8LxOwNLQmYqaRGs8nnY-A9Od_UbHaWPlEE_7ftGHsWkJJ3Idqe5kJdBbVIFgwrZQIIfpgWUaR3iRBIqTNjlIHHLt9r_j9vuOobgBb0rK980yXgjczSSt25FMMcj6nDndBMUtkfet111W0HKzL/s2170/05a%20Goldfinch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="2170" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVqKwqAIJu-aA1TfBLpq6LQzrIKGubWFfOkAr4auofBL8LxOwNLQmYqaRGs8nnY-A9Od_UbHaWPlEE_7ftGHsWkJJ3Idqe5kJdBbVIFgwrZQIIfpgWUaR3iRBIqTNjlIHHLt9r_j9vuOobgBb0rK980yXgjczSSt25FMMcj6nDndBMUtkfet111W0HKzL/w640-h476/05a%20Goldfinch.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrWMaDJ6IYhM71byihaUTmLFrMsamQkzTwvrLcR-8fDqzFAKNM13KI8D97LRQq1GMSR1kpFq9vKmv0siySNhK9JgPQtH0egFkBXL49Q141dUGDX4_gJhYFzrAlF1sjxWd8Qly8sU0P6MZYDo4xVeYbe5ycDCY4Cw1BHhyphenhypheneHqH6IzSKwUzxsAv0kXQLgvv/s1504/05%20Goldfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1504" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrWMaDJ6IYhM71byihaUTmLFrMsamQkzTwvrLcR-8fDqzFAKNM13KI8D97LRQq1GMSR1kpFq9vKmv0siySNhK9JgPQtH0egFkBXL49Q141dUGDX4_gJhYFzrAlF1sjxWd8Qly8sU0P6MZYDo4xVeYbe5ycDCY4Cw1BHhyphenhypheneHqH6IzSKwUzxsAv0kXQLgvv/w640-h516/05%20Goldfinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdZit8BFysjqqUFAFrE1uJJqiMfVNHuZ61eUK7DRGc-y6utTkd_AcpbYLOjRTNezNY7vUo7nMqSYBojxEwrh6hcjaw6aqq3MCioe1EQ2PVHb4DY5H9l9Cd_t-WHf2eD9qx_y5t2MAHSY9NdKpy_APa6GToRQBDG9sir0QNGVbQEVoQhCDqN-vFaMrA1JH/s1675/03%20Blue%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1675" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdZit8BFysjqqUFAFrE1uJJqiMfVNHuZ61eUK7DRGc-y6utTkd_AcpbYLOjRTNezNY7vUo7nMqSYBojxEwrh6hcjaw6aqq3MCioe1EQ2PVHb4DY5H9l9Cd_t-WHf2eD9qx_y5t2MAHSY9NdKpy_APa6GToRQBDG9sir0QNGVbQEVoQhCDqN-vFaMrA1JH/w640-h510/03%20Blue%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you can see the ringing team have been very active, almost all the birds we saw sported brand new shiny bling. Including this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskin</span></b> which was a good spot, we've never seen one on the feeders here before.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRaAWEyy9ditRkdKJWKwb9qHn0Yn_pcCc2D3qYkgE4Ww22feB2iZKlmLNq5koQn1qM3Ix7nnZZp5F74z9dFnROOhPRKyX7kyMVbED36NgGXJjYexuT-ol-482epbxZt_hVd0xT_MUeY4rbPuZ29VXpz9DEmgFsohkLdp6I4xtvNmsDL__MYWhKrs8iO8G/s1569/06c%20Siskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1527" data-original-width="1569" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRaAWEyy9ditRkdKJWKwb9qHn0Yn_pcCc2D3qYkgE4Ww22feB2iZKlmLNq5koQn1qM3Ix7nnZZp5F74z9dFnROOhPRKyX7kyMVbED36NgGXJjYexuT-ol-482epbxZt_hVd0xT_MUeY4rbPuZ29VXpz9DEmgFsohkLdp6I4xtvNmsDL__MYWhKrs8iO8G/w640-h622/06c%20Siskin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mZmLzPJc7ketNwLUdp_4_x6jel3UcbDBNw2kUCnZrNN5D1RW87BHWOi_RaNPydJ6zX9TDWbk1b4lO4aDq30GRXV3flWPl16IIxVlL-g6pDVv7IOQgZ1YEul9aWAu7GAUIX0ClBDfQQkWIcRn-dMsZ3xX1psGskv2wxTWku09llxuQ4Iuqzu4uD2KncfG/s1598/06b%20Siskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1491" data-original-width="1598" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8mZmLzPJc7ketNwLUdp_4_x6jel3UcbDBNw2kUCnZrNN5D1RW87BHWOi_RaNPydJ6zX9TDWbk1b4lO4aDq30GRXV3flWPl16IIxVlL-g6pDVv7IOQgZ1YEul9aWAu7GAUIX0ClBDfQQkWIcRn-dMsZ3xX1psGskv2wxTWku09llxuQ4Iuqzu4uD2KncfG/w640-h598/06b%20Siskin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyeVTPJ4RnR-7G_bpJPwBq3ONmfw_yfHta_I2yPGdCHiKZYvhb5lM5C2Ci6o74Sj7xdVjmKvEPqz_S5HNAQng4WH7RqIbvi8AEusqvfaTZz9kG4hODgXkYsGIXIE6JvgFbcScVy0XQ3vexx5aGyOB-LQKyKnL0pVPdTHjL2P4UZX8eLPdFogz13Bl4TwK/s2559/06a%20Siskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1796" data-original-width="2559" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyeVTPJ4RnR-7G_bpJPwBq3ONmfw_yfHta_I2yPGdCHiKZYvhb5lM5C2Ci6o74Sj7xdVjmKvEPqz_S5HNAQng4WH7RqIbvi8AEusqvfaTZz9kG4hODgXkYsGIXIE6JvgFbcScVy0XQ3vexx5aGyOB-LQKyKnL0pVPdTHjL2P4UZX8eLPdFogz13Bl4TwK/w640-h450/06a%20Siskin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a046azp2AxZKNDo65ef2klVLqQvh3c_4-B1g9js2IfxVE6ANggymyKs0FSrx_Lpu1FpIN36OSExo3L55TBC5Ji8dBWvOBxrrMoOzJCkascfZtTPYmcZ6lniuJvO2NbcKQG_RKlsRAhLWiqTVXQqHVW37wkOlMnxKrw0ZaxzErBaLTMc97kc0NIbBInJb/s1840/06%20Siskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="1840" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a046azp2AxZKNDo65ef2klVLqQvh3c_4-B1g9js2IfxVE6ANggymyKs0FSrx_Lpu1FpIN36OSExo3L55TBC5Ji8dBWvOBxrrMoOzJCkascfZtTPYmcZ6lniuJvO2NbcKQG_RKlsRAhLWiqTVXQqHVW37wkOlMnxKrw0ZaxzErBaLTMc97kc0NIbBInJb/w640-h456/06%20Siskin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings </span></b>were still glreaning from the surface of the water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9CynMcPyzhbpE2uYIhW_aGgRMHa9Wb0XaR0-oj2Fi5nqYnaU3fpWW4ZiwzPuoRLWmVbKQRsOm-ML5_ZbfHK6wDXqg3kdasHsJL8pxrbq8NklL0p6iUQz_yrdypa14hYfI1rmKadH9efFSOsKabfrWKmFBXBRTb9V6CuakJXUQoRAce7JKqnnIi1kE-Vs/s1355/08%20Reed%20bunting%20female%20in%20reeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1355" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9CynMcPyzhbpE2uYIhW_aGgRMHa9Wb0XaR0-oj2Fi5nqYnaU3fpWW4ZiwzPuoRLWmVbKQRsOm-ML5_ZbfHK6wDXqg3kdasHsJL8pxrbq8NklL0p6iUQz_yrdypa14hYfI1rmKadH9efFSOsKabfrWKmFBXBRTb9V6CuakJXUQoRAce7JKqnnIi1kE-Vs/w640-h478/08%20Reed%20bunting%20female%20in%20reeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And some had found the table top with its nicely positioned perch<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88zul4Utp7AaXmKDDYpBeeEMkubE-9tLvxBO_5lBCxFKTTPY6alI04c2pUEpxvvU__GsjFhanFO8k07LT6iX8ACnBYn1NdxDKVOO9x6o_LB-Afn-ZIAS38IKVV4_d-jNAC94TkfYP9HdDE1ndkhzsL2d4Jur1FsvefsOo5ddCZL1jmeN5SJQY1Yun19ec/s2185/07a%20Reed%20bunting%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="2185" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88zul4Utp7AaXmKDDYpBeeEMkubE-9tLvxBO_5lBCxFKTTPY6alI04c2pUEpxvvU__GsjFhanFO8k07LT6iX8ACnBYn1NdxDKVOO9x6o_LB-Afn-ZIAS38IKVV4_d-jNAC94TkfYP9HdDE1ndkhzsL2d4Jur1FsvefsOo5ddCZL1jmeN5SJQY1Yun19ec/w640-h428/07a%20Reed%20bunting%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>All this excitement was proving too much so IH suggested moving on to nearby Mere Sands Wood just for a bit of a change...and there might be a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jay</span></b> which we needed for our Challenge.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was wet and grey in the woods with little to point our cameras at until we reached the first hide where in the gloom beyond gloom, through the heavy drizzle, at the farthest point away from us, a tiny orange spot sheltering under the dark branches of a huge <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Rhododendron</span></b> bush was a male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mandarin</span></b>, but could it be captured on digital film? The answer was yes - just - #112 but only after a lot of deleting absolutely dire shots that could have been nail varnish on <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bigfoot's </span></b>toe and some serious processing we ended up with this single <strike>useable</strike> identifiable pic.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoeRYh_E5vcH39Piq95QZETqhZNKx0GkMZIlzEhHaKeVuxztPSIobE44xNmQ7ekG6qDsxZLFGjALkgmZs4pcmZ9Ik63Ye1alv3zTw9M3AKGRzDlEIKUBKD3qV440Nwnin0LRS_oTKjP4rivO34mNU6eMeAp-aLiZLkhzKNCUkbqZaKMOVD0HoK1gT1wnT/s1065/10%20Mandarin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1065" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoeRYh_E5vcH39Piq95QZETqhZNKx0GkMZIlzEhHaKeVuxztPSIobE44xNmQ7ekG6qDsxZLFGjALkgmZs4pcmZ9Ik63Ye1alv3zTw9M3AKGRzDlEIKUBKD3qV440Nwnin0LRS_oTKjP4rivO34mNU6eMeAp-aLiZLkhzKNCUkbqZaKMOVD0HoK1gT1wnT/w400-h230/10%20Mandarin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rest of our visit continued in the same gloomy veinbut there was some good stuff to be seen like several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goosanders</span></b>.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49Lx7fM5e3fVgDMa5izcKauYaJKyNqnBozhZNFyOmJd6wiJK9s5WLitwex4P3f5eSXOJH6QOXIhA6Ug65flKLCu49idMwF0eixCzBOXQrP912bz46SzWWIP7N5XKpYUtNAZBJhqb400pXvEgbUqUqRCqXbHminV-dKSVuzxGFS-E3fovx18TJQE_LRwDy/s2451/11%20Goosander%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="2451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49Lx7fM5e3fVgDMa5izcKauYaJKyNqnBozhZNFyOmJd6wiJK9s5WLitwex4P3f5eSXOJH6QOXIhA6Ug65flKLCu49idMwF0eixCzBOXQrP912bz46SzWWIP7N5XKpYUtNAZBJhqb400pXvEgbUqUqRCqXbHminV-dKSVuzxGFS-E3fovx18TJQE_LRwDy/w640-h320/11%20Goosander%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiD6_pxEaA_rFfaMoBK4pzQLE_DGqTrR8RPtu07rcI7VSX101iarMOtsYJVviCAemXD_jsrEtOkRcYvpel9cU2RNShBgZjv36RtXuDHmVaH0-BU4sz-lZDyHhf2rWvbCRVUhxrKAQ9QAaU84vHQgNfVGGnvE-VglM35jqkZMxccGFCnzmvJJ7D_cyjB7j/s2172/13%20Little%20rgret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="2172" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLiD6_pxEaA_rFfaMoBK4pzQLE_DGqTrR8RPtu07rcI7VSX101iarMOtsYJVviCAemXD_jsrEtOkRcYvpel9cU2RNShBgZjv36RtXuDHmVaH0-BU4sz-lZDyHhf2rWvbCRVUhxrKAQ9QAaU84vHQgNfVGGnvE-VglM35jqkZMxccGFCnzmvJJ7D_cyjB7j/w640-h352/13%20Little%20rgret.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMXoVXNuorbGBBdOHEGvWEDVJJk3Yp3piMdy3Uc2JFVCdQh_Cd6QbCo4aT8i33e1CscZEFcqqwCcZpf5qcaR6PFZORPyMQLIpa0_br1LnvZVZehbVbjC8aBqcwYtDSdPLloc3cli1gESvscmheB0LG0fmor9gTM4S8zwJDrSLbEZPi-T6jcamWxHNO0yy/s2708/12%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="2708" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMXoVXNuorbGBBdOHEGvWEDVJJk3Yp3piMdy3Uc2JFVCdQh_Cd6QbCo4aT8i33e1CscZEFcqqwCcZpf5qcaR6PFZORPyMQLIpa0_br1LnvZVZehbVbjC8aBqcwYtDSdPLloc3cli1gESvscmheB0LG0fmor9gTM4S8zwJDrSLbEZPi-T6jcamWxHNO0yy/w640-h370/12%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">IH found the first <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Toad</span></b> we've seen this year and AH found what's probably a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Geen Shieldbug</span></b> but still in its winter garb.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHsRB3GJMnqOkAsE7p11-sjQqfMiupXIz8fHGcZe51rXJ2fL2UY8YYZKu6V5nBvW_Z7gb8kZ-HkE8aJHLZEMeKJPcw9jtOkUm9C8MehXrGvsRO_K03pKIQkUb0BHVcyYYqFQ4ENnenOz4KfFUyCDD4aWJjykAfB8Vlsl8gu5pomWXlztxMmBdCrCwaW8O/s947/14%20Shield%20bug%20sp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="947" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHsRB3GJMnqOkAsE7p11-sjQqfMiupXIz8fHGcZe51rXJ2fL2UY8YYZKu6V5nBvW_Z7gb8kZ-HkE8aJHLZEMeKJPcw9jtOkUm9C8MehXrGvsRO_K03pKIQkUb0BHVcyYYqFQ4ENnenOz4KfFUyCDD4aWJjykAfB8Vlsl8gu5pomWXlztxMmBdCrCwaW8O/w640-h470/14%20Shield%20bug%20sp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>So a wet but still fun day out with good mates. Only one new species was added to our Challenge tally but that now leaves just three more to reach our February target with half the month (and we get an extra day this year) to go.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A couple of days later we had an errand to run up Fleetwood way so took t'mutt for a walk along the prom to see if we could catch up with any waders, in particular the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Sandpiper</span></b> that's been hanging around with the large <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstone</span></b> flock. No such luck and we've not had any joy with it at the high tide roost on the old boating pool wall close to Base Camp this winter either. The only waders we found were small numbers of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sanderlings</span></b> and even fewer <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ringed Plovers</span></b>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyhxYoxBNZyPuOWi6SxNi7dWBM-QLlJgngSOUJ6lpNxsUmRa7mNugWg2rEjOf5exonS_6DkB4e7F9FgPyZhLn5NjRGtrswV4e1tKYNFtubwzJXQeWIX7NPzIP8OjVe9ANXRtGs54k6LKjMCZMLJJwaIaAK0oGrtT4NRHmVXnP5XzZmp6-132mQxReEjl4/s1720/Sanderling%20Rossall%20140224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1720" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyhxYoxBNZyPuOWi6SxNi7dWBM-QLlJgngSOUJ6lpNxsUmRa7mNugWg2rEjOf5exonS_6DkB4e7F9FgPyZhLn5NjRGtrswV4e1tKYNFtubwzJXQeWIX7NPzIP8OjVe9ANXRtGs54k6LKjMCZMLJJwaIaAK0oGrtT4NRHmVXnP5XzZmp6-132mQxReEjl4/w640-h386/Sanderling%20Rossall%20140224.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4T4sJO60ybVkvz_yK9Xv8_ab1vGcS_kr1kyk1syePjLIPT188b5-WP5mq9hzE5eEWDkvw9V1m8bZgEhQqVVGit6uGGQuObe_UELZD34y3W9p8NlvmB3lBhRTfnzq3q2m9ID1OjRVOhuT8fuD1rmr0dVYwFP7CRRCAJ7EfetGTygESaI3sIizlbqR11Bz/s1444/Ringed%20plover%20Rossall%20140224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="1444" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4T4sJO60ybVkvz_yK9Xv8_ab1vGcS_kr1kyk1syePjLIPT188b5-WP5mq9hzE5eEWDkvw9V1m8bZgEhQqVVGit6uGGQuObe_UELZD34y3W9p8NlvmB3lBhRTfnzq3q2m9ID1OjRVOhuT8fuD1rmr0dVYwFP7CRRCAJ7EfetGTygESaI3sIizlbqR11Bz/w640-h576/Ringed%20plover%20Rossall%20140224.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There's always something to see though and our attention was turned inland when the sky brightened up a bity and the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> on the adjacent golf course started singing from their lofty song flights. Eventually one landed almost within range of our lens. #113<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOVCY4y8oDALgxclVnWaVu9Abl26noEjbvbiD-5qXxSZR89p-Kt3w8J_fq9rdrM6Jt128zIu0apSwyttdDMEoXidr_42UTwd-pRW3DkXvEq1GHFQwx_szLekbD_vhAReTgEZ3FFfmz5AnUrc4RDxjecZmjvZSZMfFhxOmT5kcdlzbuvRaEdgpXP2zuAWi/s1310/113a%20Skylark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1310" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOVCY4y8oDALgxclVnWaVu9Abl26noEjbvbiD-5qXxSZR89p-Kt3w8J_fq9rdrM6Jt128zIu0apSwyttdDMEoXidr_42UTwd-pRW3DkXvEq1GHFQwx_szLekbD_vhAReTgEZ3FFfmz5AnUrc4RDxjecZmjvZSZMfFhxOmT5kcdlzbuvRaEdgpXP2zuAWi/w640-h322/113a%20Skylark.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the way back to Base Camp we had a quick stop at the old boating pool but there was very few waders in the roost. The next day we tried again but again very few waders were on the wall, where are they all going these days? Not to be outdone and ever hopefully we went again the following day. Yet again there were no more than a handful of waders but there was a small bird sat just beyond them...and one we wanted...a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rock Pipit</span></b> #114. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3enLuGVfrAQI4mlE7Th2q_SDMjMX3O-6ztP_SkFh4wFksYSQaNVu0v2W9DfiDQ_H5VBrEo1uI8K5i3QRUzLeFkg59N4L4TMawYsL5Zc0h8umURk-HXSoITTc_URl2WjtiHqalZ0wc_32PITYEp4M4qBfjF-AjSBTpr0ejg5OFf67jx4cGey6l5sKGclaj/s1111/114%20Rock%20pipit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="1111" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3enLuGVfrAQI4mlE7Th2q_SDMjMX3O-6ztP_SkFh4wFksYSQaNVu0v2W9DfiDQ_H5VBrEo1uI8K5i3QRUzLeFkg59N4L4TMawYsL5Zc0h8umURk-HXSoITTc_URl2WjtiHqalZ0wc_32PITYEp4M4qBfjF-AjSBTpr0ejg5OFf67jx4cGey6l5sKGclaj/w640-h352/114%20Rock%20pipit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pied Wagtails</span></b> mooched around the artificial rocks.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZs2_iKPidRx_sKazi1quJM4dggOb9jeD2tDfCXN2fMKLIbHrwhnqfSxuaKv11XsHCH3Fk5BeDLE88SFk2T6DxLWS23OdQhD57TNNyDGyEEGb-44GFDxlMtSFRXu_H4F5R9GKNjvGsJLCKyInoRV2P6Gw_aJk6O3kwPlro-vj5MIBvGdP0Kzm8bLDtDTp_/s1126/Pied%20wagtail%20female%20North%20Shore%20220224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1126" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZs2_iKPidRx_sKazi1quJM4dggOb9jeD2tDfCXN2fMKLIbHrwhnqfSxuaKv11XsHCH3Fk5BeDLE88SFk2T6DxLWS23OdQhD57TNNyDGyEEGb-44GFDxlMtSFRXu_H4F5R9GKNjvGsJLCKyInoRV2P6Gw_aJk6O3kwPlro-vj5MIBvGdP0Kzm8bLDtDTp_/w640-h448/Pied%20wagtail%20female%20North%20Shore%20220224.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rock Pipit</span></b> left just one more species to photograph for our February target of 15 and well over a week left in which to find it. What would it be...we put a plan together for it to be a biggy, but would the plan hold???</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our initial thought was to head back to Leighton Moss and see if there were any showy Water Rails along the causeway. Once again the weather had other ideas, heavy rain for 36 hours before meant that much of the reserve would be flooded so an alternative was quickly arranged. We were to meet IH at Sizergh Castle for a rendezvous with their elusive <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hawfinches</span></b>, where they had been very elsusive for the safai and CR over recent years being either unlucky, thwarted by deep snow and even turning up one year to find the car park closed for re-tarmacing - you couldn't write it! </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today was different IH was there well before us and as we pulled into the car park he was sat on the cafe verrandah pointing excitedly skywards. From where the car was parked we could only see the low sun burning out our retinas so car doors were thrown open optics gathered and we dashed over to where he was sat to be shown a lone <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hawfinch</span></b> high in a <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hornbeam</span></b> tree in the middle odf the car park. Getting a pic of it was tricky with lots of branches and twigs in the way. CR managed this shot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUbJSz0TPT_9_L1oTenKI3VawSZF2YCqNCj-CC9KlLiLfhRlMyxc73qL2NFvTZAA2x3i_wv5AaNBYRbZsjKqMB2Gn8UgR6i0hahcdSPn7mZ44CBNU7hyYrRtWMVl-RpCAc-gJFTEU7zILI_Iyli0v4ougt-Fh1fRODSIayOTFyxTWT1AVjBigsuG8GHxU/s776/114a%20Cliff's%20Hawfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="421" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUbJSz0TPT_9_L1oTenKI3VawSZF2YCqNCj-CC9KlLiLfhRlMyxc73qL2NFvTZAA2x3i_wv5AaNBYRbZsjKqMB2Gn8UgR6i0hahcdSPn7mZ44CBNU7hyYrRtWMVl-RpCAc-gJFTEU7zILI_Iyli0v4ougt-Fh1fRODSIayOTFyxTWT1AVjBigsuG8GHxU/w348-h640/114a%20Cliff's%20Hawfinch.jpg" width="348" /></a></div>but we couldn't get a way through to it so moved slowly to the other side of the tree. As we did so another car load of birders was diembarking their vehicle so we pointed it out to them...maybe we shouldn't have as no sooner had we got round to the other side of the tree withe the sun now behind us and far fewer twigs in the way it flew just as we began to lift the camera; those 60 seconds showing the new arrivals the bird cost us dearly...and worse most of them didn't see it when we asked them later. We hung around for a good hour more as IH had seen them coming and going all morning before we arrived, even a flock of five at one point but sadly we only got a couple more fleeting glimpses of fly-over birds and a couple of maybes that disappeared into the foliage never to be seen again. Ah well c'est la vie - no doubt we'll be back for another look before March is out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Plan A failed but the day was young and we had another site or two to visit. From Sizergh we drove the few miles further to Fowlshaw Moss were the car park feeders were busy with a nice mix of finches, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tree Sparrows</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY-v3C-LsSovPIt1Nz__AEdgeU9HPuw579exBFHkJnyvXsFwFLDWHuUJdhI3AEULc9OK7MmCyBj7QjEq1xCgOlOAJqfeRGv5IqFlxk60icvujruWB2Vd_aT0D_MmF_Y4ixKglaFB7fFXS6bqqD1iW3vBb4KJhRxbV4Xnf1W4fhOMwF1bCEkhNSyESJj4B/s941/01%20Tree%20sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="941" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY-v3C-LsSovPIt1Nz__AEdgeU9HPuw579exBFHkJnyvXsFwFLDWHuUJdhI3AEULc9OK7MmCyBj7QjEq1xCgOlOAJqfeRGv5IqFlxk60icvujruWB2Vd_aT0D_MmF_Y4ixKglaFB7fFXS6bqqD1iW3vBb4KJhRxbV4Xnf1W4fhOMwF1bCEkhNSyESJj4B/w640-h630/01%20Tree%20sparrow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then,while eating a tasty looking pasty, CR said there's a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rail</span></b> under the end feeder. Stretching up on tippy-toes leaning on the car roof we could just about see it in the gloom of the ditch at far side of the car park.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdyNPVlfgfSEZK6x4UmGth7jBKbux1R9L0NDx25jtkZV_DeblK4seuzPLCma2biS0BAAX5g-kyhGdHp3DhTeILPjHTlfGMM_cyg7-gpQD5D0_Qj8TfwzExXAvNybMmnTK8ruQgn_9MC3H7wJV75B_cyPhojfUeq20dAfo3C3Yp_ET_JE9san17kx5hCOv/s3574/02%20Water%20rail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="3574" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdyNPVlfgfSEZK6x4UmGth7jBKbux1R9L0NDx25jtkZV_DeblK4seuzPLCma2biS0BAAX5g-kyhGdHp3DhTeILPjHTlfGMM_cyg7-gpQD5D0_Qj8TfwzExXAvNybMmnTK8ruQgn_9MC3H7wJV75B_cyPhojfUeq20dAfo3C3Yp_ET_JE9san17kx5hCOv/w640-h464/02%20Water%20rail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Thoughts of nearly but not quite submitting the Hawfinch to the SD card were (almost) banished as we hit our target for February, and with the very same species we'd hoped but in a different location. 115 reached, now what? Do we stop for a few days or carry on and potentially eat into March's target which is only another six. That Law of Diminishing Returns is really biting hard now! At Fowlshaw there is another species that isn't on the 'list of potentials for March, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Redpoll</span></b>. So far we hadn't got out of the car park and we'd not seen one come down to the feeders nor heard any in the trees nearby nor flying over. Only one thing for it - go and have a look at their other feeding station a few yards away. That one wasn't so busy and again no sight nor sound of any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redpolls</span></b>. The sun was out but the wind was cold as we hit the boardwalk trail. Last year we'd found our very first February <b><span style="color: red;">Common Lizard</span></b> at this site so it was deffo worth a look today particularly in any sunny sheltered spots. We searched high and low, well exclusively low, in sunny spots under sheltered bracken, along the sunny edge of the boardwalk, which we flet with the back of our hand and it had some warmth to it, and at the base of likely looking trees to no avail...but IH did spot a small group of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Redpolls</span></b> making their way through a copse of thick <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hawthorn</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Silver Birch</span></b>, we struggled to get the bins on them in the deep cover and none of us managed to get a lens on them, another one for next time. We did find some likely looking lizardy/snaky spots that we'd not come across before that are worthy of further investigation in a few weeks time when the weather has warmed up a bit. Back at the not car park feeding station we had a chat with the Rangers while they had their lunch break away from boardwalk repairs. Still no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Redpolls</span></b> but a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tits</span></b> and at least one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Tit</span></b> darted in and out.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the possibilities of Fowlshaw had been exhausted there was still plenty of time to do another site. IH really didn't want to do Leighton Moss so suggested we follow him to a nearby riverside walk he knew. Once off the road and over the stile we were in a different world, the river running wide beside us as we walked up the hill past some impressive veteran trees. Eagle eyed IH came up trumps again when he spotted a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dipper</span></b> close to the river bank. It flew but a bit of stealthy stalking found it downstream on the other side but now much more distant.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4GiUy5GaVFvWfqWuDhFXNmvyNejMc-Idkh899CYnFXq38QWZdhr2th3jxhPSqEGFXVUeVfmv9gHQ1UDO36cfVXbalM1M7WmmP95iUF6eQWH3TvGhCyoeTBToCm3Rlv3s27ih7SMyq1AJf7FQ8W2i9V75NNC_mqk_38VlAaSKGELxCVVlFtXtpokWuy0v/s1872/03%20Dipper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="1503" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4GiUy5GaVFvWfqWuDhFXNmvyNejMc-Idkh899CYnFXq38QWZdhr2th3jxhPSqEGFXVUeVfmv9gHQ1UDO36cfVXbalM1M7WmmP95iUF6eQWH3TvGhCyoeTBToCm3Rlv3s27ih7SMyq1AJf7FQ8W2i9V75NNC_mqk_38VlAaSKGELxCVVlFtXtpokWuy0v/w514-h640/03%20Dipper.jpg" width="514" /></a></div>#116, we watched it for a few minutes before it flew further downstream and was lost to view. A top spot by IH again! He was certainly earning his Spotters Badge today. Now <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dipper</span></b> was on our list of March potentials so we've made our meagre target of just six perhaps a wee bit harder. What else could we find on this wander through riversides and woods? We'd not gone far when a herd of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fallow Deer</span></b> came into view as we came to the crest of a rise along the path. Not unexpected as we were in a deer park and these are captive animals but not really domesticated as cows or sheep. Their dark colour took us aback at first and we thought they may be <b><span style="color: #990000;">Sika Deer</span></b> but no they are in fact a 'black' form of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fallow Deer</span></b> and have been on the estate for about 300 years.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkE-wfh-Ndyycjy642S2quBvzHJXr1l5qleVgPO5j0HuApmw_ulMNvtaWfTOPVXj611Qo-o0lbHjG-NcaW2NuSThgWHynvOXHSsMpSPoDdcjyYqj3L2Wd_wsnwNG0fqFhAIzKTJKtB0PGcjsMaKEC-OQP_Y09limGVqs8BpiTPoVmHNhzhwfTa_fBpgAB/s1643/04%20Young%20Fallow%20buck%20and%20juvenile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1643" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkE-wfh-Ndyycjy642S2quBvzHJXr1l5qleVgPO5j0HuApmw_ulMNvtaWfTOPVXj611Qo-o0lbHjG-NcaW2NuSThgWHynvOXHSsMpSPoDdcjyYqj3L2Wd_wsnwNG0fqFhAIzKTJKtB0PGcjsMaKEC-OQP_Y09limGVqs8BpiTPoVmHNhzhwfTa_fBpgAB/w640-h494/04%20Young%20Fallow%20buck%20and%20juvenile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeADZlecuDIn1OofNMZqJOJwOb3v1mxNLNG74QG5mik0GjAOyZkkM2dhCSecrR8z1kiLRXfo8xEQtzUSzjsFRhluWcqrDpQffPcOiNME8LA4rxUL3N-AlIncrt91cnrgl4LNS_i8jKIBEnVdQvCJH7ZYg-9GvG1anhYLBandbmL-rW_qMDaVFWaAm5OXMN/s1740/05%20Fallow%20buck%20with%20broken%20antler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1740" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeADZlecuDIn1OofNMZqJOJwOb3v1mxNLNG74QG5mik0GjAOyZkkM2dhCSecrR8z1kiLRXfo8xEQtzUSzjsFRhluWcqrDpQffPcOiNME8LA4rxUL3N-AlIncrt91cnrgl4LNS_i8jKIBEnVdQvCJH7ZYg-9GvG1anhYLBandbmL-rW_qMDaVFWaAm5OXMN/w640-h450/05%20Fallow%20buck%20with%20broken%20antler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many of the trees were planted at that time too and some of them have been damaged by big the storms of recent years. There's certainly some weird and wonderful shapes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedMVk5BZlStJEJsSUniKx6W7IxU1X01ZVX0bC_gr0vp4Ut-mlLPA1_uqbaK6ybXIIiDtYalNJdOAlAmc03x_07CYdTaj07ZZQTzd4BxAlyr9txAkCpFbuUX4Kp_37195TUspCXs8sUfd7Y8hZUeDxJpVJLuaOwU3pa49e3ZSOHXndlqkI2zf5bDuhsFPR/s1336/06%20Old%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedMVk5BZlStJEJsSUniKx6W7IxU1X01ZVX0bC_gr0vp4Ut-mlLPA1_uqbaK6ybXIIiDtYalNJdOAlAmc03x_07CYdTaj07ZZQTzd4BxAlyr9txAkCpFbuUX4Kp_37195TUspCXs8sUfd7Y8hZUeDxJpVJLuaOwU3pa49e3ZSOHXndlqkI2zf5bDuhsFPR/w480-h640/06%20Old%20tree.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Continuing on along the footpath we came across another group of deer lazily chewing the cud taking it all very easy. You can tell they're used to people as they hardly bothered to look up as we stopped to get some snaps.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEzBYXxQhqyfZk1EeW2hyphenhyphen2q8Ajho-qXvBFFU5DY2KwOdclBHTGdPzk90iy9Jct6lfF7c1pKqMJXoTbwtkOVlO1jE-bGxgIoOcAxxnmnIwcBmGdstYVYdosYWpkLHmrI90g9iiZMz5H9oE7TvFksWprS9epnpJu6kdNNgnS6ZsxiPhT8_YKn8Lg7dxRppO/s1426/07%20Snoozing%20young%20Fallow%20buck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1426" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEzBYXxQhqyfZk1EeW2hyphenhyphen2q8Ajho-qXvBFFU5DY2KwOdclBHTGdPzk90iy9Jct6lfF7c1pKqMJXoTbwtkOVlO1jE-bGxgIoOcAxxnmnIwcBmGdstYVYdosYWpkLHmrI90g9iiZMz5H9oE7TvFksWprS9epnpJu6kdNNgnS6ZsxiPhT8_YKn8Lg7dxRppO/w640-h462/07%20Snoozing%20young%20Fallow%20buck.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A few yards further on we got a better angle on him<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEIZApKiHXB4cZTNxd4X6Y3PLjrETFB4h_htpqCHcLllrfD_q1OO_d1ZHpiSrU2PcaFKd_et0sbrVxdA72hPy3DoMOM23-4GZJnCYXhg0zF5zCgV_ep9qVRDzMrVfotoQxQ_vA49_y95O-TfCwApqQ_FRgdw8AzVCuMf6BK2MFsWQMIJhX67MrYZrdKRG/s1860/07a%20Snoozing%20young%20Fallow%20buck%20different%20angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="1860" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEIZApKiHXB4cZTNxd4X6Y3PLjrETFB4h_htpqCHcLllrfD_q1OO_d1ZHpiSrU2PcaFKd_et0sbrVxdA72hPy3DoMOM23-4GZJnCYXhg0zF5zCgV_ep9qVRDzMrVfotoQxQ_vA49_y95O-TfCwApqQ_FRgdw8AzVCuMf6BK2MFsWQMIJhX67MrYZrdKRG/w640-h498/07a%20Snoozing%20young%20Fallow%20buck%20different%20angle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Another one looked bizarrely <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Kangaroo</span></b> like.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNC2AnBxVLaXrxsz37JRuzDVAm9T4d45f1PtzZKqn0-3h0Zk4AKynQfLcv_HG66J2orx8srWeRHpc6U5g_y4Xwo5LrQ-vHVxHH9a_VtW18kYbwx4kPUSGkjpBKT3gUOjlvyQ2BmscweaS38W2YHo1XRRZvJo8sCCOCrMbwaKAdSHbXpUrwk4n2Ud3HkmS/s1722/08%20Juvenile%20Fallow%20deer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1722" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNC2AnBxVLaXrxsz37JRuzDVAm9T4d45f1PtzZKqn0-3h0Zk4AKynQfLcv_HG66J2orx8srWeRHpc6U5g_y4Xwo5LrQ-vHVxHH9a_VtW18kYbwx4kPUSGkjpBKT3gUOjlvyQ2BmscweaS38W2YHo1XRRZvJo8sCCOCrMbwaKAdSHbXpUrwk4n2Ud3HkmS/w640-h480/08%20Juvenile%20Fallow%20deer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HWX6ADNT4OGn65lOBfsDi_U4ZMotUDpF_c_Ux0buyM0fA3K9HNFVLgVP-pXbc3WeVFL1rwaxjwGlUG6TF-JNPpMFWJdqOtlvC03otdDg9oRbvzr3dRp8Wx99OrMnviXtHe6dpihFgXtDL5BRvI9_hivFeaR8A211JmjTD_DqBubtGR_1VtvYQgU7Vif8/s1884/08a%20Juvenile%20Fallow%20deer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="1884" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HWX6ADNT4OGn65lOBfsDi_U4ZMotUDpF_c_Ux0buyM0fA3K9HNFVLgVP-pXbc3WeVFL1rwaxjwGlUG6TF-JNPpMFWJdqOtlvC03otdDg9oRbvzr3dRp8Wx99OrMnviXtHe6dpihFgXtDL5BRvI9_hivFeaR8A211JmjTD_DqBubtGR_1VtvYQgU7Vif8/w640-h488/08a%20Juvenile%20Fallow%20deer.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />After leaving the estae and crossing a rather wet and fruitily scented field - looking at the tractor tyre marks we surmise it had recently been slurried, we ended up on a track leading back down to the river where the patch would take us under the main road on a ledge buit into the bridge stanchions. Above the track before we reached the bridge a pair of<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Buzzards</span></b> circled over our heads.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87dVrlaP_VLkEcMwV7Z6-Q4LA0mx1qPcQ-ksAFvz_sbG-1gSWLn7DxlsBUAL0lzgqcHlHaOThd1Sm2IjhVO1T0Qla0DCp498V1XrHw0Sj7caKF1SMzAkanDrVjG0f4XKO1vvegm8jLP9-TZKPzmmAR7XIwruhOtkUUxIFCyLrlT18WQ9ZAfckfrzz7CTt/s2492/09h%20Buzzard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="2492" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87dVrlaP_VLkEcMwV7Z6-Q4LA0mx1qPcQ-ksAFvz_sbG-1gSWLn7DxlsBUAL0lzgqcHlHaOThd1Sm2IjhVO1T0Qla0DCp498V1XrHw0Sj7caKF1SMzAkanDrVjG0f4XKO1vvegm8jLP9-TZKPzmmAR7XIwruhOtkUUxIFCyLrlT18WQ9ZAfckfrzz7CTt/w640-h572/09h%20Buzzard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatsrjfLpbf9h3eH4YD5G86U9GLUhQF0SajDz0U_VuCr-TKcIk1MTOmOMeDP6eNqqMoVnsMGTD6KvO62jTnpp1_L6zSeXkQPGhOg2oUpBV66gz4qDjKVOoklCHSGMtMTf9GbuiRYptxJPWtszQ-ZNEunHmpbwkIygQUWClJPg9Du0kI1fPyboLSP2PkepH/s1468/09d%20Buzzard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1468" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatsrjfLpbf9h3eH4YD5G86U9GLUhQF0SajDz0U_VuCr-TKcIk1MTOmOMeDP6eNqqMoVnsMGTD6KvO62jTnpp1_L6zSeXkQPGhOg2oUpBV66gz4qDjKVOoklCHSGMtMTf9GbuiRYptxJPWtszQ-ZNEunHmpbwkIygQUWClJPg9Du0kI1fPyboLSP2PkepH/w640-h388/09d%20Buzzard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBtH-QXitEXlOHi_jLXIverjcKcNE05SLkmonO6vqieSxs-dIhKDvdEfsefvlqARFidiAn5nEtvyU8Gvy7il2udM3Oic8-lTSb3zzsSM0XU_k0GaH4ouMIu4ytcRjVsd2jOoM8plMyRzCHhXwtmCRNCEFUh2qlagclLNf_oca0vV2wB7pMYAdU0nGtKyR/s1317/09c%20Buzzard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1317" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBtH-QXitEXlOHi_jLXIverjcKcNE05SLkmonO6vqieSxs-dIhKDvdEfsefvlqARFidiAn5nEtvyU8Gvy7il2udM3Oic8-lTSb3zzsSM0XU_k0GaH4ouMIu4ytcRjVsd2jOoM8plMyRzCHhXwtmCRNCEFUh2qlagclLNf_oca0vV2wB7pMYAdU0nGtKyR/w640-h582/09c%20Buzzard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSfwQcmNdCK_lxmqukKA4LiG_7A3WZX7lepkBSEa4ZkmjXpk9GaO5HT-1tlhNVHc-ZdJoVvJ5oSf1vdPM1Eq8DFKhB-q3s9mrfrWXnfkcnZgpU7mdS2BFvXwBH8U5M_6rcBsH4_CcAD7LsC-mgsqZdMCKJGdPlnP9LYNUvpQ2CZYNXEQMRc9QP-qzzjga/s1818/09a%20Buzzard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="1818" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSfwQcmNdCK_lxmqukKA4LiG_7A3WZX7lepkBSEa4ZkmjXpk9GaO5HT-1tlhNVHc-ZdJoVvJ5oSf1vdPM1Eq8DFKhB-q3s9mrfrWXnfkcnZgpU7mdS2BFvXwBH8U5M_6rcBsH4_CcAD7LsC-mgsqZdMCKJGdPlnP9LYNUvpQ2CZYNXEQMRc9QP-qzzjga/w640-h426/09a%20Buzzard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Passing under the bridge we came out on a lane looking down into a bit of a gorge in the river which looked vaguelly familar. IH consulted his map telling us we were about to cross a bridge in a 100 yards or so and whe nit came into view we recognised it as the place we really ought to spend some time looking for leaping <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Salmon</span></b>, Sedgewick Force. Now that is east of Sizergh Castle, it didn't feel like we'd walked that far but now we were at the furthest point all of a sudden the way back on the other side of the river felt like a bit of a hike.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVNWbCinFZgr6FqBD3FgsOWiUBzedbOiB2YZFzvY2tJn1iV1kMcL6TGGaQAS498acO1uvJD7l6Q5J9kuubYocPQscDMLecg1sAmNrGdWqvU2MGQp30xs5lG6xskMF9EoBXEto0tLEiVJR-cpJm_LbdP7mRVqvXCMv7I1SsVS1n91g5eBIgA_IbKFGPtrD/s1167/11%20Sedgewick%20Force.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="648" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVNWbCinFZgr6FqBD3FgsOWiUBzedbOiB2YZFzvY2tJn1iV1kMcL6TGGaQAS498acO1uvJD7l6Q5J9kuubYocPQscDMLecg1sAmNrGdWqvU2MGQp30xs5lG6xskMF9EoBXEto0tLEiVJR-cpJm_LbdP7mRVqvXCMv7I1SsVS1n91g5eBIgA_IbKFGPtrD/w356-h640/11%20Sedgewick%20Force.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>Our route back was fairly uneventful other than for passing some very impressive <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Oak, Beech, Lime</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Sweet Chestnut</span></b> trees until we neared the road where our cars were parked. There we found another group of the balck <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fallow Deer</span></b>. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLr9-ZJO7lZ69acuu4zQOqnJiaw3shFBQ62W4i7h1uaqPo3jiMUdPVs2oHx6LeDI1dNScuXneQ8v5kFBiQSoqbsSSNLbV3rVlH8q0XFs66jmSqTlG4dEEfM4eUG3og07S3SBcwekHOdGW4WdSihHZX0P_TOOs-pFHbGBFqe6BDxnEZrBHYv5PjidzIYTty/s1957/10a%20Young%20Fallow%20buck%20grazing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="1957" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLr9-ZJO7lZ69acuu4zQOqnJiaw3shFBQ62W4i7h1uaqPo3jiMUdPVs2oHx6LeDI1dNScuXneQ8v5kFBiQSoqbsSSNLbV3rVlH8q0XFs66jmSqTlG4dEEfM4eUG3og07S3SBcwekHOdGW4WdSihHZX0P_TOOs-pFHbGBFqe6BDxnEZrBHYv5PjidzIYTty/w640-h460/10a%20Young%20Fallow%20buck%20grazing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD02jvd5mOul2qPJjeGcv5-JI0uwyjT6ceRaPhxBMKG1rQXikiUVppiti9ksYjnQnnqALba4adYGrcU54Y1SUsC63wSTlNgN3PYqN-D7AtVKj66tkCp_l5Nq0obCLiCWEZ4l-iKVSE8vRcjX0_WNpGCuJx8eOux8D8pUhfA8TVPB4vkj7_xy_ZRki34WI/s1807/10%20Young%20Fallow%20buck%20grazing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="1807" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD02jvd5mOul2qPJjeGcv5-JI0uwyjT6ceRaPhxBMKG1rQXikiUVppiti9ksYjnQnnqALba4adYGrcU54Y1SUsC63wSTlNgN3PYqN-D7AtVKj66tkCp_l5Nq0obCLiCWEZ4l-iKVSE8vRcjX0_WNpGCuJx8eOux8D8pUhfA8TVPB4vkj7_xy_ZRki34WI/w640-h624/10%20Young%20Fallow%20buck%20grazing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Again they went about their business oblivious to our presence and we were able to get some really close full frame shots. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the distance from the trees close to where the cars were parrked we could hear a<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Jay</span></b> calling repeatedly, a species that's eluded our lens so far this year, in fact we've only had one fleeting glimpse of one. It is on the Potentials for March list but it was slightly annoying that it kept itself hidden all the while we walked back to the cars. Wonder if we'll get it in March??? And so ended a fabulous and diverse day out in south Cumbria.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back at Base Camp the following morning we caught sight of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Bunting</span></b> on the dunes while out with t'mutt again. As per usual we didn't have the camera with us and it was way to far away for even contemplating as phone pic especially after our previous '<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Weasel</span></b>' attempt. There ws no sign of it on our late afternoon dog walk, however the next morning there it was again. This time we cut the dog walk short and went back for the camera only to walk up and down the prom for an hour or more without so much as a glimpse of the darned thing...where does it go??? Lunchtime saw us do another hour or so, again without any joy. The sun was more or less still out for our late afternoon dog walk so again we took the camera and this time after only half an hour we struck gold after seeing it being fluched by another dog walker. Unusually this time it didn't disappear to who knows where but stayed low down on the dune edge and began feeding. It was still very flighty having a little feed here before either flying or running mouse-like through the vegetation to start feeding in a new spot. Keeping up with it while dragging a reluctant 30+kg dog was easy but we did at long last manage to get some shots off. #117<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cuR3sHVbaT8z0FkTwhMIYr9GD3ImrtkpBj-hnYR8vJJ2u7sH2xoY19NMKQeBLU0XRe974StTvaLe5r6rVB9pTzstA9fm-DWaN4tj4zIUIRPg3UICBOUG5UpP_ks5cwPvtAazEPhSqD67nZQ8KQ7BmoyF5ma6OPT1CO1PKds-JiWdLObefzoPgK6NoyfJ/s1182/117%20Snow%20bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1182" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cuR3sHVbaT8z0FkTwhMIYr9GD3ImrtkpBj-hnYR8vJJ2u7sH2xoY19NMKQeBLU0XRe974StTvaLe5r6rVB9pTzstA9fm-DWaN4tj4zIUIRPg3UICBOUG5UpP_ks5cwPvtAazEPhSqD67nZQ8KQ7BmoyF5ma6OPT1CO1PKds-JiWdLObefzoPgK6NoyfJ/w640-h448/117%20Snow%20bunting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUEJKqxDgmaD57Losu9QRvS1-Usu7MCgsW1RewJMqjxOwVF5tjLXft1dn7o4Tq_bZunmjDk5fmEYT8kH9rAtwCyhvTgvc_F8LhlzMfVJpbJkIdRF6qjnPOPCsq0-yV6s_qTM2OBMrpxNXsCkN-Jk3dXozDwxKahSDRn5v5WtpBLirQEF7sCDnb_pxXi4y/s838/117a%20Snow%20bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="838" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUEJKqxDgmaD57Losu9QRvS1-Usu7MCgsW1RewJMqjxOwVF5tjLXft1dn7o4Tq_bZunmjDk5fmEYT8kH9rAtwCyhvTgvc_F8LhlzMfVJpbJkIdRF6qjnPOPCsq0-yV6s_qTM2OBMrpxNXsCkN-Jk3dXozDwxKahSDRn5v5WtpBLirQEF7sCDnb_pxXi4y/w640-h516/117a%20Snow%20bunting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With two species now crossed off our 'Wanted for March' list we've reduced our target to 6 out of the 10 remaining potential 'victims'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Another further flung safari is coming up but one that is still within our 75 mile Challenge radius - just.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's finally fallen in your outback.<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9hDKqHb330H37Xv8sIMADuLYFtvkGNKld8gR-gBz8teHNfOxhw83ru8Nzdu0sVtrmB-aJi0hLwnxbwXe_uKxCkD0Z4_IYmZhbffx5yWdEzJHATHnBhSxrwomUeb13Pq2kq_gl6ld7O6m8lLod-R7pWaE4LIqJTEPDubmzjvsIIbbCwm0vVLN5MelpwuD/s2708/12%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /></div></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-9179394786955167952024-02-27T14:32:00.006+00:002024-02-27T14:33:44.941+00:00Onward, here, there and everywhere<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari left you</b> on a high last time with the news that we'd hit the dizzy heights of 100 species of birds photographed in January. Well, as we alluded to then, things slowwwwweeeddd right down in February. We set ourselves a rather weeny target of just 15 new species to get during the extended month. How have we got on?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our first safari of February saw us head up north to a rather soggy Leighton Moss where it didn't take long to find the long staying female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b>, as is usual for us it was away across the far side of Lillian's pool. But hey near or far if they're identifiable they all count for our Challenge - #101.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYi1dCFbYLyk2kLbAtp888OqoO3NsgNgxvv8KoRLlrUJrFgSVLz750mYPb6UyhmjnyYRwumDYwEYTVJhdQAD0CMHa_Z_e3ppyDkNCy1gz_uLLPafPFAKkeOR20DbQwYS7Q1SZPvOH_C2UBvCEH4ZOk9uwo3bzpA6G8rClPhRK4xmLGAUryE63Uhx1TkoHp/s1067/101%20Ring%20necked%20duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1067" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYi1dCFbYLyk2kLbAtp888OqoO3NsgNgxvv8KoRLlrUJrFgSVLz750mYPb6UyhmjnyYRwumDYwEYTVJhdQAD0CMHa_Z_e3ppyDkNCy1gz_uLLPafPFAKkeOR20DbQwYS7Q1SZPvOH_C2UBvCEH4ZOk9uwo3bzpA6G8rClPhRK4xmLGAUryE63Uhx1TkoHp/w400-h265/101%20Ring%20necked%20duck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Our attention was soon drawn away from it by a well marked male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b>.] quartering the reeds over the far side of the pool. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUtPeMXFa2B6q2O6rp-xhSLO7TpIvTRP49tuBM3pQ4otH4N55aZFGwdaayFETKmgc9_0G3EqL0_OCT2N0QE5QlVFuPo6WCCvcbnyKfZbIVzsRi6lvDLvqolE63rAMvNXeLkCFZXJQFGGVVGe_BO1GCEF6Y08e6sFQxgt9J6b16y9-OmGl_qjosBk91Mll/s1155/02%20Marsh%20harrier%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1155" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUtPeMXFa2B6q2O6rp-xhSLO7TpIvTRP49tuBM3pQ4otH4N55aZFGwdaayFETKmgc9_0G3EqL0_OCT2N0QE5QlVFuPo6WCCvcbnyKfZbIVzsRi6lvDLvqolE63rAMvNXeLkCFZXJQFGGVVGe_BO1GCEF6Y08e6sFQxgt9J6b16y9-OmGl_qjosBk91Mll/w640-h430/02%20Marsh%20harrier%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After a while we'd exhausted the possibilities at Lillian's and wandered slowly down to the Grizedale Hide where the water before us was largely bird free, in fact we don't think we've ever seen it so birdless. A shout from CR pointed us in the direction of a very distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b>, just about photographable beforee it banked and dropped into a distant channel btween the reedbeds\ #102.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVX5N-syXHQj9cvHEeutZIF_BZ6zOdl63vyuaNit3hDhj2oZsw5x5Te9xZZ9TXELwn863hPAOdDFMYT_rlIYhx2zUtbsJCtTepfE9vlNtV5MQKl7R1KGu4NyYWWowCV9LO0D3YuROf5pntrVGX_av6A1SZLX2V51CeVHB2SK2XPXHkDdH1fdCGA1jsZtU/s961/05%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="961" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVX5N-syXHQj9cvHEeutZIF_BZ6zOdl63vyuaNit3hDhj2oZsw5x5Te9xZZ9TXELwn863hPAOdDFMYT_rlIYhx2zUtbsJCtTepfE9vlNtV5MQKl7R1KGu4NyYWWowCV9LO0D3YuROf5pntrVGX_av6A1SZLX2V51CeVHB2SK2XPXHkDdH1fdCGA1jsZtU/w400-h360/05%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>With so little happening there we didn't stop long and retraced our steps past the deserted <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tit</span></b> grit trays to Tim Jackson Hide. Again high water levels meant the pool was lacking in our feathered friends but at least there were a few more than at the Grizedale Hide including several sleepy <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b>, #103, a species we just couldn't connect with in January. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkFZAeTW71iw9zE8d4jH7fPZ8_A6qtL2h1vXyczTvQe_69w6mruqVQwvrhOIqVKsQ8hlTQDEJjThak6w1pyQDeXVmM5bNA9chBzM0DEdpZCAFdLffrxuBFsmrL2x7c5k3yWy8lGjN7qYfZiRCVTOR9Km8wkzC_YTOJp-ymu4uxuVlclYkTv-GenAN3cnZ/s1160/06c%20two%20snipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1160" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkFZAeTW71iw9zE8d4jH7fPZ8_A6qtL2h1vXyczTvQe_69w6mruqVQwvrhOIqVKsQ8hlTQDEJjThak6w1pyQDeXVmM5bNA9chBzM0DEdpZCAFdLffrxuBFsmrL2x7c5k3yWy8lGjN7qYfZiRCVTOR9Km8wkzC_YTOJp-ymu4uxuVlclYkTv-GenAN3cnZ/w640-h498/06c%20two%20snipe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh77zetKRFrwzuijeO68xRVHQwoB1qwwqP5bAfwUzxoTCCXcVRIc2eGHLiPTCXC53eWMzEfDR3sflm_9dumCUk71FkUw1iBhQ6VPvmp73WFCpnN0kaDWBU5xUBVc_guLowYXd5UCo00CycsSFJVMaSSzgH3aiWn6bUGnw3T1bo3lw_VQKdi46RJU6HggmG/s1363/06b%20Snipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1363" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh77zetKRFrwzuijeO68xRVHQwoB1qwwqP5bAfwUzxoTCCXcVRIc2eGHLiPTCXC53eWMzEfDR3sflm_9dumCUk71FkUw1iBhQ6VPvmp73WFCpnN0kaDWBU5xUBVc_guLowYXd5UCo00CycsSFJVMaSSzgH3aiWn6bUGnw3T1bo3lw_VQKdi46RJU6HggmG/w640-h356/06b%20Snipe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNWKcr3vvfFTUwuzRkoXwCCKi8YVCR8UwZSUMvuuSqJT251H7QZ7f4g3ZGnbxK5m8OkOaVNDB3bOWFBgUM435v2WMYVMQbZ2JiKERq8sJss5FdUdjrrJvdHZHPKJZsoRkhhdBvfw59HLMOs_W5rnlwp1JYn_QYDxR1saQC-QSrrnNQqA6OjCkBbm9-rub/s785/06a%20Snipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="785" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNWKcr3vvfFTUwuzRkoXwCCKi8YVCR8UwZSUMvuuSqJT251H7QZ7f4g3ZGnbxK5m8OkOaVNDB3bOWFBgUM435v2WMYVMQbZ2JiKERq8sJss5FdUdjrrJvdHZHPKJZsoRkhhdBvfw59HLMOs_W5rnlwp1JYn_QYDxR1saQC-QSrrnNQqA6OjCkBbm9-rub/w640-h614/06a%20Snipe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3rcTPn072BcUQvSpgX3K2nswPLthycm9ZFgx-Uss3lQnNmKqb0GjFJg4sve0tmLSuFbRzSKnD7cKimwB1QNkM8EigA7in8IieMEoW9YNpvoFVx6Pd1K_drBauHoVQyVm1sKHqgu29zWXgI1dtFD-AvK0LDjbHMNZGchsBbIcNheK9fTSGq9-IIi6e4TV/s1020/06%20Snipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1020" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3rcTPn072BcUQvSpgX3K2nswPLthycm9ZFgx-Uss3lQnNmKqb0GjFJg4sve0tmLSuFbRzSKnD7cKimwB1QNkM8EigA7in8IieMEoW9YNpvoFVx6Pd1K_drBauHoVQyVm1sKHqgu29zWXgI1dtFD-AvK0LDjbHMNZGchsBbIcNheK9fTSGq9-IIi6e4TV/w640-h456/06%20Snipe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Once again though we soon exhausted all the possibilities and headed back towards the Causeway Hide where pies would be consumed passing the Feeding Station as we went. Not as busy as it can be there but a Marsh Tit is always a good spot here.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt4wr5kDf3Mv2V5fWDiUZlc6DBNhv2sSm1z_mXbFYgjzLbdlXi9-C2PcLGIlrYGXk47TH6fZtLZXhGR85LfT07Yr2KRBP6j1nS-XChh2a-oHOqYnUCJ839dR_iq2vSriyKTYi7yHqYHzpCma1OY6KZ142G_hnOpSVLr0_FC9nZS6dKzf_Mfm6x3zQdWp3/s1210/07%20Marsh%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1210" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt4wr5kDf3Mv2V5fWDiUZlc6DBNhv2sSm1z_mXbFYgjzLbdlXi9-C2PcLGIlrYGXk47TH6fZtLZXhGR85LfT07Yr2KRBP6j1nS-XChh2a-oHOqYnUCJ839dR_iq2vSriyKTYi7yHqYHzpCma1OY6KZ142G_hnOpSVLr0_FC9nZS6dKzf_Mfm6x3zQdWp3/w640-h528/07%20Marsh%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Lunch was eagerly consumed while watching <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorants</span></b> coming and going.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbQJ_-17qaGtyFyhKq2Jn_wd__8s3e34Z-prGEi3jXNIsnWNVIK0vAwEeYmGwGfjSJ6ufrLmUGgxS6pMTnAPLIcp3xv76DM0fGs88AJs_JxlpjfqH6qJs9OfqvFfH_hAck59o6yxkaG9ADrNhR-wRA_iPKB91BEBGFuQBkuy6Ncuxtkfbi0IS2FKfOFwV/s1178/10a%20Cormorant%20jumping%20on%20to%20post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1178" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbQJ_-17qaGtyFyhKq2Jn_wd__8s3e34Z-prGEi3jXNIsnWNVIK0vAwEeYmGwGfjSJ6ufrLmUGgxS6pMTnAPLIcp3xv76DM0fGs88AJs_JxlpjfqH6qJs9OfqvFfH_hAck59o6yxkaG9ADrNhR-wRA_iPKB91BEBGFuQBkuy6Ncuxtkfbi0IS2FKfOFwV/w640-h604/10a%20Cormorant%20jumping%20on%20to%20post.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> did us the favour of foraging right under our noses.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgco8qCFmyWjulogXxmto3K8uaG8Wp1kt6sm7yE0bZQ9RLN4ZW-3jZTD56S1qWoRnIlbvvV4OH08DBToX4IM-YqJiin_3ddNW6N1RuD7YxBlpFzBA1nlLkpUQ1O3ocYjYM2hiIjbA57A79pgucDnloUgYyRju7jxnJ3w6maiwpxcZuywm78hLHGf855pvL0/s2275/16%20Teal%20pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="2275" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgco8qCFmyWjulogXxmto3K8uaG8Wp1kt6sm7yE0bZQ9RLN4ZW-3jZTD56S1qWoRnIlbvvV4OH08DBToX4IM-YqJiin_3ddNW6N1RuD7YxBlpFzBA1nlLkpUQ1O3ocYjYM2hiIjbA57A79pgucDnloUgYyRju7jxnJ3w6maiwpxcZuywm78hLHGf855pvL0/w640-h496/16%20Teal%20pair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNKKK76PtjJ3R9HRYVl4Y6ddlWCS-K3S5eYhDwU0vpq-8yDVDUimc7FPtmw7X-dYAS_z6COT8TA_4W_OMtM54-h0cXaQZ8opf172XgHoQu-vFZAtZa9ub9rD-J2BmfOqtCuZtHx3WDF8sXGYQQnhq8nSBJpBL0PfD83o-jg2ZevKnWB1Ly4-VohTgr2fd/s2314/16%20Teal%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1748" data-original-width="2314" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNKKK76PtjJ3R9HRYVl4Y6ddlWCS-K3S5eYhDwU0vpq-8yDVDUimc7FPtmw7X-dYAS_z6COT8TA_4W_OMtM54-h0cXaQZ8opf172XgHoQu-vFZAtZa9ub9rD-J2BmfOqtCuZtHx3WDF8sXGYQQnhq8nSBJpBL0PfD83o-jg2ZevKnWB1Ly4-VohTgr2fd/w640-h484/16%20Teal%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Butties and pies scoffed it was time to head along the causeway to Lower Hide. The booming of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns </span></b>was our soundtrack of the day, we could hear them both sides of the track, at least three and probably four we thought. Four booming males, it's not that long ago there were only 11 in the whole country! Just shows what a bit of positive habitat management can achieve - "Build it and they will come" as they say. Along the causeway we got waylaid by a gang of<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Siskins</span></b> feeding on <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alder</span></b> seeds that had been washed out of their cones by wind and rains and floodwaters had accumulated them at the edge of the path.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAGmhF1RqRYGdcKgxsf65hPBf-3vEYmfy4pATPzA9Z8dyWo7eWzJpuspXHgi2_dJHnFVC5dOZyp0SIfBxk7hWY49qo3rNQ7jLgY7fx_A0qU_PCoZ29350Hu9cOkWgk7HIc6fUlr0Jg_uKbkRQbZzCQBkuBurcSILSKVbg8WpS3AkGYL0dR-68e7yA5m-J/s630/18a%20Siskin%20on%20ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="630" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAGmhF1RqRYGdcKgxsf65hPBf-3vEYmfy4pATPzA9Z8dyWo7eWzJpuspXHgi2_dJHnFVC5dOZyp0SIfBxk7hWY49qo3rNQ7jLgY7fx_A0qU_PCoZ29350Hu9cOkWgk7HIc6fUlr0Jg_uKbkRQbZzCQBkuBurcSILSKVbg8WpS3AkGYL0dR-68e7yA5m-J/w400-h285/18a%20Siskin%20on%20ground.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQL0BKh4ebcm7G3m-lrrI0uQV2sUARGqmu9Fq49kIoTpRdLeKvlWV4r61Je6_RAG6I-KePQESeVg0WCbMWOnU-iAABRkOT8Rh48TzTWb6PdqLSXcwQe7vhGRByqkKzDSFOBO6xRBBd72RhXTwn-pYNb5uIccVnsX-ZOUgkT1dI27AdAnO9Nvkxiiy0YjmK/s861/18%20Siskin%20on%20ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="861" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQL0BKh4ebcm7G3m-lrrI0uQV2sUARGqmu9Fq49kIoTpRdLeKvlWV4r61Je6_RAG6I-KePQESeVg0WCbMWOnU-iAABRkOT8Rh48TzTWb6PdqLSXcwQe7vhGRByqkKzDSFOBO6xRBBd72RhXTwn-pYNb5uIccVnsX-ZOUgkT1dI27AdAnO9Nvkxiiy0YjmK/w400-h190/18%20Siskin%20on%20ground.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It's not often you see them on the ground as they usually prefer to feed acrobatically high in the tree tops. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Redpoll</span></b> was seen with them but easily eluded our lens. Half way down the wooded path to the Lower Hide is a small bridge and that was a bridge too far for CR and his ankle high boots. WE carried on with IH in our wellies and did managed to get to Lower Hide after an intrepid journey through hell and high water - cold high wtaer at that!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELrbcTzz7nmI880wV11SHvKWKRPM1lM6lX_0Nej6K41tneYxVMmJS4jVHby9lhjlz178xhyNhUmp-8rtohKQSiGT9-tYUFkxwmvn4xhwoRaqWtpmrCoHpW0-1R9WsChiBnGhRC_9fnU-uZhxV8TTn0g6yn14quANsRCrwo_HiT64DQUiR1oIZCoOsLJg_/s1139/18B%20Flooded%20path%20to%20Lower%20Hide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="634" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELrbcTzz7nmI880wV11SHvKWKRPM1lM6lX_0Nej6K41tneYxVMmJS4jVHby9lhjlz178xhyNhUmp-8rtohKQSiGT9-tYUFkxwmvn4xhwoRaqWtpmrCoHpW0-1R9WsChiBnGhRC_9fnU-uZhxV8TTn0g6yn14quANsRCrwo_HiT64DQUiR1oIZCoOsLJg_/w356-h640/18B%20Flooded%20path%20to%20Lower%20Hide.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>And sadly a bit of wasted journey - the very high water levels meant no birds to be seen apart from a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b> so back to rejoin CR we slopped. Back on terra-firma we went to Lillian's Hide again passing a far-to-quick-for-us <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rail</span></b> and a couple of frustratingly invisble <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b>. A stationary <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe </span></b>on the tern nesting platform was easier.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNwAE2LTOt4P_t-y_WHsLF9-r6tUo2dXvY-3ggKwo-I_kAMXqVnRh6ubCL2OrzDGcEGtahgsMFja5kOzNcy6AvAPeVdrH7Bkdk-fSuaZWXhf-p3qUCUyCtrrNTkOlaX9KN_ZXOnDpXJdffbTld8gMkKrjlmOFD4ZLc0QpM2xhLtVRrmumwwbx6p_Fr2Os/s1084/19%20Snipe%20on%20platform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1084" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNwAE2LTOt4P_t-y_WHsLF9-r6tUo2dXvY-3ggKwo-I_kAMXqVnRh6ubCL2OrzDGcEGtahgsMFja5kOzNcy6AvAPeVdrH7Bkdk-fSuaZWXhf-p3qUCUyCtrrNTkOlaX9KN_ZXOnDpXJdffbTld8gMkKrjlmOFD4ZLc0QpM2xhLtVRrmumwwbx6p_Fr2Os/w640-h364/19%20Snipe%20on%20platform.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A little more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> action coincied with the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b> coming a bit closer.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXbohz1xRV-8zN6S06LCjTjm7rvwD-nKnuqFL7u4tOKFYX8z9264t01KVOQSul1Lp1e1d4daPbA5da1Fp2T3jJy9HIhaRxUyuffJ_L8_qzuq0k0Tv5eupR1lxDsPWSb0seltaPQjawQT177j2O74DNDEmSWD3YwJyrifHFHDQtyPP42iYmekUaSH7t4-9/s1397/21%20Marsh%20harrier%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1397" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXbohz1xRV-8zN6S06LCjTjm7rvwD-nKnuqFL7u4tOKFYX8z9264t01KVOQSul1Lp1e1d4daPbA5da1Fp2T3jJy9HIhaRxUyuffJ_L8_qzuq0k0Tv5eupR1lxDsPWSb0seltaPQjawQT177j2O74DNDEmSWD3YwJyrifHFHDQtyPP42iYmekUaSH7t4-9/w640-h538/21%20Marsh%20harrier%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG8pqQTclij2P095KBypRMwdbWtbcI6dASZZNDSokWr_5aflfH0nUzQ7O0A6oPoXVfZ2NWeJkvdL0bHPs0iO_BvmhoZCjOWNsoobA_FESHyoOYknYh3gSib1IhdTS1TRVul0AZZI7ikuBIwu49j-2ygyKdqWHMpQHHK7VkWgqwNFePvBIqhyaZa2jA4be/s991/24a%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20closer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="991" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG8pqQTclij2P095KBypRMwdbWtbcI6dASZZNDSokWr_5aflfH0nUzQ7O0A6oPoXVfZ2NWeJkvdL0bHPs0iO_BvmhoZCjOWNsoobA_FESHyoOYknYh3gSib1IhdTS1TRVul0AZZI7ikuBIwu49j-2ygyKdqWHMpQHHK7VkWgqwNFePvBIqhyaZa2jA4be/w640-h366/24a%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20closer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Not the most productive day for our Challenge but a good day on safari with good friends never-the-less and that's what it's all about. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">A few days later our next safari took us along the icy lanes of Over Wyre. Passing a car that had slid off the road through a fence and into a field had us taking extra care on the narrow ditch-sided roads. We struck lucky in Eagland Hill, spotting the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Owl </span></b>we've not seen there for several years - #104.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGk-LoV-x8KOdwShQAXdT0prq8eLOZWbYuIxa2lzUdXzjtgzb2XVYyAmpiJ6DcFKbW_jppIbuLte4-8VjbUq0i7HAADJ291L87fUJISPpAylHhenkTXesZmTCQx7lva_09VcSgaXlcyegBcPGuDaMGV4aSGMieMwKm-hTen0Ub1JTIV8dilapYi6IVisUs/s974/104%20Little%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="974" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGk-LoV-x8KOdwShQAXdT0prq8eLOZWbYuIxa2lzUdXzjtgzb2XVYyAmpiJ6DcFKbW_jppIbuLte4-8VjbUq0i7HAADJ291L87fUJISPpAylHhenkTXesZmTCQx7lva_09VcSgaXlcyegBcPGuDaMGV4aSGMieMwKm-hTen0Ub1JTIV8dilapYi6IVisUs/w400-h334/104%20Little%20owl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It's a pity that it was on the wrong side of the tree and facing away but you can't have everything. Further down the lane we couldn't stop at the first Farmland Birds Feeding Station so motored on down to the next one where a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Corn Bunting</span></b> , #105, flitted in and out of the large anti-<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pheasant</span></b>/<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Squirrel </span></b>cage.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHrWUpj7M_DV5kTxShFAtPG3X7csyYugVoVk4WwiUfjq8yTYYfWrIM-3SNhNLI8l9rhpgrqOfWJUD1eY66HhG9u4P1uKEikpm17E8rnXdc8dk7_hVq4wHFaMQM22A-v1QKA2WjEHakdxnQR1dYyHVq_PzCuzyYVyzYral1U5knG7is8cbV0hnU03jLEAP/s1666/105%20Corn%20bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1666" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHrWUpj7M_DV5kTxShFAtPG3X7csyYugVoVk4WwiUfjq8yTYYfWrIM-3SNhNLI8l9rhpgrqOfWJUD1eY66HhG9u4P1uKEikpm17E8rnXdc8dk7_hVq4wHFaMQM22A-v1QKA2WjEHakdxnQR1dYyHVq_PzCuzyYVyzYral1U5knG7is8cbV0hnU03jLEAP/w640-h370/105%20Corn%20bunting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Obviously we'd have preferedv a pic of it in the tree away from the ironmongery but every time it flitted it flut behind the tree truck and out of sight - the pesky so-n-so! Not much else doing there so it was back to the first Feeding Station which was alive with birds, mostly <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinches</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tree Sparrows</span></b>. Luckily there was a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Yellowhammers</span></b> too, our target species, unfortunately it was right at the front of the viewing area with lots of twiggery in the way so our pic is a bit (well a lot) hmmmm, but you can tell what it is so it's (just about) good enough for our purposes. #106<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0ClSWD-9gRtqyZkcyuNu5aQNtYqwkXD7snYWXebzB08P43DbkXHq5q-gvmbjILWlULliCZ2ruvQxh7uIzsnSFM-zmu251yJNd75OpwLikEW77w68mADcEsddN4KGvFJO_LQCA1IMSguJzW11N7VQNFDvCjGjj2ZbamydLjAjohZTmUdX4iCW5qrFi7Xt/s919/106%20Yellowhammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="919" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0ClSWD-9gRtqyZkcyuNu5aQNtYqwkXD7snYWXebzB08P43DbkXHq5q-gvmbjILWlULliCZ2ruvQxh7uIzsnSFM-zmu251yJNd75OpwLikEW77w68mADcEsddN4KGvFJO_LQCA1IMSguJzW11N7VQNFDvCjGjj2ZbamydLjAjohZTmUdX4iCW5qrFi7Xt/w400-h266/106%20Yellowhammer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We met a couple of birders on the drive back to the main road and told them how to find the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Owl </span></b>which they'd not seen, we hoped they did find it as it wasn't where we'd spotted it when we drove past.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">From the farmland mosses we headed further north for another attempt at the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bewick's Swans</span></b>. We soon found the flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b> they were probably with but it was so far away across the fields we needed the telescope that we didn't have with us today. With that disappointment we went further up to Plover Scar where another birder was just leaving and told us of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> that had been hunting the ditches - we didn't see it but the sound of singing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> in the frosy morning air was glorious. The tide was dropping as we went for a mooch along the seawall to see what we could see. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlews</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Oystercatchers</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b> were the most numerous birds but a duck on the water was more interesting...an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Eider</span></b> #107</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibWm2WGsRvG-dL_-EInRZ0cNn8yrz3VQgHfqDe34dMORpzcC1x5Nz6OMZOMV49k_Yzo0ruNYdVLONVBRyCsXAzRtg9a1Gc15m2pvFmHV5KjddSBbGrbk5bGIP1txjeh39UI-JaA2Nr-pZpVPotQVemUPEtHNuT_cKjguAYJgCnC4mOlZpMyKI51Md0fNm/s1284/107%20Eider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1284" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibWm2WGsRvG-dL_-EInRZ0cNn8yrz3VQgHfqDe34dMORpzcC1x5Nz6OMZOMV49k_Yzo0ruNYdVLONVBRyCsXAzRtg9a1Gc15m2pvFmHV5KjddSBbGrbk5bGIP1txjeh39UI-JaA2Nr-pZpVPotQVemUPEtHNuT_cKjguAYJgCnC4mOlZpMyKI51Md0fNm/w640-h368/107%20Eider.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The following day we were out with t'mutt for his late afternoon walk and what an awful afternoon it was, reet dreich as a Scots person might saw, dark, grey, dingy and raining. Perfect conditions for spotting the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Bunting</span></b> that's been kicking around the cliff/dunes/prom close to Base Camp. We've been seeing it fleetingly about once every 10 days but today it sort of hung around even if a little flighty. No-one in their right mind would carry a camera on a day like that but then everyone has a phone in their pockets these days...The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Bunting</span></b> continued to flit about on the grass bank not too far away from us so ever so cautiously the phone cane out of the pocket. Full Zoom was selected and we held it in the direction of said bird...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAv0Lvt_zwcbwUVsNz8kZqGp7iBpdQCErXT8aIGhV7g22zBAaKnTmbXtcOJ00VWaIzsW5cSTrzVQJaPjlZPnXL0WrpNNmnF0E3zc4VtfNoB9ihcJRk6gIvlX-29fqAboVnw2IV4jMoVOqvWqdgp2CKONSh0Gz4r-0-YiRqlmXcXwzAPqsKM1ozXCVKnZv/s955/108a%20Snow%20Bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="593" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAv0Lvt_zwcbwUVsNz8kZqGp7iBpdQCErXT8aIGhV7g22zBAaKnTmbXtcOJ00VWaIzsW5cSTrzVQJaPjlZPnXL0WrpNNmnF0E3zc4VtfNoB9ihcJRk6gIvlX-29fqAboVnw2IV4jMoVOqvWqdgp2CKONSh0Gz4r-0-YiRqlmXcXwzAPqsKM1ozXCVKnZv/w398-h640/108a%20Snow%20Bunting.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>Maybe we should have used Night Mode??? Hopefully optomistic we asked our fellow Challengers if they could identify what was in the picture, if they could we could count it towards our tally. The answers came back...a 'shriky thing', nothing, even a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Weasel</span></b> was touted by wildlife savvy IH! So, no we can't count it but would we be able to get a much improved pic before it heads northwards, that was going to be another challenge.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our next safari saw us with CR and IH at Martin Mere WWT reserve again. It was another grey and drizzly day. Our first port of call was the feeders, on the way we spotted a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Brown Hare</span></b> in the distance guarding the entrance to the Harrier Hide, a nice way to start the day!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIWoDxz_DtF39t908hykeTk3QStcfcPqXCrGseBybjSzloXcCuX1l_Su0AtUTu4M1FqQui3AiHX5NVPtjGQq61kK4Tbu7z4vmW73FqX9FGypDwTCzcCvVPAQyiQrcBVdFb9SC1CiqJDnLtrFmDQeL1KhPobXtXkgI6DsZ87-w6P82xdsbmmwSaWYd3eWS/s1349/001%20Hare%20on%20path%20to%20Harrier%20hide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="1349" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIWoDxz_DtF39t908hykeTk3QStcfcPqXCrGseBybjSzloXcCuX1l_Su0AtUTu4M1FqQui3AiHX5NVPtjGQq61kK4Tbu7z4vmW73FqX9FGypDwTCzcCvVPAQyiQrcBVdFb9SC1CiqJDnLtrFmDQeL1KhPobXtXkgI6DsZ87-w6P82xdsbmmwSaWYd3eWS/w640-h390/001%20Hare%20on%20path%20to%20Harrier%20hide.jpg" width="640" /></a> The feeders were unusually quiet but as it was raining we stuck it out just in case something of note should show up. Eventually the rain eased and that was our cue to head round to the opposite end of the reserve...the thinking being if we've had at least 60 hours of miserable weather the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owls</span></b> will be hungry and needing to hunt, the break in the weather is going to bring them out. the hunch was right and we didn't have long to wait. #108 - over half way to our target of 15 for the month now.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_SwzuMKq3Z8EuXo7CkkSVC5UfRza5duBqAWDsS1olOeyJaMoWDQvdsAjpIDx40j4vBt1XyaxxhiVUH5xNCwj-9q7d5pp9UHfeIYVXA0u4Incy-GKElwBCYQlSBWfZmdTQNJkQ_yFnfUmAndJ13ykdNpt1AB060CbZsNmXcPb9DHpem3kitbIO41XoTHo/s1196/003%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1196" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_SwzuMKq3Z8EuXo7CkkSVC5UfRza5duBqAWDsS1olOeyJaMoWDQvdsAjpIDx40j4vBt1XyaxxhiVUH5xNCwj-9q7d5pp9UHfeIYVXA0u4Incy-GKElwBCYQlSBWfZmdTQNJkQ_yFnfUmAndJ13ykdNpt1AB060CbZsNmXcPb9DHpem3kitbIO41XoTHo/w640-h474/003%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUC_WoAJyVGmTZjz03Lnn_GsTk-7SORfR4HSG-dtevzmcRxAgh1IVjuUL_Mq_3sSDM-7Qxc650gb4zxmVbMH7EUCZumvMSRV0uqvAa7VV6HTI8GNcY77grO9MzibxM4Civdk_IZL8E68BzGmoCeaAM-n7AtI_467p6g0Cq69yrkGcWOC8r5sdtKoHin6i/s1186/003d%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1186" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUC_WoAJyVGmTZjz03Lnn_GsTk-7SORfR4HSG-dtevzmcRxAgh1IVjuUL_Mq_3sSDM-7Qxc650gb4zxmVbMH7EUCZumvMSRV0uqvAa7VV6HTI8GNcY77grO9MzibxM4Civdk_IZL8E68BzGmoCeaAM-n7AtI_467p6g0Cq69yrkGcWOC8r5sdtKoHin6i/w640-h466/003d%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgai3xQZ87Vo6hFjpS7GUW-wk7ctQdilOg7mNYPSE3CehyBKagYeX7zXnSVd8sZZY3Irb93o9V1pjXWRvDVfTDJlhlEUAmliFgzzr8-0fqbhdgKXPuUgbLEHFxt41XZbw03_c8CDNr3SNCWrhJFM8q5EuN6TPqjNRwM1eGtxoPzzDgn7lPYeXE9Pd6xHD9u/s1090/003b%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1090" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgai3xQZ87Vo6hFjpS7GUW-wk7ctQdilOg7mNYPSE3CehyBKagYeX7zXnSVd8sZZY3Irb93o9V1pjXWRvDVfTDJlhlEUAmliFgzzr8-0fqbhdgKXPuUgbLEHFxt41XZbw03_c8CDNr3SNCWrhJFM8q5EuN6TPqjNRwM1eGtxoPzzDgn7lPYeXE9Pd6xHD9u/w640-h504/003b%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After a while hunting the bull's field it swept in front of us and moved over towards the mere to our left.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93nROSoOJd3cRKssKYlnaV02_UZ3kheewfHcJMg6XrET6BFjD08zKiykOOXZwBH4vIzJaM_hMSkKgWpCGSQoVmSRe9jJOysj7c19QsNtOMBM-aMwRhW3e-SysNatBZ5ULyqYVJTQylaHUo8OftTc4tBe1ER7TwzKQUwScx89uhgGTuebuHN_dCND27S2L/s1002/003e%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1002" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93nROSoOJd3cRKssKYlnaV02_UZ3kheewfHcJMg6XrET6BFjD08zKiykOOXZwBH4vIzJaM_hMSkKgWpCGSQoVmSRe9jJOysj7c19QsNtOMBM-aMwRhW3e-SysNatBZ5ULyqYVJTQylaHUo8OftTc4tBe1ER7TwzKQUwScx89uhgGTuebuHN_dCND27S2L/w640-h588/003e%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It then disappeared, possibly circling behind us. Our attention was then turned to the pools in front of us to check all the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> for any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Green Winged Teal</span></b> that may have secreted themselves among the many hundreds of their Old World counterparts...that's got to be done at this time of year. We couldn't find any, if indeed there were any to be found, We did however find an unexpected quartet of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Avocets</span></b>, a nice little bonus towards our February target. #109. They didn't do much just stood in a line up to their bellies in the water chilling out all day.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0P5p0OEbCpuR6qDeuUCSEezKpbxrS5m-tCYpU8y5F72xtSJ5j5Y7tmR4di2h_Oat571KyyTUa9yGKe66bmG1MTJdnFuA2EMCWTmd8Iv9qX6HKZi4M9oF7iuPIFkTYvpDzLTtHU2Y8EbQHI8h9O3qXp_ZHRD_7ufU1yT_ifjLoNDSnudYIyohJrF2BgLE/s1682/004%20Avocet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="1682" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0P5p0OEbCpuR6qDeuUCSEezKpbxrS5m-tCYpU8y5F72xtSJ5j5Y7tmR4di2h_Oat571KyyTUa9yGKe66bmG1MTJdnFuA2EMCWTmd8Iv9qX6HKZi4M9oF7iuPIFkTYvpDzLTtHU2Y8EbQHI8h9O3qXp_ZHRD_7ufU1yT_ifjLoNDSnudYIyohJrF2BgLE/w640-h202/004%20Avocet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfishers</span></b> were also seen but neither were in a photographable location. A shout went up in the hide - someone had spotted the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> again, only this time there were two. One of which was a little closer than the earlier one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfX-EtCnPn3Y9W_6rkmehprkOydAoM2ngS0Y4LMCRLx1BDJ7F8EV95AbDEFBYbBYdmMGu3U_cW86ydUj9-NipyGCJTskEbIVi2Gn7D0WHpamtmA0b6P5Dwit3VvzEhq04vPKCLKp4nw6VdEAthrifEv1iCOqL93R7s5MHjT2nVWCm6QAgu36edE6jVrzSD/s1177/005d%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1177" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfX-EtCnPn3Y9W_6rkmehprkOydAoM2ngS0Y4LMCRLx1BDJ7F8EV95AbDEFBYbBYdmMGu3U_cW86ydUj9-NipyGCJTskEbIVi2Gn7D0WHpamtmA0b6P5Dwit3VvzEhq04vPKCLKp4nw6VdEAthrifEv1iCOqL93R7s5MHjT2nVWCm6QAgu36edE6jVrzSD/w640-h448/005d%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1v10AwLE0d97mFj7Q3GFbTcULBzwQ7u1BRGwpZBDgMK9q2I4L0C85W9Z1d6nggerAJamIwEo06ryE6sgf6OlMWuVM1T6gUuX6WNdCjKUaqZ89Klbu0GSj-pANzA2SKHkHVPiRIiIIVjKTgcMo7a4x33Bbib8qqtNliPkc3xcax4W-HcqG-DHJ9DjqL-E/s1282/005c%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1282" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1v10AwLE0d97mFj7Q3GFbTcULBzwQ7u1BRGwpZBDgMK9q2I4L0C85W9Z1d6nggerAJamIwEo06ryE6sgf6OlMWuVM1T6gUuX6WNdCjKUaqZ89Klbu0GSj-pANzA2SKHkHVPiRIiIIVjKTgcMo7a4x33Bbib8qqtNliPkc3xcax4W-HcqG-DHJ9DjqL-E/w640-h398/005c%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It even thought about trying an impression of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cattle Egret</span></b> at one point; either that or its eyes were much much bigger than its belly!<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTchuHkF0AfQfbdEXcaKZY8KbzqMxg-MlJOHD5bFaPLyyGc2zYoSsSZGi2wo4dte2zlbdH8cSktcLVSqTnqQHjpwWitnbuErUDhRW3s8KUJlYhl3aXE9sAR_MbCLM5IaSzVTkD-0LY_e8e9taQR2vPU0LNParZkW5nTUkoyDKzfipnKFnBkn1CVNKvGFo/s3142/005%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2440" data-original-width="3142" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTchuHkF0AfQfbdEXcaKZY8KbzqMxg-MlJOHD5bFaPLyyGc2zYoSsSZGi2wo4dte2zlbdH8cSktcLVSqTnqQHjpwWitnbuErUDhRW3s8KUJlYhl3aXE9sAR_MbCLM5IaSzVTkD-0LY_e8e9taQR2vPU0LNParZkW5nTUkoyDKzfipnKFnBkn1CVNKvGFo/w640-h498/005%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>But soon it was back to business as usual quartering the fileds for voles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aH51KiBJFyrKgRi-nuY3kkVLP4Etcm_UdLHzHMhgmtZ0rMxJ2K52RBAZ4PFQQw0r434gdN-aWsgMypeBUc7qmtsKHVjUWqanujjPRJlIBHbRvfftHvGNGPDVu1_aXuUzDZ7QEUTI70RuH0YiGIU91el8gABxtkuzC4ZDuVniUqDpLjXu0rkZUyh13TkZ/s1378/005a%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1378" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aH51KiBJFyrKgRi-nuY3kkVLP4Etcm_UdLHzHMhgmtZ0rMxJ2K52RBAZ4PFQQw0r434gdN-aWsgMypeBUc7qmtsKHVjUWqanujjPRJlIBHbRvfftHvGNGPDVu1_aXuUzDZ7QEUTI70RuH0YiGIU91el8gABxtkuzC4ZDuVniUqDpLjXu0rkZUyh13TkZ/w640-h420/005a%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhqV10szGnJXjydHxJE20BHygKvUQ2yJGQ16kq5JT9TMJxw5R0LcIaN6kkIBGz0TUht0MyJx9fZXSyZaBnY2-oK1Vgv0fMx_NbTV4fAe-i2NW_Hp_Fg8J2vAYeyNujg7zIhJelyhAcTUpyAWARfAzMntv0a2VGXqV0DN14c_lWUskG0XW7aMXwGAyBiGr/s903/005b%20Barn%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="863" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhqV10szGnJXjydHxJE20BHygKvUQ2yJGQ16kq5JT9TMJxw5R0LcIaN6kkIBGz0TUht0MyJx9fZXSyZaBnY2-oK1Vgv0fMx_NbTV4fAe-i2NW_Hp_Fg8J2vAYeyNujg7zIhJelyhAcTUpyAWARfAzMntv0a2VGXqV0DN14c_lWUskG0XW7aMXwGAyBiGr/w612-h640/005b%20Barn%20owl.jpg" width="612" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We hoped one of them would land on a nearby post but neither did, rather they both took themselves further and further away from us across through paddocks. So we took our leave of them and headed back towards the feeders. On the way we called in at the little hide and watched this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> doing its foot-stirring thingy<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ckndbFaYaEPmTr511kCCvaOCiVxAHeGTIgUcDzY8azYIuDK107-vUfZNn3zo1d-6AIXlZKCLmPd8uGHHvNH4RXhxuj_MrM2DoltLCHtU1N1Xm3KSrvJLEatldL5YQS7Mw4Gj3ibplJLGL6s96QPE0cDHzfNzPXl_RfO3g2CxS49BBVZheeopYJ5t5Cv/s1526/006%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1526" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ckndbFaYaEPmTr511kCCvaOCiVxAHeGTIgUcDzY8azYIuDK107-vUfZNn3zo1d-6AIXlZKCLmPd8uGHHvNH4RXhxuj_MrM2DoltLCHtU1N1Xm3KSrvJLEatldL5YQS7Mw4Gj3ibplJLGL6s96QPE0cDHzfNzPXl_RfO3g2CxS49BBVZheeopYJ5t5Cv/w640-h486/006%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>With little to show for its efforts it decided to swith opools and went for an overland wander rather than take to the wing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjl5zx2sFbgIOXHV3xVJ0YU0oOAy84BMsqSqPubKYWEPaUoegz37K71A9z3ZYvOIxsyE0MmZV99j25JbPL_fgJIl7kkya4kObFAPtMQQs56DcKO3EJOP30vm_Z8WPcjWQ_6S71SgEBFyCh_CUi6UDpKkYXm827BJOWYvRq3q2YzG5VWJJfZbltGYICcSW/s1415/006b%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1415" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjl5zx2sFbgIOXHV3xVJ0YU0oOAy84BMsqSqPubKYWEPaUoegz37K71A9z3ZYvOIxsyE0MmZV99j25JbPL_fgJIl7kkya4kObFAPtMQQs56DcKO3EJOP30vm_Z8WPcjWQ_6S71SgEBFyCh_CUi6UDpKkYXm827BJOWYvRq3q2YzG5VWJJfZbltGYICcSW/w640-h486/006b%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Having a little shimmy on the way.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZR8QkIQxMkWMyOj_Ag4dGa8hTpxUlm9_DBQS8llVJL0H9YLZtlLf4xoLUVwirShoz2xsukT1-_Tmwa71_0BYzcJTrIy3DoBJkhIMFGm8JmB1XPwV1K5IfY4ZJoYoGW473se0XyDlnQl5splSajPC-w8SBU4AF35DtBtYH9NWSXqgTaUfbcxXFCy93LFi/s1525/006a%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1525" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZR8QkIQxMkWMyOj_Ag4dGa8hTpxUlm9_DBQS8llVJL0H9YLZtlLf4xoLUVwirShoz2xsukT1-_Tmwa71_0BYzcJTrIy3DoBJkhIMFGm8JmB1XPwV1K5IfY4ZJoYoGW473se0XyDlnQl5splSajPC-w8SBU4AF35DtBtYH9NWSXqgTaUfbcxXFCy93LFi/w640-h426/006a%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A brief stop at the Discovery Hide gave us a very close fishing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorant</span></b>. We didn't see it catch any fish but they do swallow small prey items underwater.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrf7oWj7fTJD9h4V7KXTnUOOww6T0EjPx0fKFhagUJ6i4g5VKBHlFoVNkkKHjXyu3suUT7vrDsEjybpbMM0Zln3WAjT4j5WHliK-rVLlyS_Vnp99bUggosMgSyoNv8_50ORA1Xc4gbQYlJPZTiJLM8awu2vG4wWZdsqhaz11-WqR-tItb8Zm0rFCMzGB3/s1688/007a%20Cormorant%20mid%20dive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1688" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrf7oWj7fTJD9h4V7KXTnUOOww6T0EjPx0fKFhagUJ6i4g5VKBHlFoVNkkKHjXyu3suUT7vrDsEjybpbMM0Zln3WAjT4j5WHliK-rVLlyS_Vnp99bUggosMgSyoNv8_50ORA1Xc4gbQYlJPZTiJLM8awu2vG4wWZdsqhaz11-WqR-tItb8Zm0rFCMzGB3/w640-h368/007a%20Cormorant%20mid%20dive.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSG_0-oBMPQd6LGVEW-xh-INki6EsiAcOGowqR6cOWUZ0rqVsSrzkVxE1eJeHuNp-emXiwpi9HF2yFt6151bGXR5h_R2JXcHFZCEm8UA3gGiU93iGIOZgdu18XMB1cE-2-I05_f5_-tuaXeLH5AI6vQXcd3MkJlQbT0myD851__puEdZle-umbukZHQre/s1740/007b%20Cormorant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1740" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSG_0-oBMPQd6LGVEW-xh-INki6EsiAcOGowqR6cOWUZ0rqVsSrzkVxE1eJeHuNp-emXiwpi9HF2yFt6151bGXR5h_R2JXcHFZCEm8UA3gGiU93iGIOZgdu18XMB1cE-2-I05_f5_-tuaXeLH5AI6vQXcd3MkJlQbT0myD851__puEdZle-umbukZHQre/w640-h376/007b%20Cormorant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>For some reason we gave the feeders a miss and continued round to the UU hide where we were kindly shown a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b>. Was this a third one or one of the two we'd seen earlier?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDeQHkgUAuq_ewgc8VlZcxql1S7T69yH3ZCyXghGPSfU3LxrFlRcF0C66o6prLQ1DLw-7-pFnW1_cfdgTC5K68ij8oNnVhb59Ed3fqX43zUK9W-carsWZ3aId9GAJE27-Jzcc-QseZltDawp2UdZ_EwAiiIJ37hdpNN-CT0Mug94DJM2WKcc9LH3djyUv/s947/008%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="913" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDeQHkgUAuq_ewgc8VlZcxql1S7T69yH3ZCyXghGPSfU3LxrFlRcF0C66o6prLQ1DLw-7-pFnW1_cfdgTC5K68ij8oNnVhb59Ed3fqX43zUK9W-carsWZ3aId9GAJE27-Jzcc-QseZltDawp2UdZ_EwAiiIJ37hdpNN-CT0Mug94DJM2WKcc9LH3djyUv/w386-h400/008%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="386" /></a></div>Along the dyke from the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> and on the opposite side was this bedraggled male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> sat atop his lookout post.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7mKNF3dDa6wWSPdDlqyTuntNZTVTE0Ly3D-JMhHG_6B6y48QrBBnXjjRruzB9gx3srGhEvT0Q6c76t55N81AtXpWWqp6fu5w6HDoBCeL-MH8b5pyOfswARLxgMzjaKP7MU3r3P9R3jhHQ3zHgFjkIpQgujg-C2vf-vAgPXa4lQAOX3JV1zikI0AXwBIQ/s1013/10%20Kestrel%20on%20post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1012" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7mKNF3dDa6wWSPdDlqyTuntNZTVTE0Ly3D-JMhHG_6B6y48QrBBnXjjRruzB9gx3srGhEvT0Q6c76t55N81AtXpWWqp6fu5w6HDoBCeL-MH8b5pyOfswARLxgMzjaKP7MU3r3P9R3jhHQ3zHgFjkIpQgujg-C2vf-vAgPXa4lQAOX3JV1zikI0AXwBIQ/w640-h640/10%20Kestrel%20on%20post.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>His eyesight must be phenomenal as after a few minutes he swooped down 30 odd yards to nail a worm or other small invertebtrate in the grass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFjtS3R8DKLahNWH0_S5CfDQZsza7foDl13T9SwPH5bOaGhxnOZtiEbGamEBHj63ke_UReSeP_cuoXstnDFgfwhqKwA-wuy8TSKAaGAxZjCXOCMOgMZxlHGEuX20vh21TmWMFNiLdDQTjfnlJ7IjpdoB7mcCrR5KlYqsU6QuF3YrSG4lpPLBmi6uB1uyq/s1247/10b%20Kestrel%20on%20ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1247" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFjtS3R8DKLahNWH0_S5CfDQZsza7foDl13T9SwPH5bOaGhxnOZtiEbGamEBHj63ke_UReSeP_cuoXstnDFgfwhqKwA-wuy8TSKAaGAxZjCXOCMOgMZxlHGEuX20vh21TmWMFNiLdDQTjfnlJ7IjpdoB7mcCrR5KlYqsU6QuF3YrSG4lpPLBmi6uB1uyq/w640-h512/10b%20Kestrel%20on%20ground.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDz5a2duEWsAywMU-kKHjkJdYRuKqxTOqv8nDVs45dhhlMOhzMLE6-YF1sXqmYhFDFm-lLgGajfDOEVZ-kYCKfPYeNZWPBUxZRaiMn7_5wjdbNN5jRa-D3hPesAkcpF-NO1WAfZo2X-aZo6YkjuUM3_oKweVCRt27Qypr3tFxPMGKDDmeBGqu6-U89df99/s1550/10a%20Kestrel%20on%20ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1550" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDz5a2duEWsAywMU-kKHjkJdYRuKqxTOqv8nDVs45dhhlMOhzMLE6-YF1sXqmYhFDFm-lLgGajfDOEVZ-kYCKfPYeNZWPBUxZRaiMn7_5wjdbNN5jRa-D3hPesAkcpF-NO1WAfZo2X-aZo6YkjuUM3_oKweVCRt27Qypr3tFxPMGKDDmeBGqu6-U89df99/w640-h430/10a%20Kestrel%20on%20ground.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Time for the feeders! The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings</span></b> have found they can collect seeds fallen from the bird table without having to take part in the hustle and bustle that goes on above them.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnaXqHi3VoIlNgwG0MbvBIpUaAwZ_OAGz-lkWiJ9sz73egfgt7XVoukyTNH5QSf0-yg2za2rk3xpMXihsOYBuCQWKJFRGWQ66Q5L_OuQaUg2n0AQbnc2Zd102aeOk7sxZxXPQN3ryoUeASz2AIB5RollLZjYV859nn7_Blwb7rOCJrCXqA2kkUyOZ_KDb/s1378/12%20Redd%20bunting%20female%20with%20seed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1043" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnaXqHi3VoIlNgwG0MbvBIpUaAwZ_OAGz-lkWiJ9sz73egfgt7XVoukyTNH5QSf0-yg2za2rk3xpMXihsOYBuCQWKJFRGWQ66Q5L_OuQaUg2n0AQbnc2Zd102aeOk7sxZxXPQN3ryoUeASz2AIB5RollLZjYV859nn7_Blwb7rOCJrCXqA2kkUyOZ_KDb/w484-h640/12%20Redd%20bunting%20female%20with%20seed.jpg" width="484" /></a></div>A female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinch</span></b> has learnt the trick too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zsRpnIpp3T9ntkUY5AG8BGJeOYqPSslnyeDAw4IaeOHvvATFFDzLbdL-yGeZ32oJCcXb6alxgBm5MNjFH2kSO_M6IMdE9CEt-uT8jWNi5-nShRMf75TCsXK00dEv0BIQL9wDyUT6xvcgUoLWETp4qd8GYe8oW4D-87BdyV9BZDhBx5wn8lxoqamiqT_w/s1013/15a%20Chaffinch%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="951" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zsRpnIpp3T9ntkUY5AG8BGJeOYqPSslnyeDAw4IaeOHvvATFFDzLbdL-yGeZ32oJCcXb6alxgBm5MNjFH2kSO_M6IMdE9CEt-uT8jWNi5-nShRMf75TCsXK00dEv0BIQL9wDyUT6xvcgUoLWETp4qd8GYe8oW4D-87BdyV9BZDhBx5wn8lxoqamiqT_w/w600-h640/15a%20Chaffinch%20female.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIeIAIIUqzKWXD9tTSgxqtiTQVcuR8IisCK1mK86PUXWOqDt7L-XPG4BGL6UugjTw4ny0y-nvP-_iurYLFZj3DnwShK0AASKGYFrG_aouzh_sNphQ4vMfz7_d6BuIGGY4TI_jwcC-Fh8erzLBn4o4BSVbHlf9QRAhphFHYS17f2r3We_Fi82GECQLQZ2Q/s1328/15%20Chaffinch%20female%20with%20seed%20from%20water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1328" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIeIAIIUqzKWXD9tTSgxqtiTQVcuR8IisCK1mK86PUXWOqDt7L-XPG4BGL6UugjTw4ny0y-nvP-_iurYLFZj3DnwShK0AASKGYFrG_aouzh_sNphQ4vMfz7_d6BuIGGY4TI_jwcC-Fh8erzLBn4o4BSVbHlf9QRAhphFHYS17f2r3We_Fi82GECQLQZ2Q/w640-h444/15%20Chaffinch%20female%20with%20seed%20from%20water.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was a rattle of camera shutters when a male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></b> turned up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZbxaoGk6NyiDZMs2e7tOsf6aPfkLAf6PpMee2mjCdz88TF4q-8CrEY4h-V9NKHooNT56OKwfPItKPp9kLgjmAdj8ti7LFOHmBWyzIXWS4aW3UUwDuas5awfdSuV3WWJhkAyRTHSuGt2NUL-zLZ_fEiqtre9sxKfP04uaD9smPcn7socMn12LlkArpT_W/s1654/14a%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1654" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZbxaoGk6NyiDZMs2e7tOsf6aPfkLAf6PpMee2mjCdz88TF4q-8CrEY4h-V9NKHooNT56OKwfPItKPp9kLgjmAdj8ti7LFOHmBWyzIXWS4aW3UUwDuas5awfdSuV3WWJhkAyRTHSuGt2NUL-zLZ_fEiqtre9sxKfP04uaD9smPcn7socMn12LlkArpT_W/w640-h432/14a%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiRUE-rmGTnWJvl_e6WyQw9rhxR5eleey6K2-zRLQC7dovw255xntqKtqgZq3MrMbGNYzqMtRCzIS9ZUuh48uYkzzv25IOWQ27OwcgXlBAqu-V3TtmoE41O2FfgQKR7IUi88vET78X99cpFbSlOXrhNJjhTO7y5JOhm79jaWRgBse01QB08S5da4Knvm2/s1051/16a%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20on%20twig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1051" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiRUE-rmGTnWJvl_e6WyQw9rhxR5eleey6K2-zRLQC7dovw255xntqKtqgZq3MrMbGNYzqMtRCzIS9ZUuh48uYkzzv25IOWQ27OwcgXlBAqu-V3TtmoE41O2FfgQKR7IUi88vET78X99cpFbSlOXrhNJjhTO7y5JOhm79jaWRgBse01QB08S5da4Knvm2/w640-h568/16a%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20on%20twig.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xMh7XTsjqmIJyosanWZjsjSmy6wRFVq-aDqmBVmQrv7FTceeOt-SDhhjoO0KCbxPud9kJLH1AwOAscRdeqdlLKiEwSqFLOwV74l4aApFdOJ6pp27hf_BjEopc6GTaYVRgzYlhw6oyNNSLzfruYhyphenhyphenpEYYWsDzbGkenQ3o2FfSUS_XaCOo4MHzsgPD-7Ks/s1300/16b%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20on%20feeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1300" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xMh7XTsjqmIJyosanWZjsjSmy6wRFVq-aDqmBVmQrv7FTceeOt-SDhhjoO0KCbxPud9kJLH1AwOAscRdeqdlLKiEwSqFLOwV74l4aApFdOJ6pp27hf_BjEopc6GTaYVRgzYlhw6oyNNSLzfruYhyphenhyphenpEYYWsDzbGkenQ3o2FfSUS_XaCOo4MHzsgPD-7Ks/w640-h602/16b%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20on%20feeder.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVeqtLmrR8ErJQs8Rc-scpWvuRG3D-b_6PDygPqCsZxBWbg_t1XAmlmiaKpJ6Hn90EvEgRab69G2H-K8fbgAOJXYZQ9TDOGGitKTbE-yMJfqkVFHN0zFucd_9sZoy6Ky1NFAMk2w16GaNwkQ7nGMW4rEFxENNH_2sJK-EANb7gvVtNdabv62hIQXIe4Rt/s2046/16c%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20male%20on%20table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="2046" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVeqtLmrR8ErJQs8Rc-scpWvuRG3D-b_6PDygPqCsZxBWbg_t1XAmlmiaKpJ6Hn90EvEgRab69G2H-K8fbgAOJXYZQ9TDOGGitKTbE-yMJfqkVFHN0zFucd_9sZoy6Ky1NFAMk2w16GaNwkQ7nGMW4rEFxENNH_2sJK-EANb7gvVtNdabv62hIQXIe4Rt/w640-h294/16c%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20male%20on%20table.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A woodpecker eating <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Millet</span></b> - what's that all about? Then a female arrived,<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjsNRMftgFlhoc9LHg3QRAJtD1o_m11sFBX__8NmKN-zBTDEmU59OjN3hxvKKZBsUCvi6dKXf8O1NTCR-EM74r3t9qPIk2qIwsI6-FANZqkR8Nfg8IkK_JyI9Zl35BQyHg-2G91cMeU2t3Cc3UKmN5fHoU2nTu7ZR88bQZb_w80aPfS84pCK4xqPeQ-Kf/s1014/18a%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20female%20on%20feeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="904" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjsNRMftgFlhoc9LHg3QRAJtD1o_m11sFBX__8NmKN-zBTDEmU59OjN3hxvKKZBsUCvi6dKXf8O1NTCR-EM74r3t9qPIk2qIwsI6-FANZqkR8Nfg8IkK_JyI9Zl35BQyHg-2G91cMeU2t3Cc3UKmN5fHoU2nTu7ZR88bQZb_w80aPfS84pCK4xqPeQ-Kf/w570-h640/18a%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker%20female%20on%20feeder.jpg" width="570" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a second female too, this second one was a leucistic individual with very pale brown wings, somehow we didn't get a pic of her. We did get the obligatory pic of the pools resident <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> though, it's just got to be done; no ifs, buts or maybes.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg_To-Ce1eGVvTdKofcScnYhhSsPBEnIMUt0KJPa3-nWctIP7fPtABfZmIlKh6HlXPBc2A_9r6s_nJXSKtJN4EZLhofx67cKF67cg6Tj99OeBSILT9KtntY28n45YQw2EsbmFCxEp927gKYDRphOpMc5dFP5UZcczmaEBGJ8xBL7-C-26DA1ye9Kbrh6g/s1699/17%20Moorhen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1699" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxg_To-Ce1eGVvTdKofcScnYhhSsPBEnIMUt0KJPa3-nWctIP7fPtABfZmIlKh6HlXPBc2A_9r6s_nJXSKtJN4EZLhofx67cKF67cg6Tj99OeBSILT9KtntY28n45YQw2EsbmFCxEp927gKYDRphOpMc5dFP5UZcczmaEBGJ8xBL7-C-26DA1ye9Kbrh6g/w640-h366/17%20Moorhen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>In the distance we could hear that it was getting near time for the mayhem to begin...otherwise known as the afternoon swan feed. Off we went to the Discovery Hide to get our ring-side seats. </div><div>While the Ranger got herself organised we fired off some point blank shots at the usual suspects.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVitar5ntmttR1LRmAaDzSfGZBURrlnHd8-kGMkD1NDvzB-5JH79OasrcIPC-Tfum8UTHfXMhAEpIcTjNmEnpKncR51stEpBIfFxDzyGl8qpOQppPO9Bavd1S9QNpNsL4EN7xKpUSPASYynmfSZUwi3MJWKf2azM1rDd-V3R2quEsTK56LS0f_8JCy0ka/s1973/21a%20Pintail%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1973" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVitar5ntmttR1LRmAaDzSfGZBURrlnHd8-kGMkD1NDvzB-5JH79OasrcIPC-Tfum8UTHfXMhAEpIcTjNmEnpKncR51stEpBIfFxDzyGl8qpOQppPO9Bavd1S9QNpNsL4EN7xKpUSPASYynmfSZUwi3MJWKf2azM1rDd-V3R2quEsTK56LS0f_8JCy0ka/w640-h426/21a%20Pintail%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWV5T6ry8osJcpYfX2U57DqiNj5RvTIVkbYoFKBxuN9xxsasr1wRBR9sQfFV67-5WzmIpKPOOARKAuVolk1W7lezwTH7jfjmma9_ZFlvq0XbiwVGexLnhCMap83qh0Czy6H5OccK47g2F8tx9xtb7qqtMqoJO9Prj2TwnyH4aqyOcwGx3P6hTDNF5qDll/s1489/21%20Pintail%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="1489" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWV5T6ry8osJcpYfX2U57DqiNj5RvTIVkbYoFKBxuN9xxsasr1wRBR9sQfFV67-5WzmIpKPOOARKAuVolk1W7lezwTH7jfjmma9_ZFlvq0XbiwVGexLnhCMap83qh0Czy6H5OccK47g2F8tx9xtb7qqtMqoJO9Prj2TwnyH4aqyOcwGx3P6hTDNF5qDll/w640-h594/21%20Pintail%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rH8nDcZVtzH2oh7VxApUH0J9A8awL23sPryGa2zrmp9HFaqNsvOkOwsu4WW1Po77cZW7M2D2Eha_1fyfnOMdqPd14mdl-pttdqe08z1fa2nshcRPaNHoi5L7d9vn8SJoQzZ_-oQ4FusZ6q43mXGYZAx_jUHqj1ZwoYI8aM023O4b-RvcxsCwaTR6PWZU/s2038/20%20Pochard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="2038" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rH8nDcZVtzH2oh7VxApUH0J9A8awL23sPryGa2zrmp9HFaqNsvOkOwsu4WW1Po77cZW7M2D2Eha_1fyfnOMdqPd14mdl-pttdqe08z1fa2nshcRPaNHoi5L7d9vn8SJoQzZ_-oQ4FusZ6q43mXGYZAx_jUHqj1ZwoYI8aM023O4b-RvcxsCwaTR6PWZU/w640-h398/20%20Pochard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>You can't beat a bit of vermiculation and those found on <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintails</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pochards</span></b> are exquisite.</div><div>The Ranger went out with her barrow of grain, the decibels rose, a flurry of scattering wings soon returned when she threw the first couple of scoops of grain.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsvgupIgTR_swW9qfwqYy3tmWKFLVGhxtcWDXL1D8wPSByfKelgtt5uqdmRChtP2Ed9SHx7WIAa76CSJ1-oeoPVX8jVZnRmIX0LuWODz71LIBdsh_CGPiDn8X3xemkP70tIxBN-n91Z2KoFBDevNHuQ6wMOFQxZT0CngzKvHiOqs-1367jUKE66HtNGTS/s1633/22%20Shelduck%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1633" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsvgupIgTR_swW9qfwqYy3tmWKFLVGhxtcWDXL1D8wPSByfKelgtt5uqdmRChtP2Ed9SHx7WIAa76CSJ1-oeoPVX8jVZnRmIX0LuWODz71LIBdsh_CGPiDn8X3xemkP70tIxBN-n91Z2KoFBDevNHuQ6wMOFQxZT0CngzKvHiOqs-1367jUKE66HtNGTS/w640-h388/22%20Shelduck%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After the third scoopful was launch the scrummage began in earnest.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ODX269604ag_9eH52q7NyTtPzwBSw7N3MbhUofr8eqUqBc0_jOiZlX2BUPk8U7BNOGuemlMwI8tEUGDM-v9aWCIUF-QlUzigzsLFXqpoZM0k1f231xM2f2GOVzErGdZPWiPuDGw4CpAVRsF_me39pghxX6C3JSG5lNp2LC7d7zZGXe77-Rp_ZkRxocbl/s1500/24%20Feeding%20time%20scrum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ODX269604ag_9eH52q7NyTtPzwBSw7N3MbhUofr8eqUqBc0_jOiZlX2BUPk8U7BNOGuemlMwI8tEUGDM-v9aWCIUF-QlUzigzsLFXqpoZM0k1f231xM2f2GOVzErGdZPWiPuDGw4CpAVRsF_me39pghxX6C3JSG5lNp2LC7d7zZGXe77-Rp_ZkRxocbl/w640-h426/24%20Feeding%20time%20scrum.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRz-pIIECsGRrobEdqrkmMtNw3evBTDqYBZcT2tSiJ6kHmWdhQSXhkqHiyuyFeQKlxpRzITStDMRrhUeQg2Ki-c63vI_XXW5q6EJ6I7_u32mMR0L7cCbmaoogSLFvSKaizTXH_X_uKVfP1L8oA7esRuSugZZWsuMLtkuEcjDu37rin-qSgOF67ZfzMOZ-g/s1341/25a%20Shelduck%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1341" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRz-pIIECsGRrobEdqrkmMtNw3evBTDqYBZcT2tSiJ6kHmWdhQSXhkqHiyuyFeQKlxpRzITStDMRrhUeQg2Ki-c63vI_XXW5q6EJ6I7_u32mMR0L7cCbmaoogSLFvSKaizTXH_X_uKVfP1L8oA7esRuSugZZWsuMLtkuEcjDu37rin-qSgOF67ZfzMOZ-g/w640-h390/25a%20Shelduck%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxA0BiaueXDdJlNxTTOejlCeSniz0kwFrnsMVy_kSUtQ-mM4YFDGbn1fE6CwTTJTCwWvHmzs6_P-8nEOE2RM5WnCJI5nwBGYw2GPo3zxkLQiTQ9uJETQvKIrsVeoeM6yjUi7CXNhQatLJbChrj_ID4BroFEe0q6JQzOMJyqOCXn9pPOQyZqqP03GsKw_Aj/s1368/25%20Shelduck%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1368" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxA0BiaueXDdJlNxTTOejlCeSniz0kwFrnsMVy_kSUtQ-mM4YFDGbn1fE6CwTTJTCwWvHmzs6_P-8nEOE2RM5WnCJI5nwBGYw2GPo3zxkLQiTQ9uJETQvKIrsVeoeM6yjUi7CXNhQatLJbChrj_ID4BroFEe0q6JQzOMJyqOCXn9pPOQyZqqP03GsKw_Aj/w640-h494/25%20Shelduck%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Birds arrived from further out on the lake pitching in wherever there was a few square inches to get they feet onto - it was bedlam, a seething mass of forward moving feathers...unstoppable in their quest for the free grub.</p><p>In the thick of the ducks was a wader, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tailed Godwit</span></b> with a horrendous looking injury. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbohxeGX0yg91cXujBPIl7_WQGAnTzeucbeDl5rshM8t060QhaWGBnaJzlSngI4sdbjVzlmEJwsZWbn_7BSft4ZUpS5BKzEQsd8zV1Htcyw8xlKq6NcSRuu7Ag2_jAb-LyZzEoOliZ1cKn8MkbkyauyTMJfnEu8_xPX0WEnZ3E-9Hez5mjdIvzN6miQDa/s1409/28b%20Black%20tailed%20godwit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1409" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbohxeGX0yg91cXujBPIl7_WQGAnTzeucbeDl5rshM8t060QhaWGBnaJzlSngI4sdbjVzlmEJwsZWbn_7BSft4ZUpS5BKzEQsd8zV1Htcyw8xlKq6NcSRuu7Ag2_jAb-LyZzEoOliZ1cKn8MkbkyauyTMJfnEu8_xPX0WEnZ3E-9Hez5mjdIvzN6miQDa/w640-h478/28b%20Black%20tailed%20godwit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEyQCQjG3W0wMROLnxsWEc4IC-KO5RVaLSoa4dc2-Bswx9D7FqSttxYmBkngWOWT556hB_SaW91_XadvGAsTF-9pksvJP_ncBVaVIwABWRN-9NZJe5nVyNMxQR4C3399M41xzaNmov3DmZI1425EnnN67vO-yuhK4wvOt8fd0oNl3ukEyImPvopWdr34_/s1471/28a%20Black%20tailed%20godwit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1471" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEyQCQjG3W0wMROLnxsWEc4IC-KO5RVaLSoa4dc2-Bswx9D7FqSttxYmBkngWOWT556hB_SaW91_XadvGAsTF-9pksvJP_ncBVaVIwABWRN-9NZJe5nVyNMxQR4C3399M41xzaNmov3DmZI1425EnnN67vO-yuhK4wvOt8fd0oNl3ukEyImPvopWdr34_/w640-h432/28a%20Black%20tailed%20godwit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Look closely at the foot on the damaged leg, it's horriblby swollen and has lost the claws - yuk!</p><p>Then we spotted what we'd been hoping for, a Ruff had joined the party #110</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdcMHZmUBvqr-kHfqOwgMFQiDc2IuehW0FIOYJTahU5-uZBCzaygqQypau5A0OY-IHKq1mhQduTD_pnvd9nLG8zn6Z7xR13DK5I_qK35PFh9MY-qXMGbszApj126gURFIMq_k8hJx5m9j1lqxo3AqyJk81HUkF0E_TvYD5_5qe0C-OZ9kZDzGud8YaUEc/s1947/29c%20Ruff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1947" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdcMHZmUBvqr-kHfqOwgMFQiDc2IuehW0FIOYJTahU5-uZBCzaygqQypau5A0OY-IHKq1mhQduTD_pnvd9nLG8zn6Z7xR13DK5I_qK35PFh9MY-qXMGbszApj126gURFIMq_k8hJx5m9j1lqxo3AqyJk81HUkF0E_TvYD5_5qe0C-OZ9kZDzGud8YaUEc/w640-h384/29c%20Ruff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0aKqZIINk0dKI_x3qMAI8h6sx0SvlZC3yDAURW6thouGGsDJiFmWbbKrpcZ5tWNvKiRYebHEyLgVg0l5VRteH0mpt68oqFQpLsXPyMA3dja6zawbZXBGOt_BGvxyFqiIqdLejvj1pif1CW5PK03J50tPJxDFGb1w9AuyDluCVGf-4LrvwmuhyuUt11zx/s1342/29b%20Ruff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1342" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0aKqZIINk0dKI_x3qMAI8h6sx0SvlZC3yDAURW6thouGGsDJiFmWbbKrpcZ5tWNvKiRYebHEyLgVg0l5VRteH0mpt68oqFQpLsXPyMA3dja6zawbZXBGOt_BGvxyFqiIqdLejvj1pif1CW5PK03J50tPJxDFGb1w9AuyDluCVGf-4LrvwmuhyuUt11zx/w640-h452/29b%20Ruff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh39yasKwgIZcYUc8lxiS7njDag2UJOIYutqcjD3b-HqCTlgtOgXRy_x3cGLuv9YcbEuiWrbzHRJeG21P8y4fjsj59S063gqJ6jk_vYCgcmciGvqL8t2fyWJfOi8s6Bsxl-8J43d81in9gJklyM0zxqfFpygYeQ77nSlpp6XmiWA8uais_PNGwQpbatiQt/s1398/29a%20Ruff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="1222" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh39yasKwgIZcYUc8lxiS7njDag2UJOIYutqcjD3b-HqCTlgtOgXRy_x3cGLuv9YcbEuiWrbzHRJeG21P8y4fjsj59S063gqJ6jk_vYCgcmciGvqL8t2fyWJfOi8s6Bsxl-8J43d81in9gJklyM0zxqfFpygYeQ77nSlpp6XmiWA8uais_PNGwQpbatiQt/w560-h640/29a%20Ruff.jpg" width="560" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDXajpNJ_xJ8xljpp_55mXUMpS10J8uz3_EU-yqm4ytZqKwMDUcr3-Z2cdD1NA5RyaSUEssz_FpRSCi9QXwzlcAr71mDbLOuvNWCa0VwvtcIxHDhEH1pbr-M3qW06OmiiKc-uYzg52gVKlZbk46aIjyXcLVJEi2lNTB2SIUvw4RP2NHG82ZdPyax6YC9h/s1478/29%20Ruff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1478" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDXajpNJ_xJ8xljpp_55mXUMpS10J8uz3_EU-yqm4ytZqKwMDUcr3-Z2cdD1NA5RyaSUEssz_FpRSCi9QXwzlcAr71mDbLOuvNWCa0VwvtcIxHDhEH1pbr-M3qW06OmiiKc-uYzg52gVKlZbk46aIjyXcLVJEi2lNTB2SIUvw4RP2NHG82ZdPyax6YC9h/w640-h408/29%20Ruff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was now just about time to leave but we couldn't go without a couple more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> shots - what a bonny duck.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZw_HPNgSupWO1g8tH75VhSIHGzFTUM8CbIrqGyRNCIFtOOiVE1upGlBPa5iHR0hd7_BJU7KVLhnpQoa_xIRWTmV7jn6GWtIR4I856rdvP2h9MuDDcA3XrIFgUWsipU6hNbQa0897DCYYZfN0zg32_2YQS_lTLrEQjRGSd66xXQ9bwY9F_X8OdFe4ofk4/s1755/30%20Pintail%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1755" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZw_HPNgSupWO1g8tH75VhSIHGzFTUM8CbIrqGyRNCIFtOOiVE1upGlBPa5iHR0hd7_BJU7KVLhnpQoa_xIRWTmV7jn6GWtIR4I856rdvP2h9MuDDcA3XrIFgUWsipU6hNbQa0897DCYYZfN0zg32_2YQS_lTLrEQjRGSd66xXQ9bwY9F_X8OdFe4ofk4/w640-h430/30%20Pintail%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EwNHcV383uIqP9UbFB2PHi7KGwHDhpgL14em95exj6V6PcGkrusuaZTImDTtV0LJvZUafacNj0FIHayrbK5tZqli8OtQPEdUpv3UYAC6AMvNmCv_GFa6TNFfaXThLFhxAxsgKqrkORUAgXaF6XLBfeQTG7Xud-9Udujt2lHOMTRVFtV-6bGiU7gmla4K/s2450/30a%20Pintail%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="2450" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EwNHcV383uIqP9UbFB2PHi7KGwHDhpgL14em95exj6V6PcGkrusuaZTImDTtV0LJvZUafacNj0FIHayrbK5tZqli8OtQPEdUpv3UYAC6AMvNmCv_GFa6TNFfaXThLFhxAxsgKqrkORUAgXaF6XLBfeQTG7Xud-9Udujt2lHOMTRVFtV-6bGiU7gmla4K/w640-h460/30a%20Pintail%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We were now at two thirds of our February target for the Challenge and only one day into the second week, things were going well but could they/would they continue???<p></p><p><b>Where to next?</b> There's little change in the local bird world at this time of year, would the water levels in our favourite wetlands remain (too) high, could we get those next five species? </p><p>In the meantime let us know who's doing the scrummaging in your outback.<br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-83821204962512105522024-02-07T15:35:00.002+00:002024-02-07T15:35:12.038+00:00The ton is up<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari left you</b> on a cliffhanger at the end of our last blog, would we or wouldn't we get 100 species of birds photographed by the end of January. Well it's now the end of the first week of February and we're on 103 but have been plagued by two weeks of seriously grotty weather...did we or didn't we...read on...</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Desperate for a safari away from our usual haunts with some better shelter we had Pennington Flash near Wigan suggested to us. Now we've not been there since 2019 mostly due to the fear of getting caught in humungous motorway traffic jams on the way back to Base Camp at the end of the day. These road works have been going on for years now and we have been stuck in them on non-safari days, once for five hours! So you can understand our reluctance to venturte that way...But after umming and ahhing at IH's suggestion we plugged the post code into the sat nav and knock us down with a feather it suggested an alternative route we could have been using in all those intervening years...dohhhhh. We picked up CR without further ado and followed the sat nav's very easy route to our destination with IH turning up from the Southside a few minutes later.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A bitterly cold strong wind was blowing across the lake but we headed for the shelter of the wooded areas passing a well watched <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskin</span></b> in a bankside <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alder</span></b> tree.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSnPEpzjXT3GxvZ4qDt4lxLR8JvnZAgRmRwYb_S6RHp2nbwD8cx9NBPvpCHcDf74qhrmRFMozC2nf2l2sz33E9zQNfWrThD7Cp8S2qIZaecO8Ww9qkUjQHM-uvS1KAJHFKMwQ-6um2cUCwvoD6C6Qb4-dDyaEAtV8oyeLIH2GYzUzbLH9UOGXVDIviAeh/s1017/01%20Siskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="1017" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSnPEpzjXT3GxvZ4qDt4lxLR8JvnZAgRmRwYb_S6RHp2nbwD8cx9NBPvpCHcDf74qhrmRFMozC2nf2l2sz33E9zQNfWrThD7Cp8S2qIZaecO8Ww9qkUjQHM-uvS1KAJHFKMwQ-6um2cUCwvoD6C6Qb4-dDyaEAtV8oyeLIH2GYzUzbLH9UOGXVDIviAeh/w400-h278/01%20Siskin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Feeding Station was awash with <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Squirrels</span></b>, at least a dozen of them. There was plenty of food for the birds but with that many squirrels gorging themselves on it it wasn't going to last very long...and there was a similar number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> enticed off the adjecent pond by the copius free handout too. The smaller birds flitted in and out as best they could when the opportunites arose. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkzAAc2vE1DML2MFuvDkhbWhLrdk79ar2IYIuz-ANY1vgA-qw1RgvArv3GHprz2Ds_W_Awv1X0gU0IVUllcfGZjT8XmSZz5q_WF8fGgjn7BCh75ahZY6uakEuPtSj-w0zyCyL4A_NiOMrFcXJo4caOkC3wZNPwwSWEHiMp_nBpjhWPz7mPQFmUVbC0h9I/s1313/11%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1313" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkzAAc2vE1DML2MFuvDkhbWhLrdk79ar2IYIuz-ANY1vgA-qw1RgvArv3GHprz2Ds_W_Awv1X0gU0IVUllcfGZjT8XmSZz5q_WF8fGgjn7BCh75ahZY6uakEuPtSj-w0zyCyL4A_NiOMrFcXJo4caOkC3wZNPwwSWEHiMp_nBpjhWPz7mPQFmUVbC0h9I/w321-h400/11%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVgSOlbTOCWbuVVKTSmWF7UPj659tnpGXvTuumyAv1rcFYxVD3n582KvG7Imm21tKKfKgqyyrSB-0MXvwcfRa6igdnWrcIvsdoXWbDuxZ6GisxPaWY4ar1BBjCpBN36JmsAGVmhfPPFGmjHfXDtea0PJ9I-YEzvNOdQCdy7aZH1_SuChaBsmZOjnhKSwt/s1604/10%20Blackbird%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1604" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVgSOlbTOCWbuVVKTSmWF7UPj659tnpGXvTuumyAv1rcFYxVD3n582KvG7Imm21tKKfKgqyyrSB-0MXvwcfRa6igdnWrcIvsdoXWbDuxZ6GisxPaWY4ar1BBjCpBN36JmsAGVmhfPPFGmjHfXDtea0PJ9I-YEzvNOdQCdy7aZH1_SuChaBsmZOjnhKSwt/w400-h230/10%20Blackbird%20male.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1_OoJkUVhja5EA_kr2dH5cOvcUx8jMcnUcw1l5fyjV6RONMn2DxVZA03ghCIUKT7kcX5g6tiZX8TtMU9yN-r4hmWBkyJxGFdMxwdwHqAHSJiwHuwyGysgcqqq9ya634vyZpXp7Q_2kIGvP-CVZfoyxeaHGmEG0p1ayt4DBH8_2LNH41Wfa-awdhsOdic/s3139/09%20Blue%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3139" data-original-width="3092" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1_OoJkUVhja5EA_kr2dH5cOvcUx8jMcnUcw1l5fyjV6RONMn2DxVZA03ghCIUKT7kcX5g6tiZX8TtMU9yN-r4hmWBkyJxGFdMxwdwHqAHSJiwHuwyGysgcqqq9ya634vyZpXp7Q_2kIGvP-CVZfoyxeaHGmEG0p1ayt4DBH8_2LNH41Wfa-awdhsOdic/w394-h400/09%20Blue%20tit.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFN4ZkESz-uXm44aKOCkeDEsVL2SaMNmsaH4lNeY3c_74ZTVkAIw3H16gdO34vaFPHstsnFKmg2TDtmt3i9sftu-kZANwUCFawATrq2mSrS_ZmUPZfmvBrycgLMBqVpvVHquGu0ojS5zaNgMKfdbTGMlEbDn8JeUuc8-0UIyHjDEWMVrFRVmTydTVVGpDR/s3692/04%20Nuthatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2197" data-original-width="3692" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFN4ZkESz-uXm44aKOCkeDEsVL2SaMNmsaH4lNeY3c_74ZTVkAIw3H16gdO34vaFPHstsnFKmg2TDtmt3i9sftu-kZANwUCFawATrq2mSrS_ZmUPZfmvBrycgLMBqVpvVHquGu0ojS5zaNgMKfdbTGMlEbDn8JeUuc8-0UIyHjDEWMVrFRVmTydTVVGpDR/w400-h238/04%20Nuthatch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But there was no sign of the one we really wanted to see, the local <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Willow Tits</span></b>. After a very enjoyable lengthy watch we moved on down an extremely muddy track to the next hide passing another small feeding station of four small bird tables secreted in the edge of the scrub. This was very active with <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue, Great</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tits </span></b>but still no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Willow Tits</span></b>. The hide overlooks a fairly large pool with an island in the middle much favoured by the local <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goosanders</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48jpOvKoSBBx2RvOJUDNrwX5TvuZ_z5xMxJjf4Ikm19SS9Z-UDxTYsm0QHxmP7s1plgJhyphenhyphenUQFoDgMrRzq-xPcMe2mzQmNMvM9n-ep7YbxFzqewnNnygudGIX-NsN09v2LUgHcSb17TzcqslnhXX5ZfxIaMzgz-Z0M3vTfZvijgrAvP6E8dq2ro96OFGMK/s1688/17%20Goosander%20females.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1688" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48jpOvKoSBBx2RvOJUDNrwX5TvuZ_z5xMxJjf4Ikm19SS9Z-UDxTYsm0QHxmP7s1plgJhyphenhyphenUQFoDgMrRzq-xPcMe2mzQmNMvM9n-ep7YbxFzqewnNnygudGIX-NsN09v2LUgHcSb17TzcqslnhXX5ZfxIaMzgz-Z0M3vTfZvijgrAvP6E8dq2ro96OFGMK/w400-h233/17%20Goosander%20females.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDLFTFDHBIlYe-XS0Pp4aUTpUfQ-hLzdrGaGAdBDS_HmTCLKjNdPLVLlJTHbBTUmRDqjoAiR37eUDRox-x2hTurGwWRxS3dNVkh3BExNUdj8eGytFV5aeZlSn4MnAwArPYSeOQRxW72lCbHyddqOp6KeeVVIbb0kws-eTe289ilpCj_BMNf7AGHAF5FML/s1765/14%20Goosanders%20males.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1765" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDLFTFDHBIlYe-XS0Pp4aUTpUfQ-hLzdrGaGAdBDS_HmTCLKjNdPLVLlJTHbBTUmRDqjoAiR37eUDRox-x2hTurGwWRxS3dNVkh3BExNUdj8eGytFV5aeZlSn4MnAwArPYSeOQRxW72lCbHyddqOp6KeeVVIbb0kws-eTe289ilpCj_BMNf7AGHAF5FML/w400-h169/14%20Goosanders%20males.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Everything else on the pool was tucked up in the margins on the far side <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tufted Ducks</span></b>, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pochards, Little Grebes, Teal</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shoveler</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard</span></b>, a nice selection of waterfowl. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wren</span></b> acted like a mouse along the side of the ditch below the hide window diappearing under the thick layer of fallen grass in the hunt for whatever invertebrates it could find but no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfishers</span></b> were perched on the ditchside twigs nor flew along it. Continuing our circuit the wooded areas were indeed pleasantly sheltered but sadly lacking in birdlife. The next hide was good though with eight <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herons</span></b> stood on the bankwith one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b>, it's not often you see more herons than egrets these days. Then a flash of blue shot by followed by a second and this one perched in a nearby tree but well hidden by intervening twigs and branches requiring that scariest of photographic techniques - manual focus!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQmUcvjgMeh6tcAWv-bx7Af5i3VEXBD0gn-bcTPaFuhXjZrVP9SM24eD7Wr86FRYPi0YGV4VBrGX1JOGtMYYgskn2OMceExnRb4G5rnmOq377i9E8i0kuupodInev2ZmaNKmSyNAFWhUhnMrcHcWzJu4I0_2nxBPXoBiWbLU8AMIJUPCBGfpqCJnOT_TL/s922/18%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="922" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQmUcvjgMeh6tcAWv-bx7Af5i3VEXBD0gn-bcTPaFuhXjZrVP9SM24eD7Wr86FRYPi0YGV4VBrGX1JOGtMYYgskn2OMceExnRb4G5rnmOq377i9E8i0kuupodInev2ZmaNKmSyNAFWhUhnMrcHcWzJu4I0_2nxBPXoBiWbLU8AMIJUPCBGfpqCJnOT_TL/w400-h350/18%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Not the best but <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> became bird #94, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebe</span></b> at the previous hide would have been had it not been so far away as to only about three pixels in the frame. By now it was lunch time so back to our vehicles to collect the butties/pies etc. Lunch was devoured at the small hide we'd not visited on the morning lap. It overlooks a different part of the pool we saw the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> and probaly one of the same two from early appeared in a slightly more open position in a nearby bush.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQqYXXzOWU3yNp6K5NLl8rB-3hrrsu-FAZu7fThGD7AHXfXTz8exsQzQBY-Eafcgr3QdLra1ZrDpSZBIAtceMDbe3eUKuy-ezFwi5d3zCseTmBPYIEiuWpuQ8aoscp3_OYDuXpdYB6bAxucx0L41uD3rtlRHv3FWJp8wjS2lFMuxJMXok3qjdPB1t5nnr/s876/20%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="876" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQqYXXzOWU3yNp6K5NLl8rB-3hrrsu-FAZu7fThGD7AHXfXTz8exsQzQBY-Eafcgr3QdLra1ZrDpSZBIAtceMDbe3eUKuy-ezFwi5d3zCseTmBPYIEiuWpuQ8aoscp3_OYDuXpdYB6bAxucx0L41uD3rtlRHv3FWJp8wjS2lFMuxJMXok3qjdPB1t5nnr/w400-h400/20%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKx7xiLEk8VCLC39hhaHK1CIb-FKaZdvMvNkpmXqYFmoSm913rTWb5fX8FvWZA4gztncNw8ZB-Skbh6FxNAzEOXXYA6ohFxg_-kbES1Vx4G5O3Tm4ZfZZwfqqBybYkZIArhW6bHX5Z7Y3xk2qlkfaaSFojEMeiy5Oyl5-EY4MuwqPrP0Oj7EdfGC64yFf/s1094/19%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1094" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKx7xiLEk8VCLC39hhaHK1CIb-FKaZdvMvNkpmXqYFmoSm913rTWb5fX8FvWZA4gztncNw8ZB-Skbh6FxNAzEOXXYA6ohFxg_-kbES1Vx4G5O3Tm4ZfZZwfqqBybYkZIArhW6bHX5Z7Y3xk2qlkfaaSFojEMeiy5Oyl5-EY4MuwqPrP0Oj7EdfGC64yFf/w400-h325/19%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>From there it was round to the Feeding Station again, crossing our fingers that <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Willow Tit</span></b> would turn up. None did although there were plenty of Reed Buntings to keep us entertained<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqDF1o5QtUKXTiAZ1aA0OGrfhSrQshf1VdXHZbxVqo-auUwBZNBCbOts2mXuF5Vq3PMhTQgYaKnu0JomaOiSE1QaQZufeo7yl7HP56FO3vhBgl8G4gzYR3NcTN9IFgCCIMJBBsT5GxvNXGN-vL8P9yA0U8Hz7P_JH0oR6GNoUhJq3YyiIasJtNXhQCpjC/s1354/23%20Reed%20bunting%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1354" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqDF1o5QtUKXTiAZ1aA0OGrfhSrQshf1VdXHZbxVqo-auUwBZNBCbOts2mXuF5Vq3PMhTQgYaKnu0JomaOiSE1QaQZufeo7yl7HP56FO3vhBgl8G4gzYR3NcTN9IFgCCIMJBBsT5GxvNXGN-vL8P9yA0U8Hz7P_JH0oR6GNoUhJq3YyiIasJtNXhQCpjC/w640-h456/23%20Reed%20bunting%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnINYfXfkE3CG9lf0jRvaWZq27dZFVE5E2J1MROQF-IN-mJanEfDKcVsgMETNqxMcx39zTj2Mmb3wUHh1I7vl35K2bic91ykLtH5TrZ-eSnk55qdYc6IXG4Eb8fO91MKRCzXKzM1jq8NDX8ZnN02NydF4bccnkMJ_6VisBT3RlGUDQbiVUl8I9VnBp9F1/s3380/22%20Reed%20bunting%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2661" data-original-width="3380" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnINYfXfkE3CG9lf0jRvaWZq27dZFVE5E2J1MROQF-IN-mJanEfDKcVsgMETNqxMcx39zTj2Mmb3wUHh1I7vl35K2bic91ykLtH5TrZ-eSnk55qdYc6IXG4Eb8fO91MKRCzXKzM1jq8NDX8ZnN02NydF4bccnkMJ_6VisBT3RlGUDQbiVUl8I9VnBp9F1/w640-h504/22%20Reed%20bunting%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was soon time to have another look at those small bird tables. The usual suspects were still there.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl88Ksr94-q0vymH0qr-O647Grd5Uq8obLMkMLEpm4pvoD7CV-GKn2Z3JJta8CE4tTQ9ooKssOkC11qoFs7Wna3XGV8RU509Tc57scQ7J7i83WlpN0U8ow1SOlm271B7Ad8cUxFYoWfNdr6VJ85IgktB0KmSkF5VghZJMBx3nEMCawcVGPn-wlX3bC-cvG/s1225/27%20Great%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1225" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl88Ksr94-q0vymH0qr-O647Grd5Uq8obLMkMLEpm4pvoD7CV-GKn2Z3JJta8CE4tTQ9ooKssOkC11qoFs7Wna3XGV8RU509Tc57scQ7J7i83WlpN0U8ow1SOlm271B7Ad8cUxFYoWfNdr6VJ85IgktB0KmSkF5VghZJMBx3nEMCawcVGPn-wlX3bC-cvG/w400-h270/27%20Great%20tit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESxQC_-ITP4_YUMMjhqryqGxdZQ_9JXlXzw9H9VHjvMw8VZUld0s5u2wGQcZQisiYDqxcCk8g5XRhPTSNniacJLfvr2F8mf9Io2JWomE2TFAMTxXZ8a1AU4c-OP__TOvBPjirwsH-RsYs1DSL8JfmgBeqc3wvJ4L3z1zlVcqtz5mepKC-1cvQZJlkQ_bA/s1121/26%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1121" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESxQC_-ITP4_YUMMjhqryqGxdZQ_9JXlXzw9H9VHjvMw8VZUld0s5u2wGQcZQisiYDqxcCk8g5XRhPTSNniacJLfvr2F8mf9Io2JWomE2TFAMTxXZ8a1AU4c-OP__TOvBPjirwsH-RsYs1DSL8JfmgBeqc3wvJ4L3z1zlVcqtz5mepKC-1cvQZJlkQ_bA/w400-h333/26%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And then...BINGO...a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Willow Tit</span></b> appeared...#95<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJUyzlCW1D8b6wpcP5352jNewX6QHUBdj_Iz42U0nOW6lv9HVtvzWzEW3yFtXlhTI9S2Hgl-m5PNPSABamBpJmZCOvGasjICarxl03O-AHN048Lvlm5knea4egpCgFXigtWcgwr0_XYJP2AKrEKhGkrU3mBTaEIcY-Cv2FO81rhnObWDeSyOFguUoPkGj/s1069/24%20Willow%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="1069" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJUyzlCW1D8b6wpcP5352jNewX6QHUBdj_Iz42U0nOW6lv9HVtvzWzEW3yFtXlhTI9S2Hgl-m5PNPSABamBpJmZCOvGasjICarxl03O-AHN048Lvlm5knea4egpCgFXigtWcgwr0_XYJP2AKrEKhGkrU3mBTaEIcY-Cv2FO81rhnObWDeSyOFguUoPkGj/w400-h268/24%20Willow%20tit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Followed soon after by a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></b> annoyingly keeping round the back of the tree at first<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Efr6zshDZ7tHVSsCOVCNPYL70ypHiSC-pvycrzLYTDq3xkDCUD70Ktr-gEb2kpGuCbU0sxD14HGbiaYFs11ygKf3WK1um_zb8HmCTB3fNmOW2nq02oxjwiPPPjOOSfTC6NqYD87X6yqreBEWaGPdaDTbRbkvzNOhMas8NyE8bujNDx8iZNf35ClgUfz6/s928/25a%20Great%20spotterd%20woodpecker%20hiding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="591" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Efr6zshDZ7tHVSsCOVCNPYL70ypHiSC-pvycrzLYTDq3xkDCUD70Ktr-gEb2kpGuCbU0sxD14HGbiaYFs11ygKf3WK1um_zb8HmCTB3fNmOW2nq02oxjwiPPPjOOSfTC6NqYD87X6yqreBEWaGPdaDTbRbkvzNOhMas8NyE8bujNDx8iZNf35ClgUfz6/w408-h640/25a%20Great%20spotterd%20woodpecker%20hiding.jpg" width="408" /></a></div>Before showing itself in all its glory...#96<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfeJioiFK_r78kKFJ7EcNlNZotc8aj9hcK4AfGAYSYsp88SklWFIkN22lrqcvLfhItNCc5kMrtMYY4KPNQNdqmfLj93nWYwSCFSgeh2DZFZBLokPfXBZ1e16Z2OLWuDLD-IfbrfWKN3-reNxSP6vIf0BifBb0pJhtEvhnbWZiUWjSKxQWNjbkKNO2IfNG/s1444/25%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1075" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfeJioiFK_r78kKFJ7EcNlNZotc8aj9hcK4AfGAYSYsp88SklWFIkN22lrqcvLfhItNCc5kMrtMYY4KPNQNdqmfLj93nWYwSCFSgeh2DZFZBLokPfXBZ1e16Z2OLWuDLD-IfbrfWKN3-reNxSP6vIf0BifBb0pJhtEvhnbWZiUWjSKxQWNjbkKNO2IfNG/w476-h640/25%20Great%20spotted%20woodpecker.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Discression is the better part of valour so it is said and this time we left the little feeding station by the way we came instead of traipsing through the thick mud again. This time the 'Goosander Island' Hide came up trumps with the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebes</span></b> now more active and had moved a lot closer although still a bit distant for 'proper' shots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUrIbio3TyCYXJ7-RJmzWn_UTv3E8cxHxlTBq5Bf9vTrv2x7BAE7cc_ujALH2PHsDhmgRC6X4AHaW05vHyLu4cLQydZT6_YfGP50KByTlcKzfBUwOo7PeoJsDuflMF1FNXtbpGxjnNJm5lFh0qMhQ1c0UO3NybewpTLU2_XxVJrYPWMIm9QP7DAzgOReJ/s1240/31a%20Little%20grebe%20in%20weed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="1240" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUrIbio3TyCYXJ7-RJmzWn_UTv3E8cxHxlTBq5Bf9vTrv2x7BAE7cc_ujALH2PHsDhmgRC6X4AHaW05vHyLu4cLQydZT6_YfGP50KByTlcKzfBUwOo7PeoJsDuflMF1FNXtbpGxjnNJm5lFh0qMhQ1c0UO3NybewpTLU2_XxVJrYPWMIm9QP7DAzgOReJ/w400-h205/31a%20Little%20grebe%20in%20weed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGpmNCz-fKb3q9KPKiCmfhhsjISsqduMM6B3fIU_8tNki5u6w48_L1tNKbFPTDOksYnVnMxmn5P9YTZg7qEYzEF6-uZ5CGMUcbXYfiT535IMLbQQxzM_EwBSpOvX7Rt0LSFA42OfcHV3pLQbSPFy9SgsPip3dEoXgPExx_SA57M1IL7Aw5bCBTjM0Zrkl/s1174/31%20Little%20grebe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="1174" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGpmNCz-fKb3q9KPKiCmfhhsjISsqduMM6B3fIU_8tNki5u6w48_L1tNKbFPTDOksYnVnMxmn5P9YTZg7qEYzEF6-uZ5CGMUcbXYfiT535IMLbQQxzM_EwBSpOvX7Rt0LSFA42OfcHV3pLQbSPFy9SgsPip3dEoXgPExx_SA57M1IL7Aw5bCBTjM0Zrkl/w400-h194/31%20Little%20grebe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Leaving the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goosanders</span></b> to their island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wVrp9OhqjzCgLP9yZPwAnBgTqcBr5OGWLGBoUMSwTjBnZ8jvXtG8HL2ZcdWCYO6lGDKNzLJ2cMQseZ0w4f4fxaeC_GarNtjkZaew4_ZEvlVwgzy8MH4YVGs29CerooS2ttK4JZEPSAccl32_Nal9-KTsMnlpgPCccnA2FZVlxgU0qktLPstOjABHcqFk/s3322/30b%20Goosander%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2096" data-original-width="3322" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wVrp9OhqjzCgLP9yZPwAnBgTqcBr5OGWLGBoUMSwTjBnZ8jvXtG8HL2ZcdWCYO6lGDKNzLJ2cMQseZ0w4f4fxaeC_GarNtjkZaew4_ZEvlVwgzy8MH4YVGs29CerooS2ttK4JZEPSAccl32_Nal9-KTsMnlpgPCccnA2FZVlxgU0qktLPstOjABHcqFk/w640-h404/30b%20Goosander%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAmF_o9-ZZ_EOZ85KIB_XFgw2-ahn_48a7rqxGDtBxruNyK8yOFzP8N9OEy7haSQhXYsmqkH1-VPVicSpAi6DIr7TlmRGyv_2NPsSpyGS6WkYbbFoi2bSa5dpolNrB3CfitRqk4iSLAFJCGUeoMfs6AioQDt1wB2mi5HoNLGCrcpPA5kbAMj4Beh4Parv/s1745/30%20Goosander%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1745" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAmF_o9-ZZ_EOZ85KIB_XFgw2-ahn_48a7rqxGDtBxruNyK8yOFzP8N9OEy7haSQhXYsmqkH1-VPVicSpAi6DIr7TlmRGyv_2NPsSpyGS6WkYbbFoi2bSa5dpolNrB3CfitRqk4iSLAFJCGUeoMfs6AioQDt1wB2mi5HoNLGCrcpPA5kbAMj4Beh4Parv/w640-h288/30%20Goosander%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">we moved on passing a tiny pool, not much more tha na puddle really which was well illuminated by the afternoon sun. "It would be good if a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> was sitting on those well lit branches" said CR not realising a few feet away in the gloomy side of the pool there was one!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcHN5fVnsgvBmQKqIL3suUKeNErTcfK7WhESzT_26h1JnmHmri7M874PO-oNRodNc_-gSTnbOzdXOFuw8NYUF7FLmpU4acgLs-7Lm3fRPkkEnINaYdYyLoZivTDvVQPz_vv1BPP-59P6ZjFZGi-3cy6_rPa4Rkguh32REVLnXm7rs5t77yEMwTdpyw-1Y/s1104/28%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1104" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcHN5fVnsgvBmQKqIL3suUKeNErTcfK7WhESzT_26h1JnmHmri7M874PO-oNRodNc_-gSTnbOzdXOFuw8NYUF7FLmpU4acgLs-7Lm3fRPkkEnINaYdYyLoZivTDvVQPz_vv1BPP-59P6ZjFZGi-3cy6_rPa4Rkguh32REVLnXm7rs5t77yEMwTdpyw-1Y/w400-h290/28%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We edged forwards as stealthily as possible</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4ANCpv4DGWhqho7NTf-MvaK9TlOtQacsMHFB9yO-JYwzyXmx2RsFVy1oKbIr5SycI0eg-hUXxF7KlPoLJrDonTJhi2gLowW5Gk6dOO2uZ2a8JjMwfj8QOyLntOYRrva-anpYmJlCZYb9b_ZSwt3gB5Uyk9TynB4DYXywojxpBs7Kut0gDRc6u6t0BGXh/s967/28a%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="967" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4ANCpv4DGWhqho7NTf-MvaK9TlOtQacsMHFB9yO-JYwzyXmx2RsFVy1oKbIr5SycI0eg-hUXxF7KlPoLJrDonTJhi2gLowW5Gk6dOO2uZ2a8JjMwfj8QOyLntOYRrva-anpYmJlCZYb9b_ZSwt3gB5Uyk9TynB4DYXywojxpBs7Kut0gDRc6u6t0BGXh/w400-h245/28a%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihduqP-07ungqH7iIxE3ePx6wCmL1Q5bCpjXToDbD3cKrHp8m36TybLD_7Z804L40LxBPyENmU5I_z1Pol5RRYANq0xSOL8-D65K4234BL7YoQMpmoWy1c-ZiRSAghvs5yoCfpPsE4ezRQTL9ztzvk8dGhHfTKH3tSLQWjF6fMaZiGlBp99nn7pqxq4Lw1/s1181/28b%20Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1181" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihduqP-07ungqH7iIxE3ePx6wCmL1Q5bCpjXToDbD3cKrHp8m36TybLD_7Z804L40LxBPyENmU5I_z1Pol5RRYANq0xSOL8-D65K4234BL7YoQMpmoWy1c-ZiRSAghvs5yoCfpPsE4ezRQTL9ztzvk8dGhHfTKH3tSLQWjF6fMaZiGlBp99nn7pqxq4Lw1/w400-h231/28b%20Kingfisher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The pics would have been so much better had the bird been sat 20 feet to the left. We managed to get a couple of passers-by on to it too which was good. Continuing on in to the sheltrered wooded area either CR or IH spotted a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskin</span></b> high in the tops of the trees but we couldn't find it and before we'd finished searching one of them had spotted a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldcrest</span></b> low in the trees on the opposite side of the track. This was in the better light...at times!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKJrjcY0IZ3ll8Mr4faPjI_Hjmktxor9QFAzJrlhQhbEuq7x5JTHQIPEtrLUM3KnLBKx80L_jYvyLBjf3cudxNQWXnGdIx1vFwdFuMgKUlazU3-x2erNZEHFk1L26P2N-O26_vC9sHLWmH3PrQXl8KgSXZqRaTMLezNuAbqu8IAUX7S3EIfUJcwrNAL9S/s2171/33a%20Goldcrest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2171" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKJrjcY0IZ3ll8Mr4faPjI_Hjmktxor9QFAzJrlhQhbEuq7x5JTHQIPEtrLUM3KnLBKx80L_jYvyLBjf3cudxNQWXnGdIx1vFwdFuMgKUlazU3-x2erNZEHFk1L26P2N-O26_vC9sHLWmH3PrQXl8KgSXZqRaTMLezNuAbqu8IAUX7S3EIfUJcwrNAL9S/w354-h400/33a%20Goldcrest.jpg" width="354" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYMoPltlVh-A0Vhwrrrevv6zZXbdSXirsWeA4ZJuoUC4pJNaRVG6JW5o5uss2GSqQh_rOj0HRgseyZG56eupeJ_WMOSk_vwG7RCVP3MBOzd_U0VqkqblFywHIZ9hLOwsSnJYQKLMRgcdmi-OrCSyzEgc1NFX3Gq1sGYgwcJe7HAOXCkQ6vXYhgN6wh0pm/s1040/33b%20Goldcrest%20jumping%20down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="907" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYMoPltlVh-A0Vhwrrrevv6zZXbdSXirsWeA4ZJuoUC4pJNaRVG6JW5o5uss2GSqQh_rOj0HRgseyZG56eupeJ_WMOSk_vwG7RCVP3MBOzd_U0VqkqblFywHIZ9hLOwsSnJYQKLMRgcdmi-OrCSyzEgc1NFX3Gq1sGYgwcJe7HAOXCkQ6vXYhgN6wh0pm/w349-h400/33b%20Goldcrest%20jumping%20down.jpg" width="349" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV986V4HvsfDgZhVoVkJDjAF-DgC_W0ym_h5HSXan_NcC1jiAYgp4-TB1c4vbC4GlQTh11KWW7zf0ZVaoHyfssbY6kCj8jRyHYD_ViVTLqs1k-KjqBQdpSX-CqBzoKQp4i9T9vp8wMDAPD3p-L53_PeGhlj25zCz3eZ_Sj2x9xTBlgv0xx8pzQcJliqCqd/s1200/33c%20Goldcrest%20best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1200" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV986V4HvsfDgZhVoVkJDjAF-DgC_W0ym_h5HSXan_NcC1jiAYgp4-TB1c4vbC4GlQTh11KWW7zf0ZVaoHyfssbY6kCj8jRyHYD_ViVTLqs1k-KjqBQdpSX-CqBzoKQp4i9T9vp8wMDAPD3p-L53_PeGhlj25zCz3eZ_Sj2x9xTBlgv0xx8pzQcJliqCqd/w640-h514/33c%20Goldcrest%20best.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>A nice bonus for #98 as we'd missed one up Beacon Fell a couple of days earlier.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We had another look from the hide where we first saw the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> and this time watched a female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bullfinch</span></b> acrobatically stripping buds from a <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hawthorn</span></b> tree close to where the<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Kingfisher</span></b> had been sat erlier.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NFlTwKulwNG4Az6-ED4nfPQeBCac3avroah9XiqleRd5IES9XeEsTmOo1ucPT6nWugsV9xevJfQ7Y9YFTLmN5obEtoBbuDwE7tzbOftBysNEOo4wHT37_OTER-nbu0DX5ictfneifR_4L_rnHGDquqoeGELamRjT8E4JFDaqVK6sbFHnYtSINTVrqKpA/s859/34e%20Bullfinch%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="859" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NFlTwKulwNG4Az6-ED4nfPQeBCac3avroah9XiqleRd5IES9XeEsTmOo1ucPT6nWugsV9xevJfQ7Y9YFTLmN5obEtoBbuDwE7tzbOftBysNEOo4wHT37_OTER-nbu0DX5ictfneifR_4L_rnHGDquqoeGELamRjT8E4JFDaqVK6sbFHnYtSINTVrqKpA/w400-h290/34e%20Bullfinch%20female.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpTxTfUA-gGzYx2cIcy91vjZYuJXQfgi7CoMsWkXmfXHOAXAplWCI2JzV2nEoCqBnC4NO-Z6xJa562cS2j9hC7qJxFTauNBlEAEClNeD4S-Rh9x_CTG2bT1_Nu3ihLe3LNpph1vAV1_w-qNL2SzYxqxKVik3Og8xWdkckCibAuvNRTbg0V4Um8gACt2oR/s914/34%20Bullfinch%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="795" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpTxTfUA-gGzYx2cIcy91vjZYuJXQfgi7CoMsWkXmfXHOAXAplWCI2JzV2nEoCqBnC4NO-Z6xJa562cS2j9hC7qJxFTauNBlEAEClNeD4S-Rh9x_CTG2bT1_Nu3ihLe3LNpph1vAV1_w-qNL2SzYxqxKVik3Og8xWdkckCibAuvNRTbg0V4Um8gACt2oR/w348-h400/34%20Bullfinch%20female.jpg" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmP0rLRD7ecM5Ezrc2UOJiW3YlFIAMKR_yPJCa_qY47iC33rp5JpWvmGA9EnOarPFqg6B1F2iXEsv_fR4bonvjx-16LY5jsGO8Y_J0qyrTLXPMk7fFxvYrzbTsY5SJCnhVKL0UTBOPU206dBXvBIbYOylAuEDu-YAxnHMW8Mt891EI8bFVnCItHrdHdX1/s798/34d%20Bullfinch%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="798" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmP0rLRD7ecM5Ezrc2UOJiW3YlFIAMKR_yPJCa_qY47iC33rp5JpWvmGA9EnOarPFqg6B1F2iXEsv_fR4bonvjx-16LY5jsGO8Y_J0qyrTLXPMk7fFxvYrzbTsY5SJCnhVKL0UTBOPU206dBXvBIbYOylAuEDu-YAxnHMW8Mt891EI8bFVnCItHrdHdX1/w400-h368/34d%20Bullfinch%20female.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As time was now pressing and it was getting gloomier by the minute there was just enough time for a last look at the little bird tables. We did see another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Willow Tit</span></b> but it was in and out too fast for us.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPnVz64zO5_Gz6YiuBs_OEIbt5Zv9teFgt209cFYxrOENxUnAme2wGD_UsfHXzGESVkaUiF4fN11E5cuv_k2smX6tXKl6UbLT4jLOdlC0UG6PgITm9OcnKSSwcFCNSXO9I1E2QL6unAF-QzAqDqq4BfIbunrZI8hqY_i39HcPlb2KKlAFLw_ISE3-d-HO/s1349/35%20Nuthatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1349" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPnVz64zO5_Gz6YiuBs_OEIbt5Zv9teFgt209cFYxrOENxUnAme2wGD_UsfHXzGESVkaUiF4fN11E5cuv_k2smX6tXKl6UbLT4jLOdlC0UG6PgITm9OcnKSSwcFCNSXO9I1E2QL6unAF-QzAqDqq4BfIbunrZI8hqY_i39HcPlb2KKlAFLw_ISE3-d-HO/w400-h213/35%20Nuthatch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITcxnHzvBQ-dXg1ZrGEYyZQ2wwuQ_4wEUKcaIWfr1HMzY-bzWj4QpYygeS9jYdGsXrHp3OBe8nSp_lL6S8eVtQhyNA0Jjg0sM8bvcW4gN4Uq-GXEYJrWHlmAS4jXq8ziK1dNhAzjHvoKCN2iydxnff9dJ5h1UlkoVNlX1Bd8VWKN2qe2rirRJqkfdqLCE/s1065/36%20Bullfinch%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="1065" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITcxnHzvBQ-dXg1ZrGEYyZQ2wwuQ_4wEUKcaIWfr1HMzY-bzWj4QpYygeS9jYdGsXrHp3OBe8nSp_lL6S8eVtQhyNA0Jjg0sM8bvcW4gN4Uq-GXEYJrWHlmAS4jXq8ziK1dNhAzjHvoKCN2iydxnff9dJ5h1UlkoVNlX1Bd8VWKN2qe2rirRJqkfdqLCE/w400-h243/36%20Bullfinch%20male.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZNjmWYuakPGeipwWrke7lOl7L9vr9CJkHBucwnyjtTZAyKTaE-llek5ZML7W01CMdW3F_3Re2Tk8jGVa17osI-9hofXvWbqJg-Sqk2QFlnBGYXwU2-b3sl8kz3eZG_qwgdr9vnwEzZ2ZWL0362KIMRK8FPFE33co6CGAKAawR4vUBFQ3097OjVxqU9bd/s890/37b%20Coal%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="890" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZNjmWYuakPGeipwWrke7lOl7L9vr9CJkHBucwnyjtTZAyKTaE-llek5ZML7W01CMdW3F_3Re2Tk8jGVa17osI-9hofXvWbqJg-Sqk2QFlnBGYXwU2-b3sl8kz3eZG_qwgdr9vnwEzZ2ZWL0362KIMRK8FPFE33co6CGAKAawR4vUBFQ3097OjVxqU9bd/w400-h281/37b%20Coal%20tit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpILLZEhQJ_sO6-pcCplogsVVS6ELxKxqHDUsBBe1ERFlggEuWfpBoZLEY06GbS4rETTm938RniQS3gfyCfEY8i2-tmYax5FCTRb2X7IV2m8WdTT7fyu7WZ0FGy1NQmAQ4GmGcevsqwFmHWx91fhiUayiPhMH5Lr7RXG_yMzXnzv60g3MZEY3ztBP7SRf/s1026/38a%20Nuthatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1026" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpILLZEhQJ_sO6-pcCplogsVVS6ELxKxqHDUsBBe1ERFlggEuWfpBoZLEY06GbS4rETTm938RniQS3gfyCfEY8i2-tmYax5FCTRb2X7IV2m8WdTT7fyu7WZ0FGy1NQmAQ4GmGcevsqwFmHWx91fhiUayiPhMH5Lr7RXG_yMzXnzv60g3MZEY3ztBP7SRf/w400-h264/38a%20Nuthatch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And then like this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nuthatch</span></b> it was time for us to leave.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HNY1ZRVglinyYDOXvEpkkYRl_kULgJtEQwrJWC6jNRjBSmYatlCYJIW8d3CFwHRt6DFmGobDBHpvlQVtQD5K3ZYNCIVPlXlWNujktZqOt7nl3um76f6CNbkcHiaZd7mcQxHBMWeUc2cL17_QL-Ykx0I45eVB0eOOE1jAGc67YZ4YKGHLXGqt5Vna1HNP/s740/38c%20Nuthatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="602" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HNY1ZRVglinyYDOXvEpkkYRl_kULgJtEQwrJWC6jNRjBSmYatlCYJIW8d3CFwHRt6DFmGobDBHpvlQVtQD5K3ZYNCIVPlXlWNujktZqOt7nl3um76f6CNbkcHiaZd7mcQxHBMWeUc2cL17_QL-Ykx0I45eVB0eOOE1jAGc67YZ4YKGHLXGqt5Vna1HNP/w325-h400/38c%20Nuthatch.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another great safari in the bag, loads seen and another few added to the Challenge tally; now standing at 98 with five days left, surely we can get the last two in that time...but the weather had other ideas and poor conditions kept us stuck at Base Camp although we did bump into another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Bunting</span></b> while walking the dog yes you've guessed it - no camera! It wasn't until the penultimate day of the year we were able to get out for an impromptu safari picking up CR on the way to Middleton up north. The sun was shining and we had the morning ahead of us. Arriving on site CR said he could see our target even before we'd drawn the car to a stop...<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glossy Ibis</span></b> - not a bad 'from the car' tick. After getting out of said car we couldn't see it for a while - we were looking too far away and the bird was hidden behind a fence rail. But then there it was in all its multi-coloured finery shimmering the sunshine. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlal5hwgAj8H1ieLIj1GY1WdDh9csQ1_tHLtmQJc20ANjjcjEbHydI5VkB2C2vKiYNcYurRp8qwfjYm_lMvdFZv4vqBz5GrdkRLQbsl0J5fnn6ampP2raZ7Q3RCkmK-IWXre2-YtcTgqQh38xXVz64ZHfaSIFNLuabjGfg-Ef6DZTBOpPL1WfXwbkRgw_/s1467/099a%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1467" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlal5hwgAj8H1ieLIj1GY1WdDh9csQ1_tHLtmQJc20ANjjcjEbHydI5VkB2C2vKiYNcYurRp8qwfjYm_lMvdFZv4vqBz5GrdkRLQbsl0J5fnn6ampP2raZ7Q3RCkmK-IWXre2-YtcTgqQh38xXVz64ZHfaSIFNLuabjGfg-Ef6DZTBOpPL1WfXwbkRgw_/w640-h462/099a%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqmqO8cq6I2gZsgA37QowLWIWOHXy6j-ag7SkE5ZPlU9LudBQyFcCGtgdxEeRo6QFixElusopeuP8lbk7UuYC0nz_V3c1gyY7B5KCd0JqFUduUqpjcMKMhbaNMXJ2y8qy3V2VPYcmQDkG0fUhbYDappQMDOQVVS26l0wl_FPGsr2ry8mgpouYVOX3w2FR/s1238/099%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1238" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqmqO8cq6I2gZsgA37QowLWIWOHXy6j-ag7SkE5ZPlU9LudBQyFcCGtgdxEeRo6QFixElusopeuP8lbk7UuYC0nz_V3c1gyY7B5KCd0JqFUduUqpjcMKMhbaNMXJ2y8qy3V2VPYcmQDkG0fUhbYDappQMDOQVVS26l0wl_FPGsr2ry8mgpouYVOX3w2FR/w640-h558/099%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>What a beauty for #99 but could we get the ton up today? With a bit of time to spare we had a look at the nearby Heysham nature reserve and Red Rocks while giving the pooch a bit of a run at the same time. It was deadly quite apart from a singing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinch</span></b>, the first we've heard this year. We were hoping for something like a Jackdaw or maybe the Brent Geese on the rocks but the tide was out there and there were very few birds within any sort of range. Maybe we should havev gone round to Half Moon Bay but unfortunately we didn't have enough time and had to high tail it back to Base Camp with the tally stuck on 99 with one day to go. That evening we saw two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Buntings</span></b> fly into the remnant dunes on the prom in the very last of the daylight, we tried to get a phone pic of one of them but it flitted off to somewhere unseen before we'd got the phone out of our pocket...One day to get one species - we had a plan!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 31st was an average grey sort of a January day without much wind thankfully. We loaded up the camera, dog, and half a loaf of bread and headed to the shopper's car park in the nearby village of Poulton-le-Fylde. St Chad's church is a well known Jackdaw haunt. We did see some on a roof top not far from Base Camp while en route but the pics weren't great, it's a bit awkward pointing a long lens towards bedroom windows while sttod beside a busy road. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW7_AtKYs2wTVGznpMiNVuR24batzri5Cw30aDCmPOx5ybfzVd0S8tJlHMOSJdnxpiF7gqkxQsWZGyTWW7ORJNRPD6NaKdhWwyC8fOHE2Zk51otlVeCqITu4ib8rs5QFypBFS53isAQ2ZN7HyxVOMHZjOCOvmjSAkCzczPVTA4P6L76rMjaYjviil-tLr/s959/100b%20Jackdaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="959" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW7_AtKYs2wTVGznpMiNVuR24batzri5Cw30aDCmPOx5ybfzVd0S8tJlHMOSJdnxpiF7gqkxQsWZGyTWW7ORJNRPD6NaKdhWwyC8fOHE2Zk51otlVeCqITu4ib8rs5QFypBFS53isAQ2ZN7HyxVOMHZjOCOvmjSAkCzczPVTA4P6L76rMjaYjviil-tLr/w640-h456/100b%20Jackdaw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We'd got our ton, happy days, but could do with a better pic so we carried on to Poulton where the Jackdaws were indeed in the churchyard and showing much better than the roadside ones earlier.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl5DV06OJeSc5Ffw2Pcuj1Tw8ostprA0SwtG4LlZxAzv39g-QN_WrK6IGq2H7nXUHkflKGw0QTYMvL5aVd0u91H868Om2wAP2YfM8Y0lWGJrW_UjT7JM2THbEDwrdyWHiTRkTykGrBHrMyXjQPfTPbzUei6I3OS6cJKWEX1DcLkFhUpl8QkCwKtCJkmyR/s1583/100%20Jackdaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1583" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl5DV06OJeSc5Ffw2Pcuj1Tw8ostprA0SwtG4LlZxAzv39g-QN_WrK6IGq2H7nXUHkflKGw0QTYMvL5aVd0u91H868Om2wAP2YfM8Y0lWGJrW_UjT7JM2THbEDwrdyWHiTRkTykGrBHrMyXjQPfTPbzUei6I3OS6cJKWEX1DcLkFhUpl8QkCwKtCJkmyR/w640-h458/100%20Jackdaw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>One of them even got to sample the bait we'd brought just in case...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEh7_GXG_ZZvChpwuBY0ls9yZwjwe599PQ20SxfMAiUspkSyBBwvFyTSReFDxNVw1j_sfSJz6Atct6-ieUvt8TGv_pUccjorMKTLSFJwB3Tp09_vXAjAsKGG4t7gIe01G4ron9wdnQYF6g5j5XLd8ydIuOVsR1Vjn0LRYhXIlypK3F_SXMCg4IzaNexQ7/s1421/100a%20Jackdaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1421" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEh7_GXG_ZZvChpwuBY0ls9yZwjwe599PQ20SxfMAiUspkSyBBwvFyTSReFDxNVw1j_sfSJz6Atct6-ieUvt8TGv_pUccjorMKTLSFJwB3Tp09_vXAjAsKGG4t7gIe01G4ron9wdnQYF6g5j5XLd8ydIuOVsR1Vjn0LRYhXIlypK3F_SXMCg4IzaNexQ7/w640-h450/100a%20Jackdaw.jpg" width="640" /></a>Mission accomplished 100 species of birds photographed during January and with about 6 hours of daylight to spare - Result!!!</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And then reality hit home. All that hard work will mean progreesing with our Challenge during February and into March isn't going to be easy, we've sort of shot ourselves in the foot a bit. Well we've got to give the other challengers time to catch up before the summer visitors arrive in the spring.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Target for February will be 15 and only 5 more for March...how will we fare?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Another safari northwards beckons. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's got the taste for bread in your outback.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-3587031870388774042024-01-24T15:24:00.006+00:002024-01-24T15:24:50.450+00:00New year safaris are go go go<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari has been</b> out and about all over the shop since the turn of the year. Almost here there and everywhere but mostly south of the river. Our Bird Photo Challenge has kicked off again, now in its eighth year and we have to say we're doing pretty well - homing in on 100 species photographed already. Maybe we should 'save some for later' as the Law of Diminishing Returns has got to kick in very soon. However, there is a little method in our madness; we've got (yet) another hand issue which is likely to require surgery sometime in the not to distant future (NHS waiting lists permitting) meaning we could be out of action for a few weeks. There's a proviso in the rules too this year - no more than 75 miles from Base Camp; tricky as at least 30% of that circle for us is inaccessible sea and annoying that the superb seabird cliifs of South Stack on Anglesey are about 18 inches outside the line. There is a wide variety of habitats and a large number of good reserves and other sites contained within the blue line though so here goes... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbZWOTXcO674Ut_7shyphenhyphendasJtQu0fCXZV4-OP5qx7Zn75hO1VAG9X9IGTsD5j3DdByRRSam0TbOc11RJMvCcojGPf-9qaJjyW5xOV9mVsgLSSxDb0b-QGqcD8MqYzdF92_iJwwlHHchBFfUqfwuVjrR_TdMLy_R8R_cpMh8jHVcwT8exAvMhhIA7ZMFFgf/s1251/75%20mile%20radius.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbZWOTXcO674Ut_7shyphenhyphendasJtQu0fCXZV4-OP5qx7Zn75hO1VAG9X9IGTsD5j3DdByRRSam0TbOc11RJMvCcojGPf-9qaJjyW5xOV9mVsgLSSxDb0b-QGqcD8MqYzdF92_iJwwlHHchBFfUqfwuVjrR_TdMLy_R8R_cpMh8jHVcwT8exAvMhhIA7ZMFFgf/w552-h640/75%20mile%20radius.jpg" width="552" /></a></div>The year got off to a good start with a number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Gulls</span></b> on the beach at Base Camp, they're not that common here and not guaranteed on any particular day.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yEhHOaVynL1uNYtqfKJexp_PL6r8JAOexjjXE6__Oe-4K2bWr_YkOKwYRNm0XTpmYSFPfmOuBeZwuREXtDzjHk67VPGjVCE4hNkQiwb9F9XMgKD1q7QUUTphYk1z2YBbK0Vd31pVhUTgKA_mwGcC5UQ5Wwoozv4L0veJmuBI2VNi0Dzgq253ixAcKtDH/s1916/001%20Common%20gull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="1916" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yEhHOaVynL1uNYtqfKJexp_PL6r8JAOexjjXE6__Oe-4K2bWr_YkOKwYRNm0XTpmYSFPfmOuBeZwuREXtDzjHk67VPGjVCE4hNkQiwb9F9XMgKD1q7QUUTphYk1z2YBbK0Vd31pVhUTgKA_mwGcC5UQ5Wwoozv4L0veJmuBI2VNi0Dzgq253ixAcKtDH/w640-h500/001%20Common%20gull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our first safari away from the immediate environs of Base Camp saw us not far up the road at Fleetwood where a rather wet morning gave us a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechat</span></b> on the golfcourse and a flight of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b> over the beach after they'd left the marine lake, makes for a diffent pic to the usual 'sat on the water pose' we usually get.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzn89AQTdaUITB-6jibTYpY2rsLCSiU6p_MaaDK3GXY36mn-5S0uj55g89ik9qTLvOFOfO2NXoG7HRTsB-bbGwdrKKrU_Kc6vVasn991Ygs3suYjXuElRQnDugX7RNt7lzANpALEv1foBNK6n7mCJhFkJIcHVZGQECN-LC9fAT0MC6KYZCTZ2UbVRWjt7w/s957/010%20Stonechat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="783" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzn89AQTdaUITB-6jibTYpY2rsLCSiU6p_MaaDK3GXY36mn-5S0uj55g89ik9qTLvOFOfO2NXoG7HRTsB-bbGwdrKKrU_Kc6vVasn991Ygs3suYjXuElRQnDugX7RNt7lzANpALEv1foBNK6n7mCJhFkJIcHVZGQECN-LC9fAT0MC6KYZCTZ2UbVRWjt7w/w328-h400/010%20Stonechat.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDYG4BxClrOrdxvloziXZi11pdR8OP_YX6Q9v0TxhIhVKR4cRAj3m3y0Hn5xPFI2BRT25Huxk8lrRDqozCBmrEERYbJaPLBfp9icX8OCiyXphmGPL6jXjLgiVNySgKnbbRZZ2culUMnIsnar3u6pABELTavXLxNfkK2tt_mzdWrJHFokIgC5-sZuAiavk/s1793/008%20Mute%20swan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1793" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDYG4BxClrOrdxvloziXZi11pdR8OP_YX6Q9v0TxhIhVKR4cRAj3m3y0Hn5xPFI2BRT25Huxk8lrRDqozCBmrEERYbJaPLBfp9icX8OCiyXphmGPL6jXjLgiVNySgKnbbRZZ2culUMnIsnar3u6pABELTavXLxNfkK2tt_mzdWrJHFokIgC5-sZuAiavk/w640-h330/008%20Mute%20swan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reason for nipping up there was the recent stormy weather had brought in a trio of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Breasted Mergansers</span></b>, a bird we didn't see there last year in fact there were very few reports of them at this previously fairly regular winter site. Today there were only two, the male having left the party.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkccQ5fVvD9vK2yw5oYIKMRmRo2nvCSt-W1M1xqs36Cs55ozTWsYh2ZQGkyP4vK8ygI5cUsFiz0BVN-A0ejEHPHERcSz4iC9ZQeFtEOi5qOqkLTk4aThr215x_MHDvz19h_D1HEp43Y309_zTae8TcMEbbE9Hb5pKLT5gbQ9bDdPdBfSGznEeFqwmBzFQq/s1947/006%20Red%20breasted%20merganser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1947" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkccQ5fVvD9vK2yw5oYIKMRmRo2nvCSt-W1M1xqs36Cs55ozTWsYh2ZQGkyP4vK8ygI5cUsFiz0BVN-A0ejEHPHERcSz4iC9ZQeFtEOi5qOqkLTk4aThr215x_MHDvz19h_D1HEp43Y309_zTae8TcMEbbE9Hb5pKLT5gbQ9bDdPdBfSGznEeFqwmBzFQq/w640-h328/006%20Red%20breasted%20merganser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Next time out we were further afield at Martin Mere WWT reserve with the Southside gang where we filled our boots with waterfowl and woodland species. It wasn't the best day with spells of heavy rain resulting in possibly the worst <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brambling</span></b> pic you'll ever see but hey it is identifiable so it counts towards our Challenge. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">We always like a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> and it was good to see the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Breasted Goose</span></b> had stayed over the new year and now taking full advantage of the free food handout of the daily 'Swan feed'. The minor limp it had before Christmas has become much worse though, it was really hobbling.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIUdyQp2r8sSkRd65TpjGfL5c1WBnhqsfDvdYFf4GP0NDw2QMKjkomPhk0CAv7MTkwiIJiLJrQw7WoRkZUeJDc4IiM9qdMQBmgZ9DBoPEWQJKob7HRSX4xQFEGJnaiVRALH_-Tp9ebp7IkfTylctpSRG2sjaa-WN4aUxWUjuyxA_RD7tfbOTAUD32MriA/s1610/020%20Pintail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="1610" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIUdyQp2r8sSkRd65TpjGfL5c1WBnhqsfDvdYFf4GP0NDw2QMKjkomPhk0CAv7MTkwiIJiLJrQw7WoRkZUeJDc4IiM9qdMQBmgZ9DBoPEWQJKob7HRSX4xQFEGJnaiVRALH_-Tp9ebp7IkfTylctpSRG2sjaa-WN4aUxWUjuyxA_RD7tfbOTAUD32MriA/w640-h496/020%20Pintail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7jMqy5TNsPbnh796_NL9iTQ4IjLm8_0qHN0NE4qB3AY3YvQgXxXrgOR4OYYI5uYyvALKnLGDZ3kjKUhlNFirTNXJ89M3OhGZqLKZlaETdJWH9r8yXJxz4yt3EFV48HaBrPe-jNldXpp_PoGfHWTze9_3fNyunftQzJYm5vvLV_yiWU_snIpIg9qI29kEV/s2050/026%20Red%20breasted%20goose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2050" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7jMqy5TNsPbnh796_NL9iTQ4IjLm8_0qHN0NE4qB3AY3YvQgXxXrgOR4OYYI5uYyvALKnLGDZ3kjKUhlNFirTNXJ89M3OhGZqLKZlaETdJWH9r8yXJxz4yt3EFV48HaBrPe-jNldXpp_PoGfHWTze9_3fNyunftQzJYm5vvLV_yiWU_snIpIg9qI29kEV/w640-h400/026%20Red%20breasted%20goose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Calm conditions, rare for this year of non-stop storms, offered some nice <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> reflection opportunities.<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYkB4TebdqSBFKArJ2TiTBAqL5-P-ixCe0R_OXCg1qlLl9C_2B8cN5qVuxWB10h3kuXLqcg2MjkiqSCc5aZrcinlZGIaeawidi-u9OqdWWZPRJiIOBSjxSqrAGaFIgLDYFlA_ZCfwPWMIjt8peUgrZysqrga0SMbFt8a6ma-WjQ01K-F8vPS2AabQLxZf/s1414/035%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1414" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYkB4TebdqSBFKArJ2TiTBAqL5-P-ixCe0R_OXCg1qlLl9C_2B8cN5qVuxWB10h3kuXLqcg2MjkiqSCc5aZrcinlZGIaeawidi-u9OqdWWZPRJiIOBSjxSqrAGaFIgLDYFlA_ZCfwPWMIjt8peUgrZysqrga0SMbFt8a6ma-WjQ01K-F8vPS2AabQLxZf/s320/035%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qADS5ovJ24_DMroUWbqTdRF2CccA1fUXgIAtIlvoQ2iNCpf7OaB5N4gO3TaOoecd0w-6V-rIe-mLSDG9VrGetYTec-DAr0PgElzkjWT_NQ1tF4W009TPJCN0S05l3YD6JOBguw4d_YnqJrhRWNp-Q_DKUfBnmWcZNhy-Ys0bQx_8iFgoJSIu2SUo4zzr/s1082/029%20Goldfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1082" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qADS5ovJ24_DMroUWbqTdRF2CccA1fUXgIAtIlvoQ2iNCpf7OaB5N4gO3TaOoecd0w-6V-rIe-mLSDG9VrGetYTec-DAr0PgElzkjWT_NQ1tF4W009TPJCN0S05l3YD6JOBguw4d_YnqJrhRWNp-Q_DKUfBnmWcZNhy-Ys0bQx_8iFgoJSIu2SUo4zzr/s320/029%20Goldfinch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKv7RLXBvl84-8pfeytWazOZxVKT63ZeyAgQzlxYZx7OE6Q5ax2IGd07VKPpp4LOV5mr57_TFnyUMlFM9DmOD-wNEO8dOGkWv45Q9eRJMTZpg6BBDiJTHfoEq7ldDgVG3dIaWHZQAl0vJkoQnuLwzohVe1IzSu16752Z3L8bzrvI5suEmhBBkXidPNF733/s876/039%20Brambling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="876" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKv7RLXBvl84-8pfeytWazOZxVKT63ZeyAgQzlxYZx7OE6Q5ax2IGd07VKPpp4LOV5mr57_TFnyUMlFM9DmOD-wNEO8dOGkWv45Q9eRJMTZpg6BBDiJTHfoEq7ldDgVG3dIaWHZQAl0vJkoQnuLwzohVe1IzSu16752Z3L8bzrvI5suEmhBBkXidPNF733/s320/039%20Brambling.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That safari brought our tally up to 41. The following day we ventured local again, this time to Stanley Park. A couple of dry day's meant the paths round the lake wouldn't be too muddy and the sun was shining too, a real bonus.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If anything the sun was too bright often creating severe shadows where the birds were spending most of their time. We managed a few decent shots of several species, pick of the bunch being a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stock Dove</span></b> that flew over the lake and landed in the tall <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Poplar</span></b> tree over our head.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SGPhgcE0U6OyNbFM4lgH9U8ec6OggThBzqVvOgGYhyphenhyphenUnKd3z8mrt8hyK-cbMHTsZX3oeDJqkpEnDK-SbwqpH9lbzy1nGiZALsZpXAKOrkpTI5BPk_kAERAUQq0g5PQ4tsf7k01uiLvbrHTfNu8Y8b3FsvEcdIG01rfS1jaAMFuhmRucYnRaMJc-w2QvC/s1162/053%20Stock%20dove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SGPhgcE0U6OyNbFM4lgH9U8ec6OggThBzqVvOgGYhyphenhyphenUnKd3z8mrt8hyK-cbMHTsZX3oeDJqkpEnDK-SbwqpH9lbzy1nGiZALsZpXAKOrkpTI5BPk_kAERAUQq0g5PQ4tsf7k01uiLvbrHTfNu8Y8b3FsvEcdIG01rfS1jaAMFuhmRucYnRaMJc-w2QvC/w630-h640/053%20Stock%20dove.jpg" width="630" /></a></div>A visit to the park isn't complete without a pic of its noisiest inhabitants.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMV1xiDBl2MrA38h2SiiOmDfAItLIQFPQtzYEiwZXVTw-BTmtNdEocOyFQZB1t3F0iztT1KAgVvaEEaQJbEoq-BULZbU6EVorcI1kSQNNp2GcyKGj2G6Zn1bSp4nR4vNPlfbzoFXobUgOEjwL-HCWdvyXD4d0VrKMZwcDI1qGLz0PntS8EDA4P5jBM4dI/s1105/047%20Ring%20necked%20parakeet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="675" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMV1xiDBl2MrA38h2SiiOmDfAItLIQFPQtzYEiwZXVTw-BTmtNdEocOyFQZB1t3F0iztT1KAgVvaEEaQJbEoq-BULZbU6EVorcI1kSQNNp2GcyKGj2G6Zn1bSp4nR4vNPlfbzoFXobUgOEjwL-HCWdvyXD4d0VrKMZwcDI1qGLz0PntS8EDA4P5jBM4dI/w390-h640/047%20Ring%20necked%20parakeet.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>Another safari up to Fleetwood found us a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Diver</span></b> not too far away in the surf, normally a tricky species to find close enough to photograph. We usually have to wait for our annual pilgramage to Spurn and keep our fingers crossed there's one close enough there. Off the prom here they're usually little more than a dot in the scope.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtbwIN6z72aEE7e9FCrDZmdt8KdXn7k-s3MH00QJuQtrNQIdqx4QO8-fr_tVtpUwiqgQFxM8hmqxo-M9y8a3x4t3Et_B6klrGgm7ftylBN8NHvx2E3LX8yKx3QSFwn_ClPisZFDrIB6eYlJNEg2ddDKLBSjl8eMVNUQRgQpuobu6-zLt3lYE3LtNPozcG/s1057/060%20Red%20throated%20diver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1057" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtbwIN6z72aEE7e9FCrDZmdt8KdXn7k-s3MH00QJuQtrNQIdqx4QO8-fr_tVtpUwiqgQFxM8hmqxo-M9y8a3x4t3Et_B6klrGgm7ftylBN8NHvx2E3LX8yKx3QSFwn_ClPisZFDrIB6eYlJNEg2ddDKLBSjl8eMVNUQRgQpuobu6-zLt3lYE3LtNPozcG/w640-h464/060%20Red%20throated%20diver.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Staying with the diver theme and another carry-over from last year, the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Throated Diver</span></b> was still at Crosby Marina so another safari over to the Southside was organised.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJgbN_lLtkRfzq2pqrZV4bfaz_tMQNJX29f2Vs1Y888zKMIDLv9tvhYyOgx0YN8YJj5hm8v1W5sBS8esszAv1fvh1IAxkS7q4DtE9kitGh81NOS6Qwk_xwIzsxZpdb1rjnpWXIsGezzz0yE0gLw-n9lnu0Ge3WS4jPu4pGu2ZHWPg-pJX_C2SkVqq78ZM/s1042/063%20Black%20throated%20diver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1042" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJgbN_lLtkRfzq2pqrZV4bfaz_tMQNJX29f2Vs1Y888zKMIDLv9tvhYyOgx0YN8YJj5hm8v1W5sBS8esszAv1fvh1IAxkS7q4DtE9kitGh81NOS6Qwk_xwIzsxZpdb1rjnpWXIsGezzz0yE0gLw-n9lnu0Ge3WS4jPu4pGu2ZHWPg-pJX_C2SkVqq78ZM/w640-h478/063%20Black%20throated%20diver.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Better still a male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Smew</span></b> had turned up at nearby Lunt Meadows LWT reserve. How long is it since we last saw a male one of these???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqp73iMfP8TnbvTHWVDcNm0bXSCHJheDDpMdOIpkVnkbdPimuYZdxa0wAJdkqWHqtm7rR6zVcK5hygHNseiJUGpfVLuZ_4DacfsonAdaffIl0VwkeuNP4Zuu_MOSSkugU0L-Xwl0wt8DYavD6_zbVauSFPiRKSk1mTbHGQMIaVS4B8u930qJ0yViH52Zgp/s886/065%20Smew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="886" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqp73iMfP8TnbvTHWVDcNm0bXSCHJheDDpMdOIpkVnkbdPimuYZdxa0wAJdkqWHqtm7rR6zVcK5hygHNseiJUGpfVLuZ_4DacfsonAdaffIl0VwkeuNP4Zuu_MOSSkugU0L-Xwl0wt8DYavD6_zbVauSFPiRKSk1mTbHGQMIaVS4B8u930qJ0yViH52Zgp/w400-h238/065%20Smew.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unfortunatley it remained fairly distant, just out of effective range but fantastic to see nonetheless especially as many others only managed even further views and it spent a lot of time hidden in the bankside vegetation. A bonus was the long-staying <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Green Winged Teal</span></b> which didn't wake up all day.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRt-wU7D2elFo0OTQ5Az9n4i3yfQaqA-21jLm-7yzG_DGL_ZZy_zii0JaGjMepowBVyjZrP_wIAgwoKApP0f7NGX6KULLMSR6fr2UlMbx5wpAv-ExaWFipVjRH68c_9FzSwi8mmgSSYyn-71T1ObXgnJ4P731gdRdqFoesvN3uY1QLpkC9YKQk-p32AD1/s972/068%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="972" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRt-wU7D2elFo0OTQ5Az9n4i3yfQaqA-21jLm-7yzG_DGL_ZZy_zii0JaGjMepowBVyjZrP_wIAgwoKApP0f7NGX6KULLMSR6fr2UlMbx5wpAv-ExaWFipVjRH68c_9FzSwi8mmgSSYyn-71T1ObXgnJ4P731gdRdqFoesvN3uY1QLpkC9YKQk-p32AD1/w400-h346/068%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But better still was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gull</span></b> we were told was on the Pumphouse Pool by other birders, but was it to be bird of the day?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw9RPLuC2CSRuw6leoIAX5yL1RtbZ1CBvTJHUXBED51igLc1CawKO7sQ62hcOvFKl5Urb5tqzANbqS_AVlAvTc4QLPs7JETEsy4-n30chrzsk78fI8auClSj9y6fvvd4exjSyrNm4hQqnYYul4E5c0TO8EJib8DSGEFe85IJsh5E13dDlrydAzPjzEJ1v/s951/069%20Mediterranean%20gull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="951" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw9RPLuC2CSRuw6leoIAX5yL1RtbZ1CBvTJHUXBED51igLc1CawKO7sQ62hcOvFKl5Urb5tqzANbqS_AVlAvTc4QLPs7JETEsy4-n30chrzsk78fI8auClSj9y6fvvd4exjSyrNm4hQqnYYul4E5c0TO8EJib8DSGEFe85IJsh5E13dDlrydAzPjzEJ1v/w640-h490/069%20Mediterranean%20gull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Surprisingly for us it wasn't! That accolade went to the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Partridge</span></b> that eagle-eyed IH spotted lurking furtively in a piece of rough ground set aside for shooting just over the reeserve boundary. Distant and camouflaged it was impossible to see it in the camera's viewfinder but we fired off a whole heap of shots in the general direction...and just about got lucky...you thought our <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brambling</span></b> shot was bad!!! But beggars can't be choosers and this is a species that was really common round here in our early days of birding but one which we didn't even see last year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamnoIrgagruPdQvwQ9ijp7gLjx-u_-nso5Y119dOdd6SIzcnUi2D72SP3-WmnPGv9Xy8HQM3sVNANmqdIC2J9onyCPOkLWQ95HYfUxyIFRphJ6jnO0jEyMDEvTPqICh970Cs94hY-RrvmycPgilPhFoc1V5HCdEIW0jx7-T6LpycRhuJAILJTB2aC3uJ7/s1125/070%20Grey%20partridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1125" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamnoIrgagruPdQvwQ9ijp7gLjx-u_-nso5Y119dOdd6SIzcnUi2D72SP3-WmnPGv9Xy8HQM3sVNANmqdIC2J9onyCPOkLWQ95HYfUxyIFRphJ6jnO0jEyMDEvTPqICh970Cs94hY-RrvmycPgilPhFoc1V5HCdEIW0jx7-T6LpycRhuJAILJTB2aC3uJ7/w400-h249/070%20Grey%20partridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Not many minutes later we had a 'wow' moment. Above us a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrine</span></b> sparred with two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harriers </span></b>stooping repeatedly at them for over five minutes. Now most birds try to get above a Peregrine where they hope to be a little safer, not the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harriers</span></b> they just kept on doing what they were doing which was not a lot. Each time the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrine</span></b> stooped the 'victim' just turned on its back and presented its talons the the incoming missile, totally nonplussed by the whole affair. A fabulous day just slightly marred by the fact we couldn't find the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Richardson's Cackling Goose</span></b> although neither could anyone else on site that day. By the end of play our Challenge tally stood at the amazing total of 72.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />We were cracking on a pace now but could we keep that pace up? Our next safari took us local again to Marton Mere nature reserve. We picked up CR and headed for The Nook and as soon as we got out of the car we were photographing a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tawny Owl</span></b> which wasn't for showing itself.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy2sMXKmZcQ1mmkw_Q4zT7GS2yYKcu5_VY1x6BhgBE81rbX06pIFZ0cbADcXR28vWdHV47hPIyTjxB6IbWUgAK_zF1I8ALDSMqpGpy25Wn1x8_vYsznKgIy3mts23BXGpVlzNUyzU83eWbEZJWBogPc9Zym3nUdi_mcSFlxxl9RIanytehzjtYEPSqMy_/s1325/074a%20Tawny%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1325" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy2sMXKmZcQ1mmkw_Q4zT7GS2yYKcu5_VY1x6BhgBE81rbX06pIFZ0cbADcXR28vWdHV47hPIyTjxB6IbWUgAK_zF1I8ALDSMqpGpy25Wn1x8_vYsznKgIy3mts23BXGpVlzNUyzU83eWbEZJWBogPc9Zym3nUdi_mcSFlxxl9RIanytehzjtYEPSqMy_/w640-h458/074a%20Tawny%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Walking on we hadn't got far when two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawks</span></b> flew past us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1rqdJcG5z83l6P0XXTFp2_JqJChc8eGqhGI8rUu-YZW6nt6ODa4q6CLU3omtARPG8Klp4ujN5MJ5jfFB-Vh28v-DcT_-SJ0iVTXlCs231o1p23Bzv-e69c6cD0oI-H1eYJL-6w2IxhZHByEnawfNmLg7ghr8dzz-Wbv7uvOlnvaHMarSN6HoFQFFUXgc/s1514/075%20Sparrowhawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1514" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1rqdJcG5z83l6P0XXTFp2_JqJChc8eGqhGI8rUu-YZW6nt6ODa4q6CLU3omtARPG8Klp4ujN5MJ5jfFB-Vh28v-DcT_-SJ0iVTXlCs231o1p23Bzv-e69c6cD0oI-H1eYJL-6w2IxhZHByEnawfNmLg7ghr8dzz-Wbv7uvOlnvaHMarSN6HoFQFFUXgc/w640-h426/075%20Sparrowhawk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Reaching the reserve all was quiet. It was a cold frosty morning which at least had frozen the mud into a solid surface that wasn't too slippery to walk on. The local <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> were keeping their heads down, by the time we've usually got this far we've heard at least three. CR said he'd seen pics of <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Bee Orchid</span></b> rosettes on social media so we had a look in one of their favoured spots on the reserve but couldn't find anything remotely orchidy. However a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bullfinches</span></b> flew over us and landed in a nearby <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hawthorn</span></b> bush. The male went round the back and the female although on our side of the bush stayed mstly in cover. However, we did get our best pic of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bullfinch</span></b> we've taken here.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5so8-ziIsNLx5KfBO0A1QmrgKuzkrkQZzzMdvl8CpAI07STIfNAi9dZN2ZGzPY8tEhAIVEOrSDpvwzB5xWcuEtfslXgt5y1qMbPmZdnoGZnA6Zt3meLlIa9ZNCzDlTeK9MT12TnlVLr3FyiaT7nzxHSXFiZbE4HDESZ8xDfrsOiG72qJ_iDYtzcofE1h/s886/076%20Bullfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="886" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5so8-ziIsNLx5KfBO0A1QmrgKuzkrkQZzzMdvl8CpAI07STIfNAi9dZN2ZGzPY8tEhAIVEOrSDpvwzB5xWcuEtfslXgt5y1qMbPmZdnoGZnA6Zt3meLlIa9ZNCzDlTeK9MT12TnlVLr3FyiaT7nzxHSXFiZbE4HDESZ8xDfrsOiG72qJ_iDYtzcofE1h/w640-h452/076%20Bullfinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We wandered on enjoying the lovely sunshine but not the lack of birds, the scrub was very quiet until we saw a male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> in the top of the trees near the gate but again on the wrong side of said tree.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Taking the detour down to the viewing bench the light was terrible and there wasn't much on the water so we didn't stay long. Back on the main path the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> was now in a better place but as we raised the camera it saw something and swooped low into the scrub not to reappear. The Feeding Station was busy with the usual garden/woodland birds but strangely no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pheasants</span></b>, which was the species we really wanted to get a pic of. On the way back to the car the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tawny Owl</span></b> had turned round - thank goodness.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGkM11Nho78wcoCqKn2SFhj4DUCg2erq8VDvG7M4zlK_c7pdUlAVggBiUYzqe7mAmTAKv7FYe3Mm5DFEOo7tapAM8ZBBJzb7LSd4bs63IbPekMTuDR4A9Gzy72bQGN6LA3HKRnSmcELkl_USGptopSjoIqq6L7gghhzfj-NHtH3MoSd7k-tv4u7K2KtuQ/s1272/074%20Tawny%20owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1272" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGkM11Nho78wcoCqKn2SFhj4DUCg2erq8VDvG7M4zlK_c7pdUlAVggBiUYzqe7mAmTAKv7FYe3Mm5DFEOo7tapAM8ZBBJzb7LSd4bs63IbPekMTuDR4A9Gzy72bQGN6LA3HKRnSmcELkl_USGptopSjoIqq6L7gghhzfj-NHtH3MoSd7k-tv4u7K2KtuQ/w640-h570/074%20Tawny%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Not a bad visit all in all.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next up was a safari Over Wyre to have a look for the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Twite</span></b> at Knott End. There were none at the slipway when we arrived until just a single one flew over us calling. We decided to have a walk down the prom to give them a chance to come back from wherever they were and there's always the chance they could be on the saltmarsh there. No sign of them there either but there was a nice little flock of Redshank to have a dib at.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLk-0bJHb94to61V2THxOFnWDmSIEhJrBO4Q8MxjIULPis57yWXx_UjE0ZJW4qRTEs4UsLT51W39izWONZNr5p94NAxPSVagKqERwPQeSTwAniQqo9vGQgOY2zi3QT2vZJqcO0sG94BTPvg0ozRHvE_uBGkoYCUGhf9ZksgFFh9vDI5QC-zLyNObxtJew/s1986/078%20Redshank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1986" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLk-0bJHb94to61V2THxOFnWDmSIEhJrBO4Q8MxjIULPis57yWXx_UjE0ZJW4qRTEs4UsLT51W39izWONZNr5p94NAxPSVagKqERwPQeSTwAniQqo9vGQgOY2zi3QT2vZJqcO0sG94BTPvg0ozRHvE_uBGkoYCUGhf9ZksgFFh9vDI5QC-zLyNObxtJew/w640-h336/078%20Redshank.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Once back at Base Camp downloading the day's shots we discovered a sneaky <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot</span></b> lurking in the flock, it's in the pic above but showing better in this one even if out of focus.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_a6atvEz2mTjiC4JVYn_yaYb9O4v7YivocTiDttlTHV0_94PtIHpzURnM94hpVzEx5pVKexKT6I3-50-jND_tMbAMK4l3b3zeEsgCyBj0n3QAHp_iNCQEwJAJEAC1m_KxnnSwQwlQ8EqV7EvZMfw9IeCvAOwjzIsGmQ2DN3UXn4wquvtRsmzN6xSu3oi/s1123/079%20Knot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1123" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_a6atvEz2mTjiC4JVYn_yaYb9O4v7YivocTiDttlTHV0_94PtIHpzURnM94hpVzEx5pVKexKT6I3-50-jND_tMbAMK4l3b3zeEsgCyBj0n3QAHp_iNCQEwJAJEAC1m_KxnnSwQwlQ8EqV7EvZMfw9IeCvAOwjzIsGmQ2DN3UXn4wquvtRsmzN6xSu3oi/w640-h486/079%20Knot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Returning to the slipway we saw there was no chance of seeing any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Twite</span></b> cos a council van complete with workers was parked up there, the oppos getting on with whatever job they'd been sent to do. We were scuppered so slunk back to Base Camp early. We'll be back! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">CR kindly drove us up to Leighton Moss where we joined IH for a frozen mooch about. It was bitterly cold and almost all the open water was frozen solid so there was hardly water fowl to be seen. This put a mockers on our hopes of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret, Snipe</span></b> etc. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rails</span></b> had been showing ridiculously well along the Causeway but we had no luck, just a couple of very brief glimpses. The wooded areas were good for small birds though, the feeders soon gave us a nice <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Tit</span></b>. But again there were no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pheasants </span></b>present - there's always <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pheasants</span></b> here.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlmHupITOXME0TvJaLoSOmInGBTIqr6RlK2sD6Lkv1qPbnFGyJa7KTBW6c_fYzGiSYagEjHWTBVjp-zUCbFhMKxlZD4apbwE21cHPHZsXufTIfDPMrlTEzRzDnHygdniaelUv9ZHyk9f39uDWlkU9J-BNQKitmDkRa_vPoKajVy0zJn2NeScVyMmWQaCP/s1180/081%20Marsh%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1180" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlmHupITOXME0TvJaLoSOmInGBTIqr6RlK2sD6Lkv1qPbnFGyJa7KTBW6c_fYzGiSYagEjHWTBVjp-zUCbFhMKxlZD4apbwE21cHPHZsXufTIfDPMrlTEzRzDnHygdniaelUv9ZHyk9f39uDWlkU9J-BNQKitmDkRa_vPoKajVy0zJn2NeScVyMmWQaCP/w640-h462/081%20Marsh%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>High in the nearby Alder trees a flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b> was feeding, craning our neck for the shot we pressed the shutter button a nano-second too late as the last of the flock left for trees further away.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwTitO_Pm6FVuK63V_Wy-2y2piF6SSjjHI0Dj-nOPuIgA38z2I2FemiLuQdj1zGCnit8Wu9k1mettXv5X9jAp06-Mw_xBEBwBNkMhf0N1DBMrJD_FGFLOZqmJs0OSf3HdMnypvUyIBAeFCIvSqXoES5Dtekq-MUL4ms8e0kwtPrmdEROU1enYiW2F7Jlw/s1028/082%20Siskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1028" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwTitO_Pm6FVuK63V_Wy-2y2piF6SSjjHI0Dj-nOPuIgA38z2I2FemiLuQdj1zGCnit8Wu9k1mettXv5X9jAp06-Mw_xBEBwBNkMhf0N1DBMrJD_FGFLOZqmJs0OSf3HdMnypvUyIBAeFCIvSqXoES5Dtekq-MUL4ms8e0kwtPrmdEROU1enYiW2F7Jlw/w400-h234/082%20Siskin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The trials and tribulations of wildlife photography ehh?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wren</span></b> along the boardwalk gave us the run around but we caught up with one on the, surprisingly dry, path to the Lower Hide.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmajlGtGUnKq3SBfI8UVHHg6xdUdoZA4KG1Xc_XmuL-ttKweSZh3q3GwWqKSGQDG5YXHUGUPr0X0ZSKq3V_O5ccNp_tTLsXQi2bOrU1xUy2H3iF9VHAIvI1_Ft6prcBffZF5LeMNLgm-TbJxY-0jzGGrderJxbV6xBLlr2Uug0Nm558-a1QNUPlq8UJYU/s874/083%20Wren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="762" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmajlGtGUnKq3SBfI8UVHHg6xdUdoZA4KG1Xc_XmuL-ttKweSZh3q3GwWqKSGQDG5YXHUGUPr0X0ZSKq3V_O5ccNp_tTLsXQi2bOrU1xUy2H3iF9VHAIvI1_Ft6prcBffZF5LeMNLgm-TbJxY-0jzGGrderJxbV6xBLlr2Uug0Nm558-a1QNUPlq8UJYU/w558-h640/083%20Wren.jpg" width="558" /></a></div>And we got a shot of the last thing a spider sees when a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Treecreeper</span></b> is working its way up a trunk. Normally you only get to see the back or sides of these creeping tree huggers but this one landed on a branch too thin and exposed its ventral surface.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSK-jE3KNockgzzmuEgdevtsD-X00GBvKx5IiBLoOazkusy4n9kOVaOycw9AB_QDgHvD0IF9w86Nr7sxTGgAdWMBmy3GuogSNyvH49VEhZA_93y1QRftOjyL-Is4Sz1mAItMHfIL-AojYfKQiIB78d6R2Z2K7t9yu371r5H9ZRX4hfDTwaztP1B2urQvSw/s837/084%20Treecreeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="837" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSK-jE3KNockgzzmuEgdevtsD-X00GBvKx5IiBLoOazkusy4n9kOVaOycw9AB_QDgHvD0IF9w86Nr7sxTGgAdWMBmy3GuogSNyvH49VEhZA_93y1QRftOjyL-Is4Sz1mAItMHfIL-AojYfKQiIB78d6R2Z2K7t9yu371r5H9ZRX4hfDTwaztP1B2urQvSw/w640-h628/084%20Treecreeper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After exhausting the main reserve we went back to the cars for a drive down to the saltmarshes. In the car park there was a sizeable flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fieldfares</span></b> taking advantage of the remaining <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hawthorn</span></b> berries above the bonnet of CR's motor.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19zSzUXemFPNHiUa_2V_-RygOPPsFyboelgmCgpUxsOVebsHSwtTdSOfYCq37oku5krjpqJx9zVJUdUMgK5SyHJzboxX5plBOntztl_EMu9gPV3RVER9cNd5QQFD7L-3UK3_StmX25aykoaWP9-kcGEN_vN9Jhzu9UHi4MYkjhbEmtHb9c5v7xVa8T7Rc/s1422/086%20Fieldfare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1422" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19zSzUXemFPNHiUa_2V_-RygOPPsFyboelgmCgpUxsOVebsHSwtTdSOfYCq37oku5krjpqJx9zVJUdUMgK5SyHJzboxX5plBOntztl_EMu9gPV3RVER9cNd5QQFD7L-3UK3_StmX25aykoaWP9-kcGEN_vN9Jhzu9UHi4MYkjhbEmtHb9c5v7xVa8T7Rc/w640-h446/086%20Fieldfare.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Along the path to the saltmarsh hides we eventually got our <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pheasant</span></b> pic.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHf8RCJGmt30A4sDkNL-8ObFhux3GJHhxjH8Vy8ueVLWFTh0FJvRRHIj_H7ghCfRyJIBXjtyqyHpXvaqc8nDHCyv-hYBKX8bJyo9SnNgOnQXAk7OdXsAt8J5mo0AL_7u0XyFFyFbJVGesvHBwmgmkRxYubdkTWu1rUkMGvLuLEAmFCjwdbuZwnv_wGOQt/s1452/087%20Pheasant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="1452" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHf8RCJGmt30A4sDkNL-8ObFhux3GJHhxjH8Vy8ueVLWFTh0FJvRRHIj_H7ghCfRyJIBXjtyqyHpXvaqc8nDHCyv-hYBKX8bJyo9SnNgOnQXAk7OdXsAt8J5mo0AL_7u0XyFFyFbJVGesvHBwmgmkRxYubdkTWu1rUkMGvLuLEAmFCjwdbuZwnv_wGOQt/w640-h354/087%20Pheasant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Here as well, even though the water is brackish, the pools were frozen solid with very little to be seen. A hopeful pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goosanders </span></b>flew over and on the marsh a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b> could be seen but not a lot else. Way out in the distance on the seaward edge of the marsh eagle-eyed IH picked up two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrines </span></b>sat on the deck a hundred yards or so apart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">CR took the scenic route back to Base camp heading Over Wyre in the hope of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> or two. We passed fields full of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlews</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b> and eventually came across a big flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tailed Godwits</span></b> with some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plovers</span></b> nearby but no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owls</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFxwExNxJtPzYm8jONp_dOoRp6zuKJmbn7o8B0XEnYnV8-fzm2jhIThDF9UwXk0ysl9glpgpnHIW3oXfUSkhgNbOXumr2cwzsipzgrdiItBwtnbV0KYegrdJAjFB3ECrPqvGKn4votgGDYIsNplx9OGcZBfEKS8ViZFLpeYNwJWs0S55lTzApRGVso2C2/s1214/089%20Golden%20plover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1103" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFxwExNxJtPzYm8jONp_dOoRp6zuKJmbn7o8B0XEnYnV8-fzm2jhIThDF9UwXk0ysl9glpgpnHIW3oXfUSkhgNbOXumr2cwzsipzgrdiItBwtnbV0KYegrdJAjFB3ECrPqvGKn4votgGDYIsNplx9OGcZBfEKS8ViZFLpeYNwJWs0S55lTzApRGVso2C2/w582-h640/089%20Golden%20plover.jpg" width="582" /></a></div>It was getting dark whe nwe stopped at one of Fylde Bird Club's farmland bird feeding stations only to see a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Squirrel</span></b> filling its face with the copious freebies on offer. In the village there is another of their feeding stations but by now it was getting bvery gloomy but there was a large number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tree Sparrows </span></b>getting their last feed of the day before tucking up chattering away in the adjacent hedge. It was going to be a long cold nnight for them. We don't get involved in the bird club as much as we'd like but we're very happy to know our subs goes at least a little way to keeping these important feeders topped up.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKXfGk2eUi95riard1yuOwljujwKINs0V_nWJ_odDZZMJYQeRituUVQH8woq_OKZoCyXvifVvUM4HOht6eSjdV3DxW96DAtM5PltrrrGQSub-wbq4f-fb6TmEfi7j5A-Po5Lz7KewHOUUpI2_2SamuQJvFyL19cT_hO8ZcB8gfnNguvDeTbinCZ7t-p-m/s1184/090%20Tree%20sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1184" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKXfGk2eUi95riard1yuOwljujwKINs0V_nWJ_odDZZMJYQeRituUVQH8woq_OKZoCyXvifVvUM4HOht6eSjdV3DxW96DAtM5PltrrrGQSub-wbq4f-fb6TmEfi7j5A-Po5Lz7KewHOUUpI2_2SamuQJvFyL19cT_hO8ZcB8gfnNguvDeTbinCZ7t-p-m/w400-h311/090%20Tree%20sparrow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A brief stop at a known <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> site did give us a brief view but where did it go, did it disppear over the fields and far away or circle round the old building and bunk back in round the back, either way we never saw it again and it was there then gone far too quickly for us to raise the camera. The day ended with our Challenge tally now on the giddy height of 90!<br /><br />A break (= a slight easing of the rains and lessening of the ferocious winds) saw us back at Knott End looking for the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Twite</span></b> again, this time with success, there were about 20 present feeding on seeds washed up in the strandline.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlZDGqWMoDVJmHSNR5QopBu_HMA72NVD-avBEEngPUxi76R6R9X-IP0PtxKZQqIOBZ93xQfpEXN8zD9LDK_q_0HWnkN5v6o92rsfIxwVExI9pYsziZLgNuLEXOQDNVkM5UKCvd4EMNw9y6n89VkmLw36ffWAmp0MxfWcJLTtvGGpRsghV38pyBIR-I-v_/s974/091%20Twite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="974" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlZDGqWMoDVJmHSNR5QopBu_HMA72NVD-avBEEngPUxi76R6R9X-IP0PtxKZQqIOBZ93xQfpEXN8zD9LDK_q_0HWnkN5v6o92rsfIxwVExI9pYsziZLgNuLEXOQDNVkM5UKCvd4EMNw9y6n89VkmLw36ffWAmp0MxfWcJLTtvGGpRsghV38pyBIR-I-v_/w400-h272/091%20Twite.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Most unusually a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rook</span></b> was there too. Just one on its own, when we we much younger one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rook</span></b> was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Crow</span></b> and 100 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Crows</span></b> were <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rooks</span></b>!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LRurhSIHX7axti7UEOIxL98FWIfrkX8OA27KvrowlWRcCFLNEUSUBlZfngksYQjLSNouxw3KNZ0OeyaEoV2qXWpWXAXZomuK88NsOZMzlqXhFW170s3a5Vq9lFAXBXDGD0GBAYi0K7STdSjE69OLCCSMzX5JQzZkX5oOYzviN4IWWkI9NJt42KFLr6j4/s1480/092%20Rook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1480" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LRurhSIHX7axti7UEOIxL98FWIfrkX8OA27KvrowlWRcCFLNEUSUBlZfngksYQjLSNouxw3KNZ0OeyaEoV2qXWpWXAXZomuK88NsOZMzlqXhFW170s3a5Vq9lFAXBXDGD0GBAYi0K7STdSjE69OLCCSMzX5JQzZkX5oOYzviN4IWWkI9NJt42KFLr6j4/w640-h426/092%20Rook.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>From there we headed north towards Lancaster with swans in mind. At Conder Green we bumped into DP & JS and their students from Myerscough College but they had negative news of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bewick's Swans</span></b> for us. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebes</span></b> in the river were too far away and in the stormy wind the pool was far more choppy than the sea was for most of our last summer's cruise to Greenland - we didn't stop long. Driving down the lanes we stopped at all the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swan</span></b> flocks but couldn't find the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bewick's Swans</span></b>, if they were there they must have been in the flock that was mostly hidden behind a hedge and in a bit of a dip. Behind a distant flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b> were three <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cattle Egrets</span></b> which we made a right pigs ear of photogrphing in the bright light - note to self: Always check the camera settings! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhvvGn1KI6Kcj11pfd6JeLcox6c7cM8H7nBmoQlkTtcARJDznDxqPYDCjtP_hRFZNcKACpECJDKqpVZ07dFfIbuvQLQ7ASkQXQEQO-c7fWqPrj6TAZdZhCcBPgpfceFZnoO6p944HO6itBo4s5fsSQOCVD6cNG4qzj21ZJNGWDIBhY5FyNnf-mMjauMsB/s743/093%20Cattle%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="743" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhvvGn1KI6Kcj11pfd6JeLcox6c7cM8H7nBmoQlkTtcARJDznDxqPYDCjtP_hRFZNcKACpECJDKqpVZ07dFfIbuvQLQ7ASkQXQEQO-c7fWqPrj6TAZdZhCcBPgpfceFZnoO6p944HO6itBo4s5fsSQOCVD6cNG4qzj21ZJNGWDIBhY5FyNnf-mMjauMsB/w400-h361/093%20Cattle%20egret.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>They brought the tally to a very respectable 93 after only 22 days. Then followed a few blank safari-free days as Storm Isha merged seemlessly into Storm Jocelyn, although we did find another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Bunting </span></b>while out walking the dog along the prom in the teeth of the gale. Will it stick around or be a one day wonder like the one we found before Christmas?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b>Where to next?</b> As the next storm approaches and the wind picks up again we're going to try an inland site we've been avoiding for a few years due to traffic problems - have we worked out an alternative route we should have figuered our a long time ago?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In the meantime let us know who's been braving the winds in your outback<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-45797919008616546542023-12-22T16:26:00.000+00:002023-12-22T16:26:05.745+00:00Another double stop on the Southside<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari picked up</b> CR and headed off over the Ribble to rendezvous with IH again. We had a couple of targets in mind both at different sites to those we visited last time out. Our first stop was the huge Crosby Marine Lake immediately north of Liverpool docks, IH was otherwise engaged for this venue but had already seen our quarry the previous day during his monthy WeBS count he does there.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So what had drawn us over the river again? Towards the end of the previous week news filtered through that a juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Throated Diver</span></b> had taken up residence on the lake, seeing how it had hung around a few days already and the weather forecast was poor and not condusive to it going anywhere soon we decided to take a punt and go and see it. It's not a species we see often the last one being a few years ago and not one we see often they're usually a distant dot in the telescope. However, photos of this one on t'interweb suggested it showed really well, not just well but really really point blank well at times - too good an opportunity to miss. We parked up and walked into the marine park and immediately spotted several birders looking at something so we wandered over to join them<br />. Oh no not again - "You should have got here five minutes ago, it was just down here" said a lady pointing to the water by the toes of her boots. "Now it's over there" She pointed in the general direction of Dublin! Yes there it was away on the far side of the lake, although it could have been worse it could have been in the far right corner not just directly oppositie where we were stood. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a miserable grey, dingy, dirty December day, the sort that dcoesn't really get light so mega distance photography was always gping to be more than tricky. Still it would be a new one for our Internatioanl Photo Challenge so we gave it our best shot (that should probably be our best 200 shots and hope one was in focus and identifiable at the same time) Not sure this one counts but it was the best of a (very) bad lot.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr_vygMCt0vEw5hr5elcQSaQ7JDzHYwN0RT9SIiQGRXJaDqJ5E-GSNwwmmmXIlQU6ly6yosQls0aAEJfo1jsUjGVd3LEuQpRB9RnRygW7w-1jZAssGPeMK0n5QVkZZT-QZwwKaRj-aYzuxqOlxUhaJiPExeZz7Ri-7sjAGtHRvwfR-6Rs3z35vxJXWgPo/s1799/1%20Black%20throated%20diver%20very%20distant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1799" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr_vygMCt0vEw5hr5elcQSaQ7JDzHYwN0RT9SIiQGRXJaDqJ5E-GSNwwmmmXIlQU6ly6yosQls0aAEJfo1jsUjGVd3LEuQpRB9RnRygW7w-1jZAssGPeMK0n5QVkZZT-QZwwKaRj-aYzuxqOlxUhaJiPExeZz7Ri-7sjAGtHRvwfR-6Rs3z35vxJXWgPo/w640-h306/1%20Black%20throated%20diver%20very%20distant.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">But the bird did us a big favour and continued to swim to the left although it was hard to follow spending much nore time underwater than at the surface. The good news was that leftwards was also nearer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIXWvIZ9oGfE87c3aZD2KIoPsjZ26FfeYpxmKalczys-kgSm6mDA4rEXoMbXJtHXekguH-iCBHWKc9ECvj_KtBxSYrkDDQyIjypB8TCVyrZt0Q_JQr_7oS_hol0qK6H01sk2Q7y8kJt80V2ViqnV245lig8dD8bnL-Mpw70Mrda8QABIe0Wbg6PAXRLHf/s1350/1a%20Black%20throated%20diver%202%20distant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1350" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIXWvIZ9oGfE87c3aZD2KIoPsjZ26FfeYpxmKalczys-kgSm6mDA4rEXoMbXJtHXekguH-iCBHWKc9ECvj_KtBxSYrkDDQyIjypB8TCVyrZt0Q_JQr_7oS_hol0qK6H01sk2Q7y8kJt80V2ViqnV245lig8dD8bnL-Mpw70Mrda8QABIe0Wbg6PAXRLHf/w640-h444/1a%20Black%20throated%20diver%202%20distant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Much more identifiable now even if a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Crested Grebe</span></b> and then a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorant</span></b> made for identification issues through the view finder.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjFuAkug8CdrdA112XBDbA7b20H3yqDhgTRoku7t5bMDHRJGpaDT2ZsSYDVVvYsH96N6hIXc8YweqnqpMp7SPohz98lyoz3h3ryXnNMhQH34BttCFRyHGNFiN5s4YD97LgjIbxb2GEsfBYmW5V_yYyrbVWpK_knKY6U_-1AX6nN8BTGNjt5nK9bbDNadA/s1071/1c%20Cormorant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1071" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjFuAkug8CdrdA112XBDbA7b20H3yqDhgTRoku7t5bMDHRJGpaDT2ZsSYDVVvYsH96N6hIXc8YweqnqpMp7SPohz98lyoz3h3ryXnNMhQH34BttCFRyHGNFiN5s4YD97LgjIbxb2GEsfBYmW5V_yYyrbVWpK_knKY6U_-1AX6nN8BTGNjt5nK9bbDNadA/w640-h462/1c%20Cormorant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After a while we spotted a birder binning it at close range from the path the dog walkers were using, nothing else for it but try to get round there. We worked on this site when it was under condtruction during our brief career as a tarmacer way back in the very early 80s but at that time the huge cafe building didn't exist so we weren't sure if the way round but another birder told us to follow him and off the three of us went. By now the diver had swum further to its left and we intercepted each other as we rounded the last of the little woodland that's grown up in the intervening years. (It might havev been planted - we've no idea, but it certainly wasn't there in the early 80s). The light was still grotty but at least the bird was close enough to see some details so we spent some time with it.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFhDAIeWH_9yodUAX02mZxhytr8N6ThTsdB4Rckt9Z0Rwzw2JKMU-vu3T3VIhVKrXYNiwNbrwm4HJ_xir0o_K2YK3zJjqQotn585v_PAld-Z07TI6ZneUiQEm7zV2yWgQJzPuhstGoXF3FOA5LyKjF2o0Hr_q9erTCUjZ5jBOAseLjlt3VaAsoz0GIph9/s1608/2%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1608" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFhDAIeWH_9yodUAX02mZxhytr8N6ThTsdB4Rckt9Z0Rwzw2JKMU-vu3T3VIhVKrXYNiwNbrwm4HJ_xir0o_K2YK3zJjqQotn585v_PAld-Z07TI6ZneUiQEm7zV2yWgQJzPuhstGoXF3FOA5LyKjF2o0Hr_q9erTCUjZ5jBOAseLjlt3VaAsoz0GIph9/w640-h318/2%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZvSbZ86fIlkZXTdVMrKTydy9YT5Fat9lfnyu6jBmBT_QUI5_pRc39C76syT0b1HRaoLqZS-RFZO6cMNobW_6RG-qKKlKyhYNSAOYV_N0GBiiz6Aoqn0FjfUKM_1Y2XH7bTGv_LZC1jf29LVOdyAfIF9aZEuu633mZq3wwabrl7xAywI9pPjVgNbaJOkJ/s1744/2e%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1744" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZvSbZ86fIlkZXTdVMrKTydy9YT5Fat9lfnyu6jBmBT_QUI5_pRc39C76syT0b1HRaoLqZS-RFZO6cMNobW_6RG-qKKlKyhYNSAOYV_N0GBiiz6Aoqn0FjfUKM_1Y2XH7bTGv_LZC1jf29LVOdyAfIF9aZEuu633mZq3wwabrl7xAywI9pPjVgNbaJOkJ/w640-h414/2e%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNMrMqAHfmzsAG4LlTtUcPOGNE92QOWzzMg_zi_SdbR1cnFpB_ViAO4SfLQ0qhdpW-d0YBPBiNR-Gu5e4ilooq5Y3K_tdD96nNw6MEkYalS3CZKMxlPJ5pTBbPFWdvdDkbsfKCB_9CtuJIEWB64jc7teNTNwtNskBqY9LI5zmQL7-kVWJ8Q73Glc2Eo5B/s1122/2d%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1122" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNMrMqAHfmzsAG4LlTtUcPOGNE92QOWzzMg_zi_SdbR1cnFpB_ViAO4SfLQ0qhdpW-d0YBPBiNR-Gu5e4ilooq5Y3K_tdD96nNw6MEkYalS3CZKMxlPJ5pTBbPFWdvdDkbsfKCB_9CtuJIEWB64jc7teNTNwtNskBqY9LI5zmQL7-kVWJ8Q73Glc2Eo5B/w640-h562/2d%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGyL59FcT1zl0M6T4x6beLxlY27bIXRRB3u5cQWHqlMmiovSsekzcyu9F0zsX1G-SrOPqKJgsrSPedk1RqD8LbNF9J4ANcLFp4FxdotaLA_qqy81ynPfXXJvSJoEg7A4UjfBHgmhOAJUPfhoVEhFGCKQqbh2bAtDdtmKZl_tWKWIOjlNaO-QxQN1wLLKd/s1265/2c%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1265" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGyL59FcT1zl0M6T4x6beLxlY27bIXRRB3u5cQWHqlMmiovSsekzcyu9F0zsX1G-SrOPqKJgsrSPedk1RqD8LbNF9J4ANcLFp4FxdotaLA_qqy81ynPfXXJvSJoEg7A4UjfBHgmhOAJUPfhoVEhFGCKQqbh2bAtDdtmKZl_tWKWIOjlNaO-QxQN1wLLKd/w640-h356/2c%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAlG_JzN2wjsBqXc1VkpFCBSG3ljhEGg-CO6r5w-d8NWnZHQn7rnTTFXUo0SRnv44RYZ9L7OPMwsP6vY9cEzcK6aW4Boqc9Ntx_Zt9UBxZntdm7EfQSOxNJA7byJJftun-oT1CjUEZ19aQWEmX3nC7lLayMkyLEu9cO5oAKY0CmF1J_Dfr0HaZscS7leo/s1403/2b%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1403" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAlG_JzN2wjsBqXc1VkpFCBSG3ljhEGg-CO6r5w-d8NWnZHQn7rnTTFXUo0SRnv44RYZ9L7OPMwsP6vY9cEzcK6aW4Boqc9Ntx_Zt9UBxZntdm7EfQSOxNJA7byJJftun-oT1CjUEZ19aQWEmX3nC7lLayMkyLEu9cO5oAKY0CmF1J_Dfr0HaZscS7leo/w640-h306/2b%20Black%20throated%20diver%20close%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CXnAnkyS9cY7MWGeLyP4QoXHhllQAQY0BZxOjmR7Af7r55sMOb9_y9U15NUjFvjGJ-dM1xmP58_Q5h2h3W-KRnUhWHiSbnrqsW5g-lJJSMGgaXwKpY18ISffykEOEOxmISorDSxT_j0pGwI7C9k8F_QC6CRA_LwILayubU2q_14n_eycyI0AZJYmCPqK/s1375/2a%20Black%20throated%20diver%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="1375" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CXnAnkyS9cY7MWGeLyP4QoXHhllQAQY0BZxOjmR7Af7r55sMOb9_y9U15NUjFvjGJ-dM1xmP58_Q5h2h3W-KRnUhWHiSbnrqsW5g-lJJSMGgaXwKpY18ISffykEOEOxmISorDSxT_j0pGwI7C9k8F_QC6CRA_LwILayubU2q_14n_eycyI0AZJYmCPqK/w640-h476/2a%20Black%20throated%20diver%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Great views of a Black Throated Diver, the best we've ever had and #179 for our challenge. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Time was moving on and so did we, off to Martin Mere WWT we headed, passing an immature <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechat </span></b>on the grass verge by the scratty woodland and car park which hopped off its dead <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Dock</span></b> stem a nanosecond before we pressed the shutter button. Hastening back to the car as the weather was closing in and looking ominous a Mistle Thrush flew out of seemingly nowhere and landed on a lamp post right abover our heads.<b> </b>Sadly not a species we see at all regularly these days.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3HzumLryy_hAQRvXxA99Xrg0iR6Bwr06wwFn-7nqUQJAtfhzKGKm18szlLVGVkh9humAuiejuOm4IqDYNkWQjW_Mrg5BBFdBLoTu9RAmzeD-crkYxQ-28xLuhLoPfhlhzjS8ETtThh_UDyMQZ2LgOPFoJ4larqWFmlS1NDWLfC0rvuRCoxTlYbCCy-nU/s1616/3%20Mistle%20thrush%20on%20lamp%20post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1616" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3HzumLryy_hAQRvXxA99Xrg0iR6Bwr06wwFn-7nqUQJAtfhzKGKm18szlLVGVkh9humAuiejuOm4IqDYNkWQjW_Mrg5BBFdBLoTu9RAmzeD-crkYxQ-28xLuhLoPfhlhzjS8ETtThh_UDyMQZ2LgOPFoJ4larqWFmlS1NDWLfC0rvuRCoxTlYbCCy-nU/w640-h420/3%20Mistle%20thrush%20on%20lamp%20post.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The drive to Martin Mere was a dark wet one, at lunchtime too, which didn't bode well for the afternoon's viewing. Once we arrived the rain eased from heavy to not so heavy and we settled into the empty Discovery Hide to eat our butties and await the arrival of IH. After no more than two bites of cheese n tomato we spied the afternoon's target species, the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Breasted Goose</span></b>. It was sat not too far away with a multidude of other waterfowl on a little island a little to our left.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-BSL93cIn9M9OxzbfNAKtqg1i45p-GqY36d6ph66Lzw52xMy0tryChw4PY3hh8XzvnRhQMplsaxPHaGSONTCWRPEFz_UeUWp5OH7TpYRJ1oPtshYd-OKeFWPZX_JlhHDiVpr6LAoZwQaNMgj9ZNGRBKYpKh2VNE8gH2iGP6Gc3tm9rpm1YTiToKwmx39/s1703/4%20Red%20breasted%20goose%201%20on%20island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="1703" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-BSL93cIn9M9OxzbfNAKtqg1i45p-GqY36d6ph66Lzw52xMy0tryChw4PY3hh8XzvnRhQMplsaxPHaGSONTCWRPEFz_UeUWp5OH7TpYRJ1oPtshYd-OKeFWPZX_JlhHDiVpr6LAoZwQaNMgj9ZNGRBKYpKh2VNE8gH2iGP6Gc3tm9rpm1YTiToKwmx39/w640-h428/4%20Red%20breasted%20goose%201%20on%20island.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Nice one, #180 for our Challenge, and even better easy to point out to IH when he arrived, although it wasn't - it wasn't there! A quick panicky scan found it swimming towards the bank a bit further to our left - panic over.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yn5elvsTdRD3twHHo_M8xvtJmrtUwf7fhvutLhyphenhyphenfX-9nNU-8e2AFR5sx3-am7SWEUHZIoZQBV0jX3GCXmGreUHgRNhkeV07mIu7QUbPknyyDjPWEduhULQOF6wLTrMTLy5l2SpIanP9k9JFrxyDzojprjlHuoFPh2hQ8j8ss0hzus6U-zek6qgz8W8-n/s2075/4a%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20swimming%20towards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="2075" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yn5elvsTdRD3twHHo_M8xvtJmrtUwf7fhvutLhyphenhyphenfX-9nNU-8e2AFR5sx3-am7SWEUHZIoZQBV0jX3GCXmGreUHgRNhkeV07mIu7QUbPknyyDjPWEduhULQOF6wLTrMTLy5l2SpIanP9k9JFrxyDzojprjlHuoFPh2hQ8j8ss0hzus6U-zek6qgz8W8-n/w640-h338/4a%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20swimming%20towards.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It'd deffo a bonny bird and we've seen far fewer of these than we have <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Throated Divers</span></b> but where has it come from? The powers that be have it down as "of unknown provenance". It first appeared in a large flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese </span></b>on the outer marsher of the estuary which is possibly a good sign as a Russian White Fronted Goose hailing from the same part of Siberia appeared not too far to the north a few days later. However, there are feral populations on the near continent just to confuse things and there must be some free flying birds in collections both in Britain and on the continent. Our brother, also in the Challenge, photographs one under a bridge in Geneva and that's deffo a feral bird. Still its fully winged and unringed (banded for those readers on the other side of the Atlantic). It has a decided limp too, pricked by gunshot on its migration??? Sincerely hope not as these are quite scarce birds and classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once on the bank it came towards us to avail itself of the free food lashed out by the wardens to encourage the birds close to the hide for the punters to enjoy....and we did! <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-3T6puTbJZDXe-o6FC3TZb0ILYnBYGAfZN0hRZFNLj7vvL5EcAD2cdyX5acdmpnr7qepo5jZ9EGQfTD8VcvITzdMNKAYKOjj-fw0-E02dIigrN3NnC6DhWDDyAtzKwHL0sOyOZNO5lm1rEPrN7DiDJu6Ia6Nj3DKnIipNmeNhR-eQlGXlFYLzIpnPAr-/s1642/4b%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20on%20land.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1642" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-3T6puTbJZDXe-o6FC3TZb0ILYnBYGAfZN0hRZFNLj7vvL5EcAD2cdyX5acdmpnr7qepo5jZ9EGQfTD8VcvITzdMNKAYKOjj-fw0-E02dIigrN3NnC6DhWDDyAtzKwHL0sOyOZNO5lm1rEPrN7DiDJu6Ia6Nj3DKnIipNmeNhR-eQlGXlFYLzIpnPAr-/w640-h458/4b%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20on%20land.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8XROwzozwz3gW0PX-A-m9etUrbSYii8P17aLbFZjnGwN7gRlFNZmNxeDPdx04324OvJeljr5IlEY2uJBg0jqWmvbE_-0iM21yBRPVeoGSxzQKfOHV6HiEJicIgutYMEfYV56-F8E0MDuBtUOCNMYWETG2tKT4f3gSB9eFrbzcfznIgPt3o1kGmEfUVI1/s1980/4c%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20on%20land%20very%20close%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8XROwzozwz3gW0PX-A-m9etUrbSYii8P17aLbFZjnGwN7gRlFNZmNxeDPdx04324OvJeljr5IlEY2uJBg0jqWmvbE_-0iM21yBRPVeoGSxzQKfOHV6HiEJicIgutYMEfYV56-F8E0MDuBtUOCNMYWETG2tKT4f3gSB9eFrbzcfznIgPt3o1kGmEfUVI1/w640-h426/4c%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20on%20land%20very%20close%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI4GwICf_44ssGguVLRrln93DNXJZcJfFA8dfzh03buxnQnuFN5tMKuuE6BbpwcftC80Lq1T4Kb3jWDH24v7cg1qa1A4r8j8d5VKVA438-MU5t4jpArYi5AhDbCfu-PGnmWYe2hIlXsUyuDJtsMm2wKq9V6oSDMnS0STBSzsJ8EK46rHnxhhIQnyPan4S/s1980/4d%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20on%20land%20very%20close%202%20head%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI4GwICf_44ssGguVLRrln93DNXJZcJfFA8dfzh03buxnQnuFN5tMKuuE6BbpwcftC80Lq1T4Kb3jWDH24v7cg1qa1A4r8j8d5VKVA438-MU5t4jpArYi5AhDbCfu-PGnmWYe2hIlXsUyuDJtsMm2wKq9V6oSDMnS0STBSzsJ8EK46rHnxhhIQnyPan4S/w640-h426/4d%20Red%20breasted%20goose%20on%20land%20very%20close%202%20head%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After it had eaten its fill it took off back to the little island for a snooze. We took the opportunity of a break in the worst of the rain to move on to the Feeding Station to have a look at the small birds there, one of which might be a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Willow Tit</span></b> (fingers, toes, buttocks crossed) although reports so far this winter have been few and far between.<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once in the hide the rain came down heavy again - good of it to wait until we were under cover! The light was atrocious as you'll see. There was a little bit of a shock when we saw the feeders had been upgraded and the opportunities for the ever-entertaining <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rats</span></b> had been removed with the new feeders hanging out over the water so no chancce of spilled seeds for them. The usual selection of woodland/garden birds were lively though. All the usual suspects were there, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Tits, Great Tits</span></b>, infrequent visits from a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tit </span></b>which got our excitment levels up a bit until we saw the diagnostic white nape, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robins, Dunnocks</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldfinches</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Greenfinches</span></b>, lots of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinches</span></b> (we said it was a shame none of them could morph into a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brambling </span></b>- then guess what turned up not 48 hours later - dohhh - - so near yet so far) and a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWLjxMB0jEDDaf7nqMndtAhq0skj2DpeKW_xLXsJ_3dC73v2Eca-pRswwQ1AxyV3NeO_VIuhl2a1eo6sznEU_Nym9OG3hKj0cfUku31HO3sYEzr0FcNzDlmUUGpy5JVGgKnypi9jV9z5pCr8AJ8xbBwICtm2p3tWORuAoVOfKKA4iaGaBQjKGbe0UDEha/s1587/6m%20male%20Chaffinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1587" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWLjxMB0jEDDaf7nqMndtAhq0skj2DpeKW_xLXsJ_3dC73v2Eca-pRswwQ1AxyV3NeO_VIuhl2a1eo6sznEU_Nym9OG3hKj0cfUku31HO3sYEzr0FcNzDlmUUGpy5JVGgKnypi9jV9z5pCr8AJ8xbBwICtm2p3tWORuAoVOfKKA4iaGaBQjKGbe0UDEha/w640-h412/6m%20male%20Chaffinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4HlPAq1eFIHx-FNP7q2ZzFaFSosXjVvtxQEGIW_wMEViQxaUj-6oaTsr0u3lCbHymnLPYSU3vAnMt7-85_T8Y1dyDO5JzYgvbaVDEf7LjsWijzjRqaPFvYfKziB3qJFPo5afP_12d6sErNRp4IoUTqoa6nqDv8wu7aiK95b9iOePLG0384M5dxNcHRsN/s1477/6l%20male%20Chaffinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1477" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4HlPAq1eFIHx-FNP7q2ZzFaFSosXjVvtxQEGIW_wMEViQxaUj-6oaTsr0u3lCbHymnLPYSU3vAnMt7-85_T8Y1dyDO5JzYgvbaVDEf7LjsWijzjRqaPFvYfKziB3qJFPo5afP_12d6sErNRp4IoUTqoa6nqDv8wu7aiK95b9iOePLG0384M5dxNcHRsN/w640-h394/6l%20male%20Chaffinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BPrBrKVYcpjExei6fN10T3aqVYa4Iu1PgtNKKGu67cyU0OwQBaUh4Aoj14fGwMrd4rbOUOuzBQtH2W3dbZ7vnbK39vBN-ZfkImfMvSWbjwgQPCQtFJ1aKryBicY2FtiJxnSaRm6drPcmQy8WkmTDTBMz7I4NERZUcfkvF82qva5vrDi3KBodT3z3Z_pC/s1160/6i%20male%20Greenfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="988" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BPrBrKVYcpjExei6fN10T3aqVYa4Iu1PgtNKKGu67cyU0OwQBaUh4Aoj14fGwMrd4rbOUOuzBQtH2W3dbZ7vnbK39vBN-ZfkImfMvSWbjwgQPCQtFJ1aKryBicY2FtiJxnSaRm6drPcmQy8WkmTDTBMz7I4NERZUcfkvF82qva5vrDi3KBodT3z3Z_pC/w546-h640/6i%20male%20Greenfinch.jpg" width="546" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix1KyhTXVo7Bc-AKuuQYTo1XkSCQVoCkx7HupYLSZkjLrLuHHzzNc1qsurKHRBIf-Zfone5_Se8XYqabOsSMzsJGmHv8ZR_5-yuzFh3YqauD4aC5d2R8oVfvf_QKb-2fUUW2LgWOgcYWMiMBJBr2sdvimK1ScAiCwUpkH-h9CVcI_rkR9fet560SNTMMK/s1359/6h%20male%20Chaffinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1359" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix1KyhTXVo7Bc-AKuuQYTo1XkSCQVoCkx7HupYLSZkjLrLuHHzzNc1qsurKHRBIf-Zfone5_Se8XYqabOsSMzsJGmHv8ZR_5-yuzFh3YqauD4aC5d2R8oVfvf_QKb-2fUUW2LgWOgcYWMiMBJBr2sdvimK1ScAiCwUpkH-h9CVcI_rkR9fet560SNTMMK/w640-h506/6h%20male%20Chaffinch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmP6Wpwhnq530WS9URhSMI2FCqikVdjeLKOyZS8w6tOvfZ8ERCPopgtHsJ_pDn64ioNuq8qwAP5aTy0p8LfjRpe0j2hD0F7KtZdpt46KR7Moj1WysYyQn9YTfzgHCSK0SYaewSCbvA5AD48MkK2We5e1euG8z-xdPlYX319prdEjN3YZ2KwVL38PiDinzp/s1558/6f%20male%20Reed%20bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1558" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmP6Wpwhnq530WS9URhSMI2FCqikVdjeLKOyZS8w6tOvfZ8ERCPopgtHsJ_pDn64ioNuq8qwAP5aTy0p8LfjRpe0j2hD0F7KtZdpt46KR7Moj1WysYyQn9YTfzgHCSK0SYaewSCbvA5AD48MkK2We5e1euG8z-xdPlYX319prdEjN3YZ2KwVL38PiDinzp/w640-h490/6f%20male%20Reed%20bunting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBALT_eiZKdP7-qtJIm_KzWEURrHd9A_MR-2v4vva3AsGla3aXN5_rObAzW-Bfy1rqbqLxFyO3jw5mM0EIGDbzywTuOixi1n-sS53ErrU-Vf_oZ5NQibJT-Rjr4m1HAcJH9ui7CsfKYXa3A33g7wXXOUq2xlW3LhGAnysR3-26uFTUC4giTRdzD9izE72/s1082/6e%20Robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="820" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBALT_eiZKdP7-qtJIm_KzWEURrHd9A_MR-2v4vva3AsGla3aXN5_rObAzW-Bfy1rqbqLxFyO3jw5mM0EIGDbzywTuOixi1n-sS53ErrU-Vf_oZ5NQibJT-Rjr4m1HAcJH9ui7CsfKYXa3A33g7wXXOUq2xlW3LhGAnysR3-26uFTUC4giTRdzD9izE72/w486-h640/6e%20Robin.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmbm7E0CtJGCCB5xozL0vMp31iudkEBE52yYq_-sIAXSnXAX1sUbycGX4fS6CisC5nV6i8mfFuC-XMC9I-YKA2cRKrpBp60CLgrSbWHtwCXRHmbYpoil8mCrI1NP_g8RFF0xAcc1ll9Aphya4_hhFVihkzmB3XqQ-9FiawGUfZPi0ijp0yufRnCssm1sF/s1259/6d%20Female%20Reed%20bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1259" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmbm7E0CtJGCCB5xozL0vMp31iudkEBE52yYq_-sIAXSnXAX1sUbycGX4fS6CisC5nV6i8mfFuC-XMC9I-YKA2cRKrpBp60CLgrSbWHtwCXRHmbYpoil8mCrI1NP_g8RFF0xAcc1ll9Aphya4_hhFVihkzmB3XqQ-9FiawGUfZPi0ijp0yufRnCssm1sF/w640-h526/6d%20Female%20Reed%20bunting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp160J3jJO_d_m8UHMLuML6XCYH3jxmcCPM5o1pldXQAFdfOjZBQ_NksU_XtnYxtG14b8gc94uUFyFUQUEi6XAXxIkzz5OBQBQA1M2iJcnn_k9WBS0AkRseHBQmLUNVwtGyv30Bwf24wqFJ2_NnVEEEOw3BgpaHbXb1lIGOEMsb63rQNNP5epmwo6Quz9y/s1382/6%20Blackbird%20male%20listening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1382" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp160J3jJO_d_m8UHMLuML6XCYH3jxmcCPM5o1pldXQAFdfOjZBQ_NksU_XtnYxtG14b8gc94uUFyFUQUEi6XAXxIkzz5OBQBQA1M2iJcnn_k9WBS0AkRseHBQmLUNVwtGyv30Bwf24wqFJ2_NnVEEEOw3BgpaHbXb1lIGOEMsb63rQNNP5epmwo6Quz9y/w640-h446/6%20Blackbird%20male%20listening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Treecreeper</span></b> appeared but wouldn't show itself for a pic although to be fair it was at the back of the pool so any pic wouldn't have been much more than a few gloomy pixels. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></b> was nearer but that managed to keep itself well obsured by twiggery. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> sped through at break-neck speed and scattered the diners but not for long the feeders were soon back to lively.<br />A couple of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Squirrels</span></b> were much better at keeping the birds off the feeders, when they were feeding the birds hung around the fringing bushes not wanting to come near.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8L1wYGfMFvZFRf0Aq-UZweRAG2xisvF-EkjoioBaL2VBXnLqXWEkFVWtKvKqb_JDkWJM05xho7OBUwU2IqPRbslsXPJ_XoUnBp2JXRe8j9WS1vYQPxEli3wdV3LO8bIvpfAj4eqXvBZy9otpDs-BhOmQ2WoWsiwn2I9tMFajfrL1dx960dzEYmJc4c6-/s1579/6k%20Grey%20squirrel%20upside%20down%20on%20feeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="805" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8L1wYGfMFvZFRf0Aq-UZweRAG2xisvF-EkjoioBaL2VBXnLqXWEkFVWtKvKqb_JDkWJM05xho7OBUwU2IqPRbslsXPJ_XoUnBp2JXRe8j9WS1vYQPxEli3wdV3LO8bIvpfAj4eqXvBZy9otpDs-BhOmQ2WoWsiwn2I9tMFajfrL1dx960dzEYmJc4c6-/w326-h640/6k%20Grey%20squirrel%20upside%20down%20on%20feeder.jpg" width="326" /></a></div>It's good to see the feeders are metal and hopefully fairly squirrel-proof but our next visit will tell all and we expect the squirrels to have found a weak point and got in through the palasytic tube somewhere - we'll see. It's also not good to see <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Squirrels</span></b> at a feeder in this vicinity as there are <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Squirrels</span></b> not too far away and some of those tiny populations have recently been devasted by <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Squirrel Pox</span></b> which the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Greys</span></b> carry and are immune to but is sadly lethal to the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Reds</span></b>. Maybe the Rangers should get some 'control' measures going - maybe they do 'after hours'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the pool there's always a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> and if there's a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> we'll always take its picture - not that we're addicted to them or anything.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kvCAxwX1nMRQ7uI1dgk6CorfAyznOtPldIeMcJ3GZ8p0BXMQ4aRD5FLyDao0AzMASk_b7zw7AA2IAzDwM820ZQwQ5hdmvPIbgF5i2qEmoQuYeM4o7IHYwiCRB7kAevGdZxmSDvXkSSn_B0qR-Njge6jlFlzJRiaFQtYRTfF0ROF2eKFq2LtbKVl65dr6/s1680/6c%20Moorhen%20in%20drizzle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1680" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kvCAxwX1nMRQ7uI1dgk6CorfAyznOtPldIeMcJ3GZ8p0BXMQ4aRD5FLyDao0AzMASk_b7zw7AA2IAzDwM820ZQwQ5hdmvPIbgF5i2qEmoQuYeM4o7IHYwiCRB7kAevGdZxmSDvXkSSn_B0qR-Njge6jlFlzJRiaFQtYRTfF0ROF2eKFq2LtbKVl65dr6/w640-h444/6c%20Moorhen%20in%20drizzle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Nice with the droplets of drizzle on its back. And then it climbed up a fallen log, even more photogenic!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCrprpIVTRMassCPgkSrG9yGvZs0nsBbgYCyEqsp81Wf4KZmVuHIGdl8oNCZ6yIDERSMwPYJnYPL6u44McC7wMMR8BQXmvMbkD_IFcu6oyB2lcXTVx7PHCqr9jczx5JKxQqC05J9wuLLQzW2zH6iCVV9iagc_hte7uOmRUKMpYVzWpLZB-ZEjEPl9Vp5a/s1659/6n%20Moorhen%20on%20log.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1659" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCrprpIVTRMassCPgkSrG9yGvZs0nsBbgYCyEqsp81Wf4KZmVuHIGdl8oNCZ6yIDERSMwPYJnYPL6u44McC7wMMR8BQXmvMbkD_IFcu6oyB2lcXTVx7PHCqr9jczx5JKxQqC05J9wuLLQzW2zH6iCVV9iagc_hte7uOmRUKMpYVzWpLZB-ZEjEPl9Vp5a/w640-h508/6n%20Moorhen%20on%20log.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They <b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Turkey Tail-type Bracket Fungus </span></b>was nice too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBsGc7TGcnI1lVTYC2sbxX9p97LHAQYCiYt_ohyphenhyphenLOUghvWJFoUHbDLY1nacS4XIFQcjVw6Ug9utmH7ernr_hysMEa44x1388N9iv8L6YFyzMKv2s1P2rVmomyvd2CJH5VjeiqcBcw-oOZOLse8UBzXkccDBzc7VtuSZC4kO60oTeZoKc3kD378zTlhEgB/s1181/6g%20Turkey%20tail%20type%20fungus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="969" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBsGc7TGcnI1lVTYC2sbxX9p97LHAQYCiYt_ohyphenhyphenLOUghvWJFoUHbDLY1nacS4XIFQcjVw6Ug9utmH7ernr_hysMEa44x1388N9iv8L6YFyzMKv2s1P2rVmomyvd2CJH5VjeiqcBcw-oOZOLse8UBzXkccDBzc7VtuSZC4kO60oTeZoKc3kD378zTlhEgB/w526-h640/6g%20Turkey%20tail%20type%20fungus.jpg" width="526" /></a></div>But what about the Rats? Yes, they are still there and if anything even more fun than before.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCovxYw0oIAWAq2kQCvMh5U6N-hU82iqK8LHZQpsGQNoobuW904iketXmUDwi-xcjrpFfMvbIPC1qRe9aOHDQxryi9MyZPYpislK8b_HpwPNsGXsdUWEWdmR8Exp00soN1SX_EpMBRTyzaYIWtDJiwpfuqk9fN94n1_azBtKlwcWoHD1ovQtubbTsDGNAu/s1101/6%20Rat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="982" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCovxYw0oIAWAq2kQCvMh5U6N-hU82iqK8LHZQpsGQNoobuW904iketXmUDwi-xcjrpFfMvbIPC1qRe9aOHDQxryi9MyZPYpislK8b_HpwPNsGXsdUWEWdmR8Exp00soN1SX_EpMBRTyzaYIWtDJiwpfuqk9fN94n1_azBtKlwcWoHD1ovQtubbTsDGNAu/w570-h640/6%20Rat.jpg" width="570" /></a></div>Why more fun than before? Well they now swim a bit too<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLg-KYfzy-m87IWeJxqaqdvIXkcNU6BJ-2x-HHHeR3War7xZ75R-nZtd1KPdx0HWUIRn-Kv2EC7Eia7ynftsqu9H2KQJ0ILeO4SnvEHJZdPOmE97ZUXNNxeyN7TKFyY3DGMg9de6_X41ML6C_ulc1lgF7DwHwEk06CKQleGI4miLi3ydY-SUdk_fDAhr4g/s1929/6b%20Rat%20swimming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1929" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLg-KYfzy-m87IWeJxqaqdvIXkcNU6BJ-2x-HHHeR3War7xZ75R-nZtd1KPdx0HWUIRn-Kv2EC7Eia7ynftsqu9H2KQJ0ILeO4SnvEHJZdPOmE97ZUXNNxeyN7TKFyY3DGMg9de6_X41ML6C_ulc1lgF7DwHwEk06CKQleGI4miLi3ydY-SUdk_fDAhr4g/w640-h352/6b%20Rat%20swimming.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And why do they swim? Well they swim out to under the feeders then dive like furry scuba-divers to bring the spilled seeds up to eat, absolutely brilliant to watch.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLii9WfTHYZ8oXrL1lNOrkdrxdV951o_UhFFZ8bHLii90X2IZabWXlV3GrwyaBLxU70C_G0GmazkPNdcSWd1-ixSKaayXQKJ73FPsGZilzYzkF0i9I7eLgVTpY5sztJqrDomRGasdPUIutaQf61dvJ-ElPpBY_78zRGux1GTp2X03i6QSqMzq-4IAp7L45/s1903/6a%20Rat%201%20with%20food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1903" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLii9WfTHYZ8oXrL1lNOrkdrxdV951o_UhFFZ8bHLii90X2IZabWXlV3GrwyaBLxU70C_G0GmazkPNdcSWd1-ixSKaayXQKJ73FPsGZilzYzkF0i9I7eLgVTpY5sztJqrDomRGasdPUIutaQf61dvJ-ElPpBY_78zRGux1GTp2X03i6QSqMzq-4IAp7L45/w640-h404/6a%20Rat%201%20with%20food.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We now had an hour or so left before it got properly dark so mooched on round to the otehr side of the reserve in the hope of seeing the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> now the rain had eased a bit. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> would be good, as would one of the fairly regular <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Stoats</span></b> or even the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bittern</span></b> that's been seen from here a couple of times. We're not fussed we'll look at and enjoy owt what turns up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Settling into our seat we looked over into the big bull's field in case any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cattle Egrets</span></b> were strutting around him - alas not today, but there was a lot of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Tit </span></b>activity by the gate close by. We soon realised that the Rangers had put some seed in the hole at the top of the rotting gate post - it was non-stop in and out of there and before long a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Tits</span></b> had joined the party.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6gmkRae-YjbxkMz9QD7F-X8NgNYMEh7-6wE8F0Q-_I2IETmvpRow8iO_O1asAsrkQCw-VtQv-AizWqjqK1DxN3zxC3o4B7D_DZEhwb7g1UCB9kUrescZ5m5nNsOmZYch5VmK-cmgDXMiqP7RaMONDlYoRkIIBSHrQ1ittfyCXqtMrm5HR5clFwvZWx5L/s924/7a%20Great%20tit%20feeding%20in%20rotting%20gate%20post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6gmkRae-YjbxkMz9QD7F-X8NgNYMEh7-6wE8F0Q-_I2IETmvpRow8iO_O1asAsrkQCw-VtQv-AizWqjqK1DxN3zxC3o4B7D_DZEhwb7g1UCB9kUrescZ5m5nNsOmZYch5VmK-cmgDXMiqP7RaMONDlYoRkIIBSHrQ1ittfyCXqtMrm5HR5clFwvZWx5L/w580-h640/7a%20Great%20tit%20feeding%20in%20rotting%20gate%20post.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>IH spotted a distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> in the air, a good sign now the rain had stopped. Before many minutes had passed another three were in the air with it, great to watch. IH also had a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrine</span></b> and then a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> appeared, the end of the rain certainly brought the raptors out in force. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Carrion Crow</span></b> jostled with a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> close to the hide but there was still no sign of the hoped for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Down the ditch in front of us there was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret </span></b>and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b>. For some reason we under the illusion this ditch to be deep enough to swallow your average <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whale</span></b> but today the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> was stood in the middle of it only up to its knees - illusion duly shattered!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A second <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> flew in and began stalking the edge of the ditch in front of us. It did the shaky leg shimmy thing to stir out any small fish from the margins without success.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU79LD0JJNp_rzjZtVltPyTne0MjHsZk42NHnS-qA3V90trrkjIOlRU_VBItqutK3PVkSNU03te3-v6g-U3ABKSnMkdDlhhV5YlUB0ragoDYxMLJSDm_l8JhIll696krkbWC0VqdJ7A-R7TWg2tGYdAJuadJyApRy0Jl2GdHrJc_CBHG__nwTtQf45vtG/s1307/7%20Little%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1307" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU79LD0JJNp_rzjZtVltPyTne0MjHsZk42NHnS-qA3V90trrkjIOlRU_VBItqutK3PVkSNU03te3-v6g-U3ABKSnMkdDlhhV5YlUB0ragoDYxMLJSDm_l8JhIll696krkbWC0VqdJ7A-R7TWg2tGYdAJuadJyApRy0Jl2GdHrJc_CBHG__nwTtQf45vtG/w640-h572/7%20Little%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After a while it climbed out on to the bank and showed us its snazzy yellow feet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4QW_-c0wP95PUBZqzNHIQGGRihwms6qSM6tkGDXc2jgAHB7voO91CFiflgGkERu6TxRnXkHXJrUNCZe5rsgGpbGhXinx8lFQ4MrBw-9n76U67t-x0Rur4P2IX3d8JhW50V_R2EIAnh8jm-9fe8WPzF1cfbOVMJordeHfIeGEfmAioTlawH2-8w8ZfqLH/s1187/7b%20Little%20egret%20showing%20yellow%20feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1187" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4QW_-c0wP95PUBZqzNHIQGGRihwms6qSM6tkGDXc2jgAHB7voO91CFiflgGkERu6TxRnXkHXJrUNCZe5rsgGpbGhXinx8lFQ4MrBw-9n76U67t-x0Rur4P2IX3d8JhW50V_R2EIAnh8jm-9fe8WPzF1cfbOVMJordeHfIeGEfmAioTlawH2-8w8ZfqLH/w640-h606/7b%20Little%20egret%20showing%20yellow%20feet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Darkness was coming down quickly now and we had to leave before the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl</span></b> put in an appearance, well there's always next time. Despite the weather it was still a grand day out on safari.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that remains is to wish you all wherever you are a Merry Christmas (or better still Solstice) and a very happy wildlife-filled New Year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b>Where to next?</b> We might get a chance of a short safari over the holidays but we'll certainly be back in business in the new year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us knwo who's got the snazziest feet in your outback. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-43138015533282799182023-12-05T14:00:00.000+00:002023-12-05T14:00:02.926+00:00Southwards for a change<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari picked up</b> CR and headed south across the river to meet IH at our boyhood birding haunts.on arrival we immediately saw why IH had told us not to look for the previously regular(ish) <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Owl</span></b>, its favourite tumbledown house had been demolished prior to redevelopment. It was a bright, crisp winter's day and on Lunt Meadows itself the first pool was totally frozen over and also totally lacking in life. Needless to say we didn't stay more than a couple of minutes before heading round the rest of the reserve in a clockwise direction. A birder we met at the gate told us he'd seen both a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hen Harrier</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> earlier in the morning so to keep our eyes peeled. While waiting for us to arrive IH had already seen a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzard</span></b> too, we can remember when <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzards</span></b> were almost unheard of in these parts and should one turn up it would have been top of the local gamehkeepers' hit lists. Thankfully things have changed for the better; for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzards</span></b> at least, not so much the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hen Harriers</span></b> which still suffer horrendous illegal persecution.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first field held its usual large gaggle of feral <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Geese</span></b>. There were probably more of the latter than we saw in Canada last year, although to be fair we didn't see that many. Beyond the geese the edge of the frozen pool saw a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> roosting up conserving energy in the cold conditions. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Bunting</span></b> flew over and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbird</span></b> skulked about the boundary hedge but much more bizarre was the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Parakeet</span></b> that flew over us. We had no idea they were anywhere near hereand as non-native species go we'd much sooner have the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Owl</span></b> than these pesky parrots.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAACspUiFOV2cKsXC4DV92pW8SgL2eEotctxS6ANhyphenhyphene4i0erdVv6S6Ay73LOOajnycdpztwoCFFRAyDGAJW0ov2lQzEc6ffpKtv76fTw9-kLfZEEmsqbq72YAzLfdW_n5MF8qrOtA65iYsXJXgNHIPwY-jkPabYxmhJOcRnLEtIbPDv2AdgjM23Bzj5XZ/s1883/1%20Grey%20lag%20geese%20in%20frosty%20field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="941" data-original-width="1883" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAACspUiFOV2cKsXC4DV92pW8SgL2eEotctxS6ANhyphenhyphene4i0erdVv6S6Ay73LOOajnycdpztwoCFFRAyDGAJW0ov2lQzEc6ffpKtv76fTw9-kLfZEEmsqbq72YAzLfdW_n5MF8qrOtA65iYsXJXgNHIPwY-jkPabYxmhJOcRnLEtIbPDv2AdgjM23Bzj5XZ/w640-h320/1%20Grey%20lag%20geese%20in%20frosty%20field.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We anbled slowly on towards the next pool where a small group of birders were stood, hopefully with the 'main event' in view. The main event being an American <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Green Winged Teal</span></b> which has been on site for at least as long as its moulted into its plumage with the vertical white shoulder stripe enough to separate it from the hundreds of our own green winged <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teals</span></b>. Fortunately the birders already had a scope set up on it although it wasn't showing particularly well. Can you see it?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzePCvB_BBCwDuxNNVHHRoEg5z4fUZXxX7eeeZbJxamAt0biJGFLjsBGSYz2WohszuN2MosDyAGONAIRf8b4HROdyhPr9nzb5o_AG0JCVV7QneGOxLIElJsQzT59t0yfgBEZRjuNBoKgnAWZjVc6Zn5jN2uS14tZwLwwL-wQNwipHEsJvda1Z9OTeLJKxD/s1567/2%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1567" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzePCvB_BBCwDuxNNVHHRoEg5z4fUZXxX7eeeZbJxamAt0biJGFLjsBGSYz2WohszuN2MosDyAGONAIRf8b4HROdyhPr9nzb5o_AG0JCVV7QneGOxLIElJsQzT59t0yfgBEZRjuNBoKgnAWZjVc6Zn5jN2uS14tZwLwwL-wQNwipHEsJvda1Z9OTeLJKxD/w640-h350/2%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We had the brainwave of noticing there was a bit of a gap between the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b> that were obsuring it and the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> to the right so moved down the track ten yards or so to see if that made a better viewing angle, it did, quite a bit better. The cold breeze was making us shake around rather a lot when taking pics but here there was a stout fence post without vegetation around it to lean on.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOPPsETkNAWd3BdGOWlvc2IVR-8TVPZXFaXZZczJYO7EeS_-Qm159xt4rQrOQaqXK1oc8fA9ptG4MBJYxDDvGsFhLuYCmohW3172UWxOqskUjjMr2bh7wSVRa3qbp5Kw0Pd61oEPiPRUPXIyhF68UWwa_PPQdBWRdX4KCIZC5aTrwx3T0zj37ZGLeZcMq/s1510/2d%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1510" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOPPsETkNAWd3BdGOWlvc2IVR-8TVPZXFaXZZczJYO7EeS_-Qm159xt4rQrOQaqXK1oc8fA9ptG4MBJYxDDvGsFhLuYCmohW3172UWxOqskUjjMr2bh7wSVRa3qbp5Kw0Pd61oEPiPRUPXIyhF68UWwa_PPQdBWRdX4KCIZC5aTrwx3T0zj37ZGLeZcMq/w640-h346/2d%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jtefK2JUaAbjTS35lk9wkvEMUXeiUCNBcAYRY9zdYPB_2MlfJ7wxgWzG1PgmrJH1dawnFO5aVXXa2tuepJnzBiSx5xLzRGElH6msOD8zP2NRa-k6Y094Gycv-edBk-Bo-lczDXQIPX_nVTLTNzAVu0l310gaRTIJxUluTvFa4R4K1Q3rfsr4fbDyFQPo/s1862/2c%20mixed%20ducks%20with%20wigeon%20having%20a%20stretch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1862" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jtefK2JUaAbjTS35lk9wkvEMUXeiUCNBcAYRY9zdYPB_2MlfJ7wxgWzG1PgmrJH1dawnFO5aVXXa2tuepJnzBiSx5xLzRGElH6msOD8zP2NRa-k6Y094Gycv-edBk-Bo-lczDXQIPX_nVTLTNzAVu0l310gaRTIJxUluTvFa4R4K1Q3rfsr4fbDyFQPo/w640-h296/2c%20mixed%20ducks%20with%20wigeon%20having%20a%20stretch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrH16xtPozvAKFy9sATUOR5ypK6hArZoqYCJAWJYnhNYoqSX4FJCKupYx76avFEMOIPjgMt4JEsCjBwpjgicfpl7uc0L1v8vgBR5NkX7w9hAFdNz5IbLQNI7nEMm0n3thLaiePJYmkVNyXkJa7rsnIgRGEgmaU5lRLIgIpuG7W-v1UelSoMuOIFX44_ZHK/s1994/2b%20mixed%20ducks%20incl%20wigeon%20and%20gadwall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1994" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrH16xtPozvAKFy9sATUOR5ypK6hArZoqYCJAWJYnhNYoqSX4FJCKupYx76avFEMOIPjgMt4JEsCjBwpjgicfpl7uc0L1v8vgBR5NkX7w9hAFdNz5IbLQNI7nEMm0n3thLaiePJYmkVNyXkJa7rsnIgRGEgmaU5lRLIgIpuG7W-v1UelSoMuOIFX44_ZHK/w640-h266/2b%20mixed%20ducks%20incl%20wigeon%20and%20gadwall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPayPKZ2-UkQgyFmYnYv6X5QxFWi9aaxQ4SaDG8bQAlZV0H9u-JT5Ak-v_Ky3UgfQnWGXaGyuPP0gbL1zfg_8pOf7j4GbLd9az8rfRr1NaXPoJoFKVbJ82acHZIyzYnOa-i-4cyCm3nmOY3XN-kO9EB7ebcyUaFq4pmyASR_XbFvJJiMsnO35t8tYIZnl/s1866/2a%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1866" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPayPKZ2-UkQgyFmYnYv6X5QxFWi9aaxQ4SaDG8bQAlZV0H9u-JT5Ak-v_Ky3UgfQnWGXaGyuPP0gbL1zfg_8pOf7j4GbLd9az8rfRr1NaXPoJoFKVbJ82acHZIyzYnOa-i-4cyCm3nmOY3XN-kO9EB7ebcyUaFq4pmyASR_XbFvJJiMsnO35t8tYIZnl/w640-h270/2a%20Green%20winged%20teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Other ducks on the pool included <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b>, some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shoveler</span></b> and a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall </span></b>with a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhens</span></b> thrown in for good measure. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> flew in calling, possibly hoping for some soft ground to probe for worms in but it would be out of luck the ground along the track was rock hard beneath our boots. Wandering on we wondered where all the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers </span></b>were, usually they are the noisiest bird on the site but today there were silent. At the next pool there was some open water but most of the ducks were hauled out on the ice asleep.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkDhCWGpNXWq3f17X_4OlnoopGE-GTzh177FVWroJCk2B8sYyHqisRkU4C8bY8GbKfGmeImdde0wHxBbtwLWn6cioGj72EUn7MV1RLJK7WCuzzhw7uiVYyb9WBXQngA4Cv0nZwOIAfoqp3PD8nwEZOHNPzobtPdWMBa3qJXqZOB214AbAA5mRPfpwmGKq/s1327/4%20sleeping%20mallards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1327" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkDhCWGpNXWq3f17X_4OlnoopGE-GTzh177FVWroJCk2B8sYyHqisRkU4C8bY8GbKfGmeImdde0wHxBbtwLWn6cioGj72EUn7MV1RLJK7WCuzzhw7uiVYyb9WBXQngA4Cv0nZwOIAfoqp3PD8nwEZOHNPzobtPdWMBa3qJXqZOB214AbAA5mRPfpwmGKq/w640-h384/4%20sleeping%20mallards.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDoK656RyQtFQMOlVGFRbt84Nlo3JWvLUqJWNbuYYXda8P2cLTsOrw2ho1L2kN9foqns6E4ryot95yozImxadXyANMzjTKjEyIRhUDLdNrcKMbvhtRsm9Sr8eW7T8ymwssD9qfXwRWHOcWbFk8JhjqLBB5tb_YnMxsrEbJj0nOEFYwpGZXI6t27x2dRun1/s1454/3%20sleeping%20Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1454" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDoK656RyQtFQMOlVGFRbt84Nlo3JWvLUqJWNbuYYXda8P2cLTsOrw2ho1L2kN9foqns6E4ryot95yozImxadXyANMzjTKjEyIRhUDLdNrcKMbvhtRsm9Sr8eW7T8ymwssD9qfXwRWHOcWbFk8JhjqLBB5tb_YnMxsrEbJj0nOEFYwpGZXI6t27x2dRun1/w640-h364/3%20sleeping%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Scans of the horizon, much more distant from here as the viewing point is elevated a few feet above the track, gave us no sign of any raptors even tyhough the sun was now beginning to get some warmth to it and the morning chill was going out of the air. We moved swiftly on heading to the river. The hedge beside the path was lively with small birds, indeed it was easily the liviest part of the reserve. There were <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Robins</span></b>, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wren</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings</span></b> a female of which stayed still long enough for us to point the lens at.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDBGW9k_3TTqAWHikE3T5m3uSaBIa7scl7Fc7cnfguJNkn6Sq4dKTeUVdSlZhhfID2cCDkxWJJPyYbpw6dRDYgM9J-UaoLTvfw2Mv0tX7bi6W81oKBcMHv3WS0UD_A4MasM8rIdts1vySMq_J65t2nX_m8wtCBj6zxWV0dkz9t6JE-d9zpr3Juw4oy_oD/s998/5%20Female%20Reed%20Bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="998" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDBGW9k_3TTqAWHikE3T5m3uSaBIa7scl7Fc7cnfguJNkn6Sq4dKTeUVdSlZhhfID2cCDkxWJJPyYbpw6dRDYgM9J-UaoLTvfw2Mv0tX7bi6W81oKBcMHv3WS0UD_A4MasM8rIdts1vySMq_J65t2nX_m8wtCBj6zxWV0dkz9t6JE-d9zpr3Juw4oy_oD/w640-h576/5%20Female%20Reed%20Bunting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And right at the end of the hedge two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunnocks</span></b> sat up in the top of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Hawthorn</span></b> bush, not often you see two of these skulky little devils sat out in an exposed position at the same time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvnpMY7kSkLpkLiuAMoRDLUTY1z6NXXs1HrD5mN4CUOfhXKi6l6puwC_iZWl9NBfg76OKbvmeZxZolQhbfuHumhhFjhI3zwRktnBmnGE7S3artuyQzb9DnE4JtCZ62e8zL1bwo84HmzAIg5Dk-ZUdx53aQhFhyphenhyphen-ZUwI29MEPGNW_sjX2jBcNXIZarEs6a/s1142/6%20Two%20Dunnocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1142" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvnpMY7kSkLpkLiuAMoRDLUTY1z6NXXs1HrD5mN4CUOfhXKi6l6puwC_iZWl9NBfg76OKbvmeZxZolQhbfuHumhhFjhI3zwRktnBmnGE7S3artuyQzb9DnE4JtCZ62e8zL1bwo84HmzAIg5Dk-ZUdx53aQhFhyphenhyphen-ZUwI29MEPGNW_sjX2jBcNXIZarEs6a/w640-h550/6%20Two%20Dunnocks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The river gave us paddling <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> and some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b> in the fields beyond. Two distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzards </span></b>were found and a distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> along with a flock of small birds, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Linnets</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> or something else??? They were a very long way off. We kept an eye on the reedbeds stretching below us on our side of the river just in case a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bittern</span></b> should pop up - no such luck! It's amazing to think that this area is only a mile or so from our boyhood home ands we used to traipse the fields of spuds, carrots and cabbages that used to be here on our bike with a pair of almost un-see-through bins seeing nothing but <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Partridges</span></b> and occassionally in winter a skein of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese</span></b> - how times have changed...<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns</span></b> a mile from our front door - who'd have believed it. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Partridges</span></b> are still here but sadly not much more numerous than the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns</span></b> now and we didn't see any today.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Having completed the circuit of the reserve it was getting near butty time and IH suggested quick nip to the coast rather than eat our scran at the car with little or nothing to look at. But rather than going to hall Road coastguards he suggested driving up to Hightown to start the coastal walk from the north end - good plan! It must be 50 years since we last crossed the railway into Hightown village and we'd never have found the parking spot access to the dunes without following IH. There we grabbed our butties and headed out to the river mouth passing through a little fence IH told us he'd helped build as a coastal volunteer about 40 years ago...all creditr to him, it still looks pretty sturdy!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A short walk brought us to the river mouth where we sat on the frozen dunes and admired the view out across the wider Mersey bay over a mirror calm sea while tucking into all manner of pies and sandwiches. Over on the sandbanks there was a huge number of waders roosting up over the high tide, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot, Dunlin, Oystercatchers, Curlews, Redshanks</span></b> and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b>, a throng of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Black Backed Gulls</span></b> lined the far bank of the Alt and further out a line of<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Cormorants </span></b>stood on the outer edge of the sanbank. More of their number roosted on the channel marker nearby while below them a large number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b> pottered about in the shallows and river channel. Scanning further out we couldn't find any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harbour Porpoises</span></b> even though conditions were perfect for spotting any that might have been there.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Butties mucnhed we set off southwards along the shore line, the low afternoon sun made looking that way uncomfortable at times but at least it was warm now and we soon felt overdressed in our full winter togs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SxX35fv6RZcEPnzeqBnFFMu-499umAVt3G84E8BljLSmgkPd6advdFexnzDaE2ntZBINECc1vskIQJ2h9KWojzWXZjtxF0egtgXVgiTs6a1fXrW_d488f40yCKFXzszrFdbu33KIOaE7uYZCdveqkapVHKjcz8G3dUsFrC_JQesPrBiq-ov4puqjLzZ1/s1018/7%20Yacht%20silhouette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1018" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-SxX35fv6RZcEPnzeqBnFFMu-499umAVt3G84E8BljLSmgkPd6advdFexnzDaE2ntZBINECc1vskIQJ2h9KWojzWXZjtxF0egtgXVgiTs6a1fXrW_d488f40yCKFXzszrFdbu33KIOaE7uYZCdveqkapVHKjcz8G3dUsFrC_JQesPrBiq-ov4puqjLzZ1/w640-h634/7%20Yacht%20silhouette.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> The ebbing tide was revealing fresh mud and soon more flocks of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot</span></b> along wit ha large flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tailed Godwits</span></b> flew in to take advantage of the freshly uncovered feeding areas. Walking south towards Crosby and past the WW2 bomb rubble on the beach we hoped to find some more waders although the tide seemed to be taking a long time to drop and leave a particularly favoured spot uncovered, one we've been watching since the early 70s. It's quite weird thinking back and realising there was a lot less time between the end of WW2 with that rubble being dumped there and us starting birding the area than there is between those early birding adventures and now. How time flies.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We did come across a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstones</span></b> feeding quite high up the beach.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1zfjArlfWnPRMfCj5CT0zH3G2_HAZAZHqz9yS5n6jKQpzSni4kUGOLh4OCjfLKClmqgZVX7f-IS58JT4JnEo_9zbhogYtE0yOd_kPMebYwFPq2FQAe3mLnPXoJNoTX1nxMk51hSIJ_Zx4PzhcC3YnVdw_EUA-63rn4_nabc0IXyzlVoqPvxoeLWiC9mH/s1646/8%20Turnstone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1646" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1zfjArlfWnPRMfCj5CT0zH3G2_HAZAZHqz9yS5n6jKQpzSni4kUGOLh4OCjfLKClmqgZVX7f-IS58JT4JnEo_9zbhogYtE0yOd_kPMebYwFPq2FQAe3mLnPXoJNoTX1nxMk51hSIJ_Zx4PzhcC3YnVdw_EUA-63rn4_nabc0IXyzlVoqPvxoeLWiC9mH/w640-h438/8%20Turnstone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then saw a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Plover</span></b> fly in showing its black axcillaries very nicely as it fluttered to a halt on the rocks (=bricks etc) on the water's edge. Trouble is we had to cautiosly get a dozen or more yards past it to look back on it with the sun behind us. Luckily our snaeking around skills didn't let us down and it stayed put allowing a few snaps.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UFdrKAKQ-S8f4W9cz8adU7VQXVSy1OXoCwJOoUE2JevJeNrx5N9JM1M_Q7i6h8B9zrGco9b2dH2G4BY_Q7bFYdDxts0kYktZCKqwJIkfFJx0oNsCq5habDzqfLXzwulwQclAFenSrEJaz4L-sm3JVyCrLZtS1pXXr6gUSL3_0hl1XyLlcTmwsDIAz2Kq/s1379/9%20Grey%20plover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1379" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UFdrKAKQ-S8f4W9cz8adU7VQXVSy1OXoCwJOoUE2JevJeNrx5N9JM1M_Q7i6h8B9zrGco9b2dH2G4BY_Q7bFYdDxts0kYktZCKqwJIkfFJx0oNsCq5habDzqfLXzwulwQclAFenSrEJaz4L-sm3JVyCrLZtS1pXXr6gUSL3_0hl1XyLlcTmwsDIAz2Kq/w640-h398/9%20Grey%20plover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-M7rEqtdpE__ZVfu37TwIj5BdRASGbhv9wgMLLedcSq6RTO1WgleGupz2sQF_YHHdsQHLTgbmaFygeIqdq-z2cZKEHS2BHjBtlf-rb_s5ei8M_C8eTAQy77jjTrDhY39qkcJTFXxD2FaqH560Y0zv1T5nRRxykIUbsadUg_buyj-sVzott2iff77OzpY/s1307/9b%20Grey%20plover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1307" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-M7rEqtdpE__ZVfu37TwIj5BdRASGbhv9wgMLLedcSq6RTO1WgleGupz2sQF_YHHdsQHLTgbmaFygeIqdq-z2cZKEHS2BHjBtlf-rb_s5ei8M_C8eTAQy77jjTrDhY39qkcJTFXxD2FaqH560Y0zv1T5nRRxykIUbsadUg_buyj-sVzott2iff77OzpY/w640-h454/9b%20Grey%20plover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0ZmYAsL_vZiK5CfYOgy6_JHoJDPE5DsYz8s2t7yIxlj9negiW_YbijQG9tdEZbBkDkuUm24JDrl-Ih3CYrKZxvn7He0JXYTVHXuX2j9uJ1w72yDmlEXQ-ycfhP1A1i0iUdzNhOwyjiu-uoOLrJzpA8CkW9C9ayV1RpU60TPgW60LTDrgLtQLlbpWDZM-/s1270/9a%20Grey%20plover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1270" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0ZmYAsL_vZiK5CfYOgy6_JHoJDPE5DsYz8s2t7yIxlj9negiW_YbijQG9tdEZbBkDkuUm24JDrl-Ih3CYrKZxvn7He0JXYTVHXuX2j9uJ1w72yDmlEXQ-ycfhP1A1i0iUdzNhOwyjiu-uoOLrJzpA8CkW9C9ayV1RpU60TPgW60LTDrgLtQLlbpWDZM-/w640-h454/9a%20Grey%20plover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The area has always been good for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> and today was no exception. Not sure how many we saw today as they can be quite mobile but we'd hazard a guess at at aleast half a dozen. They seem to be particularly good at two things today - keeping just out of range and/or staying on the wrong side of the light. Eventually we caught up with a trio that nearly behaved for us. We only managed a pic of a young one, the snazzy male leaving his perch on a tangle of heavy duty wire a millisecond before we pressed the shutter button.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zU6v1ykE1PdIfS4Dw_SSHrC3y-E8CMAfqqID0RldImi4Etyd_b8V7Q6pxnSF1KttblEhHVKOovudcAx33cUGwhDOCzfn74TJqTDCahJa9lPLwBzW3QK9gLqt290Y6XPDBSxy9E60AWoihRuAx4cY9dyX4IheM95Vr2yciFieQ2EcJhkTI3CzY_M93siK/s1116/9d%20Stonechat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zU6v1ykE1PdIfS4Dw_SSHrC3y-E8CMAfqqID0RldImi4Etyd_b8V7Q6pxnSF1KttblEhHVKOovudcAx33cUGwhDOCzfn74TJqTDCahJa9lPLwBzW3QK9gLqt290Y6XPDBSxy9E60AWoihRuAx4cY9dyX4IheM95Vr2yciFieQ2EcJhkTI3CzY_M93siK/w614-h640/9d%20Stonechat.jpg" width="614" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLZMpG8YyiDOCCADoCb_PPXtjSujDfU4wDQqNgnh6cqKpsTJAYECrG1eUcJgfSC-l3BoAc4gDvkak-Cy0Ds2E0BMZdXN74ZsxgujhdveEenn25WndnteUqUOelKRBj6yO6oLl7SgfJ1o73ZsK2tPiyw4kUg52zem7iqNPK5GsY2v1aPGLmdw1Kug3AFmZ/s1233/9c%20Stonechat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1233" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLZMpG8YyiDOCCADoCb_PPXtjSujDfU4wDQqNgnh6cqKpsTJAYECrG1eUcJgfSC-l3BoAc4gDvkak-Cy0Ds2E0BMZdXN74ZsxgujhdveEenn25WndnteUqUOelKRBj6yO6oLl7SgfJ1o73ZsK2tPiyw4kUg52zem7iqNPK5GsY2v1aPGLmdw1Kug3AFmZ/w640-h608/9c%20Stonechat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>By now it was time to head back to the car before it got too dark for pics. It was a bit of hasty retreat but there wasn't too much to see along the way. We took a shorter,easier walking route back which passed by the <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Natterjack Toad</span></b> breeding ponds - no chance of these warm weather creatures being out today, their ponds were frozen solid...a spring evening visit is on the cards to here these 'Lancashire Nightingales' singing. The low sun illuminated the seed heads of the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Reeds</span></b> beautifully though.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ioU7MMDWOdeDZcwkYi_ER-g_2eas5VB9doTAZYXVNQVZbSkrEi0q1Ozu_DbnHXMqPBeSzHgag4ez9Q9doBpXQuEuzvo6avyquKdx8WgZ4NkewxC5j62XSxPRH9ZBc9lCP_DAgNEGiTJ-0pZziNSXu6WytnXeiiJQOw0XXdNF941tcpw13-82pDNfQtJl/s1191/9e%20Backlit%20reedheads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1191" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ioU7MMDWOdeDZcwkYi_ER-g_2eas5VB9doTAZYXVNQVZbSkrEi0q1Ozu_DbnHXMqPBeSzHgag4ez9Q9doBpXQuEuzvo6avyquKdx8WgZ4NkewxC5j62XSxPRH9ZBc9lCP_DAgNEGiTJ-0pZziNSXu6WytnXeiiJQOw0XXdNF941tcpw13-82pDNfQtJl/w640-h538/9e%20Backlit%20reedheads.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The shortly before reaching IH's ancient fence we spied a flash of white moving in a <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Sea Buckthorn </span></b>thicket, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fieldfares</span></b> were using their wings to balance their eway through the prickly mass to get to the choicest berries. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbird</span></b> was in there too and managed to flush on of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fieldfares</span></b> low and to the back tof the bush. Fortunately the other one stayed on the front of the bush but unfortunately in the heavily shaded part rather than the brightly lit patch a yard to the left - how annoying! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW1nd5m6AClQtp6XL3VxXS4Lis4gQVUC9YllbBJQ4IJlBkAbur3uwL6NAsGYWgTPxZ3Z2EwpuPBNSZMDuF6y8Ae2jCrsHp7O4la6Rh77a4SPWMcIVzf9vH-4eDuLe0c7CrQh5ICmgosAtQxpSHnLgxzAlR-2N9OWCEFsX9n0Dg8E2Gp-pqM094j6eQAzb/s1282/9f%20Fieldfare%20swallowing%20sea%20buckthorn%20berry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1282" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW1nd5m6AClQtp6XL3VxXS4Lis4gQVUC9YllbBJQ4IJlBkAbur3uwL6NAsGYWgTPxZ3Z2EwpuPBNSZMDuF6y8Ae2jCrsHp7O4la6Rh77a4SPWMcIVzf9vH-4eDuLe0c7CrQh5ICmgosAtQxpSHnLgxzAlR-2N9OWCEFsX9n0Dg8E2Gp-pqM094j6eQAzb/w640-h500/9f%20Fieldfare%20swallowing%20sea%20buckthorn%20berry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A few minutes later we were back at the cars saying farewell until next time to IH and heading back to Base Camp after a lovely day out on safari in our old haunts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Could be anywhere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's eating berries in the dark in your outback - and don't say <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwings</span></b> - - sore point!<br /><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-8322170926184181432023-11-24T15:04:00.003+00:002023-11-24T15:04:24.909+00:00We've gone twitchy all of a sudden<p style="text-align: justify;"><b> The Safari heard news</b> of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwing</span></b> at one of their favourite sites in nearby Preston over the usual local social media outlets last weekend. Due to serious family stuff there was no way we'd be able to go there an then but we hoped they might stick around a couple of days or so, the strteet it was in has several <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Rowan</span></b> trees which often have a plethora of berries. The following day news broke that there were now two birds present; and then three! How do they find these 'regular' places? - we must have stood in that street at least three times over the last 20 odd years. There's no way that it's inherited knowledge as it's often too long between visits for parents to take their offspring, could it be scent that guides them, these berries giving off a 'we're ripe' odour that the birds can detect on the wind and home in on? Whatever the reason they find the little street their increasing number was the impetus we needed to decide to make the 15 mile trip down the motorway as soon as possible. Tuesday morning arrived and we had a the afternoon available and better still news was now that there were four present. After lunch we picked up CR and headed east. The roads were clear and we made good time but after parking up we were told we should have been there ten minutes ago. Well at least they were about and would probably come back after a short wait and a small group of birders had set off to see if there was any sign of them on any nearby berry laden trees or bushes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One thing that did strike us as we looked around the trees and rooftop aerials for any sign of them was the large clumps of <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Mistletoe</span></b> in several of the trees - don't recall that being there on previous visits.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDQEf04rVvOz8fXAOdTeTaz3n_U7ww5_6BnqjEe_iFyTUSFpwOiOdwg0BN0ixsj51N5rmNUWXtbbkKCe7rQZ-jR9XBQlyKaiR1nCVyTL1fqnE1sL2U7OIU7yiHLiT4rcwlGP1xUeat7PYuLMIewShUVlx1mJVjjix3e-6iCx0PV8hGnS6Cp1ZAycEMzTR/s1500/Rowan%20and%20Mistletoe%20berries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDQEf04rVvOz8fXAOdTeTaz3n_U7ww5_6BnqjEe_iFyTUSFpwOiOdwg0BN0ixsj51N5rmNUWXtbbkKCe7rQZ-jR9XBQlyKaiR1nCVyTL1fqnE1sL2U7OIU7yiHLiT4rcwlGP1xUeat7PYuLMIewShUVlx1mJVjjix3e-6iCx0PV8hGnS6Cp1ZAycEMzTR/w640-h426/Rowan%20and%20Mistletoe%20berries.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg227Mf86MuZMNd-V8mX4NxXwpL8NCcEAlsccHVlIpiYHF1X6w5B2idy6f_kiI9c5ILeH-jwQbfTwYsylGdFkCYDQBPrY8VFreGW8sZmqyy8y4xx04jnbNq4DJI4itVHY_YmfUPpNsrrgifgIR798OhA3wQyudKboTcYZqWva7z06-q7PZMbz8CZLHXuQnb/s1389/Mistletoe%20on%20Rowan%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="1389" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg227Mf86MuZMNd-V8mX4NxXwpL8NCcEAlsccHVlIpiYHF1X6w5B2idy6f_kiI9c5ILeH-jwQbfTwYsylGdFkCYDQBPrY8VFreGW8sZmqyy8y4xx04jnbNq4DJI4itVHY_YmfUPpNsrrgifgIR798OhA3wQyudKboTcYZqWva7z06-q7PZMbz8CZLHXuQnb/w640-h602/Mistletoe%20on%20Rowan%20tree.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The rooftops and aerials gave us a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Collared Doves</span></b> and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Woodpigeons</span></b>. A few minutes later a small flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldfinches </span></b>appeared at the top of the furthest tree down the street. It was good to see that all the street's trees had a Tree Preservation Order number on thenm too.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a good while the local <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mistle Thrush</span></b> showed up, really good to see they're still about as they have become much harder to come by round our way in recent years. It was followed by three <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbirds</span></b> all of which came and went as if they had a curcuit they were following. But alas the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwings</span></b> were still a 'been and gone'. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">All of a sudden, after about an hour, DB shouted "that was them" as four birds shot over high above the houses. He went off after them and came back a good while later having found them in some trees overloooking the canal a few hundred yards away. "Rubbish views against the low sun, just silhouettes really - useless for photographs". There were several folk who wanted a look so he showed the way and set off like the Pied Piper with a straggle of birders in his wake. After crossing the road and going down the track to the little marina/stopping point on the canal we scanned the trees opposite where they had been half an hour earlier but there was no sign of them. Back to the street it was just in case they had turned their attention back to the berries. No they hadn't. We hung around a few more minutes and decided to get some pics of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbirds</span></b> before the light totally went. These short winter days can be a real pain!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qYX17dZ2t_WC2-fKqRu_Il0Y_2Gn5bzADUfk38YjB12Kvy_O6AeS4e6kHXQmKZ82y4tbqXsrdqW1A2w0saEH0cdCD-Ri9MLKO0u_nookN4-SFMvVwaNXAupAxBQxWD0hvP56gCoQeLEK2dRYP91KFlxONRYK95xccdQIN-Wn0OvTwNU55dIcYFRG2uWY/s987/Blackbird%20in%20rowan%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="987" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qYX17dZ2t_WC2-fKqRu_Il0Y_2Gn5bzADUfk38YjB12Kvy_O6AeS4e6kHXQmKZ82y4tbqXsrdqW1A2w0saEH0cdCD-Ri9MLKO0u_nookN4-SFMvVwaNXAupAxBQxWD0hvP56gCoQeLEK2dRYP91KFlxONRYK95xccdQIN-Wn0OvTwNU55dIcYFRG2uWY/w640-h628/Blackbird%20in%20rowan%20tree.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDzIZRF0oRO8wVi9Z4SdVJ38E9XLKtSRq4CRmn_Mk2ouT6arqoOpWQgSX4BHB8tkr2Qu9VRSoLQduE53AuziwDaVAhA7X2CBVLvlnJjAmDrv-il3OyCbW5ijOUSTuzDpnlMKk321fKElFV7bYdcph7Iek0JVhnRguuRVkPgQcSPGBE73zEOoF0jdFcf1U/s1076/Blackbird%20eating%20Rowan%20berry%20upside%20down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1076" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDzIZRF0oRO8wVi9Z4SdVJ38E9XLKtSRq4CRmn_Mk2ouT6arqoOpWQgSX4BHB8tkr2Qu9VRSoLQduE53AuziwDaVAhA7X2CBVLvlnJjAmDrv-il3OyCbW5ijOUSTuzDpnlMKk321fKElFV7bYdcph7Iek0JVhnRguuRVkPgQcSPGBE73zEOoF0jdFcf1U/w640-h450/Blackbird%20eating%20Rowan%20berry%20upside%20down.jpg" width="640" /></a><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">And then the light faded too much for pics so we hit the trail back up the motorway to Base Camp. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Waxwings</span></b> will have to go down on the spreadsheet in Bold red letters - a dip!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are plenty about this year and there does seem to be an abundance of berries in places so hopefully we'll be more successful with them as the season progresses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The following day three turned on the edge of Stanley Park only three miles from Base Camp but unfortuantely we weere unable to get out when the news broke and even if we had gone it's likely they would have flown off before we arrived as they weren't around long.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the same day TS texted the Safari to say there was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Duck</span></b> on Marton Mere, again we weren't able to get out but that did stick and was still there the next day, and the next! Phew, once again we had an hour or more free in the afternoon so went for a shuffy. It was a cool and blustery, bright and sunny afternoon. We arrived on site to the news from some birders that they hadn't seen it from the north west corner, as we chatted a flock of noisy squawking <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Parakeets</span></b> flew over from the direction of the Feeding Station. We knew the duck could be elusive so went down to the bench for a look anyway. We aimed to give it at least half an hour but Monty the mutt started to get impatient and wanted to get on the move again. We set off and immediately bumped into TS who told us it tended to hang around with the four <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldeneyes</span></b> on site and probably got itself tucked in the sheltered inflow channel. We'd already decided to wander round to the bench in the south west corner so that now sounded like a good plan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A good plan it was, we didn't have to wait too long before the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldeneyes </span></b>appeared as if from nowhere. There were four, two females, a male and an immature male. We only managed pics of the two females.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkgozAh-nxhA2g86r3-j9Dca_fgpjiL2GTxJclnin_2yha5O891EDlYiryn7valy_nZpHwFolZeo8HjGVtdt5yJxKeP1xYGwubgqIo25z1bsnUAO2o8e4okR1z0Pg0WvFQn-dnNaa0ofhJehekbiaTF1NdUyiFuX6_t3GPreBeyol_OMYawHHpn-Q-7uO/s1414/1%20two%20female%20goldeneyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1414" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkgozAh-nxhA2g86r3-j9Dca_fgpjiL2GTxJclnin_2yha5O891EDlYiryn7valy_nZpHwFolZeo8HjGVtdt5yJxKeP1xYGwubgqIo25z1bsnUAO2o8e4okR1z0Pg0WvFQn-dnNaa0ofhJehekbiaTF1NdUyiFuX6_t3GPreBeyol_OMYawHHpn-Q-7uO/w640-h376/1%20two%20female%20goldeneyes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>To see over the encroaching vegetation we had to stand on the bench while being buffeted by the 50 mph wind, that <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Buddliea</span></b> bush, <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alder</span></b> tree and 'Larry's <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Willow</span></b>' really need to go! Not the best conditions to try to hold a long lens steady. We perservered and after a few minutes the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Duck</span></b> came out of the reeds, the last one we saw here was way back in 1998.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1eLDYTleQ-or08AdmAG3k6YNBKXj6v_qhtDbYwbcRDF0J_hpAfmuXGVY3t08FvkiwDDixq1zVaIB7otSF0yHgXSIr_rXNqlAhCYT_KfDhfVclmmK7IZ9_X7bsFgXtyNW4U2cXgZ8B8f4wMxzAnxicZb-La7JpG7fBIV46ikmwxk2PJVqgwoP5H04nYrS/s977/2%20Long%20tailed%20duck%20a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="977" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1eLDYTleQ-or08AdmAG3k6YNBKXj6v_qhtDbYwbcRDF0J_hpAfmuXGVY3t08FvkiwDDixq1zVaIB7otSF0yHgXSIr_rXNqlAhCYT_KfDhfVclmmK7IZ9_X7bsFgXtyNW4U2cXgZ8B8f4wMxzAnxicZb-La7JpG7fBIV46ikmwxk2PJVqgwoP5H04nYrS/w640-h444/2%20Long%20tailed%20duck%20a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It didn't hang around with the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldeneyes </span></b>for long, instead started to make it's way across towards the area we'd been at earlier while the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goleneyes</span></b> moved eastwards along the reed edge and out of sight. It dived frequently and spent minutes at a time under water sometimes moving a considerable distance too. It's appearances at the surface were brief and unpredictable so it was tricky to get any pics of particularly as it was all too often obscured by the aforementioned trees and shrubs. After a while a noisy gaggle of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag Geese</span></b> came up from the east and it wasn't happy about their appearance and kept a distance in front of them as they approached before they all sailed past the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> into the channel and out of sight.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaRPBbHh6Swfi2AU99-oPI5KgrH9xOFf166c-wI4p6eVVC0YWH5mHjJrHntKUAugVTcjjEohNBV0e7EMGumPrXcyAcnwMTI32-Yl5x2QR21WPlGx76Sx7czv1ApBxMwo0sivOqCDR6vESIQC2pinzSPPam5QjQTN9NqkP5OhDre10wETm3KPRdxYLEQmk/s1778/3%20Long%20tailed%20duck%20and%20grey%20lag%20geese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1778" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaRPBbHh6Swfi2AU99-oPI5KgrH9xOFf166c-wI4p6eVVC0YWH5mHjJrHntKUAugVTcjjEohNBV0e7EMGumPrXcyAcnwMTI32-Yl5x2QR21WPlGx76Sx7czv1ApBxMwo0sivOqCDR6vESIQC2pinzSPPam5QjQTN9NqkP5OhDre10wETm3KPRdxYLEQmk/w640-h298/3%20Long%20tailed%20duck%20and%20grey%20lag%20geese.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Once the duck was out of sight we thought we'd best give it a few minutes in case the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag Geese </span></b>settled down and it swam out again. They might have done but it didn't. However a large female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> flew past at great speed and once again their was a great deal of sqawking from the parakeets at the Feeding Station. She obviously had a plan and a tast for the exotic. Chatting to TS who was at our first bench on the phone the sky behind him blackened and a rainbow appeared.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaPWnEUbRHiFTBz-z0y6HMQvE_ARnzASQ_myxGKz7FnMwvjZifEIjZ0AofVu7mlmSGVGpI032J2tBlo8hdvQipYex4zQF5-dTqpuefPAToQuwrn3OvtFRm_HUlmoETMLkb3_b6VTv8wuEiN-kw47qpof4hIXZsGuGnk1wh3l9iHCHVf4vzmUoKito2ASX/s2048/3a%20Rainbow%20over%20west%20end%20of%20mere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="2048" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaPWnEUbRHiFTBz-z0y6HMQvE_ARnzASQ_myxGKz7FnMwvjZifEIjZ0AofVu7mlmSGVGpI032J2tBlo8hdvQipYex4zQF5-dTqpuefPAToQuwrn3OvtFRm_HUlmoETMLkb3_b6VTv8wuEiN-kw47qpof4hIXZsGuGnk1wh3l9iHCHVf4vzmUoKito2ASX/w640-h288/3a%20Rainbow%20over%20west%20end%20of%20mere.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>He was of the opinion that the front would miss us and we agreed because the south westerly wind was taking it away from us, we might just catch the edge of it. We stayed to see if anything would fly in front of the raibow and give us a pleasing arty shot. A couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herring Gulls</span></b> did but too far away and our pics were deleted straight away, then a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gull</span></b> followed suit, this time much closer, and we firred away again.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjB2xE8-_uUiB_mRCYJ8w5225oA3-uojXSi3tBa49ccrTdO7Bo6yQj8MK05ljPEQqQKgwmmMVdsOtwyYZNbmS9U4aMP5NMNq-CFX_hlVM5EE-kQSeRA2jtGAPScH-6lr-5Wqt8axwP-pwetjOIyo3puP54YTVrdWdRhhuA5T9GIoqWzG_m0UzLYuEHAyR/s1272/4%20Black%20headed%20gull%20in%20front%20of%20rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1272" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjB2xE8-_uUiB_mRCYJ8w5225oA3-uojXSi3tBa49ccrTdO7Bo6yQj8MK05ljPEQqQKgwmmMVdsOtwyYZNbmS9U4aMP5NMNq-CFX_hlVM5EE-kQSeRA2jtGAPScH-6lr-5Wqt8axwP-pwetjOIyo3puP54YTVrdWdRhhuA5T9GIoqWzG_m0UzLYuEHAyR/w640-h420/4%20Black%20headed%20gull%20in%20front%20of%20rainbow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We totally missed the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stock Dove</span></b> that flew past towards Stanley Park but did get this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Woodpigeon</span></b> but missed it while it was in front of the rainbow - ah well you can't have everything! It looks as though it's had a good supper before retiring to bed for the night just look at its crop - full to busting!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusX6E5JpFwUi9Lkn6NLGiH9FpTjbDlUnv8rxhhWOmnvxQTfxFPYbtgBCNo1HG37Rh-JR389ZBIyLlZ8TTdZeVEpGS183hgXyL20R2HVLqUJO-l_BwTxElWyxM_sko_40EBc1V13qP5eNdcJWQg0ibAGtdHR-WmtuBFQK25fcUk_ZIDOvRB7itmd5dobwu/s1063/5%20Woodpigeon%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1063" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhusX6E5JpFwUi9Lkn6NLGiH9FpTjbDlUnv8rxhhWOmnvxQTfxFPYbtgBCNo1HG37Rh-JR389ZBIyLlZ8TTdZeVEpGS183hgXyL20R2HVLqUJO-l_BwTxElWyxM_sko_40EBc1V13qP5eNdcJWQg0ibAGtdHR-WmtuBFQK25fcUk_ZIDOvRB7itmd5dobwu/w640-h446/5%20Woodpigeon%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A few spots of light rain fell, our cue to leave. Unfortunately we'd left it too late to leave - once out of the shelter of the big <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bramble </span></b>thicket behind the bench we realised the wind had changed from south westerly to west north westerly bringing the storm front back towards us and we now had several hundred yards across open country to walk to the car in torrential diving rain - Monty the mutt doesn't mind a bit of weather and wouldn't be hurried - - we got absolutely drenched!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> It could be anywhere who knows? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's coming and going in your outback.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-60602109390369691532023-11-21T14:54:00.004+00:002023-11-21T14:54:50.985+00:00More bearded wonders<p style="text-align: justify;"><b> The Safari was kindly</b> driven up to <b><a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/leighton-moss" target="_blank">Leighton Moss</a></b> by Cr last friday where we met up with good friend IH from the Southside. We met in Lillians Hide and spent several minutes looking for the female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b> we'd seen on our last visit (see previous blog post). There was much more water in the pool that last time and the numbers of both dabbling and diving ducks was much reduced. There were still a fair few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tufted Ducks</span></b> around but no sign of our target bird. We found a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> well hidden among the piles of cut reed and then found a third extremely well hidden. No sign of any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe </span></b>though - we should have been here last week when friend KL videod one doing its bobbing sewing machine thing.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4jlnHIcnPfF2DszDCmFfHkZW2crSV1vhZKU0DtrWP5moiKsrGmDpUBNGxUXnj3cCP1Z0nZTnWXrfH3A5nOSqYwA0mEunggxohp0TBsWx2fEWXtrlswC5SFfidYheaMTb3AuqsMm7cqNY-YIOYniOEjyrLY3yuKVpWkDOIibKuXVQYTEr1QzSNEwboVeM/s1433/1%20Snipe%20peeking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1433" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4jlnHIcnPfF2DszDCmFfHkZW2crSV1vhZKU0DtrWP5moiKsrGmDpUBNGxUXnj3cCP1Z0nZTnWXrfH3A5nOSqYwA0mEunggxohp0TBsWx2fEWXtrlswC5SFfidYheaMTb3AuqsMm7cqNY-YIOYniOEjyrLY3yuKVpWkDOIibKuXVQYTEr1QzSNEwboVeM/w640-h510/1%20Snipe%20peeking.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> soon disappeared so we made our way to towards the Grizedale Hide via the Sky Tower, from where we didn't see any sign of any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer </span></b>nor much else! Passing the grit trays the wasn't the usual posse of photographers/birders just a couple of folk stood chatting, news was there was no news since at least early morning. A little disappointing but hardly surprising as the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> tend to frequent the grit trays far less often the later into the autumn it gets. From the hide the lovely sunshine meant that the light was awful for viewing wildlife. However our friend the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cinnamon Teal x Shoveler hybrid</span></b> was close by and unlike last time was awake. We were informed that this is his fifth winter here.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj804b2gc3SBkwpRruaTRRVW5EtlC4paYvUGNJKOoQ9uz8UAkOhl_6ZvnE9J4-vbSQKDX1NIvY_Ta62nTtv_TopJ4Ti2HYgG9OUNi1-ZawqyMN0op5_N-LSXvv3XgnPBW4FEYJ8dVedeb0i-O5T_9Whuy7fjdCNol1LiiJqs314VsS2mrGfXG0FTfGpq0n/s1467/2%20Cinnamon%20teal%20hybrid%20against%20the%20light%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1467" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj804b2gc3SBkwpRruaTRRVW5EtlC4paYvUGNJKOoQ9uz8UAkOhl_6ZvnE9J4-vbSQKDX1NIvY_Ta62nTtv_TopJ4Ti2HYgG9OUNi1-ZawqyMN0op5_N-LSXvv3XgnPBW4FEYJ8dVedeb0i-O5T_9Whuy7fjdCNol1LiiJqs314VsS2mrGfXG0FTfGpq0n/w640-h420/2%20Cinnamon%20teal%20hybrid%20against%20the%20light%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVKsHpIqkIUu1cA-lhBp99-Tuv2uGMymYmn1Rq_rykIWC0xdF_df07ePdEGK3XD-7Q6g74sdKal7yzeM0SreobMMBp9I9T6O0Ayv7vrdL8ZO1FogQjKw_9pAt7_ypXNAnGvO3wEvy3yKtXDKhT5Y5YHbpZ7_-Qs9rHPdWqt3WkSXDnUdtzmn7NlQBDkIi/s1780/3%20Cinnamon%20teal%20hybrid%20against%20the%20light%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1780" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVKsHpIqkIUu1cA-lhBp99-Tuv2uGMymYmn1Rq_rykIWC0xdF_df07ePdEGK3XD-7Q6g74sdKal7yzeM0SreobMMBp9I9T6O0Ayv7vrdL8ZO1FogQjKw_9pAt7_ypXNAnGvO3wEvy3yKtXDKhT5Y5YHbpZ7_-Qs9rHPdWqt3WkSXDnUdtzmn7NlQBDkIi/w640-h216/3%20Cinnamon%20teal%20hybrid%20against%20the%20light%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trouble is he went and sat with a female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shoveler</span></b> right against the light, if only he'd have swum left instead of right, no amount of willing it made hime change course...the rotter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgja0PqDHoA3El8Zbzw3gxPpApndCUKA_neJu5a7aZCGNvEATLok5ajU9k3wP-z-ex3Eta29Rj4RwNeNCiu9aQFrTTns1LMEvcdURGkZtWMunlSjUS6BGMKoUYIMSmN_q2ko5vuhKhV5zUDFN-qkvCDP5O-PVj4EQ8PzRh3i5nVPPjN7aSnmjHZUWsKQZh1/s1544/4%20female%20Shoveler%20against%20the%20light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1544" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgja0PqDHoA3El8Zbzw3gxPpApndCUKA_neJu5a7aZCGNvEATLok5ajU9k3wP-z-ex3Eta29Rj4RwNeNCiu9aQFrTTns1LMEvcdURGkZtWMunlSjUS6BGMKoUYIMSmN_q2ko5vuhKhV5zUDFN-qkvCDP5O-PVj4EQ8PzRh3i5nVPPjN7aSnmjHZUWsKQZh1/w640-h468/4%20female%20Shoveler%20against%20the%20light.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was precious little else on the pool here, again the high water levels had driven most of the ducks elsewhere. CR spotted a butterfly which shot past and remained unidentified. We didn't stay too long and retraced our steps past the grit trays where a female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Bunting</span></b> was the only attraction. - there was only one other birdeer there and he didn't stop long; that doesn't happen often and suggested that our little moustacheod friends weren't playing out today. The decision was made to head to the Causeway Hide passing the grit trays there on the way. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robin</span></b> posed in the sunshine for us, probably hoping for an illicit hand out but being the goody-two hoes that we are we had nothing for it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCdiG62vP-1IjFNp8EzRjf4MNtUc1t3x_Rb_bJQBhwDE205JtOZGJVUG1CK8C6hlWEp8DOBTLObw0uvNmmIlvJZxFhH5n82mQ-vWG0E9jUh3jePnEegghgYfNDoG3nK6ZTpvQlOiJBdGWse85cVOpAa2nosvfGryl_aIXQZGE88em4woYFIWsxD46hmIj/s1183/5%20Robin%20in%20ivy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1117" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCdiG62vP-1IjFNp8EzRjf4MNtUc1t3x_Rb_bJQBhwDE205JtOZGJVUG1CK8C6hlWEp8DOBTLObw0uvNmmIlvJZxFhH5n82mQ-vWG0E9jUh3jePnEegghgYfNDoG3nK6ZTpvQlOiJBdGWse85cVOpAa2nosvfGryl_aIXQZGE88em4woYFIWsxD46hmIj/w604-h640/5%20Robin%20in%20ivy.jpg" width="604" /></a></div>Along the boardwalk <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> sang invisibly and above our heads a small flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Tits</span></b> with a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Tits</span></b> flitted about the shrubby <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Willows</span></b> lining the path. They were very active and a soon as the camera locked onto them they were gone so we got a lot of fuzzy shots, shots of a tail in the corner orf the frame and lots of twiggy shots and just this one poor nearly OK shot.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0RYx-_ToQGeumtBxukVLyDx6TqsLUOxN4vfau3KIVkIHAxCpQmP8xXlvjD6D22iuN_LfQrGNonBGnPkR6MMcqCcFwk_B9AY3MHIP9_By-ZQNHvSu8r79434qIq8WsPMlpeRQaT-v5SO7Cbq2HIVFNhAEtSqnUj8Oy9pMc8Xf5OZxg5hFqHtTXFRQbzcf/s1183/6%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1183" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0RYx-_ToQGeumtBxukVLyDx6TqsLUOxN4vfau3KIVkIHAxCpQmP8xXlvjD6D22iuN_LfQrGNonBGnPkR6MMcqCcFwk_B9AY3MHIP9_By-ZQNHvSu8r79434qIq8WsPMlpeRQaT-v5SO7Cbq2HIVFNhAEtSqnUj8Oy9pMc8Xf5OZxg5hFqHtTXFRQbzcf/w640-h418/6%20Long%20tailed%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Always a joy to see and now seem to be much more widespread than in the dim and distant past, indeed these were only a few hundred yards from where we saw our very first ones back in the early 1970s on a YOC visit. Does the YOC still exist? A quick Google suggests its morphed into something else youthy now. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">A little further down the path a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> flew across in the middle distance. Our hastily take nsnaps weren't brilliant in the harsh sunlight even though it was behind us.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetMZDNuk8eIUGXJeHRWJRswE9iNmzUCIHr3JxzWboernLMCRef8HiL3bS4gs-cmbssg0Ers994AjwAwM_B8Ld1ZNMS7gBbFEuTH1GOmdf4es4-aWzWejA2zetkSTHgR9a240bAXus1Patqj_HMAHITYqkDg2yXscI5EU5q0FtDLi0U1AQtq4b6k2gIaoz/s1397/7%20Great%20white%20egret%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="1397" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetMZDNuk8eIUGXJeHRWJRswE9iNmzUCIHr3JxzWboernLMCRef8HiL3bS4gs-cmbssg0Ers994AjwAwM_B8Ld1ZNMS7gBbFEuTH1GOmdf4es4-aWzWejA2zetkSTHgR9a240bAXus1Patqj_HMAHITYqkDg2yXscI5EU5q0FtDLi0U1AQtq4b6k2gIaoz/w640-h346/7%20Great%20white%20egret%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr90Dfr6qkpAKK0wFf44aPC7Ys9MAGJWjXAcV7YWKgudwWoOfe2hqiQWgyi4_JiTBviHzJkBZh_lQVQfDdpOzXvT2e4u29Zv2M_ghMHx4szHnvygLZTxWTyS7sQ2oBcC7FYyH2fmEHZ7Lr50HdlnSWLd56CxbrlSivSOD1gIqmDuQHL4ZHhf0ZLiC5JSZ/s1490/8%20Great%20white%20egret%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="1490" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr90Dfr6qkpAKK0wFf44aPC7Ys9MAGJWjXAcV7YWKgudwWoOfe2hqiQWgyi4_JiTBviHzJkBZh_lQVQfDdpOzXvT2e4u29Zv2M_ghMHx4szHnvygLZTxWTyS7sQ2oBcC7FYyH2fmEHZ7Lr50HdlnSWLd56CxbrlSivSOD1gIqmDuQHL4ZHhf0ZLiC5JSZ/w640-h252/8%20Great%20white%20egret%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As soon as we joined the Causeway we could see a crowd at the grit trays and as we approached there were folk beckoning to us to hurry up. Thank you guys. There were more people there than we could see at first and getting a good view of the action through the throng was tricky but still most enjoyable as at least half a dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits </span></b>flitted through over the next ten minutes or so taking turns on the grit tray this time rather than all piling on at once. Despite shooting over peoples' shoulders and thought their ears we filled out boots as the little beauties flitted in and out of the reedbed.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmzWBwcaxlczJT_2cerDQyRYaXoSAlghkMkHKMz5Bw3OqOIeoh3GtIIoDs5cL_mbmpl0O6wLLCohGu0qyAIWaWizTUgZz0J3xkOj3AlfiOva7SDUeNKvEnlUcnjN1ta2SbNqXLHy_t66sFi1o_krMRLeiRywXsqGgof6gDpIehS_Eje9DpHfVNpD-Ges3/s1349/9%20Female%20Bearded%20Tit%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1349" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmzWBwcaxlczJT_2cerDQyRYaXoSAlghkMkHKMz5Bw3OqOIeoh3GtIIoDs5cL_mbmpl0O6wLLCohGu0qyAIWaWizTUgZz0J3xkOj3AlfiOva7SDUeNKvEnlUcnjN1ta2SbNqXLHy_t66sFi1o_krMRLeiRywXsqGgof6gDpIehS_Eje9DpHfVNpD-Ges3/w640-h448/9%20Female%20Bearded%20Tit%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvb0Ot3beRjFVH1U_wNHcbfjGbV16sbV6xEEWZe9Fi3t5B04igsff3_x__JD2troVjprWZmLb_aeW2-P7Irj7GWzltQYa6nBn3MMPKDfNqbKTO3WHtSaopXZuZp1wivJsJOBAUHNNuwlXYoeu0QGwNa89TcItn8EAZoODxg3ZDd5AQQun3M57ParEOWrq/s1133/9d%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1133" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvb0Ot3beRjFVH1U_wNHcbfjGbV16sbV6xEEWZe9Fi3t5B04igsff3_x__JD2troVjprWZmLb_aeW2-P7Irj7GWzltQYa6nBn3MMPKDfNqbKTO3WHtSaopXZuZp1wivJsJOBAUHNNuwlXYoeu0QGwNa89TcItn8EAZoODxg3ZDd5AQQun3M57ParEOWrq/w640-h564/9d%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BQj6V1riKjU97K8-zwTU3el9u7fFCLBbNYiLfx-e2nvE16X7U1gehiNSKvE85gg0ig7K_CIRp5xEa5LpqGHOZEpbTqLk2GR6dlMGqGV4LE-515z_m6Ns5q0IJtSgCnJF5Qgh3517nAQq4Pbb8KfnmgHfMUGL9IKgfgV5qvsnoot6nKWehhueRHVeBt37/s1028/9c%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%202%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="815" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BQj6V1riKjU97K8-zwTU3el9u7fFCLBbNYiLfx-e2nvE16X7U1gehiNSKvE85gg0ig7K_CIRp5xEa5LpqGHOZEpbTqLk2GR6dlMGqGV4LE-515z_m6Ns5q0IJtSgCnJF5Qgh3517nAQq4Pbb8KfnmgHfMUGL9IKgfgV5qvsnoot6nKWehhueRHVeBt37/w508-h640/9c%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%202%20in%20flight.jpg" width="508" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAg8b_4itp3oPUuBlZJsqVyvHeLgdKyB27vyF4GPW9wu2YK3cnswofEpL_PvfT9SD7IYytzNqFzHafDlFLRokwRd86TravHZYEkdrTsE_br2OrePu96ChevV6EEsA2s0U8JPOn4DnqXF9XY-eACPg4T4fjnOzMy_kb5Ymd2SDQ41S49T3D3o4Z0ypFghGM/s1115/9b%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1115" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAg8b_4itp3oPUuBlZJsqVyvHeLgdKyB27vyF4GPW9wu2YK3cnswofEpL_PvfT9SD7IYytzNqFzHafDlFLRokwRd86TravHZYEkdrTsE_br2OrePu96ChevV6EEsA2s0U8JPOn4DnqXF9XY-eACPg4T4fjnOzMy_kb5Ymd2SDQ41S49T3D3o4Z0ypFghGM/w640-h460/9b%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKYwBbZdLh6R-EXaPfpCRPQV-GfTe42b85r708vMvguresy65OBwXQNWDHa1NXkshPVd22Y9uD18Q_UhZqGRt2aWoDiAfn0CXW2Sq642SKRZWbfvH2IudZkrbOjVKGbnXZu2iif1Nl2kIVx2u1c6p8COWu6rHIPgA0ccrBLozM326XuOMfI8IYmgRpH1R/s1370/9a%20Female%20Bearded%20Tit%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1370" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKYwBbZdLh6R-EXaPfpCRPQV-GfTe42b85r708vMvguresy65OBwXQNWDHa1NXkshPVd22Y9uD18Q_UhZqGRt2aWoDiAfn0CXW2Sq642SKRZWbfvH2IudZkrbOjVKGbnXZu2iif1Nl2kIVx2u1c6p8COWu6rHIPgA0ccrBLozM326XuOMfI8IYmgRpH1R/w640-h474/9a%20Female%20Bearded%20Tit%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Getting a clear shot proved tricky as they were invariably obscured to some extent by some bit of vegetation or other.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCcGIwDz6QhSuvZvGU6FdDXgtEHhD1EHwY37CPhufeo45eBuBijNnUmtbIDkm6Ppo3qSfAnAh5dlYpceXGiYBDjTQddC6mgLXYm7TKCM2GZeNOTFBMb_W2IdvwGTymXkEL6aQhsWvrQ0HcYKriq67TBKLclBzJj5s2jnl00qlLrTcx1L4kizKBMrUZCcA/s1478/9i%20male%20Bearded%20Tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1478" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCcGIwDz6QhSuvZvGU6FdDXgtEHhD1EHwY37CPhufeo45eBuBijNnUmtbIDkm6Ppo3qSfAnAh5dlYpceXGiYBDjTQddC6mgLXYm7TKCM2GZeNOTFBMb_W2IdvwGTymXkEL6aQhsWvrQ0HcYKriq67TBKLclBzJj5s2jnl00qlLrTcx1L4kizKBMrUZCcA/w640-h386/9i%20male%20Bearded%20Tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nv0RPLfn_I3pRwvoPUrXgsJ5XeSnWlItE1NvGNfFsJjluJ9xpo0fG2N98-Qq8X0L3IZlpEae61l-c2gZlQUAZiD27MER6jy1RD3dttbZsEpxYj1gpjLXCQybkBcWV621v5B9vJZxFXSeN5zAps-J6MHZbTpGRELyIcy8tMUgnkdUgfwhJ9jyP8ubzKoA/s1472/9h%20pair%20Bearded%20Tits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1472" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nv0RPLfn_I3pRwvoPUrXgsJ5XeSnWlItE1NvGNfFsJjluJ9xpo0fG2N98-Qq8X0L3IZlpEae61l-c2gZlQUAZiD27MER6jy1RD3dttbZsEpxYj1gpjLXCQybkBcWV621v5B9vJZxFXSeN5zAps-J6MHZbTpGRELyIcy8tMUgnkdUgfwhJ9jyP8ubzKoA/w640-h478/9h%20pair%20Bearded%20Tits.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbnc1aAaL6KoYLkBm7_fd20q54qHa_iM9TDLJ-oEjDGxJ3jyB7t5Dlyv6OVW5D6zhX2L6WpFk5P_yJyO1ef4hudlV6BFGaM-fwGXGmUuwha2pc_7NX3CmRMkE43XObDdSdNTyiH1xi_23K8yH5E4CD_INp07Mhi1GRFqdcwTH8qhy1P8HsXd6ZFTMUv2b/s981/9g%20male%20Bearded%20Tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="732" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbnc1aAaL6KoYLkBm7_fd20q54qHa_iM9TDLJ-oEjDGxJ3jyB7t5Dlyv6OVW5D6zhX2L6WpFk5P_yJyO1ef4hudlV6BFGaM-fwGXGmUuwha2pc_7NX3CmRMkE43XObDdSdNTyiH1xi_23K8yH5E4CD_INp07Mhi1GRFqdcwTH8qhy1P8HsXd6ZFTMUv2b/w478-h640/9g%20male%20Bearded%20Tit.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTRaZBkLhOp1bjUq_a4vkzCXMH1kJ2tDUXqg4NGuskVYjrHZhQ0RnwUhvlRVh0bVYtIdmpIkqrMMpedOeRGM73E9p4Bd9xFi40Dm0plaSMhuU5_feWV7W45b48mA7byeD9fftxW4cBjhcs3K6_Z6Q_kYmCH7j_rhtdzUu7mmSGZqD8o6hE_Dav-rIHzxm/s1183/9f%20male%20Bearded%20Tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1183" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTRaZBkLhOp1bjUq_a4vkzCXMH1kJ2tDUXqg4NGuskVYjrHZhQ0RnwUhvlRVh0bVYtIdmpIkqrMMpedOeRGM73E9p4Bd9xFi40Dm0plaSMhuU5_feWV7W45b48mA7byeD9fftxW4cBjhcs3K6_Z6Q_kYmCH7j_rhtdzUu7mmSGZqD8o6hE_Dav-rIHzxm/w640-h458/9f%20male%20Bearded%20Tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HGMf_xSZsCYiL6NYsFBHq40bFrRgupFJYne5ij5oAp4wz3fk_G-S9SXkXGWL5lcndrNtdznxHGgxvNWosZ4A2N6g6QTDcJq3OhONN1u9_abVSRL7eqp_8BeIqPtXShyphenhyphencsElR2yZfuT-DI9X-SCKtWg4R4ZgsRrOxRC4KMLN01zqNpKWYLPh94hepTgxv/s1504/9e%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%204%20on%20grit%20tray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1504" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HGMf_xSZsCYiL6NYsFBHq40bFrRgupFJYne5ij5oAp4wz3fk_G-S9SXkXGWL5lcndrNtdznxHGgxvNWosZ4A2N6g6QTDcJq3OhONN1u9_abVSRL7eqp_8BeIqPtXShyphenhyphencsElR2yZfuT-DI9X-SCKtWg4R4ZgsRrOxRC4KMLN01zqNpKWYLPh94hepTgxv/w640-h442/9e%20male%20Bearded%20Tit%204%20on%20grit%20tray.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A couple of birds spent some time doing what they are supposed to do at this time of year, namely take seeds from the seedheads of the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Reeds</span></b> but from our position in the huddle we couldn't get a clear shot of them. After a while they all made their way across the trand in to the reeds on the other side where thir pinging calls grew fainter and fainter as moved further and further away. Not so faint were the calling <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rails</span></b>, their squealing calls being heard from all over the place today unlike our last visit. None of them ventured out into the open though, we'll probably have to wait until there's some ice about for that. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">From the hide our attention was immediately drawn to the wonderful iridescence of the two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorants </span></b>sat on the posts in front of us.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG7jLvVrrPHzgrs8WiAaqFAL22Fa1eFUCN4Czu2g23ZsPejeMISug-zeky3bgD69MXU3urs48o6M2nqSB9HKcZECupl4mNXczAsurp0NEoXymufIVS2AoZ1htakgn_kQ5mrVhp7eUwPENdsYbfXj84lanWcVLLkrSE5IZULsT483fxn8BA70_BPuMs-kI/s1703/9j%20Cormorant%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1703" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG7jLvVrrPHzgrs8WiAaqFAL22Fa1eFUCN4Czu2g23ZsPejeMISug-zeky3bgD69MXU3urs48o6M2nqSB9HKcZECupl4mNXczAsurp0NEoXymufIVS2AoZ1htakgn_kQ5mrVhp7eUwPENdsYbfXj84lanWcVLLkrSE5IZULsT483fxn8BA70_BPuMs-kI/w640-h448/9j%20Cormorant%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This one even did the whole Liver Birds thing.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf9gkrARTjAghORJ5C_iC1cPXE49ZR2OOC6DGKAVGcdoSazg0I_OVzoBX7Hy_8Um6O5bCsBfmNkL0Lt2T9ALKQaIwLWFbC6A0GprhRtKUcCxNpVtqSlQVaMU30MfeuSDTHLfuq3yyeVorcEtodiyNLJ_pQinXIWcXiyHgTS-7oIgEc0s3SgpuspibK5-I/s1836/9l%20normal%20Cormorant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1509" data-original-width="1836" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf9gkrARTjAghORJ5C_iC1cPXE49ZR2OOC6DGKAVGcdoSazg0I_OVzoBX7Hy_8Um6O5bCsBfmNkL0Lt2T9ALKQaIwLWFbC6A0GprhRtKUcCxNpVtqSlQVaMU30MfeuSDTHLfuq3yyeVorcEtodiyNLJ_pQinXIWcXiyHgTS-7oIgEc0s3SgpuspibK5-I/w640-h526/9l%20normal%20Cormorant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And on close inspection of our pics the other one is one of those 'sinensis' sub-species.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05YJyC_bKjDxfligVEXPa-eOC9vv2YcnLV8swXsVQTa1tS5uSCMswNlS-IrLEv2QVhg1i1iC5DtAJ4BvYrDvogGV4MXt-d6SH9KitAcZl0lMD-LQ-fXhIsTDVgk5wc5gGQlcgfXk-ZmRnEYsfZB0PUyIp2bV_mVcixx2U3cJxts0aaXDOG0lk9mBuzAwo/s2024/9k%20Sinensis%20Cormorant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="2024" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05YJyC_bKjDxfligVEXPa-eOC9vv2YcnLV8swXsVQTa1tS5uSCMswNlS-IrLEv2QVhg1i1iC5DtAJ4BvYrDvogGV4MXt-d6SH9KitAcZl0lMD-LQ-fXhIsTDVgk5wc5gGQlcgfXk-ZmRnEYsfZB0PUyIp2bV_mVcixx2U3cJxts0aaXDOG0lk9mBuzAwo/w640-h408/9k%20Sinensis%20Cormorant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Comparing the two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJpbR3bbK2BDANgd3w7RqZqNqCMSgZuNEtExUKGHzYjJe4MQ-AGZXUVEByx1sr71EBB9LTTG3_scjk7rZi_-HjFlg9JI5OiyNW-m7StUZ_pjK9WeXF8xZ-2J01hDFB8vRdOfZcei98SGzsSS1pfRAESlw4NfNgvoXW6i_5VGL2aFUrA4CINMelm8nm9Tr/s339/9j%20Cormorant%201%20angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="339" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJpbR3bbK2BDANgd3w7RqZqNqCMSgZuNEtExUKGHzYjJe4MQ-AGZXUVEByx1sr71EBB9LTTG3_scjk7rZi_-HjFlg9JI5OiyNW-m7StUZ_pjK9WeXF8xZ-2J01hDFB8vRdOfZcei98SGzsSS1pfRAESlw4NfNgvoXW6i_5VGL2aFUrA4CINMelm8nm9Tr/w320-h230/9j%20Cormorant%201%20angle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi912hBNGdkfT67kzcpNRsqtYHDxmk3iJcfC3vYIGkPvczS20sRfNsKYuJ1hkAMhHLJGGgtYjM63Z_QKPdnrNANpdZRwV-mg02eOcvyTFBmcv97W0WVPYC1V101jkPHHIsCNt68arMHbvkQdlbugvE1vEWiSHOWbiJt1xh7LDOmKC7RE9xJIbraYsu3HXul/s328/9k%20Sinensis%20Cormorant%20angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="328" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi912hBNGdkfT67kzcpNRsqtYHDxmk3iJcfC3vYIGkPvczS20sRfNsKYuJ1hkAMhHLJGGgtYjM63Z_QKPdnrNANpdZRwV-mg02eOcvyTFBmcv97W0WVPYC1V101jkPHHIsCNt68arMHbvkQdlbugvE1vEWiSHOWbiJt1xh7LDOmKC7RE9xJIbraYsu3HXul/w320-h256/9k%20Sinensis%20Cormorant%20angle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Despite their (slight) differences they were of a single mind.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckvO4C_Jf5Or4qV3O7BcQiTbmrpx-1M5pQMPrV5lNFuSCPwWIt-RItAoYjwdTcbRewwn-qfjxwc25jE8CgmNug2Nq9mBUVF6hRS8-VZH-18G-8ezdPEbMO4QkFtUQrcasT5mpbrAIDuzGD03QOr4Kj5MVkDalxTGJf5-3oc0suZBPuYqk6MWluiro9RW1/s1775/9m%20Two%20Cormorants%20wings%20out%20stretched.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1775" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckvO4C_Jf5Or4qV3O7BcQiTbmrpx-1M5pQMPrV5lNFuSCPwWIt-RItAoYjwdTcbRewwn-qfjxwc25jE8CgmNug2Nq9mBUVF6hRS8-VZH-18G-8ezdPEbMO4QkFtUQrcasT5mpbrAIDuzGD03QOr4Kj5MVkDalxTGJf5-3oc0suZBPuYqk6MWluiro9RW1/w640-h376/9m%20Two%20Cormorants%20wings%20out%20stretched.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>While enjoying the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorants</span></b> a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> flew in from a long way back down the pool, we just had to try to get a flight shot as long distance flying <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> aren't something you see every day, sadly we were unable to get both in frame together as they were a bit too far apart.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK02B3a8m9VxmZ9_5vKQu8LAD4EkydHfgweAP2CjyTaT5dGzCz4fnWZXIrm-F-IsQcfTeH1Ib1AJwveUoHpo5IVG31Up8YwIEjf0KXSGpilqN7tkd-fzAAnu6OFYftGz8LjN_LVyExNBZbAbQ1Il6qMUwv-MejuXyOt3_jwi94S6eoTWu-Cu8mh1FP3yM/s1261/9n%20Coot%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1261" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK02B3a8m9VxmZ9_5vKQu8LAD4EkydHfgweAP2CjyTaT5dGzCz4fnWZXIrm-F-IsQcfTeH1Ib1AJwveUoHpo5IVG31Up8YwIEjf0KXSGpilqN7tkd-fzAAnu6OFYftGz8LjN_LVyExNBZbAbQ1Il6qMUwv-MejuXyOt3_jwi94S6eoTWu-Cu8mh1FP3yM/w640-h424/9n%20Coot%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqugFhviRsJ-mD1WhHYS048PGwIFXNtBwsMC7Eb5JV44NHu8wExgRTC0TF_QO2q1Yzx29uhxf7nq8VYNd_IbzH1vZ3FDMNOmij3d7BKiwLq0ZI-VBfvdXy9Kxn8C5YUIKaWZ4uEpW1cW_qTtpg2EKXsaIirLFPX6xkHrsnNOY1q5OT1dmaigupI0X-tDL/s1271/9o%20Coot%20landing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="994" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqugFhviRsJ-mD1WhHYS048PGwIFXNtBwsMC7Eb5JV44NHu8wExgRTC0TF_QO2q1Yzx29uhxf7nq8VYNd_IbzH1vZ3FDMNOmij3d7BKiwLq0ZI-VBfvdXy9Kxn8C5YUIKaWZ4uEpW1cW_qTtpg2EKXsaIirLFPX6xkHrsnNOY1q5OT1dmaigupI0X-tDL/w500-h640/9o%20Coot%20landing.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPgepQ4KKNo8nInubQdw_cBgTXXDl7XlkWAG_jVrO3EG6CR5lTIlNkHDwHQ7Cp4Rbi2cZ5jt2021wxo5Xx-pyLNilRVngSihL5EyYnOwLL1e6rDrvYcrOa444kQgXXFdgyBuSybdzxL31SovqMbbFOKt41ajugjaFbC7KviuVuRIocL64rRpAqLsKFwyD/s1485/9p%20Coot%20touch%20down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1485" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPgepQ4KKNo8nInubQdw_cBgTXXDl7XlkWAG_jVrO3EG6CR5lTIlNkHDwHQ7Cp4Rbi2cZ5jt2021wxo5Xx-pyLNilRVngSihL5EyYnOwLL1e6rDrvYcrOa444kQgXXFdgyBuSybdzxL31SovqMbbFOKt41ajugjaFbC7KviuVuRIocL64rRpAqLsKFwyD/w640-h428/9p%20Coot%20touch%20down.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PExQufxSsAutJjqRPaRv8zZ9MlVoe0-q7voi5MXf6XooA089KKDkPKbgu3VZTULVP3_3sL3wD-uTDEMzHljD_2OkEIzHr9i3HRmubfneZiCx7Mf6VxWyJIO2KSqvhC1GL2glOqGAxKoNztd2ePSJtQ278hRB3FSQZNEh_uw-Il80GhSUJpg7l-VCx41B/s1753/9pa%20Coot%20touch%20down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1753" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PExQufxSsAutJjqRPaRv8zZ9MlVoe0-q7voi5MXf6XooA089KKDkPKbgu3VZTULVP3_3sL3wD-uTDEMzHljD_2OkEIzHr9i3HRmubfneZiCx7Mf6VxWyJIO2KSqvhC1GL2glOqGAxKoNztd2ePSJtQ278hRB3FSQZNEh_uw-Il80GhSUJpg7l-VCx41B/w640-h336/9pa%20Coot%20touch%20down.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were a lot of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> on the water and something unseen upset all those to our left which scurried and fluttered out into the middle of the lake, all apart from these 21 that decided terra firma might be a better bet. They couldn't have been too bothered by whatever it was cos their vigilance soon subsided into a mass preen-off.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nghXUsF2jtMx6YFBMDsmrV95CTyYTWMFS2CYEy2uhyphenhypheno_m7bm77F6v1V-o68TMOkKmqcl2inTxPsf9xtxb4gLPtRBj7HlMCht7bp58yKcFhQFsNE-SKpHcVV8PhHTJk2klhChYkPS9pFlcaccwZ3Ato_OUZzj3uLv8K9SqtI6gKLQ-9Rdjme8raAobM7Y/s2085/9q%20Coot%20island%20huddle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="2085" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nghXUsF2jtMx6YFBMDsmrV95CTyYTWMFS2CYEy2uhyphenhypheno_m7bm77F6v1V-o68TMOkKmqcl2inTxPsf9xtxb4gLPtRBj7HlMCht7bp58yKcFhQFsNE-SKpHcVV8PhHTJk2klhChYkPS9pFlcaccwZ3Ato_OUZzj3uLv8K9SqtI6gKLQ-9Rdjme8raAobM7Y/w640-h308/9q%20Coot%20island%20huddle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As well as a lot of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> there was also a lot of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b> but the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b> from last time out were now long gone. With not an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> to be seen it was time for us to be long gone too...off to Lower Hide. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The walk through the woods was a quiet as it invariably is these days and the view from the hide window wasn't that inspiring either. News from the birders already there was more or less that there was no news! The pool was empty and had been for some time. Still we sat it out for a good while until a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier </span></b>started to patrol the reedbeds on the far side. It put up several small gruops of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> which coalesced into a larger 'whisp'. Our maximum count was about three dozen but by the time they'd come within range of our lens some had peeled away leaving these 26 to do a couple of laps of the pool before settling out of sight on the far bank.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQjHaHUpLhKA1_tZa6icyF8X2gqJ4hx0r8buIUGaJo5bQX4dmU6bx4YlpNXwJgnX890jFESVDWKAEHXyETqbCjVdbatBFG603AAjrJ2NRxieJ7yuwfyuKUnicPVSE2tiP6YN44n0EqZQaAsSRDdnw1dSxeTyU2rcGqmKlocShLaQ7Gbe4GAzSbcqEsVw9/s1983/9ra%2026%20Snipe%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="1983" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQjHaHUpLhKA1_tZa6icyF8X2gqJ4hx0r8buIUGaJo5bQX4dmU6bx4YlpNXwJgnX890jFESVDWKAEHXyETqbCjVdbatBFG603AAjrJ2NRxieJ7yuwfyuKUnicPVSE2tiP6YN44n0EqZQaAsSRDdnw1dSxeTyU2rcGqmKlocShLaQ7Gbe4GAzSbcqEsVw9/w640-h402/9ra%2026%20Snipe%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXpaVIPQcoDCTtqymhWJBhMPFLzP2QRuIKNeQB0NKLwWf4314e0sH5phq7g6Wj9bTL5lDjNpyZnba3PYjLCatoFFFy3FiQ6kn7DRDqy7YWFH8Y46_MEZ3ni21Ofjnfx-URw6Uz6JjxCiU4eNR2sFHFol5Xv77gZAfDMsy6Ip6r1_YyJafqnK-RKjh9Msw/s1860/9r%2026%20Snipe%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1860" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXpaVIPQcoDCTtqymhWJBhMPFLzP2QRuIKNeQB0NKLwWf4314e0sH5phq7g6Wj9bTL5lDjNpyZnba3PYjLCatoFFFy3FiQ6kn7DRDqy7YWFH8Y46_MEZ3ni21Ofjnfx-URw6Uz6JjxCiU4eNR2sFHFol5Xv77gZAfDMsy6Ip6r1_YyJafqnK-RKjh9Msw/w640-h420/9r%2026%20Snipe%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>With no sign of any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b> and precious little else the decision was made to retrace our steps back past both sets of grit trays. There was no action at the Causeway grit trays so we pressed on. Close to the Visitor centre there's a small orchard and here we found a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fieldfares</span></b>, along with a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Magpie</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbirds</span></b> all enjoying the remaining apples.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4QK0gbMOQ-BJa4Ica6YhyClK4qhZ_tl9gr5gHsfr1bO1e6h5lD5YFQVQWnpguPtWzdNAzfHsquhzPGZBU6e1tdqIyTnKEM6fnN_bl6BIIJYlIbQuo4eG81FVCVxAn5KIo9T454kX7ZnbIs9rKpU51RQM3yP9mwSCBGzxV2O7j8vY-SapWomv5rg5sCp3/s1430/9s%20Fieldfare%20in%20apple%20tre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1430" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4QK0gbMOQ-BJa4Ica6YhyClK4qhZ_tl9gr5gHsfr1bO1e6h5lD5YFQVQWnpguPtWzdNAzfHsquhzPGZBU6e1tdqIyTnKEM6fnN_bl6BIIJYlIbQuo4eG81FVCVxAn5KIo9T454kX7ZnbIs9rKpU51RQM3yP9mwSCBGzxV2O7j8vY-SapWomv5rg5sCp3/w640-h480/9s%20Fieldfare%20in%20apple%20tre.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Always good to see and another one for our International Photo Challenge, one we somehow missed during the first winter period this year.<br />We pushed on and it was past Lillians Hide where we had the best sighting of the day, at least we should say that CR and IH had the best sighting of the day as we totally missed it - a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Water Shrew</span></b> ran across the path a few yards in front of us. Not a species you get to see very often so we were a bit gutted to have been looking the wrong way at that precise moment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was yet more inactivity at the grit trays, not overly surprising at it was now getting late in the afternoon and we're well past 'peak grit tray season'. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the hide it was still quiet, no-one had seen hide nor hair of any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> all day, again it's that time of year after the 'rut' when they just melt away into the reedbeds and nearby woods and become much more secretive. However our hybrid friend hadn't moved far from this morning's visit and was now in much better light even though it was much darker now.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-K69GsNsork7ep1DgWhB9NRnJGPCyNVU2HJq5cUvjrr9fq5bnDn74_3opTgr5I-lcWMbDRhnOBDlumR0KtbeeGLaGx-a1Hct5WEwjrmuEGbYKISwkJhjXZPySeejhLpx0LrA6Kcq8_Ggfl73wCpkpujTGLL-u48MqaB6imE0PCqlBfnZEkIV4h3nswtL/s1565/9t%20Cinnamon%20teal%20on%20mound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1565" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-K69GsNsork7ep1DgWhB9NRnJGPCyNVU2HJq5cUvjrr9fq5bnDn74_3opTgr5I-lcWMbDRhnOBDlumR0KtbeeGLaGx-a1Hct5WEwjrmuEGbYKISwkJhjXZPySeejhLpx0LrA6Kcq8_Ggfl73wCpkpujTGLL-u48MqaB6imE0PCqlBfnZEkIV4h3nswtL/w640-h438/9t%20Cinnamon%20teal%20on%20mound.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>For a few short minutes it looked like he might have a little paddle about but no - he went back to sleep again.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fS5me-J39e6JEC-0RXfjZ2-V0M_ZkQvl7rcaL1sHPx6cR_Gb91D56TxwDCHu1ld4vRY7u-UjEWqPecTd4nJZIA1gV7T1_C4RDfdAkYrPDMSUCdx0KDAYwCAOsvz9JdkCj6KsSb2KMj6_Gn7G-YmGSlyWs11pSauqUN6KvqtoOBJPvBvclZIZxlANxZdv/s1042/9ta%20Cinnamon%20teal%20on%20mound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="976" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fS5me-J39e6JEC-0RXfjZ2-V0M_ZkQvl7rcaL1sHPx6cR_Gb91D56TxwDCHu1ld4vRY7u-UjEWqPecTd4nJZIA1gV7T1_C4RDfdAkYrPDMSUCdx0KDAYwCAOsvz9JdkCj6KsSb2KMj6_Gn7G-YmGSlyWs11pSauqUN6KvqtoOBJPvBvclZIZxlANxZdv/w600-h640/9ta%20Cinnamon%20teal%20on%20mound.jpg" width="600" /></a></div>And that left just a lone drake <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> to point the camera at. We're not complaining they are a most beautiful animal, in our Top 3 bonny ducks league after <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-peEkN-doRqANtNi0Z6X9ALLM_21SFvXmIo1EyQX038BsSWvAf2MTF6snx-2Tz0T3Niypns0rlUE96oXJP1aZ7-Cl1NT2c9R5p3HFpn788kkD2ofVc3JbHCyghgSUx071vym0I43v8fBwhISKAjN6_K8J7qF77xxHHUOVH42IjA-P3hdC9vjEWsFuVcWV/s1697/9u%20Drake%20Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1697" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-peEkN-doRqANtNi0Z6X9ALLM_21SFvXmIo1EyQX038BsSWvAf2MTF6snx-2Tz0T3Niypns0rlUE96oXJP1aZ7-Cl1NT2c9R5p3HFpn788kkD2ofVc3JbHCyghgSUx071vym0I43v8fBwhISKAjN6_K8J7qF77xxHHUOVH42IjA-P3hdC9vjEWsFuVcWV/w640-h336/9u%20Drake%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>With time pressing on and the light fading fast, not to mention the chance of horrendous traffic on the way back to Base Camp it was time to leave. Another grand day out on safari at leighton Moss came to an end. Did we hit the horrendous traffic? Unfortuantely yes.<br /></p><p><b>Where to next?</b> Family stuff might have to take precident for a few days but you can rest assured we'll be out in our outback looking at the wonderful wildlife as often as we can, with camera in hand on occasion too.</p><p>In the meantime let us know who's sporting the best beards in your outback.<br /><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-332692078114173962023-11-08T09:33:00.001+00:002023-11-08T09:33:19.704+00:00A fine finish at Leighton Moss<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari and CR </b>headed up the motorway to leighton Moss again after deciding there was probably going to be more of interest there than at Martin Mere WWT, the lure of the possiblility of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer, Otters</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b> was greater than the possiblility of water levels being too high and still not fully out of eclipse waterfowl. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">On arrival our first destination was the grit trays along the path to the Grizedale Hide. As ever there was aposse of birders standing there, obviously waiting as no bins nor cameras were raised in the direction of the reedbed. "You should have been here ten minutes ago" was the answer to our inevitable question "Have they been showing?" With no sounds of 'pinging' coming from the reedbed we walked staright on to the hide. The sun was out and the glare was bad to our right, which unfortunately is exactly where all the birds were. And there weren't that many of them, just a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal, Shoveler</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b>. We tried to get an arty silhoutte shot of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> without quite nailing the effect we wanted.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgg1_2EPn0KY3ozHYvSPiwzYUN0KQMWGle5HTAR76GO1zqkfs7YMMn0oWWck1EiTEvEUEDyINJW7q0LYcqDKEc2ebtC_fhzdVYOlPXhcMKg0o3o9bZQsAfNTI49M8G-WIoKNB47HnADpgEumBhrLSwt-ppJ7bRo-JMMyaMde6sGtWWdlChGpCnNAm-HP-/s1056/a%20Pintail%20silhoutte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1056" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgg1_2EPn0KY3ozHYvSPiwzYUN0KQMWGle5HTAR76GO1zqkfs7YMMn0oWWck1EiTEvEUEDyINJW7q0LYcqDKEc2ebtC_fhzdVYOlPXhcMKg0o3o9bZQsAfNTI49M8G-WIoKNB47HnADpgEumBhrLSwt-ppJ7bRo-JMMyaMde6sGtWWdlChGpCnNAm-HP-/w640-h566/a%20Pintail%20silhoutte.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The area of cut reeds to our left was perfectly illuminated in lovely autumn morning sunshine but there wasn't a bird to be seen! All our options now exhausted we didn't hang around too long and soon walked back along the trail past the grit trays to the shaking of heads - still no sign. We took the left hand turn to Tim Jackson Hide where again there was preecious little on view, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b> with a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b> and all distant, we only gave it a few minutes before retracing our steps to the main path. At the junction there is a fallen log covered in mosses and ferns.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVu24x4B5IcM4uCIipnFlDNy-jelaV5mPyABRzPHrCaBeCUbPf0MhHbzW3E4Hb14xWbhzfNvu3bPWm0UreBbVuljmSWNShrXASkGy6oyV7SLe1xuCwBUQPrllegovPrE2Vd2BsM85Imh931BN179XAmDnnUJbT6-w5vWn03JCGdWZQCkvcWgXtSPCitJb/s1237/b%20Temperate%20rainforest%20fallen%20log.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1126" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVu24x4B5IcM4uCIipnFlDNy-jelaV5mPyABRzPHrCaBeCUbPf0MhHbzW3E4Hb14xWbhzfNvu3bPWm0UreBbVuljmSWNShrXASkGy6oyV7SLe1xuCwBUQPrllegovPrE2Vd2BsM85Imh931BN179XAmDnnUJbT6-w5vWn03JCGdWZQCkvcWgXtSPCitJb/w582-h640/b%20Temperate%20rainforest%20fallen%20log.jpg" width="582" /></a></div>A reminder that we are in an/the area of <b>Atlantic Temperate Rainforest</b> where trees and shrubs with any age to them should be bedecked with ferns, mosses, liverworts and other epiphytes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SUL9FvYaEPYhouWXoGkvyORLDZO0w32LFOtlg5JLoO3lVqTz6ZTOlBNn6hUD5C6aFtyyHZ03ChG1mODJEzklFxLUgY2DRJiKmiK9y_65gTE77ejICIodRYcbC56kGKPRscflUYPlSoF1U7AsDp9G04UGwYWJEA8u4BcawDFqTcb3yYVEAXChITayS7tD/s1800/c%20%20Temperate%20rainforest%20fallen%20log%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SUL9FvYaEPYhouWXoGkvyORLDZO0w32LFOtlg5JLoO3lVqTz6ZTOlBNn6hUD5C6aFtyyHZ03ChG1mODJEzklFxLUgY2DRJiKmiK9y_65gTE77ejICIodRYcbC56kGKPRscflUYPlSoF1U7AsDp9G04UGwYWJEA8u4BcawDFqTcb3yYVEAXChITayS7tD/w640-h426/c%20%20Temperate%20rainforest%20fallen%20log%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Out of the shade and into the sunshine the temperature soared and minutes after CR remarked dragonflies should be emerging this male <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darter</span></b> flew across the path and landed a few feet in front of us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGK8MLnkUEAO6jMo0d9xQ543YR7KgFtipO5GbBkULSlbe8BW4OrnprB2QZB9tyIhj1JHE3UIe_EUtrN3Vs2tNfx4LoGA3TS7uFymh8p1PgQm0b4lGucf0cuYcUyGx2WpJ3WP6X6Bj9tLFiy_Zqag5Add_ojFwHxP6azvixbLQ9ae0kpPtfLIHT7mTFIvez/s1299/d%20Common%20darter%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1299" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGK8MLnkUEAO6jMo0d9xQ543YR7KgFtipO5GbBkULSlbe8BW4OrnprB2QZB9tyIhj1JHE3UIe_EUtrN3Vs2tNfx4LoGA3TS7uFymh8p1PgQm0b4lGucf0cuYcUyGx2WpJ3WP6X6Bj9tLFiy_Zqag5Add_ojFwHxP6azvixbLQ9ae0kpPtfLIHT7mTFIvez/w640-h524/d%20Common%20darter%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>With the current weather forecasts showing no sign of any frost they'll be still on the wing at Christmas! It was just after we'd had our fill of the dragonfly and had walked on a bit that we heard the distinctive pinging of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> coming from deep in the reeds to our left. Obviously we didn't know it at the time but this was the nearest we were going to get to them today. <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Approaching Lillians Hide we saw a couple staring intently at the tops of the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alder</span></b> trees right outside the door..."A few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b> and some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldfinches</span></b>" the informed us as we walked up. Holding the camera anything like still while pointing it just about vertically was a challenge - we really do need or (or better) muscles! But we did have some success although they weren't for posing properly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2WcTmm5uxYZx-ZI-r4SYty55HkH0AteOsULduJvroO-GIhVo498h3f95xHc269Ffcl663u_2ZuXnVtIXRMJullwOrXSuuwI_r43KxkXW62xre1cfaKkILGJxROGzI65YgjtykTFMvIi3rYO68lqxnEZGa5ylJX2rcaWXQcmlepOXzsFrUAlWTzQ3TRdQ/s903/e%20Siskin%20upside%20down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="903" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2WcTmm5uxYZx-ZI-r4SYty55HkH0AteOsULduJvroO-GIhVo498h3f95xHc269Ffcl663u_2ZuXnVtIXRMJullwOrXSuuwI_r43KxkXW62xre1cfaKkILGJxROGzI65YgjtykTFMvIi3rYO68lqxnEZGa5ylJX2rcaWXQcmlepOXzsFrUAlWTzQ3TRdQ/w640-h560/e%20Siskin%20upside%20down.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVXICF8glIohxh20gAUrH9YDXpkM31xeYjxHu9YJpluFOlScp2IgN4v6E6txxOWL1J_IuFGiIERJ47oyydzN4cjetRPGqAMcdekeA_owdxkVi7RNXrQhTrFu7p4hhzAFkaYqjVPeHXhmKsQNd0is4bjszpolgWQIETzAhO6C-QJgJIJWbEEbdIWPqGhsf/s1812/e%20Siskin%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1812" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVXICF8glIohxh20gAUrH9YDXpkM31xeYjxHu9YJpluFOlScp2IgN4v6E6txxOWL1J_IuFGiIERJ47oyydzN4cjetRPGqAMcdekeA_owdxkVi7RNXrQhTrFu7p4hhzAFkaYqjVPeHXhmKsQNd0is4bjszpolgWQIETzAhO6C-QJgJIJWbEEbdIWPqGhsf/w640-h338/e%20Siskin%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We got a couple of better ones too which brought up our target of 175 species of bird photographed this year for our International Bird Photo Challenge...Job done and still a handful more to get if the gods allow.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbshtCRRW7aVlg2Gcwg_ADrJoFz7UhvdoiufygMGBX6HH6IBWH7sgJyLTzSsIoGwkPo1GcmqiY2O48Fer9fIda6KhwBf7IIFUJEqViBKoUC2VJgawPR08ugGnzf4VfjlCFJuPkSTo27VULl-fCne5dWqfsa4rnmS0Wg9MusyySW3LaXzcgeDg8iulCThg/s949/e%20Siskin%20with%20falling%20seed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="877" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbshtCRRW7aVlg2Gcwg_ADrJoFz7UhvdoiufygMGBX6HH6IBWH7sgJyLTzSsIoGwkPo1GcmqiY2O48Fer9fIda6KhwBf7IIFUJEqViBKoUC2VJgawPR08ugGnzf4VfjlCFJuPkSTo27VULl-fCne5dWqfsa4rnmS0Wg9MusyySW3LaXzcgeDg8iulCThg/w592-h640/e%20Siskin%20with%20falling%20seed.jpg" width="592" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IJ0axp0Bl0DaoMMFvrCNHmlLDl6_6efSkZABF7DdBBkxt6MITW3ahiWvZQuz8DHCp66lKalbHGQ-2VacKxk3kunvmsRD-jzItl4edkOjqoay4OtOISt0-m3TldJ5utu1tudp4DYJCAY_iQQH-Y1_1JokmdTCyPh2CO6a8iUG6gq3QvbGwpSuIJ5cVDi9/s1013/e%20Siskin%20without%20falling%20seed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="964" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8IJ0axp0Bl0DaoMMFvrCNHmlLDl6_6efSkZABF7DdBBkxt6MITW3ahiWvZQuz8DHCp66lKalbHGQ-2VacKxk3kunvmsRD-jzItl4edkOjqoay4OtOISt0-m3TldJ5utu1tudp4DYJCAY_iQQH-Y1_1JokmdTCyPh2CO6a8iUG6gq3QvbGwpSuIJ5cVDi9/w610-h640/e%20Siskin%20without%20falling%20seed.jpg" width="610" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHBWtgUSjz8Nb9rZxrM4pn63I6CoIHkiCzqvJcVH3Jnu9PpNtJVa8IOmvBPZk5ERCVtnI9xDi8FLTU3YazY_Bo6yIQBWfACky8Gbuy0RX7hHYe0vL2qNHWsUO1CIVWEE258tMriV32UJ5iAYBCHeELqvju5tffzOVNtJdEmTAEjPnD8zke-OYRU2dx6hA/s1098/e%20Siskin%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1016" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHBWtgUSjz8Nb9rZxrM4pn63I6CoIHkiCzqvJcVH3Jnu9PpNtJVa8IOmvBPZk5ERCVtnI9xDi8FLTU3YazY_Bo6yIQBWfACky8Gbuy0RX7hHYe0vL2qNHWsUO1CIVWEE258tMriV32UJ5iAYBCHeELqvju5tffzOVNtJdEmTAEjPnD8zke-OYRU2dx6hA/w592-h640/e%20Siskin%202.jpg" width="592" /></a></div>From the hide we had some great views of a male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> which came at lot closer than they usually do for us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4WAuhr-yp37vcAljT_eW-6XLmBdgyQNCFV25Mp2fTRt4QQ9mFqwmu4u16v3aeXeEdvAi4EPwH31jAfNv0QCCvD4t_A5JqucD7WWlNag5sO9uKwcyMzK7zFDQrbgzMK0aK03KA5oYt9hy6GmRYEGNVO3hLMusNNPHtClyr_ADEdpLQJvCrV9I9SMQXONf/s1298/f%202%20Marsh%20harrier%20male%20diving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1298" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4WAuhr-yp37vcAljT_eW-6XLmBdgyQNCFV25Mp2fTRt4QQ9mFqwmu4u16v3aeXeEdvAi4EPwH31jAfNv0QCCvD4t_A5JqucD7WWlNag5sO9uKwcyMzK7zFDQrbgzMK0aK03KA5oYt9hy6GmRYEGNVO3hLMusNNPHtClyr_ADEdpLQJvCrV9I9SMQXONf/w640-h574/f%202%20Marsh%20harrier%20male%20diving.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Vu1Ftg2R-6q7eAgfe__N0CZoPBpCZ25AQen1jP9c4dgwqwxvld9uJVpqsB-qQxNx8xDnXLaxDicjHEDITIHGtFPyJhvMFr_RTIrNwCh8eFWJixIVp6zvQc7R-cuQhkAcuUUKQRzzWQ6TdAIb6-2Bo6fmLvkDcWfkG3MHfg5myZHAxJneNjoNgK9I1T1-/s1322/f%201%20Marsh%20harrier%20male%20banking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="1322" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Vu1Ftg2R-6q7eAgfe__N0CZoPBpCZ25AQen1jP9c4dgwqwxvld9uJVpqsB-qQxNx8xDnXLaxDicjHEDITIHGtFPyJhvMFr_RTIrNwCh8eFWJixIVp6zvQc7R-cuQhkAcuUUKQRzzWQ6TdAIb6-2Bo6fmLvkDcWfkG3MHfg5myZHAxJneNjoNgK9I1T1-/w640-h628/f%201%20Marsh%20harrier%20male%20banking.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The best (and closest) bird on the lake was this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gull</span></b>, all the waterfowl being fairly distant today.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-wNkjB92xNTZc0iFWLf-ymT_qfOfpjPCcSCFjWHqh5Oy9y5RqnMs71iKs4iHnlUDWeC6Vwk_HxmYCqfTGg-UCCZEFJTDAmhpeAc8bdSoYOLqQH0t-F4Q0X5OC2xhISlrlD0L8cvVJ0DQ5jbabU8Tjea6-q4CGIeNgQ4T6OG_OP4cXlLQ0rNOiir0MUs7/s1683/g%20Black%20headed%20gull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1683" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-wNkjB92xNTZc0iFWLf-ymT_qfOfpjPCcSCFjWHqh5Oy9y5RqnMs71iKs4iHnlUDWeC6Vwk_HxmYCqfTGg-UCCZEFJTDAmhpeAc8bdSoYOLqQH0t-F4Q0X5OC2xhISlrlD0L8cvVJ0DQ5jbabU8Tjea6-q4CGIeNgQ4T6OG_OP4cXlLQ0rNOiir0MUs7/w640-h402/g%20Black%20headed%20gull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We found the female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b> for the others in the hide, several of whome didn't realise it was here. It was too far away to warrant pointing the camera though as we'd seen (possibly) the same bird and got photos here last March. While we watched for more harrier action or maybe a passing <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> some of the waterflowl ventured a little closer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDT2MMCUn43iJ9n_N4S-0jaMLTeQxygPsuRE0yrPA3IJScSy_gPrgHytQr94VsXKrahiu0q9fFEnOGnvSx8lHWLID88riuF8wOPCAgLqPYKpA6QdsTrjEk4tHX3x1m6ZuKRVRTJrDDb5h434OQoDXpB09iO_nmhGofP886kgKc6iGKnxOtd3LwukEp8f2/s1247/i%201%20Pintail%20sailing%20towards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1158" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDT2MMCUn43iJ9n_N4S-0jaMLTeQxygPsuRE0yrPA3IJScSy_gPrgHytQr94VsXKrahiu0q9fFEnOGnvSx8lHWLID88riuF8wOPCAgLqPYKpA6QdsTrjEk4tHX3x1m6ZuKRVRTJrDDb5h434OQoDXpB09iO_nmhGofP886kgKc6iGKnxOtd3LwukEp8f2/w594-h640/i%201%20Pintail%20sailing%20towards.jpg" width="594" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidT15DzG6fc1RQYOJ0x8I412yHPu8iU45KjHq8qsUdwsl8hdZGcY8Jxyi7_f4I1DkV5gr2vgpTe0yWybCTlyglf_-H_jeBqcSFamiZNbPtIP3UY91_kB3_Zr8wqGRyNWVPgNT9E0GdLTsIdZHnmHOElai-Ml8dovK2MntGgzff-GqumyMwCxttTx6zPbt/s1407/h%201%20Shoveler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1407" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidT15DzG6fc1RQYOJ0x8I412yHPu8iU45KjHq8qsUdwsl8hdZGcY8Jxyi7_f4I1DkV5gr2vgpTe0yWybCTlyglf_-H_jeBqcSFamiZNbPtIP3UY91_kB3_Zr8wqGRyNWVPgNT9E0GdLTsIdZHnmHOElai-Ml8dovK2MntGgzff-GqumyMwCxttTx6zPbt/w640-h442/h%201%20Shoveler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was now getting towards butty time so we moved on aiming for the Causeway Hide to have our lunch. We were interupted in our journey by these fungi along the boardwalk. We're useless at fungi so can't tell you what they are.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNXkBL0SH7IxcgWwb7jQGv4VQVjo4Mrtc-1kadcGLaITtUnZ-7S48YJvU9pm7RlOS_vegL0pEJWJHX9weNg0wfXComdUdSCTp1Asxlb0QFhC3uDDPgLrNUj4PMc0r2TNjW_Aft8FK63tKTLqMYKWXmrT-uS679TzPdw3v9So8mZ7VjQtfEQdfzr6saY-3/s1479/j%20Mushrooms%20on%20a%20fallen%20log.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1479" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNXkBL0SH7IxcgWwb7jQGv4VQVjo4Mrtc-1kadcGLaITtUnZ-7S48YJvU9pm7RlOS_vegL0pEJWJHX9weNg0wfXComdUdSCTp1Asxlb0QFhC3uDDPgLrNUj4PMc0r2TNjW_Aft8FK63tKTLqMYKWXmrT-uS679TzPdw3v9So8mZ7VjQtfEQdfzr6saY-3/w640-h522/j%20Mushrooms%20on%20a%20fallen%20log.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Interestingly today the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> were noticable by their silence, we expected them to be quite vocal in the sunshine as they had been the previous week. Of course we stopped at the grit trays but word on the street was there had been no sight nor sound of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> since early morning. While we chatted this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tit</span></b> appeared and flew down to the ground picking tiny morsels up. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2II5-E5Jf1a5vRqMBPg47ALxjYaXS2r9X8XQ4RcmSbJKF0qHSKKUkvQKRvydHgRHOqwZ_2SByh1BNoTT764K3DSom0SrMO8Of8XPh2rP7aC8CHK_BDk50PXDnhf2SqivAk-NsRys9nXLsKj9mB2V3J8_4qiQ3jQ9VZnV8vC2cRkNKAn_uXRfcQZCxB3L/s1035/l%202%20Coal%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1035" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2II5-E5Jf1a5vRqMBPg47ALxjYaXS2r9X8XQ4RcmSbJKF0qHSKKUkvQKRvydHgRHOqwZ_2SByh1BNoTT764K3DSom0SrMO8Of8XPh2rP7aC8CHK_BDk50PXDnhf2SqivAk-NsRys9nXLsKj9mB2V3J8_4qiQ3jQ9VZnV8vC2cRkNKAn_uXRfcQZCxB3L/w640-h578/l%202%20Coal%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2t7Mu-w1MnWHo4XQ0PO_4otMvXv0zqfTaJR6f_XD4t_11cM9ssBh_1EzYqMuJIl5nzuyHYUwG1rCZJHJUcKTlAN5ML6IojG9Kr4Don49GhX2SMnY5SE_p2zqr84SxahbmFzFBAEh5xTV7ao1D_Ppz0v_DfIyLMUof9-JJid6sZR6Dpazjw5XajLNU1Bu/s1079/l%201%20Coal%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1079" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2t7Mu-w1MnWHo4XQ0PO_4otMvXv0zqfTaJR6f_XD4t_11cM9ssBh_1EzYqMuJIl5nzuyHYUwG1rCZJHJUcKTlAN5ML6IojG9Kr4Don49GhX2SMnY5SE_p2zqr84SxahbmFzFBAEh5xTV7ao1D_Ppz0v_DfIyLMUof9-JJid6sZR6Dpazjw5XajLNU1Bu/w640-h436/l%201%20Coal%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We had a look on the floor but couldn't see anything that might be of interest to a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tit</span></b>, perhaps some naughty person had left some food - which is against the site rules now - and it had all been eaten. While watching the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tit</span></b> we were sure we could hear <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b> close by and turning round we just caught a flock dispeearing behind the treetops. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOjhQN8lGv_mdOBACOEvoloSUPBOkAaUU_2Zz19VL-JT6iJMkRZLot_MduFsCzel3qa2CgLQJdkkT5OGMv7BY_8HaYduUF9wMYjn-Z8GT9LXcimEstRCRvwNmctvLJNuDWBfUCYJZD9cTqIpSReYwUjHQeMomSgd93KPslUvNF6kprT_cpV_v6U_QDg5B/s1762/k%201%20Whooper%20swan%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1762" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOjhQN8lGv_mdOBACOEvoloSUPBOkAaUU_2Zz19VL-JT6iJMkRZLot_MduFsCzel3qa2CgLQJdkkT5OGMv7BY_8HaYduUF9wMYjn-Z8GT9LXcimEstRCRvwNmctvLJNuDWBfUCYJZD9cTqIpSReYwUjHQeMomSgd93KPslUvNF6kprT_cpV_v6U_QDg5B/w640-h330/k%201%20Whooper%20swan%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Now our butties were getting heavy in our bags so off to the hide it was for a good old chomp. Along the wat the Causeway ahead of us looked spectacular.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5zgs5RnsUOlsQgHi5bHNjVUf4b64kjzG9eBIW3VunflpPF2nRQnHZSfhwBR5M3MOHP8iPWbSYcPEv3VNEVbd77cPdzAjJD74qTAyDSAjd-8YotcrM0f12sIilOxAisML4IZeu718zdxSDOQcV0yTrQ28hfPba0277MWLLycNk-3Q_oixlyUny5HbHZlr/s1361/m%20Birders%20on%20The%20Causeway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1361" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5zgs5RnsUOlsQgHi5bHNjVUf4b64kjzG9eBIW3VunflpPF2nRQnHZSfhwBR5M3MOHP8iPWbSYcPEv3VNEVbd77cPdzAjJD74qTAyDSAjd-8YotcrM0f12sIilOxAisML4IZeu718zdxSDOQcV0yTrQ28hfPba0277MWLLycNk-3Q_oixlyUny5HbHZlr/w640-h564/m%20Birders%20on%20The%20Causeway.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Looking through the screen beside the hide door before we entered there was a Heron having a good old preen.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKeS-goduDBCFt3QnzQLeLWpQgqtMTIfxZA1MIFcrhUKexibxfUxhxTIzX-itiLeeCP7RGNCZzKt3gxUguKMmSczeM5RVu-i-uD5S-uZUNjxPPGZIxarPfh3OmwatyLZn8gZhemoQEjW6pcjqlK_Ocs6h4Sp5xEKnk6me9HGh03ywRlfsELFTMHFq5E1s/s1390/n%20Heron%20preening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="1340" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKeS-goduDBCFt3QnzQLeLWpQgqtMTIfxZA1MIFcrhUKexibxfUxhxTIzX-itiLeeCP7RGNCZzKt3gxUguKMmSczeM5RVu-i-uD5S-uZUNjxPPGZIxarPfh3OmwatyLZn8gZhemoQEjW6pcjqlK_Ocs6h4Sp5xEKnk6me9HGh03ywRlfsELFTMHFq5E1s/w616-h640/n%20Heron%20preening.jpg" width="616" /></a></div>Once sat down on a bench in the hide our gags were ransacked and butties eagerly devoured. Just like last week a paitr of <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Migrant Hawker</span></b> dragonflies flew past in tandem. Out on the water 'sound of the day' was provided by the quiet conversational honks of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b>, it's a really peaceful and soothing sound. In all we counted eight <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b>, not bad for here as we've rarely seen them grace this reserve in all the years we've been coming here.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lKmWIFZ-ed87fP0ZcAmCv4tbQXnd8vSNK-6YeOceZQc7g6A0m7Qf-tHyCJpkg-QbKmxgm2TTdVRaTwD1Lk1-bXrHJylRRsCZrvTLvKf2ogQ0VwhWG-bKHfIYdnJ3CawMscNYF5yDUGF-n4WNvwdK-a4oY6PMEP5AYbQLeOfopbwxWhjKkIi5eOWleKTS/s1849/p%20Whooper%20swans%20on%20island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1849" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lKmWIFZ-ed87fP0ZcAmCv4tbQXnd8vSNK-6YeOceZQc7g6A0m7Qf-tHyCJpkg-QbKmxgm2TTdVRaTwD1Lk1-bXrHJylRRsCZrvTLvKf2ogQ0VwhWG-bKHfIYdnJ3CawMscNYF5yDUGF-n4WNvwdK-a4oY6PMEP5AYbQLeOfopbwxWhjKkIi5eOWleKTS/w640-h300/p%20Whooper%20swans%20on%20island.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5a_IV6scRfLNa7Xuk_0mahxTsiFOpF3yW89mpiddAsA3EZBPNubKCjfPu-xwAyNbX0iC_HTcLc9prvT54z7-Ln2hKFH0jUQJ66hm0WSW6Brf0G6saduNNC9yMviiR0lPV4797YgmEgUGOBrpa_6ic-puF-Vz4Ta8QXzICxUNhl3i2r2HTCuEJkhyphenhyphenE170Q/s1514/p%20Three%20Whooper%20swans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1514" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5a_IV6scRfLNa7Xuk_0mahxTsiFOpF3yW89mpiddAsA3EZBPNubKCjfPu-xwAyNbX0iC_HTcLc9prvT54z7-Ln2hKFH0jUQJ66hm0WSW6Brf0G6saduNNC9yMviiR0lPV4797YgmEgUGOBrpa_6ic-puF-Vz4Ta8QXzICxUNhl3i2r2HTCuEJkhyphenhyphenE170Q/w640-h366/p%20Three%20Whooper%20swans.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was plenty to see here with lots of the waterfowl taking time out to have a wash and brush up like this female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsF8JneO69hshBJEb9ZbjbAePoK_OoR-LE7bG068VFl6-oR193y0U-R1LrucrLtzF3j0jWWJ0IJBz6vBfMEI3LJPeNgKY4HS1JHIfbn3ORx1zCHb0R2KK78wd4sHgStET7dwgCTgoKaxVGreY8FQkYe8OfMJGRRocPgukvNKomqZ6yZvhDUs-D5hWP23L/s1708/q%203%20Gadwall%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1708" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsF8JneO69hshBJEb9ZbjbAePoK_OoR-LE7bG068VFl6-oR193y0U-R1LrucrLtzF3j0jWWJ0IJBz6vBfMEI3LJPeNgKY4HS1JHIfbn3ORx1zCHb0R2KK78wd4sHgStET7dwgCTgoKaxVGreY8FQkYe8OfMJGRRocPgukvNKomqZ6yZvhDUs-D5hWP23L/w640-h352/q%203%20Gadwall%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0bg7dHCNovmi2WRexGuCHSXLTHGqHkiEx6UQS75rS4YupuuiqtIPv5CekxIit0vZ368kav7tWQu3mXwcPgJInURIzI77HedM_ojoPK1F2gmGyiYmGeV_UgmIS2_GoSk03RrdpM90UeA3SedJKKmobXM4_rdk3yrfVtNTRQxIfoZ03Upn4RIQ2CpZ59my/s1495/q%202%20Gadwall%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0bg7dHCNovmi2WRexGuCHSXLTHGqHkiEx6UQS75rS4YupuuiqtIPv5CekxIit0vZ368kav7tWQu3mXwcPgJInURIzI77HedM_ojoPK1F2gmGyiYmGeV_UgmIS2_GoSk03RrdpM90UeA3SedJKKmobXM4_rdk3yrfVtNTRQxIfoZ03Upn4RIQ2CpZ59my/w640-h400/q%202%20Gadwall%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdEdiLrpnXtV8BljuZRz1U80jOEwMvAgZl0o_D5Me7ql6hbit_wgBDg0sZlv9glLIMzwz3zn-Ddg3AXbPCzBTXn3KMx7VpDdf-0rH0Wa9p82-J3xEwEFmQtqrp5a9O2Q_Yd109aO9XNmvR4Do7E0SlttyK64_yK-cwCX6uXnH0w_BqpUA3V5hxurIh02j/s1409/q%201%20Gadwall%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1409" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdEdiLrpnXtV8BljuZRz1U80jOEwMvAgZl0o_D5Me7ql6hbit_wgBDg0sZlv9glLIMzwz3zn-Ddg3AXbPCzBTXn3KMx7VpDdf-0rH0Wa9p82-J3xEwEFmQtqrp5a9O2Q_Yd109aO9XNmvR4Do7E0SlttyK64_yK-cwCX6uXnH0w_BqpUA3V5hxurIh02j/w640-h456/q%201%20Gadwall%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And this <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coot</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWbUFTaSrLSDJ-yIIg1qHgFdTWcfOL-LYXNMBttOp_hL1l3PGSsB2wX3HktZKwIAPLFC-EJasORw1bBZKjk9fLQXeM42wJgr5V2w_eyHXw090BKdtRBs3CdQtVutk_qIGKibc9QZG69EsTl4QOnFbbTN7TGsIHMJVaDuwoBNEg3R7e3iLM-n0N-RYmXI8/s1290/r%203%20Coot%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1290" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWbUFTaSrLSDJ-yIIg1qHgFdTWcfOL-LYXNMBttOp_hL1l3PGSsB2wX3HktZKwIAPLFC-EJasORw1bBZKjk9fLQXeM42wJgr5V2w_eyHXw090BKdtRBs3CdQtVutk_qIGKibc9QZG69EsTl4QOnFbbTN7TGsIHMJVaDuwoBNEg3R7e3iLM-n0N-RYmXI8/w640-h506/r%203%20Coot%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFDn-J5aglx76CSm6ZDTsCQAu-UxrvAPxv6Io8ju-xM4yEDWvCUlBkaDjlulrj0yVz515W2l2WfMC4X-ltQRaKjqtl7fTKkmkyQjk9LlAsHPQLcFhIdJgOjpnsCdsvOD-q1Ch7QDsUf6vFx3FH8zPBCaMRrpd8xsHBau9iOi5XSPO7Gecz9C-0oi2a51L/s1737/r%202%20Coot%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1737" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFDn-J5aglx76CSm6ZDTsCQAu-UxrvAPxv6Io8ju-xM4yEDWvCUlBkaDjlulrj0yVz515W2l2WfMC4X-ltQRaKjqtl7fTKkmkyQjk9LlAsHPQLcFhIdJgOjpnsCdsvOD-q1Ch7QDsUf6vFx3FH8zPBCaMRrpd8xsHBau9iOi5XSPO7Gecz9C-0oi2a51L/w640-h372/r%202%20Coot%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUFQYm5CVvVfRemvtTjAZc9UXI3VkyIxsxl1pQXN1_ueNk1hDM-TU5r8UW_Oq_P7MvfrF8cdzUScXAFc8gH-H_xRxVZMrUxDa2iHIxBGFTazANUd-tYn_C3TfUXw3Fi8Flh5egdYuB_1P_1yIBo4c5n_edB4k3ZiMpFzOcTQEYRQJo58KdyaAHCoSsTkg/s1098/r%201%20Coot%20flapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1098" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUFQYm5CVvVfRemvtTjAZc9UXI3VkyIxsxl1pQXN1_ueNk1hDM-TU5r8UW_Oq_P7MvfrF8cdzUScXAFc8gH-H_xRxVZMrUxDa2iHIxBGFTazANUd-tYn_C3TfUXw3Fi8Flh5egdYuB_1P_1yIBo4c5n_edB4k3ZiMpFzOcTQEYRQJo58KdyaAHCoSsTkg/w640-h588/r%201%20Coot%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Butties munched and waterfowl enjoyed it was time to hit the trail again, this time continuing on to Lower Hide. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rule against putting food out at various points along the way has made the woodland walk a lot quieter, gone are the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robins</span></b> that mugged you for seed and gone are the fleeting smash n grab raids of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Tits</span></b>. We understand the fear of <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Avian Flu</span></b> getting a hold and of the birds becoming dependent on hand outs even though there's an abundance of natural food but it does seem the up close and personal interactions with the wildlife have suffered for it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyways at the hide we heard a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> at last, something had to break the silence. From the hide there were a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> roosting up close by but again it was a case of you should have been here ten minutes ago as the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b> (plural!) had been showing. Nothing for it but to sit and wait.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkneD33NI1nCXU5huiw9-mpQ7wwQcDaK-ovjh_xSAg7lIwSvQe-NMnol6R06533pnnObMjltUlMglji8Kya6MFzu_k3DnhE_iZVNaSstWhx-Q5wyvrkjVduqcZNyiECyY0qxUwBNsC8hNQbnRvM5UWgExWpbUMeQq3UudRYmehR9a_4j6sbNJJtavJTrb/s1444/s%201%20Drake%20Mallards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1444" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkneD33NI1nCXU5huiw9-mpQ7wwQcDaK-ovjh_xSAg7lIwSvQe-NMnol6R06533pnnObMjltUlMglji8Kya6MFzu_k3DnhE_iZVNaSstWhx-Q5wyvrkjVduqcZNyiECyY0qxUwBNsC8hNQbnRvM5UWgExWpbUMeQq3UudRYmehR9a_4j6sbNJJtavJTrb/w640-h390/s%201%20Drake%20Mallards.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROXv5yPQzVTRTINJuzfS7fYswJeKao5F0i3iPvFyKFaz9pDqmQKyXM8kS7nGVM_Ikw0PmVgYgDq5A8W2MolhXv4WUgxq-PGKVnEu8GOjMOBzgt5g9GO6TPf8CJBdJBjxjYorPwch1xRg_k5cU3G2MUuH1Uchn1fH33XN1qEZ5emwZZP7lIdNqnOBF1q_1/s1655/s%202%20Mallard%20heads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1655" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROXv5yPQzVTRTINJuzfS7fYswJeKao5F0i3iPvFyKFaz9pDqmQKyXM8kS7nGVM_Ikw0PmVgYgDq5A8W2MolhXv4WUgxq-PGKVnEu8GOjMOBzgt5g9GO6TPf8CJBdJBjxjYorPwch1xRg_k5cU3G2MUuH1Uchn1fH33XN1qEZ5emwZZP7lIdNqnOBF1q_1/w640-h306/s%202%20Mallard%20heads.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> pottered about<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjyyX68CPSuXkqBNyhbM-h5CtTF2ueGGHkQf0soIEQG10L0yktEYtTnViqtcL4kuGCqP7uKBLVEYW2C03QgN6LUNxxmr-o0K0iRJVqQPJKqktWcJeqJpowfirvNgF52WMEmUPdG18lUWGcfwIiMehu4onuZIHJ8ZgC0om72SWl2TjrPDcXLfmuijI6fYt/s1278/t%201%20Juvenile%20Moorhen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1278" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjyyX68CPSuXkqBNyhbM-h5CtTF2ueGGHkQf0soIEQG10L0yktEYtTnViqtcL4kuGCqP7uKBLVEYW2C03QgN6LUNxxmr-o0K0iRJVqQPJKqktWcJeqJpowfirvNgF52WMEmUPdG18lUWGcfwIiMehu4onuZIHJ8ZgC0om72SWl2TjrPDcXLfmuijI6fYt/w640-h476/t%201%20Juvenile%20Moorhen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And away in the distance a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> appeared flew over the far reedbed then circled and came in to land on a waterside tussock.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXLrgJnK2Ulz_QKGHHpKtqvGLNqBitgfmN-MJzH5Dt2fdczgUnPyNQeSg-Bzh7VHOawytatRWfMiUnQH-JZfOYfQjoRIW8tZ1UE593IvO8yBK0SPbvHbDD8YvHwUN9_gWThaxtGQJDB4eRDLut42j562gQOU_MEnRcTNMxORRQkSVAsSxHMh7-bThRycW/s1126/u%201%20Marsh%20Harrier%20landing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1113" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXLrgJnK2Ulz_QKGHHpKtqvGLNqBitgfmN-MJzH5Dt2fdczgUnPyNQeSg-Bzh7VHOawytatRWfMiUnQH-JZfOYfQjoRIW8tZ1UE593IvO8yBK0SPbvHbDD8YvHwUN9_gWThaxtGQJDB4eRDLut42j562gQOU_MEnRcTNMxORRQkSVAsSxHMh7-bThRycW/w632-h640/u%201%20Marsh%20Harrier%20landing.jpg" width="632" /></a></div>Where it sat for ages.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0LrZ_NX0YEd2_IpKYvdG1bscU2P2UKEhukgvAYOtbZ6fpEb1VXWiGuh8Wu2jTK42SItU7DDhHO6dhfpOQU5wA5x6GMJgo9gxpnPV96wmWyDVS1wK-gKNfC-Gt-Dyv5bQ8TNFjfFLEpGdVMJrPVLLQPicbe095AROkkB2rPGTgSKXvuPrde37-2Q-SoB7/s779/u%202%20Marsh%20Harrier%20sitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="593" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0LrZ_NX0YEd2_IpKYvdG1bscU2P2UKEhukgvAYOtbZ6fpEb1VXWiGuh8Wu2jTK42SItU7DDhHO6dhfpOQU5wA5x6GMJgo9gxpnPV96wmWyDVS1wK-gKNfC-Gt-Dyv5bQ8TNFjfFLEpGdVMJrPVLLQPicbe095AROkkB2rPGTgSKXvuPrde37-2Q-SoB7/w488-h640/u%202%20Marsh%20Harrier%20sitting.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>If it was the same one as last week it didn't follow the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> that appeared briefly in an attempt at <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b>-like fishing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhyphenhyphennDDZkRtWfKZJDZBmPFOxpQcAxl-4_5lGHMyEg6tDipCP3K1_ogTbWOW9pM4mlR3mGznxjRHNGLqtH9gUAS9U0SKNazZxFp-LtnYIAP9caB_aNJDtnUH543kywk-GUnICifrdw8SW3b_sfE1y0-r6eUao4qHLaWn84Er4rJ2IrefqSebtvm0-F6pTk4/s987/w%201%20Otter%20first%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhyphenhyphennDDZkRtWfKZJDZBmPFOxpQcAxl-4_5lGHMyEg6tDipCP3K1_ogTbWOW9pM4mlR3mGznxjRHNGLqtH9gUAS9U0SKNazZxFp-LtnYIAP9caB_aNJDtnUH543kywk-GUnICifrdw8SW3b_sfE1y0-r6eUao4qHLaWn84Er4rJ2IrefqSebtvm0-F6pTk4/w640-h320/w%201%20Otter%20first%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> didn't show well nor did it show for long it soon disappeared back in to the reeds...ah well more waiting...<br />In the meantime we watched the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> coninue its potterings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkK8sEXK8oohEnemKnQ6lUdKvrkKMjhVS249uVlSUSmfAZTf3G2MZWa2HS_OrZWxAM9Dqn5lApbJdzn4NFZerCiATBzymyEbFkAwhP2xITAjAFuBexyQSFTnTGynjL8TSneu5kqehK_JOUMmeYDWctZUDyS4EfRnhVMHk0I1w7eurbftKw30X8nKLFnOX/s1240/t%202%20Juvenile%20Moorhen%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1240" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkK8sEXK8oohEnemKnQ6lUdKvrkKMjhVS249uVlSUSmfAZTf3G2MZWa2HS_OrZWxAM9Dqn5lApbJdzn4NFZerCiATBzymyEbFkAwhP2xITAjAFuBexyQSFTnTGynjL8TSneu5kqehK_JOUMmeYDWctZUDyS4EfRnhVMHk0I1w7eurbftKw30X8nKLFnOX/w640-h460/t%202%20Juvenile%20Moorhen%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>and when something unseen flushed all the roosting ducks we saw there were far more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> than we'd first imagined. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb8WIaO4QWBzkrGqxTJ-vulYpts3fuQ7AiY8vB2juyElRKGdq1lOSXxUAIcrbln8YRZDKl5GgoUC27MHw-GTy2dzO17K5xkOjCiXdXNYX-d0IhVG55mAU58GYsCT-fcQOts-ViET-ek5OGbrph4tm3G5fVq-4lO8jeV81Vi3sfXTqyDElkbdz_vOA0b7j/s1537/v%201%20Teal%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1537" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb8WIaO4QWBzkrGqxTJ-vulYpts3fuQ7AiY8vB2juyElRKGdq1lOSXxUAIcrbln8YRZDKl5GgoUC27MHw-GTy2dzO17K5xkOjCiXdXNYX-d0IhVG55mAU58GYsCT-fcQOts-ViET-ek5OGbrph4tm3G5fVq-4lO8jeV81Vi3sfXTqyDElkbdz_vOA0b7j/w640-h358/v%201%20Teal%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Away to our left one of the swans identified itself as a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swan</span></b>, surely not one from earlier??? If so its swum a fair distance pretty quickly, and then three of the others were also <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whoopers</span></b>...these four must be another four, different to the earlier eight, mustn't they??? And still the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> sat on his tussock. Our excitement hit a new high when a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> appeared from nowhere - we assume it had been standing out of sight behind the tree at the end of the cut patch of reeds.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKMgWPMzxVDsy2dDjHmMLNr-LlyIvVGI1L0uSDaYGZ1PgB3duDL7FEY4NhaK2N6waS-2Ncbo1xP0RhXJDiaKaCTNvhWxeFRdCBpdQ8NTW-Ggtwe9IdHc7fX8V-3eh81WNvmImeKpacyBPHj7fj3Yqwq2VP1sr3vsYdkBavlWiknn518AlOBMZbjsJH620/s1073/x%201%20Heron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1073" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKMgWPMzxVDsy2dDjHmMLNr-LlyIvVGI1L0uSDaYGZ1PgB3duDL7FEY4NhaK2N6waS-2Ncbo1xP0RhXJDiaKaCTNvhWxeFRdCBpdQ8NTW-Ggtwe9IdHc7fX8V-3eh81WNvmImeKpacyBPHj7fj3Yqwq2VP1sr3vsYdkBavlWiknn518AlOBMZbjsJH620/w640-h622/x%201%20Heron.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Time passed and we were just about to give up and go and have a look elsewhere when an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> appeared, then there was a commotion, was it fishing? No, it was fighting a second one, two well grown cubs having a playful rough n tumble.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDTFFkB2QWMQAq4Dw5odragEhbWqUP3V1N-z3Tnx0s2iLMGNOxj2Ywn2j3-JPktLrjVNpNfnDR2ImwUUb8EnGD_W0pTAOhxghF3TIQ-SOfHj1KOFimez5xegeWPAxAnV6qEwFWARenDZPTlxBEIt553wAXt6Jm0vQQoiAH-_cnimPloReYPbVGUHdEes2/s1126/w%209%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1126" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDTFFkB2QWMQAq4Dw5odragEhbWqUP3V1N-z3Tnx0s2iLMGNOxj2Ywn2j3-JPktLrjVNpNfnDR2ImwUUb8EnGD_W0pTAOhxghF3TIQ-SOfHj1KOFimez5xegeWPAxAnV6qEwFWARenDZPTlxBEIt553wAXt6Jm0vQQoiAH-_cnimPloReYPbVGUHdEes2/w640-h434/w%209%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosSwM2pBbNt6nLXxzBf9KryqTL4BRLdg-cmSepCKpgKrHvRhcieBw-IzpGM14PQ41g1joAPlKqOJiHfn0-7rNfotVMA4fuZXhmEuDLTs-kZmB2iZUpBnk33G0WbKuw9aQ9QxxxnZ2fMaYqXir2dtvw0zdIJuZe-65LZF-XH7enHwKqTbPwnpdqp5TIj2l/s1060/w%208%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1060" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosSwM2pBbNt6nLXxzBf9KryqTL4BRLdg-cmSepCKpgKrHvRhcieBw-IzpGM14PQ41g1joAPlKqOJiHfn0-7rNfotVMA4fuZXhmEuDLTs-kZmB2iZUpBnk33G0WbKuw9aQ9QxxxnZ2fMaYqXir2dtvw0zdIJuZe-65LZF-XH7enHwKqTbPwnpdqp5TIj2l/w640-h384/w%208%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbbpQbYifVQX7L8lDeRrwi_7rd5NFU-ISCsh-UI9XoWdhTDTIGG5VGxVhbk-oChwsC3qDflsYyegKs4rpJnk138pOS1Fh_L_d5WTpCZSDMUQjx2rPUSd-hLU_nKJjQCUUoIkawmicVhttbicXu5SIneWU54bizgUXt-iQ5qyv_87RqA4x2XJvkX4hwxoM/s1018/w%207%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1018" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbbpQbYifVQX7L8lDeRrwi_7rd5NFU-ISCsh-UI9XoWdhTDTIGG5VGxVhbk-oChwsC3qDflsYyegKs4rpJnk138pOS1Fh_L_d5WTpCZSDMUQjx2rPUSd-hLU_nKJjQCUUoIkawmicVhttbicXu5SIneWU54bizgUXt-iQ5qyv_87RqA4x2XJvkX4hwxoM/w640-h468/w%207%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bza-DW04VEvBJGYDky_vYzXIbuIQK7nGIu1h0xAbAJ_nYEYNpRHassD_EV_E_lpJl-SWiVH2qW1DhVa3uGl3f6OvIWb_KPjovxIQOnZGxrqxUNnagHeoxv8zsObcpQhZQq6MkSL1gtsLM4rtt9vI1qev6FX2X9skWvh2pzp4sYmq4ZFHbZX_A6OsorX2/s1502/w%206%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1502" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bza-DW04VEvBJGYDky_vYzXIbuIQK7nGIu1h0xAbAJ_nYEYNpRHassD_EV_E_lpJl-SWiVH2qW1DhVa3uGl3f6OvIWb_KPjovxIQOnZGxrqxUNnagHeoxv8zsObcpQhZQq6MkSL1gtsLM4rtt9vI1qev6FX2X9skWvh2pzp4sYmq4ZFHbZX_A6OsorX2/w640-h318/w%206%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC7HyKu_KnoYiAGRJjqTuxqwldZJDAilIXFHzAp31UKZtK25AV6dXsGbjxZvtTJe1rMK46lRV7K_z-GBicSr7-euNDvAQ-JLovbladhwCgl3U5Zxw44agwDpSzYcJJ_r_to_WxZOOhdV4VeXdtrU6rIO8gCbPgaueJDKwcXN04e_IhlGwGJV0Gq4qB_eq/s975/w%205%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="975" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC7HyKu_KnoYiAGRJjqTuxqwldZJDAilIXFHzAp31UKZtK25AV6dXsGbjxZvtTJe1rMK46lRV7K_z-GBicSr7-euNDvAQ-JLovbladhwCgl3U5Zxw44agwDpSzYcJJ_r_to_WxZOOhdV4VeXdtrU6rIO8gCbPgaueJDKwcXN04e_IhlGwGJV0Gq4qB_eq/w640-h564/w%205%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqOsV8auDEsLhL5VPuMN4cS6Vyc1y3uqNzzoHVQbXyVqZI3NVP0cHWma5bwJ3dO0bGxdUkrB17WijgTID7lviUv8H-3jIIshitVttDLyEOx6313JZ7TTkRtQoyOhGykBd2tDJW3-35JpfQygMMNjpUbOIGNlez_ZYE5HryQf1fJp0uJQva-_rsjhcBVo2/s1071/w%204%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1071" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqOsV8auDEsLhL5VPuMN4cS6Vyc1y3uqNzzoHVQbXyVqZI3NVP0cHWma5bwJ3dO0bGxdUkrB17WijgTID7lviUv8H-3jIIshitVttDLyEOx6313JZ7TTkRtQoyOhGykBd2tDJW3-35JpfQygMMNjpUbOIGNlez_ZYE5HryQf1fJp0uJQva-_rsjhcBVo2/w640-h454/w%204%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGQHHSmbBJ7zBJbKWKBtZS7wLKOjEz6r5ivcacAGCpNJjlSHIW0z_zjcIMaDTCZ9BsdkJ0EK-a4pAjVyEoNFxqn01sPWU8VuH2FV2n63N1YaDcRLGVfg5IS4JXohQSuL8mJuOIxvyI5i5q8d-NKsZO16Q8Avz6cSNRqIoaBK1LDCWhLUxFh8j9CtXyd62/s1100/w%203%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1100" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGQHHSmbBJ7zBJbKWKBtZS7wLKOjEz6r5ivcacAGCpNJjlSHIW0z_zjcIMaDTCZ9BsdkJ0EK-a4pAjVyEoNFxqn01sPWU8VuH2FV2n63N1YaDcRLGVfg5IS4JXohQSuL8mJuOIxvyI5i5q8d-NKsZO16Q8Avz6cSNRqIoaBK1LDCWhLUxFh8j9CtXyd62/w640-h346/w%203%20Otter%202nd%20sighting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UMSdL7vxc_F5s6S196uax97hChFmqMtOM7zoFHh-WUPigOo5VE0VPahuJ7yq6IBoPKkAkUReunQZ8AiRj0cxA6T7t_heekhXAeL0YPB6qsVNyKA966w98aW8RgSny8vHvJqbdITk_irCO8Q5iapPQDaFyiJx6rK18W5-nRJjXNeClPVfANgHJ6DubwIA/s844/Fighting%20Otters%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="844" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UMSdL7vxc_F5s6S196uax97hChFmqMtOM7zoFHh-WUPigOo5VE0VPahuJ7yq6IBoPKkAkUReunQZ8AiRj0cxA6T7t_heekhXAeL0YPB6qsVNyKA966w98aW8RgSny8vHvJqbdITk_irCO8Q5iapPQDaFyiJx6rK18W5-nRJjXNeClPVfANgHJ6DubwIA/w640-h482/Fighting%20Otters%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow, just wow - absolutely fabulous, although as a photographer you always want them closer! But as quickly as they appeared so the departed - exit stage right and with their disappearance we disappeared too, heading back from whence we'd come.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Still no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robins</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Tits</span></b> through the woods and again no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jays</span></b> in the 'Jay field' to the left. Back along the Causeway we didn't go in the hide but a quick look from the screen gave us a count of 12 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whooper Swans</span></b> - the four we'd seen from Lower Hide now having met up with the others. At the grit trays there was no action, nor had there been all afternoon, a birder saying she'd been stood there for an hour and a half waiting for a glimpse of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tit</span></b>, as she had at the Grizedale grit trays too. We left her to it and continued back to Lillians Hide. There were no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b> in the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alders</span></b> above the Dipping Pond and none in the trees by the hide, just kalf a dozen or so <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldfinches</span></b> here now. From the hide we were relieved to see the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ring Necked Duck</span></b> was now one of the nearest birds to us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61ZP3NQ3NBlEpueaolrwlP_uuakv1BXIC8rYoCS0VYhML1JobPDlWcWzWOJiPkeHpBi-SUOgpRDeE1H3TeNaGFN0Trph69WJesy1oKGRKlIAgHe_4utuQ7p4SnjdTWOf05CPcu61Moibodu_mQZAc9Yk7SEDv2FcuzCj4F-u3diHlLlaWpA9oMHLN-mJk/s1983/y%203%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20female%20with%20female%20tufty%20with%20white%20blaze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="1983" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61ZP3NQ3NBlEpueaolrwlP_uuakv1BXIC8rYoCS0VYhML1JobPDlWcWzWOJiPkeHpBi-SUOgpRDeE1H3TeNaGFN0Trph69WJesy1oKGRKlIAgHe_4utuQ7p4SnjdTWOf05CPcu61Moibodu_mQZAc9Yk7SEDv2FcuzCj4F-u3diHlLlaWpA9oMHLN-mJk/w640-h500/y%203%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20female%20with%20female%20tufty%20with%20white%20blaze.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE2BJmAAKCeDw_Lgw4aGU2FFw127IHtZmSNhXofphkKK8I8W1Utt62VdtbA7LhG2wXYQ4Y2JrZknJ9E-ONLF0ZlWKyopogM4R3JBeEDz043LOJ2sv_iIbfHLCl7Lg3kP0ax_78t9mIrlYH99BrrqmTBWU7K0Xadp0n6T92MIQ-VhqHEiya_vOMdY2yhbi/s1113/y%202%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20female%20preening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1113" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOE2BJmAAKCeDw_Lgw4aGU2FFw127IHtZmSNhXofphkKK8I8W1Utt62VdtbA7LhG2wXYQ4Y2JrZknJ9E-ONLF0ZlWKyopogM4R3JBeEDz043LOJ2sv_iIbfHLCl7Lg3kP0ax_78t9mIrlYH99BrrqmTBWU7K0Xadp0n6T92MIQ-VhqHEiya_vOMdY2yhbi/w640-h616/y%202%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20female%20preening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxNWWaJC-Z9hWjfqRbjXw9vjhKeEL8cOPZVbODrHKVCWCRrYvxxBR4QBdVN4AIVmVxRDLUi3I8ynLg3eyoXIkQVnaXTDIn-GqGBcNp73n3M6YReNbMIIAKAWjWz9nVe9SdY5A2GI68IUGGp9doxlQxddsW-vfXfC1WYKqonJSU2_IGgHlyL5-Y26kW58Y/s1342/y%201%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1342" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxNWWaJC-Z9hWjfqRbjXw9vjhKeEL8cOPZVbODrHKVCWCRrYvxxBR4QBdVN4AIVmVxRDLUi3I8ynLg3eyoXIkQVnaXTDIn-GqGBcNp73n3M6YReNbMIIAKAWjWz9nVe9SdY5A2GI68IUGGp9doxlQxddsW-vfXfC1WYKqonJSU2_IGgHlyL5-Y26kW58Y/w640-h484/y%201%20Ring%20necked%20duck%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Wagtails</span></b> tazzed about around the piles of cut reed below us adding some colour to the proceedings.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXj0_tknCMLRy_QUMOCpNxl901WJcfxW5UTTbuO4wFxGbxDEbjEp0YwVPMUk5du6KLAtztEtyUptRMjfLnq5OdzReZxrDC393HugO_loP0yjbO6gXLqTd98alyB3onurRWL3d0DLoLLAV6YEbqnByLEDPC5iSn7_pvU0r0W0e4oVxcTRrK7Y-Jilj9qgn/s1211/z%203%20Grey%20wagtail%20facing%20away.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="747" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXj0_tknCMLRy_QUMOCpNxl901WJcfxW5UTTbuO4wFxGbxDEbjEp0YwVPMUk5du6KLAtztEtyUptRMjfLnq5OdzReZxrDC393HugO_loP0yjbO6gXLqTd98alyB3onurRWL3d0DLoLLAV6YEbqnByLEDPC5iSn7_pvU0r0W0e4oVxcTRrK7Y-Jilj9qgn/w394-h640/z%203%20Grey%20wagtail%20facing%20away.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheB24cGXAIpSlu-NSPd7CLK4I80bvYX3ymFZCiJ49NnTIFmBreNfrsXakgi4dSReFFZ5RwozqBfQTsBsUGXoS_iKa9C_Sibu0IrGrydHCFY5IYhSAHLkL9rVxJBtd3PazMp8Ar36bqEqmaF-Ocqhhg9Cl4EYFkonty8DdTy274TvvgAmu01R_Df205AgQA/s4386/z%202%20Grey%20wagtail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="4386" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheB24cGXAIpSlu-NSPd7CLK4I80bvYX3ymFZCiJ49NnTIFmBreNfrsXakgi4dSReFFZ5RwozqBfQTsBsUGXoS_iKa9C_Sibu0IrGrydHCFY5IYhSAHLkL9rVxJBtd3PazMp8Ar36bqEqmaF-Ocqhhg9Cl4EYFkonty8DdTy274TvvgAmu01R_Df205AgQA/w640-h334/z%202%20Grey%20wagtail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then we had another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIxFRApY_lNAMt9tp1K7gfuURsyr4ERqZkV6Wok3ijPA08hPr1Kcr5WibwgbFxWzp0Ka5QVpdG5JPeoDZGEfw4gAnw0YggBhromcM2xxKVOmvavLHR-IFQWad_8wotMIFFAH5mcIac4kk5GbB7nhEBiNVxxieLZGOoaurRgaMvEvhTz1VaH494yfqykgU/s1387/zd%205%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1387" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIxFRApY_lNAMt9tp1K7gfuURsyr4ERqZkV6Wok3ijPA08hPr1Kcr5WibwgbFxWzp0Ka5QVpdG5JPeoDZGEfw4gAnw0YggBhromcM2xxKVOmvavLHR-IFQWad_8wotMIFFAH5mcIac4kk5GbB7nhEBiNVxxieLZGOoaurRgaMvEvhTz1VaH494yfqykgU/w640-h448/zd%205%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlVF2SiZZoYkndeXE5ul0pBvp3PeSLUIBlesb7I9PKTVPdFi6iZR6QifhyphenhyphenOAZhzUhBTQUAYr90TthRol99IPJ_jaF1ExVS0DDaTfCLL5TsN8XugSdxwLRxmz1WGPz5SMHf15A2jVuGkcZvL9wfa2EnSIZfoDK7E9N_uDKUiNgBeo7gjRBAn2eo2vt5pma/s1347/zd%204%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1347" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlVF2SiZZoYkndeXE5ul0pBvp3PeSLUIBlesb7I9PKTVPdFi6iZR6QifhyphenhyphenOAZhzUhBTQUAYr90TthRol99IPJ_jaF1ExVS0DDaTfCLL5TsN8XugSdxwLRxmz1WGPz5SMHf15A2jVuGkcZvL9wfa2EnSIZfoDK7E9N_uDKUiNgBeo7gjRBAn2eo2vt5pma/w640-h434/zd%204%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4HiSOLz1nfFL4HRusFiDfUFLbXCuC1f_Ic7WFxj0ce8HreDhF-QbwpQdZuSRqIHHwEF0rVJYj-ehhD6adEcKG73U03u8OwrfTACcDvl0s2SazYv0J7UboE6a0hMixeML3aj1mIeiFSneBCd_4rEgTSz0sHZOkK2R8PiyP2jLp9C8Ze__9nTjXGumzXIF/s1416/zd%202%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1416" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4HiSOLz1nfFL4HRusFiDfUFLbXCuC1f_Ic7WFxj0ce8HreDhF-QbwpQdZuSRqIHHwEF0rVJYj-ehhD6adEcKG73U03u8OwrfTACcDvl0s2SazYv0J7UboE6a0hMixeML3aj1mIeiFSneBCd_4rEgTSz0sHZOkK2R8PiyP2jLp9C8Ze__9nTjXGumzXIF/w640-h470/zd%202%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4-YVcyG1ODiz1i_0q_dlLyCnrEmuUl9miK1CwgrG1uHPDC-vREg2weFBRFFMqc5vgW3545EZYTQqH0KqOSgqS_4abd_P2vbq-PQCopycPHJm2w6A8sRMOMoZVJG18yo3YkTBPYNjmkCuKsYPWUc8L6cGVNL1jilvh0ZefgDZOq6GgeXRrvx_a86tqQXn/s1558/zd%201%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1558" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4-YVcyG1ODiz1i_0q_dlLyCnrEmuUl9miK1CwgrG1uHPDC-vREg2weFBRFFMqc5vgW3545EZYTQqH0KqOSgqS_4abd_P2vbq-PQCopycPHJm2w6A8sRMOMoZVJG18yo3YkTBPYNjmkCuKsYPWUc8L6cGVNL1jilvh0ZefgDZOq6GgeXRrvx_a86tqQXn/w640-h408/zd%201%20Marsh%20harrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> gave us good views like earlier too, they're such a handsome duck.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXpUwoq_8E5Z6fMfKA8ciPoLNN7nwUMG8Yw3D_TMsCbD6qya2uvqYxSGuqUBKkPO-RbxwgeES31RryAta_3eHem6pw_hWQ8rvvSbLicQvVFA_W82uslKWvdcB_upG8P3cHQ3oerfnKJ1bnbVvvaMVMLOA6Rbjk5d6iLAqNxe4ttprNK0u9y2Y4xwDhgnj/s1590/za%202%20Pintail%20without%20pin%20yail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1590" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXpUwoq_8E5Z6fMfKA8ciPoLNN7nwUMG8Yw3D_TMsCbD6qya2uvqYxSGuqUBKkPO-RbxwgeES31RryAta_3eHem6pw_hWQ8rvvSbLicQvVFA_W82uslKWvdcB_upG8P3cHQ3oerfnKJ1bnbVvvaMVMLOA6Rbjk5d6iLAqNxe4ttprNK0u9y2Y4xwDhgnj/w640-h436/za%202%20Pintail%20without%20pin%20yail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And one with a fully grown tail<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJyArnFJfr7g8UzgaS0nT2RQsZ0oyTbHMtxoPhhs_Y2CXpZ8Ui4QxmXgE95CqPIHZh6y3wAPQcTfGpgAeXs0scfHAzaF4TGOtIHVhhC9xAJHgYkTTXA5Z57X1yQdbEg2MRgjpwc6qIPKTRTLNQ-cnQ56QgnAHqvOwbECFuBH7u18A8Y7U3y0psSHGjRsL/s1559/za%201%20Pintail%20with%20a%20pin%20tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1559" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJyArnFJfr7g8UzgaS0nT2RQsZ0oyTbHMtxoPhhs_Y2CXpZ8Ui4QxmXgE95CqPIHZh6y3wAPQcTfGpgAeXs0scfHAzaF4TGOtIHVhhC9xAJHgYkTTXA5Z57X1yQdbEg2MRgjpwc6qIPKTRTLNQ-cnQ56QgnAHqvOwbECFuBH7u18A8Y7U3y0psSHGjRsL/w640-h392/za%201%20Pintail%20with%20a%20pin%20tail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Four <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldeneyes</span></b>, diving in between the numerous <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tufted Ducks</span></b>, were our first of the season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGn7nVetfFNMhlKRH-7P_mh1ROsxsg32zF9lDSVKIjsQ8LJN7-HseutAksJojr4apdmjUpR6r6gN1ynXP18PhbQk6XggSDdCikhiyez6fct0IYYindJNirsV5QE_NT8vgIaGQNUlwz9JW25Zo-mrkwtERCHTrkuKDrTzWhX9F09A3EexlpBJ_Uz9s5tmKT/s1688/zb1%20Goldeneye%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1688" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGn7nVetfFNMhlKRH-7P_mh1ROsxsg32zF9lDSVKIjsQ8LJN7-HseutAksJojr4apdmjUpR6r6gN1ynXP18PhbQk6XggSDdCikhiyez6fct0IYYindJNirsV5QE_NT8vgIaGQNUlwz9JW25Zo-mrkwtERCHTrkuKDrTzWhX9F09A3EexlpBJ_Uz9s5tmKT/w640-h310/zb1%20Goldeneye%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> flew in and landed close to another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> which wasn't amused so chased it off but further away.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7MUnGJPvpUbyQAdTQlwVHNbzk7O7sYdqAeuv8Os-dNwP96Zsp_LzdMW6Y82vDBPD5dfUcTe5GtN-G4IrxOH6xPWCZhkF7vnUdWiDDWgkCTAhtLuudKYWBfo7d1wMKjEkeyzAuhsbTt1sCiK6lpbpSZKyBPdSB6GoqtTe7EEYaW7BrmOXdRLxMuv3WCEV/s1536/zc%201%20Great%20white%20egret%20flying%20over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1536" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7MUnGJPvpUbyQAdTQlwVHNbzk7O7sYdqAeuv8Os-dNwP96Zsp_LzdMW6Y82vDBPD5dfUcTe5GtN-G4IrxOH6xPWCZhkF7vnUdWiDDWgkCTAhtLuudKYWBfo7d1wMKjEkeyzAuhsbTt1sCiK6lpbpSZKyBPdSB6GoqtTe7EEYaW7BrmOXdRLxMuv3WCEV/w640-h406/zc%201%20Great%20white%20egret%20flying%20over.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We usually do an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Egrets</span></b> v <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herons</span></b> tally while out on safari and these days Herons are usually soundly beaten, but not today. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Time to head back to try our luck at the Grizedale grit trays again...a much smaller posse of waiting birders this time and the same shaking of heads as we walked up, no sign all afternoon so on we went. From the hide the light was a bit better than this morning and the birds a little more spread out but still mostly over to the right. We 'made do' with a preening <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard</span></b> on a pile of cut reed right outside the window.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5PK_5tmAWu94_SxD2luC-gLeYZYcDadwIgf00u0ww_RTyeFlDWKvK6I7L-YQpXOL890XeG0-io2rYqvyQ4w-NptNecyfsoo5dXYsvYoI0Snrlnu4nH__5H-WpiAerx6JTMqDoLDLJm04azBdj-8kJxMBb3FSxB5I6iBecMDs27R9SjJQEJ65YGTcfsS_/s1617/ze%201%20Mallard%20preening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1617" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5PK_5tmAWu94_SxD2luC-gLeYZYcDadwIgf00u0ww_RTyeFlDWKvK6I7L-YQpXOL890XeG0-io2rYqvyQ4w-NptNecyfsoo5dXYsvYoI0Snrlnu4nH__5H-WpiAerx6JTMqDoLDLJm04azBdj-8kJxMBb3FSxB5I6iBecMDs27R9SjJQEJ65YGTcfsS_/w640-h500/ze%201%20Mallard%20preening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBMR5Jqy1OS_5T9rTNLF4PsvU1tXjGQAeUQKiWISqTQAgsFbE4jCiMV_vvHef08cnJUR09G4iZ7hTFuMT5_Z8uC7dV3RpI6oKZLhb127MCtaWiDd3ZTVS5Oznrejo5L4xo1PLYVvW0o6rzmyVA53K-BVZVJH_ReBQWOU5hAdm4PoG5ExpSojHHHuicdRg/s1400/ze%202%20Mallard%20stretching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1400" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBMR5Jqy1OS_5T9rTNLF4PsvU1tXjGQAeUQKiWISqTQAgsFbE4jCiMV_vvHef08cnJUR09G4iZ7hTFuMT5_Z8uC7dV3RpI6oKZLhb127MCtaWiDd3ZTVS5Oznrejo5L4xo1PLYVvW0o6rzmyVA53K-BVZVJH_ReBQWOU5hAdm4PoG5ExpSojHHHuicdRg/w640-h464/ze%202%20Mallard%20stretching.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> appeared and landed in the same place as one that caught a small <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Pike</span></b> a couple of weeks ago so we were hopeful of a repeat performance.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyyRM13LziHj07XHeLTXcP85HedGa1uNOZnA6Z7ObjevGAaNTymTbK9azNIshvaFBCrY_FIwPp_mqc9iwQ0lKblEvgqf6JdqggCD1hNxFkAmOqVmZpJAHpP8gC3e1KY_-x2Ue3-hYWIDJVdTpzM95eDO2PGMG4aDsvByUpXFvA6BQm4B5IZqo3R8PQE-G/s1708/zh%202%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="1708" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyyRM13LziHj07XHeLTXcP85HedGa1uNOZnA6Z7ObjevGAaNTymTbK9azNIshvaFBCrY_FIwPp_mqc9iwQ0lKblEvgqf6JdqggCD1hNxFkAmOqVmZpJAHpP8gC3e1KY_-x2Ue3-hYWIDJVdTpzM95eDO2PGMG4aDsvByUpXFvA6BQm4B5IZqo3R8PQE-G/w640-h610/zh%202%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqy2b95ZnycwoELWa7zNdIYdEms1Ri_KCMXaq2jvfrnFrWBIdMZheOMWdu7rH8NBXKTBnSgEycpARdZt1Boshl9ifqvsMwQdGpXqP_54hlp2uYHnLmMVfmClwY_HXyAXYxkIW2cc52TYXlUjIzw_JIbhyPG6dzAGtT-wYYqv9A5CTgPLgqV_HxVLyLF_Y/s1454/zh%201%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1355" data-original-width="1454" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqy2b95ZnycwoELWa7zNdIYdEms1Ri_KCMXaq2jvfrnFrWBIdMZheOMWdu7rH8NBXKTBnSgEycpARdZt1Boshl9ifqvsMwQdGpXqP_54hlp2uYHnLmMVfmClwY_HXyAXYxkIW2cc52TYXlUjIzw_JIbhyPG6dzAGtT-wYYqv9A5CTgPLgqV_HxVLyLF_Y/w640-h596/zh%201%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It strode around looking very regal but had a stab at nothing, for a while it resorted to the leg jiggling egrets do to disturb prey hidden in the mud between their toes but that didn't seem to work either. We were concentrating very hard on the egret willing to to make a catch when a voice behind us said "Lads, there's deer to your right"...and he wasn't wrong! Three <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> hinds had emerged from the reedbed to graze on the fresh recently cut patch. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6we-bQZrZHzNHc8DQgLpCZCLBz8_zZ4xbBwF3WGqcnEASyS6mb4udFLJ-1aV_u1_nQ3I1kXLOZJpDa-Y5S0iJDyWlbelAXID04rsTRkIskBkuE4yFNm5B1W_GiAVo6RHOAtHQXhJGtgusAZaA-uJbpl_s8vFDL0PCscHscGXcS1lttKjTb5pUvaNIi8m/s1980/zi%201%20Red%20deer%20hinds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6we-bQZrZHzNHc8DQgLpCZCLBz8_zZ4xbBwF3WGqcnEASyS6mb4udFLJ-1aV_u1_nQ3I1kXLOZJpDa-Y5S0iJDyWlbelAXID04rsTRkIskBkuE4yFNm5B1W_GiAVo6RHOAtHQXhJGtgusAZaA-uJbpl_s8vFDL0PCscHscGXcS1lttKjTb5pUvaNIi8m/w640-h426/zi%201%20Red%20deer%20hinds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They munched away for several minutes until the middle one heard something behind it in the reeds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5lAOztUg7R7z9f8o4ego6UGJfM0fCKi5iKwAxKyav2BC3yaRpbaJ3U4wrnj_RV0J8IcaxtBg8O8IqNCZ9xmX98v4gu8w5g-QH_cwFi5Dt7WyugDpBR31WC16dL2uEGfMsdaBt8Cax3b5vUi6vK18CLC_Z3F9qkff57R_zjOU3H6W8Tw0REH_ZNNIclmp/s1783/zi%202%20Red%20deer%20hinds%20listening.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1783" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5lAOztUg7R7z9f8o4ego6UGJfM0fCKi5iKwAxKyav2BC3yaRpbaJ3U4wrnj_RV0J8IcaxtBg8O8IqNCZ9xmX98v4gu8w5g-QH_cwFi5Dt7WyugDpBR31WC16dL2uEGfMsdaBt8Cax3b5vUi6vK18CLC_Z3F9qkff57R_zjOU3H6W8Tw0REH_ZNNIclmp/w640-h428/zi%202%20Red%20deer%20hinds%20listening.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Whatever it was wasn't there so they went back to grazing, after a while this hind must have heard something else as she twited one ear round for a closer listen but obviously not quite as intently as before.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9G0qx5I2ZQIdFS39f02cYR_oQ_sK5qL198C2Xw4CO2cc-hpQXrZgt8vKYyORZHQszx_BxzvX9cr2In_W4znsZO9S1GVIFQWkevR4jZUWMjxm80Oeoq7PZedTjfSP2F7bn-zQxSAB248liKEaNWE2NsAYXl7lAhzImUwRhNHsxAB90I6ihYOlgVbQz-Dy/s1407/zi%203%20Red%20deer%20hinds%20still%20listening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1407" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9G0qx5I2ZQIdFS39f02cYR_oQ_sK5qL198C2Xw4CO2cc-hpQXrZgt8vKYyORZHQszx_BxzvX9cr2In_W4znsZO9S1GVIFQWkevR4jZUWMjxm80Oeoq7PZedTjfSP2F7bn-zQxSAB248liKEaNWE2NsAYXl7lAhzImUwRhNHsxAB90I6ihYOlgVbQz-Dy/w640-h490/zi%203%20Red%20deer%20hinds%20still%20listening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then there he was, she could hear the big stag coming.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgKXti21fDD0gMtD_LmSR3A5zwRy9w0pq111XFG1K5st88CPT5BHsmvQlSM85ftGnAL5bz6_0tMvLqwbljqnniaEGyvaBKWd5ySpSdzn7lriAosqTKoph72LT39ZxD3rG6G4RmWlP4dvv-UF0HW3fFYASVUw-Ulb22gxGNv3lw9myErQThkPtRaANcHiF/s1617/zi%204%20Red%20deer%20stag%20coming%20out%20of%20reeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1617" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgKXti21fDD0gMtD_LmSR3A5zwRy9w0pq111XFG1K5st88CPT5BHsmvQlSM85ftGnAL5bz6_0tMvLqwbljqnniaEGyvaBKWd5ySpSdzn7lriAosqTKoph72LT39ZxD3rG6G4RmWlP4dvv-UF0HW3fFYASVUw-Ulb22gxGNv3lw9myErQThkPtRaANcHiF/w640-h426/zi%204%20Red%20deer%20stag%20coming%20out%20of%20reeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>What a magnificent beast and amazing that he could make his way through the reedbed without seeming to disturb the reeds with his huge set of antlers, we've seen tiny <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> make the reeds shake more than he did. The sun came out and we had a photo bean feast!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuU2NZqO2NW7RfQL1IY3xhY2qXDZhp1D8t_YYcWV9WRh28QRK__R2rGx2Mnp13Yx4B5ikvvyNcngIkBjzYX-EcnLGbS33iMN313NqNrpXFdNZdMLKR7jxtmdttcrFUlumQPAhc3AoTGjt9O3qyB0oYraHYu34V9pmEqGS5E5eEexaUedj5ohKe86M9vJw/s1698/zi%205%20Red%20deer%20stag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1698" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuU2NZqO2NW7RfQL1IY3xhY2qXDZhp1D8t_YYcWV9WRh28QRK__R2rGx2Mnp13Yx4B5ikvvyNcngIkBjzYX-EcnLGbS33iMN313NqNrpXFdNZdMLKR7jxtmdttcrFUlumQPAhc3AoTGjt9O3qyB0oYraHYu34V9pmEqGS5E5eEexaUedj5ohKe86M9vJw/w640-h486/zi%205%20Red%20deer%20stag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQQ5J6ck5O_XvEbcpvEHGSfXLDtj2qz9NEcdmusE3g-Eaqh-PGl5QsJrxCCm7jwYg2xcA1LJvdLsg4GF2bdiJgeFR1fw5RAuaIYVi9FtkAvDIBn3uLHtyj7IO9iaPg4d5atToKJbRw1qY2HFeIjuwjMKDvhH07ut19AwAcELRamAuKxyRC7vHSD1btMxg/s1596/zi%205a%20Red%20deer%20stag%20eating%20reeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1596" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQQ5J6ck5O_XvEbcpvEHGSfXLDtj2qz9NEcdmusE3g-Eaqh-PGl5QsJrxCCm7jwYg2xcA1LJvdLsg4GF2bdiJgeFR1fw5RAuaIYVi9FtkAvDIBn3uLHtyj7IO9iaPg4d5atToKJbRw1qY2HFeIjuwjMKDvhH07ut19AwAcELRamAuKxyRC7vHSD1btMxg/w640-h592/zi%205a%20Red%20deer%20stag%20eating%20reeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZkOl8N3oChqJKQSDCgPzLy5zGZmJQpzWZs1dEdP7RDHRGVnEOvYC-C2j2_pOH3zGojlKPxVrs_8rNy473vzZXok9tHZ4idqXkYR4j3YhYtyZP5BxdE9sqzOe-8fpVF5xXyI_IqXfM5QIe_MhGG0-vm3f-o78wc5nLdmAkl6EZT_VLldC9VLNWLX3c8yS/s1200/zi%206%20Red%20deer%20stag%20grazing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1200" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZkOl8N3oChqJKQSDCgPzLy5zGZmJQpzWZs1dEdP7RDHRGVnEOvYC-C2j2_pOH3zGojlKPxVrs_8rNy473vzZXok9tHZ4idqXkYR4j3YhYtyZP5BxdE9sqzOe-8fpVF5xXyI_IqXfM5QIe_MhGG0-vm3f-o78wc5nLdmAkl6EZT_VLldC9VLNWLX3c8yS/w640-h628/zi%206%20Red%20deer%20stag%20grazing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYDoaZuf3JibAo28XLNsTwY8p0QCrf6Ri1NWRO-u-X0GtPXBwqGb75lL3WtvKr5Cc0sUbflddmxh2j6VrSjg2iw_SgVAn9PLDNh5xpUlSkKcJ2zHDSoeJX-Gj_hps3_tmhM3ki67rmAyMS2nWEE6fTeEj1n0jMqgtxVrFXNVrjmQRTLQFgl-q6OTGHNOI/s1865/zi%207%20Red%20deer%20stag%20grazing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1865" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYDoaZuf3JibAo28XLNsTwY8p0QCrf6Ri1NWRO-u-X0GtPXBwqGb75lL3WtvKr5Cc0sUbflddmxh2j6VrSjg2iw_SgVAn9PLDNh5xpUlSkKcJ2zHDSoeJX-Gj_hps3_tmhM3ki67rmAyMS2nWEE6fTeEj1n0jMqgtxVrFXNVrjmQRTLQFgl-q6OTGHNOI/w640-h410/zi%207%20Red%20deer%20stag%20grazing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJL41oUHiITIbRDeRrGBxRgAdRTWpZ-M9p8OPJRv3UivTpMMxAP1OM4cALLqxD8c5nhg0aVQ9LxBAk-cSrRrUODYnSZZRB8W9JWhsgCAiAfbq7i14DYjAl4Fxaf5NJymPTkb3T7Babrj1WxBIbLWIovsHMQoN4UKuYvNXgNFMS56llfPmyzRkdnwG8zr-/s1553/zi%208%20Red%20deer%20stag%20profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="1441" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJL41oUHiITIbRDeRrGBxRgAdRTWpZ-M9p8OPJRv3UivTpMMxAP1OM4cALLqxD8c5nhg0aVQ9LxBAk-cSrRrUODYnSZZRB8W9JWhsgCAiAfbq7i14DYjAl4Fxaf5NJymPTkb3T7Babrj1WxBIbLWIovsHMQoN4UKuYvNXgNFMS56llfPmyzRkdnwG8zr-/w594-h640/zi%208%20Red%20deer%20stag%20profile.jpg" width="594" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Wouldya look at that! What an animal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcNOyrSvLPPiUZRtqe-b8X3nIJZK3syggBT8hHjkdgadrYY8t-WipF7r5yUTSMtw2bqXJFPBwln6VSubxChfuDgAka_SQ4AphZQw5DfjW6nJ-CkEZn7eUfGPTzwgvmZ1V06EfyDRs6ZqL04tawBy01bCZKifXFnK3zMa8W43DWdKGViCJgpKQwJ9Q8h0Z/s1422/zi%209%20Red%20deer%20stag%20leaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1422" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcNOyrSvLPPiUZRtqe-b8X3nIJZK3syggBT8hHjkdgadrYY8t-WipF7r5yUTSMtw2bqXJFPBwln6VSubxChfuDgAka_SQ4AphZQw5DfjW6nJ-CkEZn7eUfGPTzwgvmZ1V06EfyDRs6ZqL04tawBy01bCZKifXFnK3zMa8W43DWdKGViCJgpKQwJ9Q8h0Z/w640-h582/zi%209%20Red%20deer%20stag%20leaving.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then they were gone - simply melted back into the reedbed. What a fantastic animal to have (almost) on our doorstep.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We thought they might reappear in a few minutes under the old tree on the bund between the two pools - and they did<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdJVSv_TagsPKgUDRItsyGPJ_2PWed-fE9Sx3i0FpA-5zHbH2bhiCjxplUrCGwYIHkcw-X0xcZ_DrNv_nYyP7nYrmLHp5omKtlchuKPvHW8prPBCLaC6eGwS_5pktgCv31R_VRFx4nzVu9qOKRtOIxAK7LRhNmeyoGMqY8kjplT0uKI3AaOJ1XS4kQKDb/s1653/zj%201%20Red%20deer%20stag%20on%20bund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1653" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdJVSv_TagsPKgUDRItsyGPJ_2PWed-fE9Sx3i0FpA-5zHbH2bhiCjxplUrCGwYIHkcw-X0xcZ_DrNv_nYyP7nYrmLHp5omKtlchuKPvHW8prPBCLaC6eGwS_5pktgCv31R_VRFx4nzVu9qOKRtOIxAK7LRhNmeyoGMqY8kjplT0uKI3AaOJ1XS4kQKDb/w640-h426/zj%201%20Red%20deer%20stag%20on%20bund.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5YKTkqtx5Mv2aewQ0j81epAer5fu_DgZGt-7svfC2rHlLJDziWDkq36PaWnO-V_wRfLLHvenjJAK6vgqlIDMWrKVrqCMov6T2vu0Yp9LhfmUyV7A42dBvfVfRSnxQ_3u9VYxdhqlI-O4ESE1aiYtl3WNQlT4Tx4DGArbDuOFsZKL3AeXSQyGqtg3MjO5/s2156/zj%201a%20Red%20deer%20stag%20and%20hind%20on%20bund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="2156" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5YKTkqtx5Mv2aewQ0j81epAer5fu_DgZGt-7svfC2rHlLJDziWDkq36PaWnO-V_wRfLLHvenjJAK6vgqlIDMWrKVrqCMov6T2vu0Yp9LhfmUyV7A42dBvfVfRSnxQ_3u9VYxdhqlI-O4ESE1aiYtl3WNQlT4Tx4DGArbDuOFsZKL3AeXSQyGqtg3MjO5/w640-h372/zj%201a%20Red%20deer%20stag%20and%20hind%20on%20bund.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfACTqQVsc_qNKEM_fdqpUeZwDo56RcvxVV_4USYIa8XX_IClI3JD1W4wrDnDtzFyy8TndQtR2E3oSFkXoSWOR_Z6ISmBnY0EyPHCy1MuxgJqCsqC2lYtuwh_xl73nBTTSpZZs5Heb3q427RsgTRA3yNZ418k7NAKzbV0EgyE7U0lZnbNz784OfHvcIrt3/s1812/zj%202%20Red%20deer%20stag%20and%20hind%20on%20bund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1812" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfACTqQVsc_qNKEM_fdqpUeZwDo56RcvxVV_4USYIa8XX_IClI3JD1W4wrDnDtzFyy8TndQtR2E3oSFkXoSWOR_Z6ISmBnY0EyPHCy1MuxgJqCsqC2lYtuwh_xl73nBTTSpZZs5Heb3q427RsgTRA3yNZ418k7NAKzbV0EgyE7U0lZnbNz784OfHvcIrt3/w640-h362/zj%202%20Red%20deer%20stag%20and%20hind%20on%20bund.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then they were gone, melting quietly into the reeds again.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoyk1uNAmS6kd3M0nbvZ1SywSOASAc-9Qgw5aBbi4jVTRzUSKFVH_m77Ti7T7VRfbHzJCQewCnfvwX-2bepMZ8AtbDhXGxSRwvVdx_ODKHhtapcWAsU_6dBWNW0Tviy-F-Tvx6YiivGvAyVgEpPiLiE5Reyaf-a_H8KR-K4aY6Jz0KTR92g5yNZo9m6uy/s1869/zj%203%20Red%20deer%20stag%20with%20hind%20behind%20bund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1869" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoyk1uNAmS6kd3M0nbvZ1SywSOASAc-9Qgw5aBbi4jVTRzUSKFVH_m77Ti7T7VRfbHzJCQewCnfvwX-2bepMZ8AtbDhXGxSRwvVdx_ODKHhtapcWAsU_6dBWNW0Tviy-F-Tvx6YiivGvAyVgEpPiLiE5Reyaf-a_H8KR-K4aY6Jz0KTR92g5yNZo9m6uy/w640-h430/zj%203%20Red%20deer%20stag%20with%20hind%20behind%20bund.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Our attention returned to the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b>, sorry bird but you were totally out-gunned for a while there. It was still fishing without success.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMPWd8rKRnO7CR2nwi-2TpFaCRHyOiJ5IsPzBnAFT2SyHAwsif8HRJwXvm0-uUS-E1ZaDGA_F9u0NFOSKaeaQYLAnbbU8gCOoybGFAda6n42Gf0R_dVLGCa7pG8epXK6pCB5ttyzy9ZpYspNYnmaAf-4ELilDK5XFNxDDyRtwmQWfGe4Xv1dcWuzXgcsO/s1641/zk%201%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1641" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMPWd8rKRnO7CR2nwi-2TpFaCRHyOiJ5IsPzBnAFT2SyHAwsif8HRJwXvm0-uUS-E1ZaDGA_F9u0NFOSKaeaQYLAnbbU8gCOoybGFAda6n42Gf0R_dVLGCa7pG8epXK6pCB5ttyzy9ZpYspNYnmaAf-4ELilDK5XFNxDDyRtwmQWfGe4Xv1dcWuzXgcsO/w640-h490/zk%201%20Great%20white%20egret.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>When it fiannly gave up and left to try a different, hopefully better, patch we left too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh8mlQ1u38iQB7fmz1iLh0t5zpQv9Fj-RmDFedyLR5AwL2n8K7WwhEj8y32mbdqnyIX5lzaAlJFKXjn6BGP4bUhROMgVLQCJM88XkbPoCa1JmhKDb6pA6VJXDqs9sz3m3h8gOGkdBgBnfwOvYy4BuU_8GRLmJpkA6-E005g8CcG-nyU4nbTVg1VG0ubYH/s1853/zk%202%20Great%20white%20egret%20leaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1853" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh8mlQ1u38iQB7fmz1iLh0t5zpQv9Fj-RmDFedyLR5AwL2n8K7WwhEj8y32mbdqnyIX5lzaAlJFKXjn6BGP4bUhROMgVLQCJM88XkbPoCa1JmhKDb6pA6VJXDqs9sz3m3h8gOGkdBgBnfwOvYy4BuU_8GRLmJpkA6-E005g8CcG-nyU4nbTVg1VG0ubYH/w640-h384/zk%202%20Great%20white%20egret%20leaving.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our plan was to nip back to the Tim Jackson Hide to see if the deer had made their way over there as that was where they looked like they were heading. There was more shaking of the heads as we passed the grit trays, no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tit</span></b> pics for us this safari, and none for anyone else it would seem today. At the hide we asked if the deer had arrived but again there was an all round shaking of heads. We gave them ten minutes to turn up but sadly they were a no-show and with the light fading that was our cue to head back to Base Camp.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A bit of a slow start to the safari but what a mammal-tastic finish; who could ask for more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> The Safari could be bothered by inclement weather this coming week and then a family reunion so it might be a little while before we're out n about again - watch this space as you never know.<br /></div><div><br />In the meantime let us know who's looking all magestic in your outback.<br /></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-75510649751135917042023-10-30T14:05:00.001+00:002023-10-30T14:40:31.257+00:00Marshsprey or Osp Harrier?<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari was the </b>nominated driver this week but unexpected<b> </b>car<b> </b>issues meant we were kindly driven up the motorway by CR for another day out at the fabulous Leighton Moss. The weather looked fine with nice sunshine but unfortunately it clouded over for most of the timne we were there. That didn't stop the fun though. We had high hopes of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> stags and a suporting cast of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redwings</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b> along with much more so how did we fare?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">First stop was the grit trays on laong the path to the Grizedale Hide where we saw a group eargly awaiting the arrival of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b>, how did we know this...well no-one was pointing binoculars or cameras at the reed bed so we deduced the stars of the show weren't playing out. And nearly right we were, we thought the folks were waiting but they told us we should have been there five minutes earlier...dohhh. We waited a couple of minutes but as there was no action and no sounds of 'pinging' coming from the reeds we walked the few yards on to the hide. Here we had some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> action, with a male and a female passing by doing the rounds of the reedbed looking for unsuspecting prey.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSk_diuNTYP3RQJoGbesP-gcBdrANVPwvtGn3VOUjTGWoN82YfGRou250quXG69eNIN6C8oJ5-AM2J_Ru3hTArkJ4dcLCAaB_ZbLJu3AMK_PNp5xiL6ZboVfhqzNsAlDQWqTnXUAysVQM8frcSTqKKoFgYTiqxtLiDWuAlwiL2RG-LPmSnH7tOW98hRdO/s1472/Marsh%20harrier%20close%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1472" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSk_diuNTYP3RQJoGbesP-gcBdrANVPwvtGn3VOUjTGWoN82YfGRou250quXG69eNIN6C8oJ5-AM2J_Ru3hTArkJ4dcLCAaB_ZbLJu3AMK_PNp5xiL6ZboVfhqzNsAlDQWqTnXUAysVQM8frcSTqKKoFgYTiqxtLiDWuAlwiL2RG-LPmSnH7tOW98hRdO/w640-h414/Marsh%20harrier%20close%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZBWc1tyj4zP0R6bwMw1mr6QihQNxasGtQ28lN_18IBZnBtKM-PDMac0k4_EhLcVxBoQuk33ws_5Yn1OVSF9LBBH7IPktA5kQYVGc0LvUsufNc-ThsPhPaXTU6RZpZ6wDTHCNSqSG6-AOWPEzMszjrvO0gof4wHezC1G2dEatgcV8wFePuNcOt7C-ZwKH/s1560/Marsh%20harrier%20female%20not%20so%20close%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1560" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZBWc1tyj4zP0R6bwMw1mr6QihQNxasGtQ28lN_18IBZnBtKM-PDMac0k4_EhLcVxBoQuk33ws_5Yn1OVSF9LBBH7IPktA5kQYVGc0LvUsufNc-ThsPhPaXTU6RZpZ6wDTHCNSqSG6-AOWPEzMszjrvO0gof4wHezC1G2dEatgcV8wFePuNcOt7C-ZwKH/w640-h370/Marsh%20harrier%20female%20not%20so%20close%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWb6GhzGX8xhigFqOc1jxK2Bg51kTy43O2kjXDMk4M0f_2rbHhSkjlYBf6ysz7vBdz3_VXRM8lrDAz2phwiqqRMQsdhEK_jOG6g_Cap0rdYTP_MqXds9K1xbv2AUQKoH_tDhZU1NvGHG6uVuuOhhjZXYoGzQVSRFwsFRSjauNMqVbGwzqQt3bhttE3C34n/s1565/Marsh%20harrier%20female%20not%20so%20close%202%20dive.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="1527" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWb6GhzGX8xhigFqOc1jxK2Bg51kTy43O2kjXDMk4M0f_2rbHhSkjlYBf6ysz7vBdz3_VXRM8lrDAz2phwiqqRMQsdhEK_jOG6g_Cap0rdYTP_MqXds9K1xbv2AUQKoH_tDhZU1NvGHG6uVuuOhhjZXYoGzQVSRFwsFRSjauNMqVbGwzqQt3bhttE3C34n/w624-h640/Marsh%20harrier%20female%20not%20so%20close%202%20dive.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As we said earlier we'd lost the sunshine and the light wasn't great now, although a nearby sleepy drake <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> was nicely lit showing his newly aquired vermiculations very well.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGWiHqqP5Uf0R2fwSaTdQ-E62WgQHLIokYRJasHRqXF15Q8x0C-9Ib2Wo-yCY80W4czDJHp2PBREiLoBVE7Xbid4jtRD_i_ckbJnUyzfoSxuxrhA7gbTyibroQP4WxU0_-9wgoi_l6F0jmhM4t3FBEBjnk4qlarACRf6bg51B7gs5Ml_5qxqVSA3xxuK-/s1444/Snoozing%20Teal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1444" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGWiHqqP5Uf0R2fwSaTdQ-E62WgQHLIokYRJasHRqXF15Q8x0C-9Ib2Wo-yCY80W4czDJHp2PBREiLoBVE7Xbid4jtRD_i_ckbJnUyzfoSxuxrhA7gbTyibroQP4WxU0_-9wgoi_l6F0jmhM4t3FBEBjnk4qlarACRf6bg51B7gs5Ml_5qxqVSA3xxuK-/w640-h568/Snoozing%20Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Almost all there with his moult, just a few more feathers to go like most of his drake ducky companions - none of them were quite at their 'out-of-eclipse' finest yet. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">From the furthest reachess of the reedbed to our right a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> flew in and landed on the right hand edge of the pool. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZgSYnhkzm6JE4H3yScZMh1EHLijhMi_dQ24zDXxQMglBARHVo2zTPD28YG7fVv1es-WbrEC36Bbucn-6KCO8Yh3eBq_IObyHD5hLYO73WKXLnHKpnAOSz2qcNQS80QcdNNtSCWtYRbrLBcx8mWlgvwsIbKZwlgjmk-SSu7w_diMVZ8DKDF5TDFj8xzZ8/s1364/Great%20white%20egret%20coming%20in%20to%20land.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1364" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZgSYnhkzm6JE4H3yScZMh1EHLijhMi_dQ24zDXxQMglBARHVo2zTPD28YG7fVv1es-WbrEC36Bbucn-6KCO8Yh3eBq_IObyHD5hLYO73WKXLnHKpnAOSz2qcNQS80QcdNNtSCWtYRbrLBcx8mWlgvwsIbKZwlgjmk-SSu7w_diMVZ8DKDF5TDFj8xzZ8/w640-h528/Great%20white%20egret%20coming%20in%20to%20land.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MbvsAcQM8iKlHMbWTnh7qtlTqW6q3v6mSUBjEv2_fDBd9vZR7L5L_oaweQnThmnD9_NFKdXaSgEZnfW5W6P_BT2imkNTQAIHjbUmm_1mRlyG5hc5Vs2hMbCmyWXrFXPwZudH-3ZLXvLc9bRbulnQ2byV28oHcpnkmLanLYw6z1Ynw5kQ5uAuwRbIdKQ_/s1268/Great%20white%20egret%20on%20ground.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1268" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MbvsAcQM8iKlHMbWTnh7qtlTqW6q3v6mSUBjEv2_fDBd9vZR7L5L_oaweQnThmnD9_NFKdXaSgEZnfW5W6P_BT2imkNTQAIHjbUmm_1mRlyG5hc5Vs2hMbCmyWXrFXPwZudH-3ZLXvLc9bRbulnQ2byV28oHcpnkmLanLYw6z1Ynw5kQ5uAuwRbIdKQ_/w640-h430/Great%20white%20egret%20on%20ground.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We watched for a while as the harriers did more passes, mostly distant - how is it some birders post pics of these which appear to be taken from only a few yards from the hide window when every time we see them they're invariably miles away? We noted a good selection of dabbling ducks, the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shovelers </span></b>binging to look might fine. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Winged Teal</span></b> look-alike <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cinnamon Teal</span></b> x <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shoveler</span></b> hybrid was also there but remained fast asleep the whole time. It's a bonny bird right enough and always worthy of a pic but even though it was fairly close it was facing away and was obscured by a fair bit of intervening vegetation so we didn't press the shutter on this occasion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moving on we retraced our steps past the grit trays where there was a different posse of eager watchers not watching just chatting so we passed quickly by heading for the Tim Jackson Hide. En route we bumped into KL and friend who showed us pics of their seriously prolonged and close <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> encounter out on the saltmarsh earlier in the morning...not jealous at all!!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Already ensconced within the hide was old mate DP who informed us there hadn't been any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span></b>on show and all there was for our delectation were a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b>, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> or two, oh - and some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>. We didn't stay long deciding to head to the far end of the reserve to have our pies etc at the Lower Hide so off we set at a brisk walk. A couple were staring intently into a pathside bush and showed us a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Treecreeper</span></b> working its way round the truck, there was a second on on the other side of the path too - both too deep in the foliage to warrent a pic but they were the vanguard of what was to become 'Bird of the Day'. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> were giving them a run for their money, there were loads of them, one singing unseen every few yards - remember the good old days when these were a real rarity? </div><div style="text-align: justify;">A very brief look at the Feeding Station gave us <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tits</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Tit </span></b>among the more numerous <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Tits</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinches</span></b>. Any how as we were hightailing it down the boardwalk towards the causeway a small flock of thrushes flew overhead, we got on to one, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mistle Thrush</span></b> and we thought the one before it was too, but the others not seen properly before they disappeared over the treetops sounded like <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fieldfares</span></b>. As we drew close to the grit trays the birders there beckoned us to come quickly. Thank you very much...a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> were gritting up on one of the trays. They change their diet from invertebrates to seeds in the autumn and need the grit to help grind down the harder seeds in their gizzards.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XclcuWbinXNMnN4JgH3qUu9JTCrwS0Rqcn-ddDug3OtkPBs_-gtvcuyHFQsosLAydFc-DNJb9XMw64fU9dQinJIvoHzFAAnas-RZitPnr1SuV7prmVwZBp_PxHxPvKuPgqVRJ0Zl9R7Fqc4LnO4lphYJ31HCsBYr5kzcJTdCrOdo4BBTxvVTIm4xBsFZ/s1038/Bearded%20tit%20male%20on%20tray%20Grizedale%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="964" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XclcuWbinXNMnN4JgH3qUu9JTCrwS0Rqcn-ddDug3OtkPBs_-gtvcuyHFQsosLAydFc-DNJb9XMw64fU9dQinJIvoHzFAAnas-RZitPnr1SuV7prmVwZBp_PxHxPvKuPgqVRJ0Zl9R7Fqc4LnO4lphYJ31HCsBYr5kzcJTdCrOdo4BBTxvVTIm4xBsFZ/w594-h640/Bearded%20tit%20male%20on%20tray%20Grizedale%202.jpg" width="594" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVI9Rm0xeEdpXlNNM7a_1j-XCY40wtShyNOIr8VWdv2EhXY1MCFHJ0zagtq-yd5rwgXbKLCkdKMg6np2W3q153_5tRxM-PpT4eqK_65bD9IDnsWUjOeJ8Tnz1kcyuLSgwY8DRleqVkx9-Ec97SnutHRmMH5zpP7wptowdt2XDE7sT0ETduc6JWW4QONWZ/s1551/Bearded%20tits%20on%20try%20Grizedale%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1551" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVI9Rm0xeEdpXlNNM7a_1j-XCY40wtShyNOIr8VWdv2EhXY1MCFHJ0zagtq-yd5rwgXbKLCkdKMg6np2W3q153_5tRxM-PpT4eqK_65bD9IDnsWUjOeJ8Tnz1kcyuLSgwY8DRleqVkx9-Ec97SnutHRmMH5zpP7wptowdt2XDE7sT0ETduc6JWW4QONWZ/w640-h340/Bearded%20tits%20on%20try%20Grizedale%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Fantastic little things even if they're not in the tit family and haven't got beards...really they should be called <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moustchioed Reedlings</span></b> or even <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moustachioed Parrotbills</span></b> although the former is probably the better name as they're in a seperate family from the rest of the parrotbills too. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">They had their fill of grit and flitted into the reedbed and out of view, they don't have to go more than a couple of stems in to disappear completely. However we could tell where they were by the shaking of the tops of the reeds as they moved through. Luckily the male decided to climb to the top of one of the tall stems and showed just long enough for us to have a stab at the shutter button.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbSTvvd16AZb4UoqJn0_4JdVavwkK4JMhXqNsxgammWT305NA4FqJZficSJbIfE2-MfvX1D0fM4hd7bVY_lELS1ItpxkWtvN45B0U7kswi6ScdDng6-g1Dci2M3I8vF94vte-ah5j1EF__anm2BGC9__vSgOdfNM34RpErlxtGFs3JH5VSbdhjWfTid94/s1366/Bearded%20tit%20male%20in%20reeds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1366" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbSTvvd16AZb4UoqJn0_4JdVavwkK4JMhXqNsxgammWT305NA4FqJZficSJbIfE2-MfvX1D0fM4hd7bVY_lELS1ItpxkWtvN45B0U7kswi6ScdDng6-g1Dci2M3I8vF94vte-ah5j1EF__anm2BGC9__vSgOdfNM34RpErlxtGFs3JH5VSbdhjWfTid94/w640-h338/Bearded%20tit%20male%20in%20reeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Result - job done, they're always a very welcome treat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once they'd snuck back into the depths of the reedbed we wandered on to the Causeway Hide, no news from those inside of any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b> so far today. The water level was quite high and a good scan revealed not a lot out of the ordinary, best of the bunch was probably the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebe</span></b> to our right. The camera just had to be pointed at a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> that swam past the hide just as the sun broke through, brilliant things - One of the best birds in the book, if not THE best bird!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAOQ3IVs0bYdoOGbGGIIGxB6XnY6xpk4KKVhBspoEDNgXBtLUAm-A8MupvucOAQDnn7jj2kdU6u31sfTbnrcgrY-CahOWR_8XMzIw7SwiUxU-qEPiklyqmZKs-biYga02_X7e-MH3AmDvxhqmYELVU7Sa2m2EIBIw8WYFVB3iLZX6r9kBunLZYoX12lpY/s1448/Moorhen%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1448" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAOQ3IVs0bYdoOGbGGIIGxB6XnY6xpk4KKVhBspoEDNgXBtLUAm-A8MupvucOAQDnn7jj2kdU6u31sfTbnrcgrY-CahOWR_8XMzIw7SwiUxU-qEPiklyqmZKs-biYga02_X7e-MH3AmDvxhqmYELVU7Sa2m2EIBIw8WYFVB3iLZX6r9kBunLZYoX12lpY/w640-h410/Moorhen%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_HwdkXisBYcMsbmaopXBVsx0GfMMVl9dT-Ec6ErNjFsrXBAdxLwI8Dw3BcM7sVTXUyfde0Cfy42ZLQOiQGdP9xSOv_W5I65I96BS0ThDEZNsjaEzp3PjASOb-LqqWek0Cw0E4049IIo-hAkuQerp5pXGWsRFCHUb3kfpxoQGU0mJuAnTt0oYLhQX-PxO/s1963/Moorhen%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="1963" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_HwdkXisBYcMsbmaopXBVsx0GfMMVl9dT-Ec6ErNjFsrXBAdxLwI8Dw3BcM7sVTXUyfde0Cfy42ZLQOiQGdP9xSOv_W5I65I96BS0ThDEZNsjaEzp3PjASOb-LqqWek0Cw0E4049IIo-hAkuQerp5pXGWsRFCHUb3kfpxoQGU0mJuAnTt0oYLhQX-PxO/w640-h540/Moorhen%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The sunshine brought out a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Migrant Hawkers</span></b> that flew past the window, at one point it looked like they might come through the window, and another single individual but our butties now seriously beckoned so it was time to move on again. Walking down the Causeway we passed another <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Treecreeper</span></b> and heard more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> than you could shake a stick at. The walk along the woodland edge beyond the gate didn't give us the hoped for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b> in the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Alder</span></b> trees nor any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fieldfares</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redwings</span></b> in the fields on the right, even the local <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jays</span></b> weren't playing out there today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once in the hide we were told 'we should have been here five minutes ago' there had been an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> very close...dohhh</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We got our butties out and began to get stuck in when the call went up - <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> coming from the right. Now we were in a dilema - butty or bins, camera or butty??? The large over-filler wholemeal barm cake won hands down as the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter </span></b>was a long way off and only showing the very top of the top of its head when it surfaced, certainly not worth dropping food for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> that had been mooching about in the distance came closer and began to circle over the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> and then did something we'd never seen before - started fishing like an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b>. It was as if it knew the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b>, even though it was only travelling not fishing on this ocassion, might scare some fish towards the surface.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIPPSEOHgEnrCE5glx4aITpkfI5RxT9u_HemRqk0UpfZngj98EnriP4eJg4p_iKkKj3lcAoE75AIH51JMcGM_oewFeKQVkF7y_hyphenhyphenWS1mtyYIGsM0PjpqFodPigACvLJKOAyCzXpAUFyp8TMH_H7qPUmmTGH2zdGMiVsmQKD9u02X5q5KtvY_20fPFoDQR/s1001/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%209c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="844" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIPPSEOHgEnrCE5glx4aITpkfI5RxT9u_HemRqk0UpfZngj98EnriP4eJg4p_iKkKj3lcAoE75AIH51JMcGM_oewFeKQVkF7y_hyphenhyphenWS1mtyYIGsM0PjpqFodPigACvLJKOAyCzXpAUFyp8TMH_H7qPUmmTGH2zdGMiVsmQKD9u02X5q5KtvY_20fPFoDQR/w338-h400/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%209c.jpg" width="338" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTON6nfh1rJ16rg8LpAXazW9COt0JP0BnGasb1eqz0m0oh1wij7gm1dGQlSET25D5e2Zu4H9NG3TJJZzUpMVqg6NCJGIXd6QR_dv32SfC9LLxXbNvYmpWjHc6x5qXVuiSfFBEmj44kes7CT32epjJRTt32_zSy2LpUBzF218pUeRrsM2RoTpJd5bS1fItT/s1356/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%209b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1356" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTON6nfh1rJ16rg8LpAXazW9COt0JP0BnGasb1eqz0m0oh1wij7gm1dGQlSET25D5e2Zu4H9NG3TJJZzUpMVqg6NCJGIXd6QR_dv32SfC9LLxXbNvYmpWjHc6x5qXVuiSfFBEmj44kes7CT32epjJRTt32_zSy2LpUBzF218pUeRrsM2RoTpJd5bS1fItT/w400-h293/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%209b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmX1fH7gFhrAJhNE1pQm7lJHq-OAxfYHWY7B3gla2IFlCP8PMhT18Ez-J8jOmmZytCKY1wLRd4K9c8OyUqMog2DLRs4VO8JA3RpuPRzMDGf3Ta8H6tLr2e0qpj2NUhITHZPxnhItIBIttz-O02c38Mt-7onUDSG55z-P0vlRbUnN0neMxc_qkXmPXEBHv/s1478/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%209a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1478" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmX1fH7gFhrAJhNE1pQm7lJHq-OAxfYHWY7B3gla2IFlCP8PMhT18Ez-J8jOmmZytCKY1wLRd4K9c8OyUqMog2DLRs4VO8JA3RpuPRzMDGf3Ta8H6tLr2e0qpj2NUhITHZPxnhItIBIttz-O02c38Mt-7onUDSG55z-P0vlRbUnN0neMxc_qkXmPXEBHv/w400-h250/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%209a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTrS8NrTkrzH-3w4XgaFj_0pvM4fBWe36Fugo-GZ4fLtXBFwfqBG5HaPQ7kJE2629MY4X6cz7IyjDrvUB8Jya07jUIn271bte4KWL2rq6YMTNlVqJZGT9FngRPcaXhe2wl0E0Wenf5XqnsqGLgcTjQyNcAh4hqciW4zaNbjVWUh8a43B04k1M5iAsU04Y/s1454/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1454" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTrS8NrTkrzH-3w4XgaFj_0pvM4fBWe36Fugo-GZ4fLtXBFwfqBG5HaPQ7kJE2629MY4X6cz7IyjDrvUB8Jya07jUIn271bte4KWL2rq6YMTNlVqJZGT9FngRPcaXhe2wl0E0Wenf5XqnsqGLgcTjQyNcAh4hqciW4zaNbjVWUh8a43B04k1M5iAsU04Y/w400-h354/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%208.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZgH7RcSwPqrkyS-p9xAB3Qq3isg8ZHDiwCnRSBS9HWGVnuwKhn-Nxd-bIbr3z9pMLrTC9ilXygsXXT0zp2YE4piYlA5dXPnyvTrV4CDa80V1DcCX_K966IsfKPTAA-eVTFyZXBVSg33D997wVIN4b2HJiS7BFcBDTgGqBTuMJlfaA3srT2Cj-4XOIfdD/s1286/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1286" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZgH7RcSwPqrkyS-p9xAB3Qq3isg8ZHDiwCnRSBS9HWGVnuwKhn-Nxd-bIbr3z9pMLrTC9ilXygsXXT0zp2YE4piYlA5dXPnyvTrV4CDa80V1DcCX_K966IsfKPTAA-eVTFyZXBVSg33D997wVIN4b2HJiS7BFcBDTgGqBTuMJlfaA3srT2Cj-4XOIfdD/w400-h258/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0VGVHo9ITXdkTj7zUhbOstwU5gNM44wGwTOH9NyfSUOjV6wQYQ3wfdHrIU_yo-03urO3MuDZMvhDHiPHHS_CxzvwUMx2qLo8tR8k2qUnODN7IeYgcj6DX_WmlHTOjSCUjF9WSeV8nCgq5ltQXHmykmflSM0J_0_MM5_JOMbZNR5aLMRyY7UUPBjPuq-m/s1112/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%206%20with%20otter%20splash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1112" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0VGVHo9ITXdkTj7zUhbOstwU5gNM44wGwTOH9NyfSUOjV6wQYQ3wfdHrIU_yo-03urO3MuDZMvhDHiPHHS_CxzvwUMx2qLo8tR8k2qUnODN7IeYgcj6DX_WmlHTOjSCUjF9WSeV8nCgq5ltQXHmykmflSM0J_0_MM5_JOMbZNR5aLMRyY7UUPBjPuq-m/w400-h300/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%206%20with%20otter%20splash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The swirl to the right of the harrier is the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> submerging.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGJWhy2DsGkqemwdROatFfqVePOfzqSuohO0QlGUXssltx7q_ViuOJ904RGBURJbZZwx-OgxctbcaYCkz2cGl7vLur3HeU7BlosK5kHxcVagNI8aWM7_VmdCrgklpusaWZlVaj-2CF63zdsly5IxAGebhAWU8UdOW1_HcX_UBQopou6Q6jPK9kmIECxsF/s1131/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1131" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGJWhy2DsGkqemwdROatFfqVePOfzqSuohO0QlGUXssltx7q_ViuOJ904RGBURJbZZwx-OgxctbcaYCkz2cGl7vLur3HeU7BlosK5kHxcVagNI8aWM7_VmdCrgklpusaWZlVaj-2CF63zdsly5IxAGebhAWU8UdOW1_HcX_UBQopou6Q6jPK9kmIECxsF/w400-h330/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77ed1U1XSOr_j5GJAA7tHNaPHOuueId9Ut3TMHWKLK_Jjt9txcdiZCxguF4VE8h7Ta3YlrwG2e8C9ou5dVM1BOfa5orJv8GkPcmCOik9DhEgk-SICixKCDqablKrh0BAVYFoioE7XQV2jfO2BC_YC_ZQuK-3vQl_1PU4dd8XhFvZOEt2hfSP3OubMFVFW/s1143/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1143" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77ed1U1XSOr_j5GJAA7tHNaPHOuueId9Ut3TMHWKLK_Jjt9txcdiZCxguF4VE8h7Ta3YlrwG2e8C9ou5dVM1BOfa5orJv8GkPcmCOik9DhEgk-SICixKCDqablKrh0BAVYFoioE7XQV2jfO2BC_YC_ZQuK-3vQl_1PU4dd8XhFvZOEt2hfSP3OubMFVFW/w400-h255/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTJCpLoftS54NCQogdgUjA2a4nItpwgf0_gHqCxUUy8EyazGNM5kR7Mv0ULVCCMjLEVp6a2F66THpfCckoNr-wbEhzQSDKtboFK1DJ64CsLeRXopIYWzgsJuNhUYk5_bfCDW1brmxIGR6MFyUBLMH1jvzce4ooXG8IysUvLc9tEoW8MM2YMlJcYlAkOpe/s1311/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1311" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTJCpLoftS54NCQogdgUjA2a4nItpwgf0_gHqCxUUy8EyazGNM5kR7Mv0ULVCCMjLEVp6a2F66THpfCckoNr-wbEhzQSDKtboFK1DJ64CsLeRXopIYWzgsJuNhUYk5_bfCDW1brmxIGR6MFyUBLMH1jvzce4ooXG8IysUvLc9tEoW8MM2YMlJcYlAkOpe/w400-h246/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeS_kT4oX_rmpnNOYaguCetsDhXUBKYNtcoTg9CpVUlun_nou5d_4Dqb03ZRDJYynifL0r_soLaWDFtIkbToMr0wZM3ZuIeaY48Q6ToDBINWTZZnJ19nkiBo3vSy3AoCr5SZGmAAMQoK-ylTdZ6MXu73nhnn2_09S0VD9IoezUVPNLsRIUszTbQzRNkIKz/s1419/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="1419" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeS_kT4oX_rmpnNOYaguCetsDhXUBKYNtcoTg9CpVUlun_nou5d_4Dqb03ZRDJYynifL0r_soLaWDFtIkbToMr0wZM3ZuIeaY48Q6ToDBINWTZZnJ19nkiBo3vSy3AoCr5SZGmAAMQoK-ylTdZ6MXu73nhnn2_09S0VD9IoezUVPNLsRIUszTbQzRNkIKz/w400-h279/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBldOJpkY5Bi58yXK18KZCsYj_G_POQWd4lIl38Hf17iENwGl7ZE1_zPUmTWlHEIQZqJ06mf2eMP-D29DS1RUhyphenhyphenu0NTHKL-Zc-PEoM4fCLPdU1nUK5Abg7g54p3bIenDuXM0xAy3YorLEamFpxLy2rXRyk-Rx-kqCLsMY6QL3KrF2dt__snd_9gGd5oz3/s1673/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1673" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBldOJpkY5Bi58yXK18KZCsYj_G_POQWd4lIl38Hf17iENwGl7ZE1_zPUmTWlHEIQZqJ06mf2eMP-D29DS1RUhyphenhyphenu0NTHKL-Zc-PEoM4fCLPdU1nUK5Abg7g54p3bIenDuXM0xAy3YorLEamFpxLy2rXRyk-Rx-kqCLsMY6QL3KrF2dt__snd_9gGd5oz3/w400-h254/Marsh%20harrier%20imm%20fishing%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Sadly, for phtographic purposes at least, it was totally unsuccessful, not so much as a scale was caught in those talons. There were thoughts among the birders in the hide that it had spent the last few weeks watching the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ospreys</span></b> fishing and got some handy tips from them. They are known to take fish but in all our years watching them we've never seen one actively fishing like this before, we'd guess that most of the fish they do eat is either as carrion or dying at the surface rather than caught in this '<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b>-like' fashion.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk </span></b>shot across the cut reed below the hide window in the hope of flushing an unwary <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> but nothing came up for it to chase, it had done this ealrier too apparently and was likely the reason there were no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> nor <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> for us to watch. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> sang and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> snoozed as we waited for the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> to put in another appearance. It didn't so headed back to Grizedale Hide in the hope of some <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> action. Once again there were no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b> in the woodland and no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> on the grit trays as we passed. A male <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darter</span></b> on the final bend of the boardwalk was too quick for us zipping into the reedbed before we could lift our cameras. A female a few yards further on was much more photogenic, posing for ages on the handrail even allowing several people to walk close by without flying off.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYZMtXwfYgDVDEaCEsEZkQ5KCnX_TgMx47SDum3ekCj2WYUz0v61ToO3Sco-aWEryZ-5g029h4G1efbjsnwbRZctL2-Qr2Mank33heHv6564K4eedfcW0mhgfoxSyXAoYlCnK__0BtptMN-xMIBIkl5b4JSSOS0DdzP78h_VnEaMnu3ZDK9zebVteacW_/s1873/Common%20darter%20female%20side%20on.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1461" data-original-width="1873" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYZMtXwfYgDVDEaCEsEZkQ5KCnX_TgMx47SDum3ekCj2WYUz0v61ToO3Sco-aWEryZ-5g029h4G1efbjsnwbRZctL2-Qr2Mank33heHv6564K4eedfcW0mhgfoxSyXAoYlCnK__0BtptMN-xMIBIkl5b4JSSOS0DdzP78h_VnEaMnu3ZDK9zebVteacW_/w640-h500/Common%20darter%20female%20side%20on.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>She sat so still we tried a shot from a jaunty angle.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34rt5VzZ14fPe0Wcl3EoRSZ4UH-1zoCLrZ_W3-nCC9-S9wG-IAFmDh4CjbG-GhmljQNSSQCqS0U7EcFktkFKNouI3_8_Bg1vYysMlLpkyOWvUFdkCBk9BpVXxv1rd44wSi4pD4PmiVSxd726hFDO6eM-x0-oGJQOvJVoasjgNdfHD5NGMBpcm97CPIa7Q/s1621/Common%20darter%20female%20face%20on.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1621" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34rt5VzZ14fPe0Wcl3EoRSZ4UH-1zoCLrZ_W3-nCC9-S9wG-IAFmDh4CjbG-GhmljQNSSQCqS0U7EcFktkFKNouI3_8_Bg1vYysMlLpkyOWvUFdkCBk9BpVXxv1rd44wSi4pD4PmiVSxd726hFDO6eM-x0-oGJQOvJVoasjgNdfHD5NGMBpcm97CPIa7Q/w640-h470/Common%20darter%20female%20face%20on.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The grit trays down towards the Grizedale Hide produced the goods this time too, again a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> provided the entertainment.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FMtUk3cdaQizboS2GHzY71vh1lLZPkHZrFtRA0ECpBjz7lJ_ouT-nr06eJF2eKnsCKfC-ywIeYG5_-BVSckmtYN8bH7ee2hb6hyEqquuwru4gS99_Tu2ldUn9S1NjcUr2FzYNY_vSwq9sbH4CAsW-oHzqTdMIkAWHHsKHGlETlTMMERdDNR76hsHiJu1/s805/Bearded%20tit%20male%20on%20tray%20Causeway%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="805" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FMtUk3cdaQizboS2GHzY71vh1lLZPkHZrFtRA0ECpBjz7lJ_ouT-nr06eJF2eKnsCKfC-ywIeYG5_-BVSckmtYN8bH7ee2hb6hyEqquuwru4gS99_Tu2ldUn9S1NjcUr2FzYNY_vSwq9sbH4CAsW-oHzqTdMIkAWHHsKHGlETlTMMERdDNR76hsHiJu1/w640-h624/Bearded%20tit%20male%20on%20tray%20Causeway%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv06RP1J8GSFTjRgufK9BhF_0mpbDci0_NonJjhrrelPY56nUCNoBfyZF6DCScwYDeF9rukSmBU_sBFDzQYomysgQ25s8KL0mv50N9NXiIo4OW-piSSFu9sop5Cn0A5AnHlf5uQJYA7CNf5WS0u5RklFfOoZc6zYfCpTprGLm_jNEFHuGn8Wwuejep2H6n/s1814/Bearded%20tits%20on%20tray%20Causeway%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1814" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv06RP1J8GSFTjRgufK9BhF_0mpbDci0_NonJjhrrelPY56nUCNoBfyZF6DCScwYDeF9rukSmBU_sBFDzQYomysgQ25s8KL0mv50N9NXiIo4OW-piSSFu9sop5Cn0A5AnHlf5uQJYA7CNf5WS0u5RklFfOoZc6zYfCpTprGLm_jNEFHuGn8Wwuejep2H6n/w640-h198/Bearded%20tits%20on%20tray%20Causeway%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4OW2wOqIhh_qaFrtcgb_fK7zyRJAvnUnbwfZ70ECQ8qMHNBX-X25tPN2wU-EwIp4K2HEhDOUkKs4_V7_UVP1vQiZfTxmwwE9OVqiXoiORmJS0rRi2HylnkMn67lDo0QapxX6gUK4E-AioNZG9u9vhEY_2-vuXGhw7VVUuaUl_fjf5geHnpXXkXdgFRca/s1573/Bearded%20tits%20on%20tray%20Causeway%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1573" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4OW2wOqIhh_qaFrtcgb_fK7zyRJAvnUnbwfZ70ECQ8qMHNBX-X25tPN2wU-EwIp4K2HEhDOUkKs4_V7_UVP1vQiZfTxmwwE9OVqiXoiORmJS0rRi2HylnkMn67lDo0QapxX6gUK4E-AioNZG9u9vhEY_2-vuXGhw7VVUuaUl_fjf5geHnpXXkXdgFRca/w640-h298/Bearded%20tits%20on%20tray%20Causeway%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>At the hide the duck had shuffled round a bit since we left although it has to be said most were still asleep. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> were a little more active than earlier and a single male had strayed quite close. He'll look even more splendid when his pin tail-feather grows in a weeek or so's time.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfPCE_IPaaLNGfBrCmOlQjmVH4MBGH1ywvKNks-Ht0EOl8Glt04HW-HX7j_dp_0wkn_7kietclQGev17JXHhJGekwo0PRmt0NuBgt8rEzmKG6GU9qDq92u6wSQe32N-eiQ-J95Tspu3XRdkxdEx-qolMMK87IhyphenhyphenFzKZyFay4mUeM5VIZ4jK7gd7RD3raW/s1543/Pintail%20male.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1543" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfPCE_IPaaLNGfBrCmOlQjmVH4MBGH1ywvKNks-Ht0EOl8Glt04HW-HX7j_dp_0wkn_7kietclQGev17JXHhJGekwo0PRmt0NuBgt8rEzmKG6GU9qDq92u6wSQe32N-eiQ-J95Tspu3XRdkxdEx-qolMMK87IhyphenhyphenFzKZyFay4mUeM5VIZ4jK7gd7RD3raW/w640-h326/Pintail%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cinnamon Teal x Shoveler</span></b> hybrid had changed its sleeping location but was now in exactly the same position as before just further away but slightly less obscured by vegetation.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxo2VMLjMdWjRKU0lqTrV2eKlUYPzN5stTv-THBBgTFH9NUjO6nSaWfCscPdem8VKEjvG7R5_93oR6xmaOWWGcYMFT7IKuvvZvZelxxsYI0yc94nP86OgF1B-FbrbKRdrlWZgGNQg7ygyYj255y9gblrzTokSw1UgJoAZJL62IYtZZjttRSAHm-jfBAFL/s1139/Cinnamon%20teal%20hybrid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1139" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxo2VMLjMdWjRKU0lqTrV2eKlUYPzN5stTv-THBBgTFH9NUjO6nSaWfCscPdem8VKEjvG7R5_93oR6xmaOWWGcYMFT7IKuvvZvZelxxsYI0yc94nP86OgF1B-FbrbKRdrlWZgGNQg7ygyYj255y9gblrzTokSw1UgJoAZJL62IYtZZjttRSAHm-jfBAFL/w640-h476/Cinnamon%20teal%20hybrid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was negative news of any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> activity too so with the afternoon now moving on a pace we thought it time to visit the saltmarsh pools. Off we went towards the car park but within a couple of minutes another couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Treecreepers</span></b> caught our attention, we'd seen so many today it would have been rude not to have tried to get a pic or two. Actually we only managed to get this not very good one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8CvSbirEvesLcSwkQu2QgKervnxhqgkKCyYrAyhDAhpSUWTI7H-cQziQRGQ05DC1l2E2SRfK7f3my_LG8tTkBZhbDXUtSVy8wzu8lNHAWdvGkMqESCW8M4ePb-svEtrC21j4q9Fa_ExRWW2OuvtWBI-1mroRm7dWaub9eUG7TistbMara6H-Wtj3rN9E/s1103/Treecreeper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1103" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8CvSbirEvesLcSwkQu2QgKervnxhqgkKCyYrAyhDAhpSUWTI7H-cQziQRGQ05DC1l2E2SRfK7f3my_LG8tTkBZhbDXUtSVy8wzu8lNHAWdvGkMqESCW8M4ePb-svEtrC21j4q9Fa_ExRWW2OuvtWBI-1mroRm7dWaub9eUG7TistbMara6H-Wtj3rN9E/w640-h510/Treecreeper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We did get our <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskin</span></b>, but only as a fly-over - no chance of a pic, so one still needed for our Photo Challenge which is currently on 174 species of birds photographed this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">At the Allen Pool we opened the window, looked out and closed them again, the pool was a birdless desert save for a couple of lonely <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b>. We hoped there'd be a lot more action on the Eric Morecambe Pool. Thankfully there was, all the usual suspects of duck were there along with a small selection of wading birds, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b> and four <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b>. No sign of the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> that KL had seen in the morning though. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> flew through and caused a bit of a panic especially among the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b> which looked to have a smaller wader with them when they got up, perhaps a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ruff </span></b>or a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plover</span></b>, but when they landed and settled down we couldn't find anything out of the ordinary amongst them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">On the island closest to the window a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon </span></b>loafed and grazed. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8RUfy8IHriTrunQzwQM32qxkRzRVkv9L9SWDKsiaFAk-v2k2arqKt0jmKbhVseTVZSrBDWofm6NQLS9zjwkeBTKBQuejoqGXzUBqhhA_PNAF_VrsQXgfdMxDFfmYqTQZB3Xc1OHbcEwV5fPI9woyY-Wkopsga5gqQ-y7nHoTyzDypsB66iaISj0tv6EU/s1376/Wigeon%20pair%20grazing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1376" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8RUfy8IHriTrunQzwQM32qxkRzRVkv9L9SWDKsiaFAk-v2k2arqKt0jmKbhVseTVZSrBDWofm6NQLS9zjwkeBTKBQuejoqGXzUBqhhA_PNAF_VrsQXgfdMxDFfmYqTQZB3Xc1OHbcEwV5fPI9woyY-Wkopsga5gqQ-y7nHoTyzDypsB66iaISj0tv6EU/w640-h484/Wigeon%20pair%20grazing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>One male in particular started whistling - we thought it would be fun to whistke back...it worked we whistled he whistled back several times. Here he is having a listen.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeFUjPpYv7vAa_mD6oarhmBysjEKaFHpy8yuOA9OkFrOQ1iahvzdRtW7jsrHlXZr3prSNdFIEN_WJv7Jt5j-6QhZEgJaIXUOoUTp3x3Vc2F0d5insTVQ1ba0v2ML8GnLw4aWwgBt2mUZa_n8nlKfbPWaK-Nv2e0RjA70ygI43zvvx-D2-YCmsjkflBjCG/s1410/Wigeon%20male%20portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1410" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeFUjPpYv7vAa_mD6oarhmBysjEKaFHpy8yuOA9OkFrOQ1iahvzdRtW7jsrHlXZr3prSNdFIEN_WJv7Jt5j-6QhZEgJaIXUOoUTp3x3Vc2F0d5insTVQ1ba0v2ML8GnLw4aWwgBt2mUZa_n8nlKfbPWaK-Nv2e0RjA70ygI43zvvx-D2-YCmsjkflBjCG/w640-h416/Wigeon%20male%20portrait.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We must have sounded interesting as another male started to walk towards us as if to check out who was making all the noise.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyZoFZtxVkmeNCJUu03twFT5hh7XenLtRfoyclexegAZneZzg_M13AIoq3PqGb-N2bZWFVzsqn0vkWjl9tTfszxDoBT-IhezPyJISXy5Bg9VOZhxCNbHsxQDGXoA3UKIztBSKC47nPrYjloKN07ETlmWjHKzZTaexKn-OOeD3vKMA8BXI_T6KbqTuLL4W/s1058/Wigeon%20male.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="920" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyZoFZtxVkmeNCJUu03twFT5hh7XenLtRfoyclexegAZneZzg_M13AIoq3PqGb-N2bZWFVzsqn0vkWjl9tTfszxDoBT-IhezPyJISXy5Bg9VOZhxCNbHsxQDGXoA3UKIztBSKC47nPrYjloKN07ETlmWjHKzZTaexKn-OOeD3vKMA8BXI_T6KbqTuLL4W/w556-h640/Wigeon%20male.jpg" width="556" /></a></div>We thought better of teasing them any further and kept quiet allowing them to go about their business.The light was beginning to fade when a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> flew in, landing some way off in the far corner.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OnOAInfQpc792fiZNjkJjwBW8WzZFMijPQjagQQTFvpL-4GPvlThFrxJ4Dtj3HYO0idaFz18KXZjVhvKTV-xipn697yiHEe3J4AlDM0g9MlEMXObzu7kblAE820eMI4lDRYorQ6w1Zvz7REqftMUgZOZ_znrTBGlY4CPcHnuqhhyphenhyphenLB7def71oVOIocbm/s1240/Great%20white%20egret%20eric%20morecambe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1240" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OnOAInfQpc792fiZNjkJjwBW8WzZFMijPQjagQQTFvpL-4GPvlThFrxJ4Dtj3HYO0idaFz18KXZjVhvKTV-xipn697yiHEe3J4AlDM0g9MlEMXObzu7kblAE820eMI4lDRYorQ6w1Zvz7REqftMUgZOZ_znrTBGlY4CPcHnuqhhyphenhyphenLB7def71oVOIocbm/w640-h606/Great%20white%20egret%20eric%20morecambe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>While many in the hide were watching that we spotted a 'proper bird' coming in from the right - a gull. We assumed (=mis-identified) it was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Black Back</span></b> - tut tut!!! It was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Black Back</span></b>, our error stemmed from the fact that on back on our local patch we've not seen a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Black Back</span></b> for a few weeks now so (wrongly) assumed they's all left for sunnier climes (many do but not all, some do spend the winter in Britain). We've got a bit of a talk on gulls coming up so thought this would be a good opportunity to get some flight shots and other general ID pics so we swapped over to the Allen Pool windows only to see it swoop down and catch a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Green Shore Crab</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg31ZRWIGjxmj9Bd5tvpuvx5Rx_jbr4EhZ1Rk93S4aMwnSPtEz9aitjwsT-fTWPI9Ag-i59nQSscu0NOHMIALNwYAOY3hbm0WCeYRO8h0EqcSQQo0pbqsssPw0UmL4Dz7nJud9gV75rrYCOYMkXOt0n1q5BFDehNuG9bRGTllGZWPE2i-sm4pJ4hPZllGV/s2262/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1690" data-original-width="2262" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg31ZRWIGjxmj9Bd5tvpuvx5Rx_jbr4EhZ1Rk93S4aMwnSPtEz9aitjwsT-fTWPI9Ag-i59nQSscu0NOHMIALNwYAOY3hbm0WCeYRO8h0EqcSQQo0pbqsssPw0UmL4Dz7nJud9gV75rrYCOYMkXOt0n1q5BFDehNuG9bRGTllGZWPE2i-sm4pJ4hPZllGV/w640-h478/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQV2bBQ3_bmaFvVsN8_KeUVdvyVjzvoY4ws-i09CpCcm9xY2-pC_PXtvQ-N-mskMMqPsTiU0z5AfF9Br5Xq3oHTPEjkKOR-m35rpXebcdFwCbcNYA0F9VAr_Arb4ezgoo8Qc0ax8e6EMN5ErJllNy0jACKmSk4JJPBFquriNuHwD0bASW-74oJWOD2JH1/s1709/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1709" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQV2bBQ3_bmaFvVsN8_KeUVdvyVjzvoY4ws-i09CpCcm9xY2-pC_PXtvQ-N-mskMMqPsTiU0z5AfF9Br5Xq3oHTPEjkKOR-m35rpXebcdFwCbcNYA0F9VAr_Arb4ezgoo8Qc0ax8e6EMN5ErJllNy0jACKmSk4JJPBFquriNuHwD0bASW-74oJWOD2JH1/w640-h388/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmhBVGlT8WyWqKj4HNmsxvjK6GiYns_DnK1m7vI4Cixs6g_IM7es4VR9Am-XvhVGlcdLz6WqGKf_C3p_MfRpL3pGO6MVIvqNT0ujK59_RL_jVqohcmQA4yzH_QYLrc_fHSkHkZg3oJ1kTgpXKFkBWysPOiEAbI3QDDBpIKKFnHkDi8IMIUChdqxlI5K2c/s1524/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmhBVGlT8WyWqKj4HNmsxvjK6GiYns_DnK1m7vI4Cixs6g_IM7es4VR9Am-XvhVGlcdLz6WqGKf_C3p_MfRpL3pGO6MVIvqNT0ujK59_RL_jVqohcmQA4yzH_QYLrc_fHSkHkZg3oJ1kTgpXKFkBWysPOiEAbI3QDDBpIKKFnHkDi8IMIUChdqxlI5K2c/w640-h320/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Rather than swallow it whole it took it to an adjacent island to pick apart.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvq38Nn_59EpYMwf3oRhPqkF_4IfNo99wbKcTsyt-vczE3ZOhr3pfUrUbE9jXaRoUyziY5ZQxIeeFRzV2-ikmc6Qc5LR7iJ7ZKG195VjFmzE8LN96imypgUfJge0pfy7FmCGk1M9_Sm4gbjO31cHKkhDDvoOHe0xGfocYA3KaV7kzSQKuZ5H6oAtPJEam/s1148/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1148" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvq38Nn_59EpYMwf3oRhPqkF_4IfNo99wbKcTsyt-vczE3ZOhr3pfUrUbE9jXaRoUyziY5ZQxIeeFRzV2-ikmc6Qc5LR7iJ7ZKG195VjFmzE8LN96imypgUfJge0pfy7FmCGk1M9_Sm4gbjO31cHKkhDDvoOHe0xGfocYA3KaV7kzSQKuZ5H6oAtPJEam/w640-h454/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwY0Kl4vD8f-4v2_CfH5XathevnVARL-ofrvKC9EwzimfkdSVpzrqS281r842jjul5yvUUF3obguU56odm8ZU0MXu_k__SHbvp4eSJRr3VVYA7gxlmvDEQqVPJsyKkRBkGTh_emwJlFGGbkYuwJ_l-vQrGhA0w2Bkcvh1CjfUp4N7amcj7HMGKTOpsOVgG/s1171/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1171" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwY0Kl4vD8f-4v2_CfH5XathevnVARL-ofrvKC9EwzimfkdSVpzrqS281r842jjul5yvUUF3obguU56odm8ZU0MXu_k__SHbvp4eSJRr3VVYA7gxlmvDEQqVPJsyKkRBkGTh_emwJlFGGbkYuwJ_l-vQrGhA0w2Bkcvh1CjfUp4N7amcj7HMGKTOpsOVgG/w640-h442/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguvlrVxiZLw_yGdI7JTOQOJLNjmUeDSG-tYEveJeYMX3BFfMe91vUbk9iDK9ydA1hVlAJ9QL79rIm5aJwTBLkb4LeOM8Qc_xoMoircYOuxVKs7anMYysonStioNiQD9kx39rVnf2Ok-oMTDpWsGM2W7AyEFa1kp_vdeD9kWTvR1RerDw2sDkkWnWEOMqm/s1199/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1199" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguvlrVxiZLw_yGdI7JTOQOJLNjmUeDSG-tYEveJeYMX3BFfMe91vUbk9iDK9ydA1hVlAJ9QL79rIm5aJwTBLkb4LeOM8Qc_xoMoircYOuxVKs7anMYysonStioNiQD9kx39rVnf2Ok-oMTDpWsGM2W7AyEFa1kp_vdeD9kWTvR1RerDw2sDkkWnWEOMqm/w640-h484/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7dQpSOsm3KHncBdaA_Ow97hlrlD2q38oSAx4C62rQ0grT1nbOse9ZY256cYqw0J4Ih2FxZ1ilkVEArlhJ3UzVH_J6U3tz-KRWJ-h2PRS9iQXCQRq0YCxr-U_ojuyHUIWtikTslBgHxLHsnG7T3GI2xygSlwDzG4Z583PeeRYnL-f0z5es-Eab25g1MVn/s1334/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1334" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7dQpSOsm3KHncBdaA_Ow97hlrlD2q38oSAx4C62rQ0grT1nbOse9ZY256cYqw0J4Ih2FxZ1ilkVEArlhJ3UzVH_J6U3tz-KRWJ-h2PRS9iQXCQRq0YCxr-U_ojuyHUIWtikTslBgHxLHsnG7T3GI2xygSlwDzG4Z583PeeRYnL-f0z5es-Eab25g1MVn/w640-h464/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7zt5MorqnQJEDOozLJSRCPdMkiiW3McJEgYVoSTwPEBni-QTngb7Eig1_3dCWB3AhGGGTyxLnfdyiyiJM3agSt2mxXa6JvrtoeZrxMyBDu0WtZQqrvoqLh4zITBtpXbdFJ8Ev7NcDTbN2Q0C9HWsrQ6DD3woNlnW_m3qDJ0Z6PVypZadUzk2Gg1eQzqT/s1311/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1311" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7zt5MorqnQJEDOozLJSRCPdMkiiW3McJEgYVoSTwPEBni-QTngb7Eig1_3dCWB3AhGGGTyxLnfdyiyiJM3agSt2mxXa6JvrtoeZrxMyBDu0WtZQqrvoqLh4zITBtpXbdFJ8Ev7NcDTbN2Q0C9HWsrQ6DD3woNlnW_m3qDJ0Z6PVypZadUzk2Gg1eQzqT/w640-h444/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20with%20crab%20on%20ground%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Once the crab was no more the gull had another fly round hunting for another without success.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWtIBa-_zAj__9owBaejYrd77yBpe5wN2JhsYAf6N9a3z8Ot4_4inI_sutjnPWTcFYZmgZss3pWBqwa1r73_5YEXMu5Qii15FARhqbqVJp7xiZ2ZKru0sNCaH4d7BVtTSKys75rH2FDfxbyiMNXuyzzBQd7hZ4uNSKjRu7-sGHfavUMrZAGIuQyzKinwz/s1685/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1685" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWtIBa-_zAj__9owBaejYrd77yBpe5wN2JhsYAf6N9a3z8Ot4_4inI_sutjnPWTcFYZmgZss3pWBqwa1r73_5YEXMu5Qii15FARhqbqVJp7xiZ2ZKru0sNCaH4d7BVtTSKys75rH2FDfxbyiMNXuyzzBQd7hZ4uNSKjRu7-sGHfavUMrZAGIuQyzKinwz/w640-h500/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9JuMDAdl-ISfdfkh4nEHLJx4jD-2fkSPucB-r-zd_h4_im5Gk0cCENwORXt4g0UVSJHY6T-kvsUg2pcB4jwKNdj0kSIcrBvt1tsgIEXG2FumpNbY8qx1JgrpDRUTUuIYfUuThFSQ7_7CpnAHEygRgksMrO_K0C_R5QmlMIxZGJ_bVksOhJnztehYtsUC/s1436/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="1331" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9JuMDAdl-ISfdfkh4nEHLJx4jD-2fkSPucB-r-zd_h4_im5Gk0cCENwORXt4g0UVSJHY6T-kvsUg2pcB4jwKNdj0kSIcrBvt1tsgIEXG2FumpNbY8qx1JgrpDRUTUuIYfUuThFSQ7_7CpnAHEygRgksMrO_K0C_R5QmlMIxZGJ_bVksOhJnztehYtsUC/w594-h640/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%203.jpg" width="594" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGolSIdJ5EnWWRtss6rAeuH4HHfuNwjtexbHkpnSRMyfQ4SICKapu3NF5nxXAKXr_AtoC5jK9o23Q4Bja7Q6Hp1wmXphyaAq9GNZIsZi9ozhyphenhyphenChjhjdwMvNochPog-_SY7R_vFfMhS2DdE-owfoHkdsXP6OlTI1zMWc2lxgtH0L4DkA1R6X4G6CSH7rEQ/s2160/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1690" data-original-width="2160" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZGolSIdJ5EnWWRtss6rAeuH4HHfuNwjtexbHkpnSRMyfQ4SICKapu3NF5nxXAKXr_AtoC5jK9o23Q4Bja7Q6Hp1wmXphyaAq9GNZIsZi9ozhyphenhyphenChjhjdwMvNochPog-_SY7R_vFfMhS2DdE-owfoHkdsXP6OlTI1zMWc2lxgtH0L4DkA1R6X4G6CSH7rEQ/w640-h500/Lesser%20black%20backed%20gull%20in%20flight%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have to say this isn't a particularly safe place for <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Green Shore Crabs</span></b> after we watched a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank </span></b>and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> eating them on our previous visit a couple of weeks back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our time was now up and back down the motorway to Base Camp we headed, after a grand day out on safari.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> A lot may depend on how sickly our car is but we're sure we'll be out on safari again very soon, even if it's only through the window at Base Camp.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's flavour of the month for all the predators in your outback.<br /></div><div><br /></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-91603585565888847732023-10-19T10:50:00.002+01:002023-10-19T10:50:25.976+01:00The annual safari to the east coast - Days 3 & 4<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari was once</b> again hearing the wind in the tree tops outside the pre-dawn window...not a good sign. It really did feel like the weather gods were well and truly against us - Again! To be fair to those gods the wind had dropped a little bit but was still too strong from the 'wrong' direction.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Where to first this morning? Well in previous years we've always started the day at the seawatching hide but so far this trip hadn't so a conscious decision was made to do just that. Despite the slacking wind there wasn't much tio get the juices flowing. The now regular <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seal</span></b> was a bit closer but very active, every time we tried for a pic he got camera shy and dived. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tI9qBgI9jJXhLYHreJ3x3fcE_oJuWgHLRMgDIwaDrRrECAxikpsfXvOECUqasxjjD_6VgLYssEdkJbvLln7rWipO7PbKpL92Ovit3gmqrNUE41TBoMtmVAHvKaKnH56lxVRcNwweO-Yb0cTYJ8nmN4xNclVnRZtZWZElvckx3A7pDbxaDiiidMucyFUj/s1570/002%20Grey%20seal%20diving.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="1570" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tI9qBgI9jJXhLYHreJ3x3fcE_oJuWgHLRMgDIwaDrRrECAxikpsfXvOECUqasxjjD_6VgLYssEdkJbvLln7rWipO7PbKpL92Ovit3gmqrNUE41TBoMtmVAHvKaKnH56lxVRcNwweO-Yb0cTYJ8nmN4xNclVnRZtZWZElvckx3A7pDbxaDiiidMucyFUj/w640-h214/002%20Grey%20seal%20diving.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At least the regular <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Diver</span></b> was closer, but still not close enough. Squint hard and you might just be able to make out a hint of red on its throat.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQiecFk5uzKdvjVCUCAAJilOH4FicisqyOclL5GZjZ9bmzaAxk7qFvDFppvaOjNvi1g7K5S0poJjhXNccYn-ECPHkBPr_gjgyvDsCPGO8TSy261PTEvApUlhTOvj0XgkYqFFM4TAj392pY2r8J8b55fhv_-Pr9AfItYNGIubTEhC6l06Fn_poQMsCKrv0/s1411/001%20Red%20throated%20diver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1411" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQiecFk5uzKdvjVCUCAAJilOH4FicisqyOclL5GZjZ9bmzaAxk7qFvDFppvaOjNvi1g7K5S0poJjhXNccYn-ECPHkBPr_gjgyvDsCPGO8TSy261PTEvApUlhTOvj0XgkYqFFM4TAj392pY2r8J8b55fhv_-Pr9AfItYNGIubTEhC6l06Fn_poQMsCKrv0/w640-h278/001%20Red%20throated%20diver.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More of its kin kept moving southwards as did <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sandwich Terns</span></b>, far more of the former than the latter. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Far more Guillemots</span></b> than <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbills</span></b> also moved southwards but <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b>, all juveniles on this watch, went the 'wrong' way.<br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtx647vUjGKbxZ7HDQGgXWN23NbSYkKScfAVIcQBg_5tEO36LJY8JaTcJGVW9Q3m55eJbT3vUqTjJqQsfFF3cph3itmvgNH_lwHgOGMKaow2P22qeIPdp6yk1sV2SlaKSLWr3fbwB74Lju4g2TLnz-kfXVp6tmHtJs29-IJTHjGpN2uC6GeKs0lZ-sok0/s1347/003%20Juv%20Gannets%20over%20a%20guillemot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1347" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtx647vUjGKbxZ7HDQGgXWN23NbSYkKScfAVIcQBg_5tEO36LJY8JaTcJGVW9Q3m55eJbT3vUqTjJqQsfFF3cph3itmvgNH_lwHgOGMKaow2P22qeIPdp6yk1sV2SlaKSLWr3fbwB74Lju4g2TLnz-kfXVp6tmHtJs29-IJTHjGpN2uC6GeKs0lZ-sok0/w640-h350/003%20Juv%20Gannets%20over%20a%20guillemot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ducks were represented by small numbers of incoming <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b> and distant small flocks of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Scoters</span></b> mooching around well out towards the turbines. It was all much of a muchness until a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Merlin </span></b>sped past the hide window clutching what looked like half a prey item. And then the real action started "Dolphins!" was the cry. Coming up from the south in the near to middle distance was a scattered pod of about a dozen <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bottlenose Dolphins</span></b> - nice one!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiK1y8SzuzT6t88fViHJRwPVbbMMQ-L5-uZ-4wmPuVo7ray6uy3nyM7FGHSUcwL3IyPc3WBIQ9sN70AdMrPY9cNWPrNJlhGxLn3RnJGdB1Z_ELjqxGTSSmmhkQQ_AlsYizJmo97n3jG8QTN5XnJw1mRRKP2Iir0AQKLypuj5qO5xzZ41CvZ4XjYgcX4YSB/s1699/Dolphin%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1699" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiK1y8SzuzT6t88fViHJRwPVbbMMQ-L5-uZ-4wmPuVo7ray6uy3nyM7FGHSUcwL3IyPc3WBIQ9sN70AdMrPY9cNWPrNJlhGxLn3RnJGdB1Z_ELjqxGTSSmmhkQQ_AlsYizJmo97n3jG8QTN5XnJw1mRRKP2Iir0AQKLypuj5qO5xzZ41CvZ4XjYgcX4YSB/w640-h356/Dolphin%2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHfn2fmtxOuzI1AH8JRGQ7N2dNWQgX_xnTS_DLuOy55-8tGtEkTOO4Z4yTZdKAsRqV48YhQplg4OQ9V9qRPFtNLfdREp2mgfpwzb8jbfL29WJgkQk6VqMqFnErySzqygMrjQPmSDQP8dOat8hAd7QEvYrgyeKLuNg-xkmLfBO-iwGkIy16HCAT8ho_Hq6/s1624/Dolphin%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1624" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHfn2fmtxOuzI1AH8JRGQ7N2dNWQgX_xnTS_DLuOy55-8tGtEkTOO4Z4yTZdKAsRqV48YhQplg4OQ9V9qRPFtNLfdREp2mgfpwzb8jbfL29WJgkQk6VqMqFnErySzqygMrjQPmSDQP8dOat8hAd7QEvYrgyeKLuNg-xkmLfBO-iwGkIy16HCAT8ho_Hq6/w640-h352/Dolphin%2015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqI9iuZ5U1ZqPD1x1_C27HkNF934fbYsjYDuYTRIPk6IIsfXrT_r3Ta-IJY9kVKoAOyeW2rWj8keeL32IX6acqoNLgcNoWi4iixoZWX-xtMsxr94l0VBo1Uyv0yKuqcnMCOdz6fbWT4hFZNz_Oa1_xUMhhBexaEvBbtPMcVY6wM73Fc5q_VEhMeNLf-O5/s1756/Dolphin%2010%20tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1756" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqI9iuZ5U1ZqPD1x1_C27HkNF934fbYsjYDuYTRIPk6IIsfXrT_r3Ta-IJY9kVKoAOyeW2rWj8keeL32IX6acqoNLgcNoWi4iixoZWX-xtMsxr94l0VBo1Uyv0yKuqcnMCOdz6fbWT4hFZNz_Oa1_xUMhhBexaEvBbtPMcVY6wM73Fc5q_VEhMeNLf-O5/w640-h368/Dolphin%2010%20tail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfyuJgiTQ24Qxwnuai4fUgq58mqwo8lfO6Qhog_MnUJPoKNByEb0BEacGgQVgWKz90M5-kJHc73pGh_oNQ-JRKRMOtkLmnw6ew-EbGugUvxV9RP7IBMNFGp7VioHoQjsSuJZ2kR1q3Oubw_H1Knng-oAdRHsTguSC-VtOZytDF9uOZMedTlNixdH9VgooY/s2345/Dolphin%209%20two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="2345" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfyuJgiTQ24Qxwnuai4fUgq58mqwo8lfO6Qhog_MnUJPoKNByEb0BEacGgQVgWKz90M5-kJHc73pGh_oNQ-JRKRMOtkLmnw6ew-EbGugUvxV9RP7IBMNFGp7VioHoQjsSuJZ2kR1q3Oubw_H1Knng-oAdRHsTguSC-VtOZytDF9uOZMedTlNixdH9VgooY/w640-h250/Dolphin%209%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3b0SjcZ_x9Sb_U7_5E13KPH7wCwJRj2WOq03e__7R4DrKExaPfHXxuw8tfGhKNQ1ZHEl3KmWL1rqP8PyfcQftbBAi_gL3COH9STthCnEFur_p3eUIcRyL5dW8qUi1YzjfZFYYL966ruga-hudcBdzAigInzUBksH7OmKWfg3707e1xsP6YFoIvtcR2l4r/s1726/Dolphin%208%20two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1726" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3b0SjcZ_x9Sb_U7_5E13KPH7wCwJRj2WOq03e__7R4DrKExaPfHXxuw8tfGhKNQ1ZHEl3KmWL1rqP8PyfcQftbBAi_gL3COH9STthCnEFur_p3eUIcRyL5dW8qUi1YzjfZFYYL966ruga-hudcBdzAigInzUBksH7OmKWfg3707e1xsP6YFoIvtcR2l4r/w640-h374/Dolphin%208%20two.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fw7VC-7AQlLizApBbNZwM6Tz4yaYFJVUbcBjQHA3rZ9UpxiXl5TL7lE3M58SVCzzo-V1V4Uy0jAb5A0A5LFMDjF-ZnSGPq8lGc3yG2dHk1MYEN-5EJ01L7pqc0ljXw-A6mrd20kDdMaa5YD_BnLtjRnvXq8Op4qiVEmvxIlguZ83jTY02KIuVcoxX18D/s1695/Dolphin%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1695" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fw7VC-7AQlLizApBbNZwM6Tz4yaYFJVUbcBjQHA3rZ9UpxiXl5TL7lE3M58SVCzzo-V1V4Uy0jAb5A0A5LFMDjF-ZnSGPq8lGc3yG2dHk1MYEN-5EJ01L7pqc0ljXw-A6mrd20kDdMaa5YD_BnLtjRnvXq8Op4qiVEmvxIlguZ83jTY02KIuVcoxX18D/w640-h264/Dolphin%207.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheCmhNxoi88xpPO7TyROCOPNmsMIddCtwEociPps1lTyXWsfnzwiOUGZ_48ysgCrAS6hHiiexcraFWHknUtLE0Fvps-PDU0Zc6QZwhbqIvmV2mPHZa3HyyRRq3s9MYAsCSBZCFjXWRUAqp_GZUGArZzhJKtIckt0ILyKEeZ0bjjMLO95IQmA4whfY5llr/s1476/Dolphin%206%20with%20calf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="1476" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheCmhNxoi88xpPO7TyROCOPNmsMIddCtwEociPps1lTyXWsfnzwiOUGZ_48ysgCrAS6hHiiexcraFWHknUtLE0Fvps-PDU0Zc6QZwhbqIvmV2mPHZa3HyyRRq3s9MYAsCSBZCFjXWRUAqp_GZUGArZzhJKtIckt0ILyKEeZ0bjjMLO95IQmA4whfY5llr/w640-h280/Dolphin%206%20with%20calf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkb37sA9KhpluGNCERAYbo8w9HI0uAAAmxfWlaLzcPLJRVXYQOurevzqagytY-blOLp-44_9rHrl9zFr0VlcoXyKJMUEoyQpJdpO3jv_vDBrapyvRYwlnbDS36CI0cLLAcS3kdsEd6IfHAIfsu73AB_b9DwGKXA7vOPuFVYI933lkBNXifEjU_Rv69-BC-/s1516/Dolphin%205%20with%20calf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1516" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkb37sA9KhpluGNCERAYbo8w9HI0uAAAmxfWlaLzcPLJRVXYQOurevzqagytY-blOLp-44_9rHrl9zFr0VlcoXyKJMUEoyQpJdpO3jv_vDBrapyvRYwlnbDS36CI0cLLAcS3kdsEd6IfHAIfsu73AB_b9DwGKXA7vOPuFVYI933lkBNXifEjU_Rv69-BC-/w640-h356/Dolphin%205%20with%20calf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKvyr8cmsNV0GDsNj1Bc9QI8tcddJ_OA9xndck2DZ7cmO2yaXgPvgEFD8qB13cQ0pdmAakrLmw4S4d-5OW1jK2vprag9FC9K3KVucsiywOOpWaBfph6cemjJOrhOy5yZRe9gWBbMvG9Qb-rdO0hAMD-KWcThFu3iDkg7paMTLE9fejLubeOdnfCljnuar/s1354/Dolphin%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1354" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKvyr8cmsNV0GDsNj1Bc9QI8tcddJ_OA9xndck2DZ7cmO2yaXgPvgEFD8qB13cQ0pdmAakrLmw4S4d-5OW1jK2vprag9FC9K3KVucsiywOOpWaBfph6cemjJOrhOy5yZRe9gWBbMvG9Qb-rdO0hAMD-KWcThFu3iDkg7paMTLE9fejLubeOdnfCljnuar/w640-h324/Dolphin%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrcbru8pNsQo82pUTXAJ23f00o4YzwisfgVgk27L1IfmuMS_x5eSNeLJA5yV3hlK4lqIGK_TClvCOUI9VOcwKXRPgMm_2BKRhXv9YsKB1qML5r_aN5wBXd0AWkb2bLTkr69EaS698qJ7VGnphuRR5JsNzQezaVURN0smzfjdg0zMhPqIop9BD2xQEADGD/s1467/Dolphin%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1467" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrcbru8pNsQo82pUTXAJ23f00o4YzwisfgVgk27L1IfmuMS_x5eSNeLJA5yV3hlK4lqIGK_TClvCOUI9VOcwKXRPgMm_2BKRhXv9YsKB1qML5r_aN5wBXd0AWkb2bLTkr69EaS698qJ7VGnphuRR5JsNzQezaVURN0smzfjdg0zMhPqIop9BD2xQEADGD/w640-h374/Dolphin%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvqUHecEXgV2AQeuNoOtdjy4ZxH8U-p4XQaDSYnCRQYmN3OQZW4kxF_XrFW-Io5i5LcvmTLueO49E0-JZ2qUKOXPwpeFKdtmeFjcvDg6DwWOuJYIsJFjsmpTR16Wn3SwZKpRQFt2plcdaRl6yy_4VJYZ0ePHYChQmLSU-ks-FCsW7sFFBx4kk8APietv9/s1613/Dolphin%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1613" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvqUHecEXgV2AQeuNoOtdjy4ZxH8U-p4XQaDSYnCRQYmN3OQZW4kxF_XrFW-Io5i5LcvmTLueO49E0-JZ2qUKOXPwpeFKdtmeFjcvDg6DwWOuJYIsJFjsmpTR16Wn3SwZKpRQFt2plcdaRl6yy_4VJYZ0ePHYChQmLSU-ks-FCsW7sFFBx4kk8APietv9/w640-h304/Dolphin%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXVAOgSZka_bxtM3PmMIURooOzjCPmko6Xycy8XvLJAxw1vuKf-Hp5-476QXknvxGphKypA-KKCtTLGGDDC-wu5Gf9EMgiyxALL0ZBCzXvrh16sBJ0zspdkIA-hzaHelbNRLOEnfY2SVE7Qne1rQjBDnPiYq8hj4Vex87J-8X6k0_Tt6qKfaT-4yy2nBp/s2032/Dolphin%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="2032" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXVAOgSZka_bxtM3PmMIURooOzjCPmko6Xycy8XvLJAxw1vuKf-Hp5-476QXknvxGphKypA-KKCtTLGGDDC-wu5Gf9EMgiyxALL0ZBCzXvrh16sBJ0zspdkIA-hzaHelbNRLOEnfY2SVE7Qne1rQjBDnPiYq8hj4Vex87J-8X6k0_Tt6qKfaT-4yy2nBp/w640-h246/Dolphin%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As you can see they were motoring through on a mission to somewhere. But there were a few spectacular breaches that we caught on camera.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7tb6F_4H9QGp2tlZ95SRdcPbNYICHyTc2qUVE8Kc5QU9PjGAPAP_vIJWmSs-D1DW5_HnlRgdQrpn5blTXwRou8lgTKGGzBGI8uYm4d9wp6mevq8NN8oDgVZRbmCe8zRYYTXu6Kn5KGTetvF5Q5RMVl1n5_cwb86IGwqunLzKoZcTzd6Fge-kx8JLo70Y/s1281/Dolphin%2012%20full%20breach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1281" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7tb6F_4H9QGp2tlZ95SRdcPbNYICHyTc2qUVE8Kc5QU9PjGAPAP_vIJWmSs-D1DW5_HnlRgdQrpn5blTXwRou8lgTKGGzBGI8uYm4d9wp6mevq8NN8oDgVZRbmCe8zRYYTXu6Kn5KGTetvF5Q5RMVl1n5_cwb86IGwqunLzKoZcTzd6Fge-kx8JLo70Y/w640-h610/Dolphin%2012%20full%20breach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOMRnH3YrS75DN6tDsnb8d91HXA9HBYXZTPv4YjAkMiplRq_D8r1BB97U0x0VYg0VxFOEfYZNoqv3kW16ucuWscB3yTTOmc1XihbWonRmM3rsaWJw0WBi1td_7eAVpyu4mGSRmm33bJHNchpEceJiMWvyqOJlyJP7dPHFYnMPRf3tFGJ1vRnNkW-yeaFN/s1358/Dolphin%2013%20full%20breach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1358" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOMRnH3YrS75DN6tDsnb8d91HXA9HBYXZTPv4YjAkMiplRq_D8r1BB97U0x0VYg0VxFOEfYZNoqv3kW16ucuWscB3yTTOmc1XihbWonRmM3rsaWJw0WBi1td_7eAVpyu4mGSRmm33bJHNchpEceJiMWvyqOJlyJP7dPHFYnMPRf3tFGJ1vRnNkW-yeaFN/w640-h498/Dolphin%2013%20full%20breach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInDYDFq5YNXNMUhsaluDVvWDbUwbtiS3yfKpxd2S9RM8Y0tv4K0GTJbG80W2wBEh06nYA3nQ6snmPUKDqtOlc4qsP-95lSxsW1lknoil4FLtXkjwT3KOZ4xlENeHcEW8qXpb__RbkWQuL6PVDjJa8tB_sQsbSQTjhqWmt__stH851eA89GMC259UHj9yo/s1360/Dolphin%2014%20full%20breach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1283" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInDYDFq5YNXNMUhsaluDVvWDbUwbtiS3yfKpxd2S9RM8Y0tv4K0GTJbG80W2wBEh06nYA3nQ6snmPUKDqtOlc4qsP-95lSxsW1lknoil4FLtXkjwT3KOZ4xlENeHcEW8qXpb__RbkWQuL6PVDjJa8tB_sQsbSQTjhqWmt__stH851eA89GMC259UHj9yo/w604-h640/Dolphin%2014%20full%20breach.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcV-zF0cLWwlx593QUKJMbqjie2y0BGOSzCUstkqr49GBxqpjwgV9rtPgysqmHorrCcYHuqTovmfphUBcL5AC3I85_QVvUW8urgUKPpcHF5PiWg_bnrVewIoIdgVdZcHDNv8MPpEqbonl6qws4a5GG9zu-J-uzhencQFQlExiNJgsn9JgDoKrj1ffvj9D/s2351/Dolphin%2011%20end%20of%20breach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="2351" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcV-zF0cLWwlx593QUKJMbqjie2y0BGOSzCUstkqr49GBxqpjwgV9rtPgysqmHorrCcYHuqTovmfphUBcL5AC3I85_QVvUW8urgUKPpcHF5PiWg_bnrVewIoIdgVdZcHDNv8MPpEqbonl6qws4a5GG9zu-J-uzhencQFQlExiNJgsn9JgDoKrj1ffvj9D/w640-h322/Dolphin%2011%20end%20of%20breach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's always impressive to see them 'perform' like this but please <b><span style="color: red;">DON'T</span></b> <b><span style="color: red;">EVER EVER</span></b> go to a captive dolphin show, or swim with captive dolphins in a pool - if you have, or are thinking about it, watch the film The Cove which documents how they get to those tiny pools then see if you still want to.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">LCV got some phone-scoped pics too which he's kindly let us show you. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jQ5iDQhYvgNz8ZqeYsS1_RU1rXiyQjEqj1fIJl-IEMCIa3klJpCNPA49qFhf6PTsA1O-7ryys-42wuruoZY0hyxpuNnSD7hB0awmaZLQzzPKbZHMwcAlwvoFrq62ystDty6GBqHoeIxMtcnvWnLVpRCflOq-xFH5dpR4B38qJLseNlitfubbVx_3ftNo/s1350/CV%20dolphin%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1350" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jQ5iDQhYvgNz8ZqeYsS1_RU1rXiyQjEqj1fIJl-IEMCIa3klJpCNPA49qFhf6PTsA1O-7ryys-42wuruoZY0hyxpuNnSD7hB0awmaZLQzzPKbZHMwcAlwvoFrq62ystDty6GBqHoeIxMtcnvWnLVpRCflOq-xFH5dpR4B38qJLseNlitfubbVx_3ftNo/w640-h478/CV%20dolphin%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TemzjiYZK6O5u-JmPeDW0Sx5WfCUVTwy5dGmUoam4TZo2B6zxe86QuW_ti6EZZfOi_yFs-ycnz-6kTkuDUSh0neb3hB27gDq1nKprjTMqbmhviXl7dpH-bRbjeHZSi7YIir4ppnYJ8_XjAnpnP6JNbSjnp695ZBPX41CBvYvPYvp23WnTDkj5L2qS5nd/s1057/CV%20dolphin%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="1057" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TemzjiYZK6O5u-JmPeDW0Sx5WfCUVTwy5dGmUoam4TZo2B6zxe86QuW_ti6EZZfOi_yFs-ycnz-6kTkuDUSh0neb3hB27gDq1nKprjTMqbmhviXl7dpH-bRbjeHZSi7YIir4ppnYJ8_XjAnpnP6JNbSjnp695ZBPX41CBvYvPYvp23WnTDkj5L2qS5nd/w640-h298/CV%20dolphin%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6Y0C7wbkgt5oxsTC7UuJalrwfWDvo8pebHCOMvQI6BZ8OimEH8FNrSrwZdcz-1Nw7O34TdXgBvnuMopfzoeGJzaEZbZEfiwBVmrIxV03Gs8NRAfdlbhOeblo-66zXoWMcARmTd9Z2yQSALGZ4q1pzFXKHOAfYC8Uc4_pn_cOLtEz0avbYh3U9MZYYsgp/s1110/CV%20dolphin%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="1110" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6Y0C7wbkgt5oxsTC7UuJalrwfWDvo8pebHCOMvQI6BZ8OimEH8FNrSrwZdcz-1Nw7O34TdXgBvnuMopfzoeGJzaEZbZEfiwBVmrIxV03Gs8NRAfdlbhOeblo-66zXoWMcARmTd9Z2yQSALGZ4q1pzFXKHOAfYC8Uc4_pn_cOLtEz0avbYh3U9MZYYsgp/w640-h278/CV%20dolphin%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWkQ9MH14-Aan0Ba4yzQazC-wLSH_L8zTbmFkkPvXIagNLd18mQA6HXnvNnuCbexFg38QymmUnpvc-nA9cOefOokJUNTBg0vOlNXFzNo8LAR56sM5SfFZrdB-W852X1wOsIzNdcFkSW9bNQmtz9jDJuGdHNq_WC27vNWybORIewh4_lfn630BdxZLFdiT/s968/CV%20dolphin%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="968" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWkQ9MH14-Aan0Ba4yzQazC-wLSH_L8zTbmFkkPvXIagNLd18mQA6HXnvNnuCbexFg38QymmUnpvc-nA9cOefOokJUNTBg0vOlNXFzNo8LAR56sM5SfFZrdB-W852X1wOsIzNdcFkSW9bNQmtz9jDJuGdHNq_WC27vNWybORIewh4_lfn630BdxZLFdiT/w640-h322/CV%20dolphin%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfI9jU6SqvJ9PhjWhnCCDZFruew0uGAE7gzd-mcES3z-Gl47yODhWkq0wacJg2BrxZEXmxCHIN4D-SoQFjcsXcFQ43RrlB2AIGZHykuAwS8t8_eEHyhRdlFYYoVfRSmDzaYS8jAPU8Z5XJi0YJ2bcbhn5tiY8Q_W5OcjRlRklycCzfAxpCPWH3jMoE3AyK/s973/CV%20dolphin%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="973" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfI9jU6SqvJ9PhjWhnCCDZFruew0uGAE7gzd-mcES3z-Gl47yODhWkq0wacJg2BrxZEXmxCHIN4D-SoQFjcsXcFQ43RrlB2AIGZHykuAwS8t8_eEHyhRdlFYYoVfRSmDzaYS8jAPU8Z5XJi0YJ2bcbhn5tiY8Q_W5OcjRlRklycCzfAxpCPWH3jMoE3AyK/w640-h286/CV%20dolphin%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTaYCRKX40i54Mspye25SFPgT3sN8gEFfxXdyRe3A0SniT60UOsqjgx1Ck4kO3EaE0SgoIsn_lQ9OL-8YMaJO1msMfofb3TXCqTqKBMERaHLaZSrJVCeuzZOy_cFJD9hsp3dEcqc9wuXkSI763zhWDNIT_TT2ZvOLnHR9olv1n-CbaDOxf0alN06ZHdTU/s1200/CV%20dolphin%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="1200" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTaYCRKX40i54Mspye25SFPgT3sN8gEFfxXdyRe3A0SniT60UOsqjgx1Ck4kO3EaE0SgoIsn_lQ9OL-8YMaJO1msMfofb3TXCqTqKBMERaHLaZSrJVCeuzZOy_cFJD9hsp3dEcqc9wuXkSI763zhWDNIT_TT2ZvOLnHR9olv1n-CbaDOxf0alN06ZHdTU/w640-h332/CV%20dolphin%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It looked like there was an infant in the group and a small immature. Some of our better pics were sent to the North East Cetacean Project to see if any could be identified from their catalogue of fin images. Only one was, a male helpfully named 'Flipper' or #964. He roams the North Sea sometimes getting as far north as the Firth of Forth and has been seen 'flinging a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harbour Porpoise</span></b> about'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few hundred yards out of camera range it looked like they had broken off from their travels and come across a shoal of fish as there was some circling activity and more excited splashings going on that what we'd seen as they passed us. All very welcome as we'd been told every day that they'd been past in the early morning, in both directions, so it was good to catch up with them before our time on the east coast was up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The only other thing of note was a freshly dead <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rabbit</span></b>, unknown cause. LCV was fascinated by it and picked it up to place in front of the hide where he hoped (we guess) the/a passing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagle</span></b> might swoop down to carry it away. With the excitement of the dolphins over it was back to the car to drive up tzo the wetalnds for another look there passing on the way 12 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pale Bellied Brent Geese</span></b>, the first of the trip so far.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwLZi0tcYFAL55tVM5acltSQa9pt15QpvDRRvJYRQJJcW2He0A-JFJfu__M6IocMxrypyynhQdRxyAmkfuXT8nkS-WcDXsBcJy6uqOeL8VrrgB6vXrTR-1hqkg-d8_Ccgi6yGgGlkmfgxKj-xEtFbt7MipE95PVXHlzRvPDlx13aOQtGk97ShwSxKccr9/s2000/004%20Pale%20Bellied%20Brent%20Geese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2000" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwLZi0tcYFAL55tVM5acltSQa9pt15QpvDRRvJYRQJJcW2He0A-JFJfu__M6IocMxrypyynhQdRxyAmkfuXT8nkS-WcDXsBcJy6uqOeL8VrrgB6vXrTR-1hqkg-d8_Ccgi6yGgGlkmfgxKj-xEtFbt7MipE95PVXHlzRvPDlx13aOQtGk97ShwSxKccr9/w640-h446/004%20Pale%20Bellied%20Brent%20Geese.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They didn't hang around long, noisy military areoplanes spooked them and off they went.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5qXfJuODEpL4Ge9XMateL7TLlMZiN6zPkCInTm1xIQ7L3RV1X5f___-dg9vg4fn9-UCEZ_PgCncD8VmWyyJtdMFzzEk-Wio2CGdrl1Bx2qNgdWAS98Alf0MIKec0wImU4Fu4RrO0dIb0nMh7zjzSHZCIweeLBHWJ0geqYMI8K8iIuimpvMCuE59eIPza/s1807/005%20Pale%20bellied%20brent%20geese%20flying%20away.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1807" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5qXfJuODEpL4Ge9XMateL7TLlMZiN6zPkCInTm1xIQ7L3RV1X5f___-dg9vg4fn9-UCEZ_PgCncD8VmWyyJtdMFzzEk-Wio2CGdrl1Bx2qNgdWAS98Alf0MIKec0wImU4Fu4RrO0dIb0nMh7zjzSHZCIweeLBHWJ0geqYMI8K8iIuimpvMCuE59eIPza/w640-h264/005%20Pale%20bellied%20brent%20geese%20flying%20away.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the wetlands it was business as usual with the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spotted Redshanks</span></b> still too far away for a proper pic. A couple of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Avocets</span></b> were closer then usual though going about their sweepy-billed business.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6Kb6gIlys9qNV4zphHAJokDDYhveHpbm6wwxM54A-_SNtjLx-Uc3QHvNmJwb-bvIF5KMoqzWnEUk8pCVRdM6dTCKkGCA3Iy_ngiSCZMKpGSTHWFUo3dWqgPHrKnS89ynm7keX8JvOX7IP2mooUpXFKcRtGbhKd6hFLpdRkDhCWmt7Lq3Lay3QXMQHCcl/s1227/006%20Avocet%20feeding%20in%20deep%20water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1227" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6Kb6gIlys9qNV4zphHAJokDDYhveHpbm6wwxM54A-_SNtjLx-Uc3QHvNmJwb-bvIF5KMoqzWnEUk8pCVRdM6dTCKkGCA3Iy_ngiSCZMKpGSTHWFUo3dWqgPHrKnS89ynm7keX8JvOX7IP2mooUpXFKcRtGbhKd6hFLpdRkDhCWmt7Lq3Lay3QXMQHCcl/w640-h440/006%20Avocet%20feeding%20in%20deep%20water.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47TDP5PBEqOq5D_f0g7acLmGgOO7C2jL1kfPUTKl2-yDU2kEZV_RxwcqAsKubCbc5C29dKWMveGI4DsEptyAXQC1cvgabkU2cRSzhivbMM0dOL5_RwV9RZwN3oTNM3lsZHZeZqTBVHS4Pp5GIMdS6SF8mf0NzaDCmVHN973yxHQARGtX7vBQ2xmhsbYwT/s1093/008%20Avocet%20head%20up%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1093" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47TDP5PBEqOq5D_f0g7acLmGgOO7C2jL1kfPUTKl2-yDU2kEZV_RxwcqAsKubCbc5C29dKWMveGI4DsEptyAXQC1cvgabkU2cRSzhivbMM0dOL5_RwV9RZwN3oTNM3lsZHZeZqTBVHS4Pp5GIMdS6SF8mf0NzaDCmVHN973yxHQARGtX7vBQ2xmhsbYwT/w640-h434/008%20Avocet%20head%20up%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_01g21wQ9r4CQcVKK-LxqrInFTAmIPvN65ax2XyOfkJxYNiZvOK0_wUVHtU9QD8mHdYHehXpjg8-tYypKx2fOgHuc1rHBE72R4YInMi5U1U06On_Z6ERJSYyxBStoyUOh8Tn8A9hAREChSnIvWSOQ8aEHuHSxH2MBFH8PiydH2pbpDWLDxNvcD-DJHHN0/s1123/007%20Avocet%20head%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1123" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_01g21wQ9r4CQcVKK-LxqrInFTAmIPvN65ax2XyOfkJxYNiZvOK0_wUVHtU9QD8mHdYHehXpjg8-tYypKx2fOgHuc1rHBE72R4YInMi5U1U06On_Z6ERJSYyxBStoyUOh8Tn8A9hAREChSnIvWSOQ8aEHuHSxH2MBFH8PiydH2pbpDWLDxNvcD-DJHHN0/w640-h434/007%20Avocet%20head%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Our perusing of the wadwers was rudely interrupted when <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Short Eared Owl </span></b>appeared to our left and circled round rough grass the back of the pool before coming towards us down the right hand side and coveniently landing on a fence post not too far away...we say 'conveniently' with a wry smile as like thwe Glossy Ibis yesterday it was only visible through the small side window through which everyone wanted to look making getting decent pics a bit tricky over people's assorted shoulders, scopes and cameras.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHA0RX0Qn7eAKD9-0ljv1sGqSYcVy_aDa8_A-V-lwHhIy0v2gGq5p_oI2j0G__IrF1tS8eaAT93iACk2dBJKmKn-qkUPwUxz9sYByqI9NzWDAISbcPfnmxPBgnmh6QG7FaoOJBgxl0ZfF0sQkcDeRuQGqSiTXrSbzuk2MB3_Sp18iUx5vYoij_uaHFknv3/s1202/009%20Short%20eared%20owl%20on%20post.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1202" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHA0RX0Qn7eAKD9-0ljv1sGqSYcVy_aDa8_A-V-lwHhIy0v2gGq5p_oI2j0G__IrF1tS8eaAT93iACk2dBJKmKn-qkUPwUxz9sYByqI9NzWDAISbcPfnmxPBgnmh6QG7FaoOJBgxl0ZfF0sQkcDeRuQGqSiTXrSbzuk2MB3_Sp18iUx5vYoij_uaHFknv3/w640-h560/009%20Short%20eared%20owl%20on%20post.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><p>It did another fly round after a few minutes of posing on the post eventually going round the back of the hide and being lost to view but it did reappear later on the left hand side probably after hunting the rough field over the bank. Eventually it gained height and was lost to view behind us again not to be seen again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiruTSkJoTA7K8ejIgA-NTN407Wzop4DpHbJZLCVdXPwmop7HuJxA5NaLx7r7TLtyH9e_67SFPbXklkIySdeTrcEJVNUbV9etVwMtQVXEcMBqJMSE1gKIbMp7v1AXy6joTZ5bPLY3SaE4e02i7AAiI2X3q3-P6r_Y8M8NXWQao3BkEZbWXmVxBn1PS6KK1/s1366/010%20Short%20eared%20owl%20over%20gas%20works.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1366" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiruTSkJoTA7K8ejIgA-NTN407Wzop4DpHbJZLCVdXPwmop7HuJxA5NaLx7r7TLtyH9e_67SFPbXklkIySdeTrcEJVNUbV9etVwMtQVXEcMBqJMSE1gKIbMp7v1AXy6joTZ5bPLY3SaE4e02i7AAiI2X3q3-P6r_Y8M8NXWQao3BkEZbWXmVxBn1PS6KK1/w640-h480/010%20Short%20eared%20owl%20over%20gas%20works.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>So back to perusing the waders and waterfowl it was. The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Avocets</span></b> had come even closer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zK4e_IO4HXmvQroK_PxF-squ1PdcwlNIT-qskn3ndqk4xpz6orWE_USOanveNWxrgtUqadQ8Lmkut3Y7pc2VGS42Rx0YIpsUEYZSjuS_Rjd2mq5dfjQh4LHl9OrdqZ_9r90FntS18L5VliPlYR710oYb498-9r_Uf2i6u_VAzfooFaGuB3M0TVlPce9n/s1084/011%20Avocet%20closer%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1084" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zK4e_IO4HXmvQroK_PxF-squ1PdcwlNIT-qskn3ndqk4xpz6orWE_USOanveNWxrgtUqadQ8Lmkut3Y7pc2VGS42Rx0YIpsUEYZSjuS_Rjd2mq5dfjQh4LHl9OrdqZ_9r90FntS18L5VliPlYR710oYb498-9r_Uf2i6u_VAzfooFaGuB3M0TVlPce9n/w640-h516/011%20Avocet%20closer%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>and did a display of synchronised sweeping for us.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoV5jnQe_v6S6t8Ob3amccNqnRx5_3Fjk6mt1SIsHx-FrN5tyDo-pifFOisoM7megw7m-bWSPXgLyyXCrDtr2AtwqescsOkXlXMHclRwV5fXeGrzGBhXvbQwOsOuiu1HV6z3Adrw-LN-zkWt8ajrxyetxNloC4s0PmMxT0eT7mpTHbeNphjQiqz_ceIEG_/s1618/0115%20Synchronised%20Avocets%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1618" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoV5jnQe_v6S6t8Ob3amccNqnRx5_3Fjk6mt1SIsHx-FrN5tyDo-pifFOisoM7megw7m-bWSPXgLyyXCrDtr2AtwqescsOkXlXMHclRwV5fXeGrzGBhXvbQwOsOuiu1HV6z3Adrw-LN-zkWt8ajrxyetxNloC4s0PmMxT0eT7mpTHbeNphjQiqz_ceIEG_/w640-h404/0115%20Synchronised%20Avocets%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOsab7JK2Y8lYEzIP_nV9Hv9Lfixr88VsjgB-tE99dyzK5MIznaKdb6ohOlFbLcvVo6KL4bGZZLmPpxiOv2Qj_o9p2KlYQ6sC7lfgZVEQJqgSV5sJbaZ9uTH2HqBMC9BNtYTuhCVF2HgK_SG_UJpGWOclWuyIzONXc56218EJU2kjOBLkRl8KTWi94tGy/s1362/0114%20Synchronised%20Avocets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1362" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOsab7JK2Y8lYEzIP_nV9Hv9Lfixr88VsjgB-tE99dyzK5MIznaKdb6ohOlFbLcvVo6KL4bGZZLmPpxiOv2Qj_o9p2KlYQ6sC7lfgZVEQJqgSV5sJbaZ9uTH2HqBMC9BNtYTuhCVF2HgK_SG_UJpGWOclWuyIzONXc56218EJU2kjOBLkRl8KTWi94tGy/w640-h480/0114%20Synchronised%20Avocets.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The supporting cast included the ever present <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunlin <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYmBwixukQgZmub25xNEGyQuBMNtmS591SrfkspS54uZMa0h-RRGS0yMbq-14n9Gj7f3AZy2oVRpOHRto-bqGko03ByMdE3UC21POBW55U4q5AOgBfPehkVi-SWaR0DeoGpS3QXc7S_DHjyMh3KfO8n8R5aXyXZsSmEAvWXIwVmEiSAiHI_FIdCUZSQ1o/s1425/013%203%20Dunlins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1425" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYmBwixukQgZmub25xNEGyQuBMNtmS591SrfkspS54uZMa0h-RRGS0yMbq-14n9Gj7f3AZy2oVRpOHRto-bqGko03ByMdE3UC21POBW55U4q5AOgBfPehkVi-SWaR0DeoGpS3QXc7S_DHjyMh3KfO8n8R5aXyXZsSmEAvWXIwVmEiSAiHI_FIdCUZSQ1o/w640-h302/013%203%20Dunlins.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr9B61qk1s1jyxfhQvQcFJJxeSgJGjnc6DFo1ijhoUNxyNbdkC4QkV_4yX_iA0Hog1op7t7CURoGNFQaLcEL-jT-zv1aMp0Lb2UDYErhGdNrPrFp6kce9Pno9lqOkfp3XMIDZoMhYdrPTiGuXqGYdqomQztblt0RZXn2ynvazlEW8mFF7vCDhX_AbV4k8/s1368/012%20Dunlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1368" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr9B61qk1s1jyxfhQvQcFJJxeSgJGjnc6DFo1ijhoUNxyNbdkC4QkV_4yX_iA0Hog1op7t7CURoGNFQaLcEL-jT-zv1aMp0Lb2UDYErhGdNrPrFp6kce9Pno9lqOkfp3XMIDZoMhYdrPTiGuXqGYdqomQztblt0RZXn2ynvazlEW8mFF7vCDhX_AbV4k8/w640-h366/012%20Dunlin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span></b>a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ruff </span></b>including a nice ginger juvenile but still no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Caspian Gulls</span></b> in the gull roost. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rock Pipit </span></b>landed briefly right in front of us and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipit</span></b> followed it a couple of minutes later but stopped for a wash and brush up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMai3Lj4slMFZ1yc2FgDy4sKd-uqLiYcXld3FjsHYtkYKtXvb07IO-m5EOWl3bFJN4MaQL0axqJg3PcglF987z4s0Gu-hrBBcyZnPdTkvV0a4ZPgkygcsGi2mvAqmSJrXbQ1zGZQ1dCeB1_FuLvApswMxGQXkzrXZf3dieVcmfDs4PnZcHAY4XUgEULBmx/s1447/015%20Meadow%20pipit%20having%20a%20bath%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="1447" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMai3Lj4slMFZ1yc2FgDy4sKd-uqLiYcXld3FjsHYtkYKtXvb07IO-m5EOWl3bFJN4MaQL0axqJg3PcglF987z4s0Gu-hrBBcyZnPdTkvV0a4ZPgkygcsGi2mvAqmSJrXbQ1zGZQ1dCeB1_FuLvApswMxGQXkzrXZf3dieVcmfDs4PnZcHAY4XUgEULBmx/w640-h488/015%20Meadow%20pipit%20having%20a%20bath%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFxuDt_JnVHbXC1DXsczOuaH3HPwttlVigkGeOBTm_Z7jcGt6JFGcad29KsRhvBKRGK0wwoN6saPubrsHeSNdDWP0XdVH7r2lZcldoIkNlVgkZ_ziOzsREHKsd4FLoIJpQEI7L0mpt9lbUltiIqc1RhKd1u1k-ShGkgVvp5-WWPvgNqu6mG3PzGqWL3aN/s1840/014%20Meadow%20pipit%20having%20a%20bath%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="1840" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFxuDt_JnVHbXC1DXsczOuaH3HPwttlVigkGeOBTm_Z7jcGt6JFGcad29KsRhvBKRGK0wwoN6saPubrsHeSNdDWP0XdVH7r2lZcldoIkNlVgkZ_ziOzsREHKsd4FLoIJpQEI7L0mpt9lbUltiIqc1RhKd1u1k-ShGkgVvp5-WWPvgNqu6mG3PzGqWL3aN/w640-h556/014%20Meadow%20pipit%20having%20a%20bath%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> The slighter wind also meant there was a fraction more passage of smaller birds today with a<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Siskin</span></b> (or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Siskins</span></b>) heard going overhead as we headed for the car park, along with four <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Skylarks</span></b> coming in off the sea and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker</span></b> heading south towards the nearest tree in the village. A <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Roe Deer</span></b> had also posed nicely for us in the farmer's field along the path almost totally unperturbed by our presence.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8VhQM4blwaDpn5Z4_orR_34-BNeXZ97VU2U4m9icuVpP3biCLCTATkqQnfEboNWfDQ_kOxoeBgVIXns9vR-lRL22WPad1d1MmKUXNnttiHVdhQNbZiI-YmM8nfo7EgGl93lRIngEttrf5x9tcqQ1Ex09ojt936bjm9KZ7YPaQaYkeJguUCL_5QkKonoC/s1855/016%20Roe%20buck%20running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1855" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8VhQM4blwaDpn5Z4_orR_34-BNeXZ97VU2U4m9icuVpP3biCLCTATkqQnfEboNWfDQ_kOxoeBgVIXns9vR-lRL22WPad1d1MmKUXNnttiHVdhQNbZiI-YmM8nfo7EgGl93lRIngEttrf5x9tcqQ1Ex09ojt936bjm9KZ7YPaQaYkeJguUCL_5QkKonoC/w640-h328/016%20Roe%20buck%20running.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmc4maKGvKDJdKM76lgAlFmDk7yuJyyaFSrCn5h7JO8ScFb0Mi9BHg8-dZ_XZjj2KfAUthrrqLaj8dl6BqkMB4J9ekN5Z0QAS9HSrU-fE4wwaqFS9rpel5hdatdCPIpIXZTl9F0e7Yz6Cj9VmJvXUC1L4TpFcQ3JTFlWz25D1Mshyphenhyphenc5-Z3y02pdXPUndP/s1547/017%20Roe%20buck%20grazing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="1547" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmc4maKGvKDJdKM76lgAlFmDk7yuJyyaFSrCn5h7JO8ScFb0Mi9BHg8-dZ_XZjj2KfAUthrrqLaj8dl6BqkMB4J9ekN5Z0QAS9HSrU-fE4wwaqFS9rpel5hdatdCPIpIXZTl9F0e7Yz6Cj9VmJvXUC1L4TpFcQ3JTFlWz25D1Mshyphenhyphenc5-Z3y02pdXPUndP/w640-h514/017%20Roe%20buck%20grazing.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAeQSL1z_sxtnWnrKOxNY3zvd3A9PVtQ_-8aElI09kqc57XfHqiazZ8k2XSp7OoBHzyGCmEEXLslLljj-DQo3lQU67k8fU5g9qPiWwRsmN56lkitGrnHUwcCzq6eo4ppkACZdZPbWNSSuj3dXN07aZBLj6S3lFHOdB4vbx3iw5n-r6OqSXyhpXkoea8a-/s1929/018%20Roe%20deer%20heard%20camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1929" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAeQSL1z_sxtnWnrKOxNY3zvd3A9PVtQ_-8aElI09kqc57XfHqiazZ8k2XSp7OoBHzyGCmEEXLslLljj-DQo3lQU67k8fU5g9qPiWwRsmN56lkitGrnHUwcCzq6eo4ppkACZdZPbWNSSuj3dXN07aZBLj6S3lFHOdB4vbx3iw5n-r6OqSXyhpXkoea8a-/w640-h526/018%20Roe%20deer%20heard%20camera.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From there we went to have a look for the drake <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mandarin</span></b> news of which had come over a local's radio.It was on the Humber down by the old tank traps with a small flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b>, what an odd place to be for a duck that is normally seen skulking under overhanging branches around the edge of small-ish ponds. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmtM7CKeR_MJIXz4qY1NhehOQEC2BjyLgRxx7rmlTfVTptpnB4LP946xTwnAFW99QogxSJOsyER65VvUUFRKdKvO1iaiDu-UOGToBbEYqU5D24ko1YGEDsdRBfTATs97E9n5OIpPzvTygdwL95VpRcL1a83IRUKYtT907XYBpI4fslID5q2e97BDyQGmJ/s1401/019a%20Mandarin%20duck%20on%20saltmarsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1401" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmtM7CKeR_MJIXz4qY1NhehOQEC2BjyLgRxx7rmlTfVTptpnB4LP946xTwnAFW99QogxSJOsyER65VvUUFRKdKvO1iaiDu-UOGToBbEYqU5D24ko1YGEDsdRBfTATs97E9n5OIpPzvTygdwL95VpRcL1a83IRUKYtT907XYBpI4fslID5q2e97BDyQGmJ/w640-h410/019a%20Mandarin%20duck%20on%20saltmarsh.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeB44ScRrV-ga41Bt6i4L6rBNuhVHInumF7PfMp9kQIBaZXZIKe4lDHmuwD3CFhQcpl_-zGlMktF7o0qANN2bW5Ez3WPs_LHgpy0v-k-PO_eXx_A8rzOsHqitD_aGkBG9aY6T7knD6jVFF7DnC9bzuzuTlyzTSVfTAwIfxidIIrqD60mvepSQ3YP0enLv6/s1841/019%20Manadarin%20duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1841" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeB44ScRrV-ga41Bt6i4L6rBNuhVHInumF7PfMp9kQIBaZXZIKe4lDHmuwD3CFhQcpl_-zGlMktF7o0qANN2bW5Ez3WPs_LHgpy0v-k-PO_eXx_A8rzOsHqitD_aGkBG9aY6T7knD6jVFF7DnC9bzuzuTlyzTSVfTAwIfxidIIrqD60mvepSQ3YP0enLv6/w640-h554/019%20Manadarin%20duck.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Those big ginger whiskers aleways remind us of the cartonn character Yosemite Sam. There wasn't much else out there in range apart from the larger flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b>. The tide was well out now and all the waders were right down on the water's edge half way to Grimsby.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9emaaE1wDiVjeIpKKbpulKi_gyVzu26eED5ZIuqeLyUk1S5bBlORx8C-Kqx6FJbKfFNUBmwzVWUElrPQ1rq46vqVvSXZQMNKpFUbxaS08YXCxC3FiNCw3TuY5yVomWNUPufplMyjZO6UgefSjDRg4SN66BCJpp-glny1xMCZRFSoLNYKiu3xm6h-0jbMO/s1626/020%20Shelduck%20flock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1626" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9emaaE1wDiVjeIpKKbpulKi_gyVzu26eED5ZIuqeLyUk1S5bBlORx8C-Kqx6FJbKfFNUBmwzVWUElrPQ1rq46vqVvSXZQMNKpFUbxaS08YXCxC3FiNCw3TuY5yVomWNUPufplMyjZO6UgefSjDRg4SN66BCJpp-glny1xMCZRFSoLNYKiu3xm6h-0jbMO/w640-h366/020%20Shelduck%20flock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Time ofr a brew and a bite to eat so we headed for the cafe. While waiting for our grub to appear we watched a flock of about 500 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plovers</span></b> wheeling about as if disturbed by something but we couldn't pick out a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrine</span></b> anywhere. That's sort of standard fare for the estuary but a<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Great Spotted woodpecker </span></b>flying out towards the river and landing on the wet edge of the saltmarsh certainly isn't - how odd but then this is Spurn and weird things do happen here. We were asked about the brown bird hovering outside the window by the couple on the next table - 'just' a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> but there did seem to be far fewer today than the last couple of days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Grub devoured and brews swigged it was off to the Canal Scrape where the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebe</span></b> was still catching <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">3-Spined Sticklebacks</span></b>, this time we watched carefully as it shook them violently eventually removing the head - we've never seen that before they usually just swallow them whole head first...there's always soemthing new to see in nature even with common things you've seen hundreds of times before.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4Z0sonFuBV5JfEO9Iil5oPg8m2SkQLJBtoNs5VBFC3kB9ymukkUUpv79FQJYpVBukq2I7MeneIWbk-1hzoLBla-6AR5vudSOLxmiCcXTBhhYS8ru7xP5FAvdPDnZHEYYgBeArEtFuN7lCY2H9c-9LV6h3iewuCJIyjSQNzfjEnC6I5zMXOTBNYIjdZbn/s1471/022%20Little%20grebe%20canal%20scrape%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1471" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4Z0sonFuBV5JfEO9Iil5oPg8m2SkQLJBtoNs5VBFC3kB9ymukkUUpv79FQJYpVBukq2I7MeneIWbk-1hzoLBla-6AR5vudSOLxmiCcXTBhhYS8ru7xP5FAvdPDnZHEYYgBeArEtFuN7lCY2H9c-9LV6h3iewuCJIyjSQNzfjEnC6I5zMXOTBNYIjdZbn/w640-h402/022%20Little%20grebe%20canal%20scrape%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkVNimTK5b1freLVpWUC5j5SXqssDXgc7Xvd3q0hAKhvekO0Kz4bfyx1hQCTrBGuLVGfeXQvwTRpjBT798ORGk2qK2BURknKMHP7TBH7uvVT4w3JeX4owMjJ175twFTHBskficJtqU2jguhERHp_1xo4Ujo6HZqqWXdsAdqvw9-1XG9S7t0kYwEpQ_CB4/s1706/023%20Little%20grebe%20with%20stickleback%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1706" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkVNimTK5b1freLVpWUC5j5SXqssDXgc7Xvd3q0hAKhvekO0Kz4bfyx1hQCTrBGuLVGfeXQvwTRpjBT798ORGk2qK2BURknKMHP7TBH7uvVT4w3JeX4owMjJ175twFTHBskficJtqU2jguhERHp_1xo4Ujo6HZqqWXdsAdqvw9-1XG9S7t0kYwEpQ_CB4/w640-h476/023%20Little%20grebe%20with%20stickleback%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQdEGBxTib9pmh_94Gz2fDQGZMqqQx2HtGqlVa3h9jy2doUpNPBG3uQUgmGalJOWjE4Z9u-6jsjGUVNTSASluq-Lzld-5SKc1nobmTPsomh3zbamHuJVa9V1CufSfoMcmZjhnhhoIqOWxsR1pWo-N58E5rcu3L3iYE-D8SsB8lgCC5w9JG1rlPQyzCInM/s1311/024%20Little%20grebe%20with%20stickleback%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1311" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQdEGBxTib9pmh_94Gz2fDQGZMqqQx2HtGqlVa3h9jy2doUpNPBG3uQUgmGalJOWjE4Z9u-6jsjGUVNTSASluq-Lzld-5SKc1nobmTPsomh3zbamHuJVa9V1CufSfoMcmZjhnhhoIqOWxsR1pWo-N58E5rcu3L3iYE-D8SsB8lgCC5w9JG1rlPQyzCInM/w640-h494/024%20Little%20grebe%20with%20stickleback%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9joSe-cYQxsBlykenU3TsQQGUP8AqlX26JD4vARox5ifvK0k0-OA6ZZx6hnWjtFGgEAXq-MobJfbkQvLOPxUc77PJOaLjXpnsAyoGqdxFK8KYDi0WJQi2qHvN_cMqvoZYoOD9ZHYbd0XDn1ppVzbe2ym1pLE6_wLilRPhnr0scqo7mHb5Rxz1Jp9Pm_F7/s1734/025%20Little%20Grebe%20with%20stickleback%20shake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1734" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9joSe-cYQxsBlykenU3TsQQGUP8AqlX26JD4vARox5ifvK0k0-OA6ZZx6hnWjtFGgEAXq-MobJfbkQvLOPxUc77PJOaLjXpnsAyoGqdxFK8KYDi0WJQi2qHvN_cMqvoZYoOD9ZHYbd0XDn1ppVzbe2ym1pLE6_wLilRPhnr0scqo7mHb5Rxz1Jp9Pm_F7/w640-h422/025%20Little%20Grebe%20with%20stickleback%20shake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtP1rePEQrjE_Jv4cNu8SeEOf1te6i2bTZhlPDtUBj5eMdY8kDLQpXrMFUD-ChiYFkWtdhCseJfeFGropSI099Ere6Iw8Q26X339JLtrXgH4Qu4KUGm0Oy97N1qPDpWbbKMRyhqaNK0LXWhCtNEtnVisOTsgys-auNXz-sMp3o5i_Z-yB4O7rB7cCFj0t/s1568/025a%20Little%20grebe%20with%20stickleback%20no%20head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1568" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtP1rePEQrjE_Jv4cNu8SeEOf1te6i2bTZhlPDtUBj5eMdY8kDLQpXrMFUD-ChiYFkWtdhCseJfeFGropSI099Ere6Iw8Q26X339JLtrXgH4Qu4KUGm0Oy97N1qPDpWbbKMRyhqaNK0LXWhCtNEtnVisOTsgys-auNXz-sMp3o5i_Z-yB4O7rB7cCFj0t/w640-h376/025a%20Little%20grebe%20with%20stickleback%20no%20head.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">LCV's rinky dinky Thermal Imager couldn't find us any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> nor anything else so we were reduced to taking pics of the resident <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhens</span></b>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8U786ZwygZLMmjxKrTHBGonKmQ_K8rwPCwMCPXs1nzjba3je37eF07aQiww_SLhjWyYp9lf6ETKfLyLBj9_vHjLzgEyOLXCYo_WZW_vjUPf8amaU46e76AVGBbRtsl6HgkX5bg7t-qexRwRbi5hQxIQS6X8bzwdOzbcVW1ToZmMv0-jeCnzQ4HprFKfxA/s1391/021%20Moorhen%20canal%20scrape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1391" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8U786ZwygZLMmjxKrTHBGonKmQ_K8rwPCwMCPXs1nzjba3je37eF07aQiww_SLhjWyYp9lf6ETKfLyLBj9_vHjLzgEyOLXCYo_WZW_vjUPf8amaU46e76AVGBbRtsl6HgkX5bg7t-qexRwRbi5hQxIQS6X8bzwdOzbcVW1ToZmMv0-jeCnzQ4HprFKfxA/w640-h458/021%20Moorhen%20canal%20scrape.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With nowt happening we left the hide hearing the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> in the bushes on eiither side of the path duetting or arguing or just making sure the other knew they were there. For the want of anything better to do we decided to walk the Triangle starting off going up the road towards the village. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> sat on the far end of the 'Wooly Bully' (<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Highland Cattle</span></b>) field fence seemed rather odd. Looking at that we noticed much closer there was some considerable activity going on, at least 20 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> had dropped in and were in a feeding frenzy darting into the field presumably to catch insects at the multitude of cow pats and twizzling up into the air like flycatchers to catch airborne flies. A couple of female <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Buntings </span></b>were among them, one of which we didn't think looked quite right but we totally failed to get a pic of it to confirm if it was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Bunting</span></b> or not, it probably was and we were just getting a dose of over-excited migrantitis. We saw the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> again, this time it was perched up on the top of a <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Hawthorn </span></b>bush, what on earth was it doing up there? Waiting for a flock of <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Flying Fish</span></b> to come by??? Like we said earlier weird stuff happens at Spurn.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNleKOl6MSXvdRHJunh35Ij04c1xY17gJj055e9Wl7cRAHbB1sF4aFf8HgNAkAjBco-NrqdQdP9SoUwcFT-pfaSCvx2BnXqklOcfdyows4JK_6J4Kd7uIbOBY5PmBbPwNR967sEpdggO4UCSDyg3kQXRVc2S9GC401cmGj3WQI0HV_ZTA4hl2XIwuLJmGK/s1577/026%20Heron%20on%20a%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1577" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNleKOl6MSXvdRHJunh35Ij04c1xY17gJj055e9Wl7cRAHbB1sF4aFf8HgNAkAjBco-NrqdQdP9SoUwcFT-pfaSCvx2BnXqklOcfdyows4JK_6J4Kd7uIbOBY5PmBbPwNR967sEpdggO4UCSDyg3kQXRVc2S9GC401cmGj3WQI0HV_ZTA4hl2XIwuLJmGK/w640-h324/026%20Heron%20on%20a%20tree.jpg" width="640" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wandering on up the lane there were a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldcrests</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chiffchaffs</span></b> around the Churchyard and Cliff Farm but nothing else of any interest in fact barely anything else at all. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">A final sewatch was called for as the afternoon of our last full day drew on. Again not a lot about, a few juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> went by and a couple of adults. The two <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seals </span></b>were still about - were they the same two every time??? Three single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Skuas</span></b> went north and several, mostly juvenile, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Terns</span></b>, several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Divers</span></b>, a few<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Guillemots</span></b> and fewer <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbills</span></b> went south. Best bird of the watch was a second winter <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gull</span></b> coming in off the sea and best combo went to a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard/Tufted Duck/ Guillemot</span></b> trio - a strange mix of travelling companions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Remember the dead <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rabbit</span></b>? Well a pair of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Magpies</span></b> had discovered it and were busy pulling bits of its innards out.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7O1RhZpTvBg825ullvHrVA9i7xBeLNneXoFoBCULng9S3wTxDkh3VijClkXGb4xWKh7sLijJ_5C_4p6B5Lt_U4TNSpnrWnSeuF8wPbkkGTz65NYXqPD7RJ2xdeDM2s0ASUUWYouKIzWpa2KZKOJNpTtk22KTzah2H_LdhzG-RPLehgJr8tJLtxLrixHKM/s1090/027%20Magpie%20on%20dead%20rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="919" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7O1RhZpTvBg825ullvHrVA9i7xBeLNneXoFoBCULng9S3wTxDkh3VijClkXGb4xWKh7sLijJ_5C_4p6B5Lt_U4TNSpnrWnSeuF8wPbkkGTz65NYXqPD7RJ2xdeDM2s0ASUUWYouKIzWpa2KZKOJNpTtk22KTzah2H_LdhzG-RPLehgJr8tJLtxLrixHKM/w540-h640/027%20Magpie%20on%20dead%20rabbit.jpg" width="540" /></a></div>On the walk back to the car we had the trip's first <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunnock</span></b>, three days to find a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunnock</span></b>! Can you believe that?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We'd just got settled in in the pub ordered beer and sustainance when late news broke that the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nightjar</span></b> had been trapped and ringed in the field behind us, maybe we should have stayed out half an hour later. A bad dip but you can't win em all!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">With little change in the weather we decided to give the seawatching hide a miss firdt thing after breakfast and instead did the unthinkable - abandoned Spurn altogether for a twitch elsewhere. In hindsight reading the Spurn report for that day we wouldn't have seen much at all so our decision to head north to Tophill Low Reserve was justified. But why did we choose to go there? Word in one of the hides earlier in the week was a couple of birders couldn't find it ending up on the wrong side of the river. Getting there was indeed convoluted to say the least. This area of britain is very much Viking territory, and what we can deduce about the Vikings is that they couldn't walk in a straight line, they must have been pie-eyed on mead or out of their trees on mushrooms all the time - there's not a road with more than a 50 yards between bends for miles, certainly it seemed that the Romans never came this way! Anyways LCV's sat-nav found the reserve entrance with no fuss at all, not sure what that other crew had been following - ancient Viking maps perchance?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reason for all the convoluted driving was to twitch the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Wing Teals</span></b> that had been on site for a few weeks. A helpful Ranger pointed out on the site map where they normally hang out and also gave us directions of how to get there, even so at the first junction in the path we started off in the wrong direction, 20 yards later we wer retracing our steps and now going the right way. The reserve looked interesting and we had a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Tits</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Spotted Woodpecker </span></b>during our walk. We time limited, especially, IH who had a prior appointment and could only stay half an hour or so. It was a case of crossing fingers, toes and even buttocks that the rarities would be on show for him. We arrived at the empty hide and scanned the water, not a lot but under the overhanging branches fringing both sides of the pool there were a few ducks loafing about - was our quarry among them. If it was it wasn't for showing itself. A birder came in and told us its favourite resting place was under the branches to the left but a close inspection gave us no joy. Only one thing for it - say goodbye to IH and sit it out til lunchtime still keeping everythiing crossed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> were under the branches on on our right a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>. Three <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebes, Moorhens</span></b> and our first <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coot</span></b> of the trip were best of the rest. The trees and bushes around the pool gave us at least two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b>, unseen as always, a flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Tits</span></b> with <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Tits</span></b> with them along with a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chiffchaffs</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldcrest</span></b>. It was noticeable how many <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chiffchaffs</span></b> there were, one was even singing. A<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Siskin</span></b> was heard flying over the pool and we saw a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stock Dove</span></b> do the same.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A fter a while the sleepy hidden <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal </span></b>woke up came out from under the low branches and went for a swim, there were four of them, two more than we could see from the hide.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzeBbQP_PeYEnZdCgyenqJa2Dn4_diUO2_FTuuFIWw2hRC_D-aHjcot22GsTuK8B_iEnFQHQz6KZ4cxHK93PzYJ4k9UTc40rTTG5FX2ivvXHoKVuin1L8woB9gTjlgNzs0E3RbNxJ3khMNAQ92HyFTMVW_l0K-Q68iDooJ6nbbAjozPx4h4pC0NyIcx42/s1712/Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1712" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzeBbQP_PeYEnZdCgyenqJa2Dn4_diUO2_FTuuFIWw2hRC_D-aHjcot22GsTuK8B_iEnFQHQz6KZ4cxHK93PzYJ4k9UTc40rTTG5FX2ivvXHoKVuin1L8woB9gTjlgNzs0E3RbNxJ3khMNAQ92HyFTMVW_l0K-Q68iDooJ6nbbAjozPx4h4pC0NyIcx42/w640-h302/Teal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And from the other side the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coot</span></b> did the same.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-e6tHx6gBzJ83ZzndFqXkOwaSFZZ5KNtW0c62TazvZs8zZrYcAgE4r_m9Xaho935Qzpfr69EVZ4viEUWCkkTQ5f9OiUGHm9m2XBDLam1xOOPr4GgZ9StKuLpKOGOWeKwgz7ejhBPjVeLMLhgsC_N1XJcmbQX69m7gfMYl0KGN3_ItyUGqQt3ZaifLlaX/s1572/Coot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1572" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-e6tHx6gBzJ83ZzndFqXkOwaSFZZ5KNtW0c62TazvZs8zZrYcAgE4r_m9Xaho935Qzpfr69EVZ4viEUWCkkTQ5f9OiUGHm9m2XBDLam1xOOPr4GgZ9StKuLpKOGOWeKwgz7ejhBPjVeLMLhgsC_N1XJcmbQX69m7gfMYl0KGN3_ItyUGqQt3ZaifLlaX/w640-h448/Coot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMAUumXH-V5FrGdJ4EElS9ueDJ_ZsnsQlSbW3JKOlSj85cPcKoYucAKWxmSWlhLql7JO3LBpaLfR2LLieBMXJmW6GXI1JGFBf6Y0shdg3QKqhhRFYo5P-pQqDTFe61Mdx2XOJwbrCtaGAU0tb6-tFY1QJ6WZXvWmPSqvhJE64k2tvNon-GIZaXAZSyk8n/s1399/Coot%20and%20Gadwall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1399" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMAUumXH-V5FrGdJ4EElS9ueDJ_ZsnsQlSbW3JKOlSj85cPcKoYucAKWxmSWlhLql7JO3LBpaLfR2LLieBMXJmW6GXI1JGFBf6Y0shdg3QKqhhRFYo5P-pQqDTFe61Mdx2XOJwbrCtaGAU0tb6-tFY1QJ6WZXvWmPSqvhJE64k2tvNon-GIZaXAZSyk8n/w640-h422/Coot%20and%20Gadwall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>But there was no sign of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Winged Teal</span></b>. Another birder joined us as hopeful as we were, perhaps more so as he'd driven a couple of hours to get here and already dipped it on a previous visit when they first arrived - would his luck (and ours) change? While we chatted and waited a bit of welcome sun appeared and with it a few <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Migrant Hawkers</span></b> started flying around close enough to the hide to tempt us into trying to get a pic.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BBXi6dnysR2qzo2leuUleRaDywk1TMAaJehWtKJN9ObFiJh52evqmAr1zfIz4qW8s6JriL6iSQHPorkBwb4zLqNX5z6FoItvYJ-P3_AjXOkDeIm0pyEV5c_Vi08ssCHKV23rECDyQ6TDpxwRMzyxT7Rcq_GLE2iCmBgmCdPZ7VTK0kvARxu2VmzgdBxI/s1391/Migrant%20hawker%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1391" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BBXi6dnysR2qzo2leuUleRaDywk1TMAaJehWtKJN9ObFiJh52evqmAr1zfIz4qW8s6JriL6iSQHPorkBwb4zLqNX5z6FoItvYJ-P3_AjXOkDeIm0pyEV5c_Vi08ssCHKV23rECDyQ6TDpxwRMzyxT7Rcq_GLE2iCmBgmCdPZ7VTK0kvARxu2VmzgdBxI/w640-h554/Migrant%20hawker%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Success and just about in focus too!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then all too soon it was time to leave and head back to the west coast empty handed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another slightly disappointing safari to the east coast in the end but the great company and chats and banter with the other birds on site went a long way to make up for the lack of birds. We still got some goodies, certainly can't argue with a trio of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glossy Ibis</span></b> or a dozen <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bottlenose Dolphins</span></b>. We must be due to hit a bout of good weather here but will it be next year???</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> We'll be back on more familiar territory next time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's not palying ball in your outback.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-73923685825305974062023-10-16T11:35:00.002+01:002023-10-16T11:35:32.985+01:00The annual safari to the east coast - Day 2<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari lay in</b> bed listen to the wind rushing through the tree tops outside the window as the fierst glimmers of dawn came through the curtains. Not what we wanted to hear, that south westerly was still blowing far too strong, nothing, or very little, would have left Scandinavia headed in our direction over night.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a hearty breakfast we copped for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rooks, Stock Doves</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Collared Doves</span></b> in and around our temporary Base Camp for our Trip List, before setting off back to the point. Where to stop first? Being on the north side of the gas works we had to pass Vicar's Lane...and run the gauntlet of being snooped on by various police vehicles. Well it would rude not to stop wouldn't it...and there'd been a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Firecrest</span></b> there the previous morning. As soon as we got out of the car we bumped into a mobile flock of Long Tailed Tits, a good start...what would be with them??? The answer was lots of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Tits</span></b>, several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Tits</span></b>, quite a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldcrests</span></b> and some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chiffchaffs</span></b>. It wasn't long before the first of the police vehicles came by to check us out, they soon saw we were harmless birders more interested in the bushes than the massive industrial complex behind us, although IH did point his bins in that direction when a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits </span></b>came in off the sea and landed on the top of the inner security fence...risky move...by IH not the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits</span></b>. Along the lane we also had our first <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbirds</span></b> of the trip bar the one that flew in front of the car as dawn was breaking yesterday, there were about a dozen very mobile birds in the trees lining the lane. Also in there were several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robins</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wrens</span></b>, again almost unbelievably our firsts of the trip. Overhead and around the corner bushes were small numbers of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaffinches</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Greenfinches</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackcap</span></b>. We spotted a lovely <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Whitethroat</span></b> but on closer inspection it turned out to be one of those caterpillar nests in the back of the bush...dohhh worrra numpty!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Failing to find anything out of the ordinary we hit the road down to the point stopping at the Canal Scrape first. As soon as we entered the hide we were put on to a very well hidden <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbob1S-fxNQ3QGczHiKaoyAEu8pb4URtjWFe-sIha5vHe86A5PGQo2zjIS4rKXq6FdQrR2NbnEW-2PN7-MjA6fguGyKe_xnorTEk8A8BXjw40WHaBYb3VOw_jBgh0t57h5PIoRLoKFF7GJFKQAULpYtcEObx-7WjgwneaSsaJVkE5BYDANYhD9BpMDNov/s1213/001%20Snipe%20well%20hidden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1213" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbob1S-fxNQ3QGczHiKaoyAEu8pb4URtjWFe-sIha5vHe86A5PGQo2zjIS4rKXq6FdQrR2NbnEW-2PN7-MjA6fguGyKe_xnorTEk8A8BXjw40WHaBYb3VOw_jBgh0t57h5PIoRLoKFF7GJFKQAULpYtcEObx-7WjgwneaSsaJVkE5BYDANYhD9BpMDNov/w640-h412/001%20Snipe%20well%20hidden.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>and an even more well hidden <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b>. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12URCCE8fMyjZ4iHzbjWyve1U7IZNfUJhotfL_Hs9kvbwJW-IlUCjnj4CmRVWD0va8pGxSIoQrsBaGoHty1Qf-d_8bca8oOcZyt9DEDL6uhJ5QyCPFmrZAr6BXcI5P7h3GNEkE_rILBvvkqPhStSSXjKQ6qaZ4JV7LD8wBGDvgAFhno4GkYVzVZoqHpbR/s1187/002%20Jack%20snipe%20well%20hidden%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1187" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12URCCE8fMyjZ4iHzbjWyve1U7IZNfUJhotfL_Hs9kvbwJW-IlUCjnj4CmRVWD0va8pGxSIoQrsBaGoHty1Qf-d_8bca8oOcZyt9DEDL6uhJ5QyCPFmrZAr6BXcI5P7h3GNEkE_rILBvvkqPhStSSXjKQ6qaZ4JV7LD8wBGDvgAFhno4GkYVzVZoqHpbR/w640-h560/002%20Jack%20snipe%20well%20hidden%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>About a dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets </span></b>graced the pool. While most of trhe others left for the saltmarsh one landed right by the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> and spooked it into even deeper cover. Eventually the egret stalked off and the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> plucked up enough courage to have a little preen and then a mooch about in their typical bobbing 'sewing machine' fashion, but it never managed to break cover no matter how much the collective bodies in the hide willed it to.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfellGLgvs10NHJvz-239AP_FpP94MTVMagb6LhPLS3ttvjjJBPnTQK5EAAerNNwCH5PMUDmSip5bLDmQFMumB-s6YC_Vg3HSUBNSafZChEsPB9gI7937w4_Zkvlgu_RtWOBJ1ERWXzk57sekmCg_g0c1-95NqsGIGdMvAKi_5s1wO5162oAYsU4yG7JM/s998/004%20Jack%20snipe%20preening.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="998" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfellGLgvs10NHJvz-239AP_FpP94MTVMagb6LhPLS3ttvjjJBPnTQK5EAAerNNwCH5PMUDmSip5bLDmQFMumB-s6YC_Vg3HSUBNSafZChEsPB9gI7937w4_Zkvlgu_RtWOBJ1ERWXzk57sekmCg_g0c1-95NqsGIGdMvAKi_5s1wO5162oAYsU4yG7JM/w640-h542/004%20Jack%20snipe%20preening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyyF-CY2pJ5prpTAUXljscUteQC_Vo5ESYilH4a522m9CnMrooHDndX5XowupPILq-NWSXd9XjxBa9BjUie0xy2qb0USgmBLSae3Q7NT5OayxdWNNHsuK9YLoYwfSb07zlrq41Sb7p6rRyS-u85eQqzRxplM7aESl9S2MkyJfg99jTKenSzpoL6cgXvoX/s980/005%20Jack%20snipe%20almost%20in%20the%20open.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="980" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyyF-CY2pJ5prpTAUXljscUteQC_Vo5ESYilH4a522m9CnMrooHDndX5XowupPILq-NWSXd9XjxBa9BjUie0xy2qb0USgmBLSae3Q7NT5OayxdWNNHsuK9YLoYwfSb07zlrq41Sb7p6rRyS-u85eQqzRxplM7aESl9S2MkyJfg99jTKenSzpoL6cgXvoX/w640-h596/005%20Jack%20snipe%20almost%20in%20the%20open.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a small patch of unobscured mud just to the left of this pi.c but our little friend simply refused to venture out on to it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Little Grebe</span></b> was still on the pool, the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> numbers had gone up by 50% since yesterday to three and we heard a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rail</span></b> - yep it was quiet! Apart from the two noisy <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> either side of the path to the hide.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Exhausting the possiblities and looking at the weather wit hsome likely rain coming our way it was off to the seawatching hide, at least there we would be sheltered for an hour or so. It turned out to be a good move. Yesterday we'd been told of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bottlenose Dolphins </span></b>passing by early morning, and they had done the same today. Would we or wouldn't we stike it lucky? A couple of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seals</span></b> weren't too far out.<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygxAPcRxtHyEgjlvfaqXb2YDpZ1zOV_aJBjKh-cpcuykJVwbgk1xuLB9YyFOHDbZdWgv2e_jWqsiiyIsM3Zb6Qt4JRO_BV_NSSJSS7FgnBtdiwQIly2Fa-ar2DQmIgL0GyBPk2l7rWOnXCdrQulh2dYSM0LNMEVTVc4nQKHJHTQ7fqHvehyinSHGS8Ffm/s1442/006%20Grey%20seal%20distant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1442" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhygxAPcRxtHyEgjlvfaqXb2YDpZ1zOV_aJBjKh-cpcuykJVwbgk1xuLB9YyFOHDbZdWgv2e_jWqsiiyIsM3Zb6Qt4JRO_BV_NSSJSS7FgnBtdiwQIly2Fa-ar2DQmIgL0GyBPk2l7rWOnXCdrQulh2dYSM0LNMEVTVc4nQKHJHTQ7fqHvehyinSHGS8Ffm/w640-h396/006%20Grey%20seal%20distant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span></b>But other than those there wasn't much to look at, The same(?) close <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Divers</span></b> as yesterday and several passing south mostly singles, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guillemots</span></b> and fewer <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbills</span></b> bobbed about on the choppy sea<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>while passing over them were more<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Sandwich</b></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Terns</span></b>. A birder came into the hide and told us we'd missed the best bird of the morning, an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b> had flown south behind us half an hour earlier.<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>Steadfastly we stared at the sea picking up a flock of 12 incoming <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b>, a distant small flock of<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Common Scoters</span></b>, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Crested Grebes</span></b> heading south together, and a few juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> which were good to see given the appaling losses the species has suffered to <b>Avian Flu</b> over the last couple of breeding seasons. Small bird-wise nothing much at all was on the move a few Swallows tazzed past the window and a couple ofr more flocks of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldfinches</span></b> which we assumed were local birds doing a curcuit but given the Observatory log reported 2914 passing through for the day maybe they weren't locals after all!<span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While staring out to sea hoping for a big flock of ducks or perhaps a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Northern Diver</span></b> or a skua or two (of different species please) to come trundling by we thought we saw a 'wrong' big splash in the corner of our eye way out towards the turbines, we scanned the area for several minutes and saw nothing, so 'just' a weird wave-slap or something? No it was better than that - a few minutes later a large black shape made a big splash in our scope, not another <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seal</span></b> this one had a dorsdal fin...a huge bull <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bottlenose Dolphin</span></b>! LCV was able to fire off a few shots as it powered its way hastily northwards.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8Fc4tGw7m_jFd5PawYz3M407qdl12vYldrLaMAy_N-dUfUkaUP9-JBkWumj3RwuQRQ9PCvxIAaX8NEhNU_eiYTNgZrobBgLCDgkpEr8DF5UhFgsoFxLH2861NwSCgGiTHCrbQK_eqPpWU8DU3QxkXrbrbMg4MjTRgtZ6KA0-rFiLk4jTX1jtB1QFlG92/s563/Big%20Bottlenose%20dolphin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="563" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8Fc4tGw7m_jFd5PawYz3M407qdl12vYldrLaMAy_N-dUfUkaUP9-JBkWumj3RwuQRQ9PCvxIAaX8NEhNU_eiYTNgZrobBgLCDgkpEr8DF5UhFgsoFxLH2861NwSCgGiTHCrbQK_eqPpWU8DU3QxkXrbrbMg4MjTRgtZ6KA0-rFiLk4jTX1jtB1QFlG92/w640-h586/Big%20Bottlenose%20dolphin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The next thing that happened was even more bizarre, remember the mystery hirundine from yesterday evening - well news broke of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nightjar</span></b> up by the pub - <b><span style="color: red;">SCRAMBLE - GO- GO- GO!!! </span></b>Was the lad from yesterday right with his 'tentative' ID, a lucky guess, sold his soul, or just pure coincidence??? Anyway we legged it to the car threw the gear in a hurtled up the road...only to find it had gone between the finder finding it and going to get a radio to put the news out. In the grotty weather we throughth it wouldn't have gone far. Time to put LCV's rinky-dink Thermal Imaging gizmo to work again (especially as it hadn't been needed to find the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b> at the Canal Scrape). No joy from using either the bins nor the Thermal Imager, our bins found a late nesting <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Woodpigeon</span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mDW67U2yj55PGlMxAxwtUvlvhXC66mZHziX-1WcviogOeXouK5Dq2wwoB5nJXGp32nzm8aaWIoUWnR6Uo-VJ3jAJMGswtMzgmBjHPdKD-rSmQyZ7HheBmgop71Sypy_X7Gq0-yF12NIvdCBXoCXTb6ZlXLROuysSc2wJZY3Ry-YWSdE6kHhcplZv7nzA/s1437/007%20Woodpigeon%20on%20nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1437" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mDW67U2yj55PGlMxAxwtUvlvhXC66mZHziX-1WcviogOeXouK5Dq2wwoB5nJXGp32nzm8aaWIoUWnR6Uo-VJ3jAJMGswtMzgmBjHPdKD-rSmQyZ7HheBmgop71Sypy_X7Gq0-yF12NIvdCBXoCXTb6ZlXLROuysSc2wJZY3Ry-YWSdE6kHhcplZv7nzA/w640-h376/007%20Woodpigeon%20on%20nest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>and LCV's Thermal Imager fund a well secreted <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robin</span></b> in the '<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nightjar</span></b>' bush and another nestingWoodpigeon over the road in the pub carpark trees. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">With no sign of the rarity the small croud soon dispersed leaving a couple of hard core locals to try to find it and we'd hope they'd break positive news later.In the meantime we headed back to the wetlands for another look at the waders and waterfowl. The sleepy <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Wigeon</span></b> was still there but no sign of the reported drake <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mandadrin</span></b>. Still plenty of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gulls</span></b> loafing about but there were fewer waders than our previous visit as the tide was out so the mudflats were open for business. We did get good views of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bar tailed Godwits</span></b>, feeding with a single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tailed Godwit</span></b> though.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNnl1ECpRoAW2G46NWM4rJmLsXvE4-Vli8QpqVvfrkbpXYnXtzUKWDzA7aPFtaTlyW1xR03ZMffQ0EyaUJhKA8rgnUrZhlcJtJJGNHiN32o1zrCUX4fO2CrJLzbK3c1QsOC0iSPs3LMzfLEK9CyYcmxRuZHrYPv0qQC0dmFraYiLjxZjbR4zEDmLpGoK6/s1970/008%202%20Bar%20tailed%20godwits%20and%20a%20black%20tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1970" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNnl1ECpRoAW2G46NWM4rJmLsXvE4-Vli8QpqVvfrkbpXYnXtzUKWDzA7aPFtaTlyW1xR03ZMffQ0EyaUJhKA8rgnUrZhlcJtJJGNHiN32o1zrCUX4fO2CrJLzbK3c1QsOC0iSPs3LMzfLEK9CyYcmxRuZHrYPv0qQC0dmFraYiLjxZjbR4zEDmLpGoK6/w640-h282/008%202%20Bar%20tailed%20godwits%20and%20a%20black%20tail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was then someone came into the hide and asked if 'those' <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glossy Ibis</span></b> had landed here...heads shook all round no-one had seen them, then we leaned out of the window a little and looked further to the right and lo and behold there was one at the end of the unseen from where we were sat, others in the hide wouldn't have seen it either as there was a bund of grass in the way. "You mean like this one" we said. the hide's side windows were immediatly opened and there was a bit of a scrum to get the best position.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1k-4eGXyKbR8hTzhG6A0VE3bIEA_sUMYYLbI8SFfj0qkQYPe5JqsydFmUjp2ZsYoGNUg_hzU1XfbxsSYBBV1Kf5sBjmwoGYMTQXeBd4YyQQr8Jk9GL5JmiEKcsk6d9o3ISfgRfLAZabITTV9ZFXwmDdDg1OE4SPLRvBjq1Jo4XOkVRGaUCpomrqsGSbri/s735/009%20Single%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="735" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1k-4eGXyKbR8hTzhG6A0VE3bIEA_sUMYYLbI8SFfj0qkQYPe5JqsydFmUjp2ZsYoGNUg_hzU1XfbxsSYBBV1Kf5sBjmwoGYMTQXeBd4YyQQr8Jk9GL5JmiEKcsk6d9o3ISfgRfLAZabITTV9ZFXwmDdDg1OE4SPLRvBjq1Jo4XOkVRGaUCpomrqsGSbri/w400-h349/009%20Single%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>"There should be three" was heard and a few moments later the other two stalked into view. Something spooked them and they took to the air but only for a fly round the pool landing shortly after in a much better place for all to enjoy them.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gY4U2pxkZHG6wPVCRBDTNqX1jjMZoFkiWq6zw17PySvrBdvd76FMjd9be7aozbGmtGmAWJW40bfcYPJRsyYxgDy0I29ykUAOGdNkLOCJFj_hvdgEGsWxZl43W-qQLWK_Iw0g1Dd9m5huLspvma2S9NzA45JvVgbPyullt5GbjE-1M3saamFyiP8qepeE/s1211/010%203%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1211" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gY4U2pxkZHG6wPVCRBDTNqX1jjMZoFkiWq6zw17PySvrBdvd76FMjd9be7aozbGmtGmAWJW40bfcYPJRsyYxgDy0I29ykUAOGdNkLOCJFj_hvdgEGsWxZl43W-qQLWK_Iw0g1Dd9m5huLspvma2S9NzA45JvVgbPyullt5GbjE-1M3saamFyiP8qepeE/w640-h412/010%203%20Glossy%20ibis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a few minutes preening they were in the air again and this time continued their journey to where-ever. The question remains, was yesterday's singleton one of these three or were these new birds. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We moved on to the big Beacon Pond over the back where there was still no sign of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mandarin</span></b>, a 'Murder of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(Carrion)</span></b> <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Crows</span></b>' kept IH amused and the three of us each managed a maximum count of 13 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebes</span></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The birder stood next to us picked out the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Wigeon</span></b> and this time it was actively feeding on submerged waterweed not snoozing as it does on th wetland pool. It moved around with a small pack of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b> eventually coming reasonably close on this large lake. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheo-2iPxbhprK5HhHsk5i7ErgDQMlvwg6krGN_EsgBSruvpRiqxygDGcNKYlleljGJQJI4GqyIYdqbTw_bo0Hj5UhqxWES5T6tyaRIEaldEBNGOy79QLMiD3tlVBDdV1ywiB2PyoE4scCsSfS7udgh3KnrijHaXZVEBilUNU5-YvYf8H4bKo6cSTnBh-f/s1180/011%20American%20wigeon%20distant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1180" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheo-2iPxbhprK5HhHsk5i7ErgDQMlvwg6krGN_EsgBSruvpRiqxygDGcNKYlleljGJQJI4GqyIYdqbTw_bo0Hj5UhqxWES5T6tyaRIEaldEBNGOy79QLMiD3tlVBDdV1ywiB2PyoE4scCsSfS7udgh3KnrijHaXZVEBilUNU5-YvYf8H4bKo6cSTnBh-f/w640-h468/011%20American%20wigeon%20distant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuMjXNXTLShzvJDwwhxeDNfMEnKQP2KuPoq5wa3jBQu2gmfctRSQ7uKXfZNJBl1BJfkRROktvpyMYI0IsmamMZyI97nY30ix7P8mVEgHeYhlPz5EXD3hNrk-T2mft0CjWD6UKcMgkjHy8VMrLyQZn6FmCVODWqZwXwY_PwpOGKQozHb5ArkmV1iMf3Gh8/s1116/012%20American%20wigeon%20closest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1116" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuMjXNXTLShzvJDwwhxeDNfMEnKQP2KuPoq5wa3jBQu2gmfctRSQ7uKXfZNJBl1BJfkRROktvpyMYI0IsmamMZyI97nY30ix7P8mVEgHeYhlPz5EXD3hNrk-T2mft0CjWD6UKcMgkjHy8VMrLyQZn6FmCVODWqZwXwY_PwpOGKQozHb5ArkmV1iMf3Gh8/w640-h304/012%20American%20wigeon%20closest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best of the rest wered a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ringed Plovers</span></b>, several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunlin</span></b> a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorant</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b>. The adjacent rough field held a family of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> as we wandered back to the wetland hide. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzard</span></b> popped up from behind the bank to our left, the first of the trip, the gull roost held even more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gulls</span></b> but the oft reported at mid-day <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Caspian Gull</span></b> failed to put in an appearance for us despite extensive searching through the larger gulls. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">With it being quiet we didn't stay long but changed tthings up a bit with a drive up the road to look in the fields. Sometimes the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plover</span></b> flock hangs out here and at the mo there is an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Golden Plover</span></b> with them, usually they are far to far out on the mudflats to stand a chance of picking it out. They weren't in the fields though, probably because the mudflats were available. There were a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> the usual 'Serengeti's' worth of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Roe Deer </span></b>and two big flocks of geese, one fresh in <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese</span></b> the other presumably resident <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag Geese </span></b>with a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Geese</span></b> thrown in for good measure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next up it was down to the seawatching hide to get out of the still strong wind. While passing the little pond in the village LCV ground the car to a halt saying theres's a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> in there. A few yards reverse and sure enough there was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> sitting low down on a branch over the water. A good spot from the driver's seat.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjVeqNfLNPrjwml2w_0qnyDAVk4u34Up_ORf8gDj5CJ-CbTI4QTe6kTZdNXbU7B73J3rDX1jBrQHAW9xI1IVFtbF4eFQHw7H1haW3PbQQ7rQlqGnDsdr9LeSIJ0V8cPeIDv5GBNitnrJzmqpjhWc-mGBMXlZ1Ba_JHXTJMkrF44mO_TzSFWDoh_zqqcFz/s1585/013%20Sparrowhawk%20at%20pond..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1585" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjVeqNfLNPrjwml2w_0qnyDAVk4u34Up_ORf8gDj5CJ-CbTI4QTe6kTZdNXbU7B73J3rDX1jBrQHAW9xI1IVFtbF4eFQHw7H1haW3PbQQ7rQlqGnDsdr9LeSIJ0V8cPeIDv5GBNitnrJzmqpjhWc-mGBMXlZ1Ba_JHXTJMkrF44mO_TzSFWDoh_zqqcFz/w640-h466/013%20Sparrowhawk%20at%20pond..jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The sea was quiet, as is often the case in the afternoon. However there were bits n bobs of interest. An unusually pale headed skua with hefty white wing flashes came past close in that caused a bit of exitement. IH called <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Skua</span></b>, we though <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Skua</span></b> but photos proved IH to be right. Deffo an odd looking individual and worthy of a second look and a check. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Terns </span></b>passed southwrds in dribs n drabs, while further out a few adult <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b>, mostly heading north, were good to see. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> flapped lazily in-off, we don't normally think of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herons </span></b>as being migratory so where had this one set off from? A much more typical migrant heading towards us from well out was a single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b>, as were three then five <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b>. Another unexpected sighting was of half a dozen swimmers, all but one brave lad wet-suited up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">two or three <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seals</span></b> were present, they can be hard to count as they move a fair way under water, was the one that was over there the same as the one that's popped its head up over here? Without a good look at their patterns it can be hard to know just how many you're seeing. Small flocks of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Scoters</span></b> moved about in the distance and a single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Feral Pigeon</span></b> came in-off - a genuine migrant or a lost/slow <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Racing Pigeon</span></b>??? An <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Oystercatcher </span></b>flew past which was bizarrely the first of the trip, normally they hit the notebook within the first hour or so of arriving.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was now late and time for the beer n some grub.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After last night's mammal-fest on the drive back to our digs the theme continued when a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Short Tailed Vole </span></b>scurried across the road in the beam of our headlights. It would be safe tonight as we saw no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owls</span></b> again, the strong wing keeping them tucked up in their barns.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Would the wind drop and the migrants arrive on our third day?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's lurking furtively round ponds in your outback.<br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-43679394386715968702023-10-11T14:52:00.006+01:002023-10-11T14:56:39.263+01:00The annual safari to the east coast - Day 1<p style="text-align: justify;"><b> The Safari has to</b> pick the few days with LCV and IH over to Spurn on the Yorkshire coast many months in advance, the trouble with this is sometimes you hit the good migration weather but most times we don't...which would this safari's weather be? We'd been following the <a href="https://www.weather-forecast.com/maps/North-Atlantic?hr=3&over=pressure_arrows&symbols=cities.forecast.dots&type=wind" target="_blank"><b>weather patterns</b></a> across Scandinavia and the North Sea for a few days prior and it looked like would be tricky birding to start with as unwanted westerly winds racing across the country from the Atlantic but then improving towards the end of our stay...yeah nice one...but did that happen? Read on!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our birding day started somewhere west of Hull on the motorway as the first hint of light in the eastern sky saw first a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards</span></b> in the air then hordes of gulls streamming north west from an unknown roost followed by the first of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Carrion Crows</span></b>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Once past Hull excitement grows as the flat fields are checked for more species to add to the list, unfortunately it was almost exclusively <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Legged Partridges</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pheasants</span></b> that had been released for shooting that we saw. As we neared our destination the in-car chat turned to where to go first, invariably we head for the seawatching hide as soon as we arrive but with an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Wigeon </span></b>having spent the last few days at the closer Kilnsea Wetlands we decided to bunk in there first and get that under our belt...if it was still there. A good move as it happened, as we walked up the path to the hide a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owl </span></b>flew past us going to roost in the nearby barn with breakfast (or should that be supper?) in its talons.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbWYA4nUdWiGSQP7CcBvWQmnDAMBiwNmz7olVWTJN-xviFQQiV_86tj3Jysa3BqvUciU2K4g8zsEnHDV5xV4pM5vu_ilZJuw0BkLDs1nB_5h3TzuZT0SoLnYuDD6lASuaGg2nzcnFKe2g0vt9GX0MBc_FY9fDWd-OnZ3eSjwIXYPbRDfj-BP6fz5gIcPt/s1353/Barn%20owl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1353" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbWYA4nUdWiGSQP7CcBvWQmnDAMBiwNmz7olVWTJN-xviFQQiV_86tj3Jysa3BqvUciU2K4g8zsEnHDV5xV4pM5vu_ilZJuw0BkLDs1nB_5h3TzuZT0SoLnYuDD6lASuaGg2nzcnFKe2g0vt9GX0MBc_FY9fDWd-OnZ3eSjwIXYPbRDfj-BP6fz5gIcPt/w640-h414/Barn%20owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A scan of the rest of the farmyard didn't give us the hoped for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Owl</span></b> though. At the hide a young <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Roe Deer</span></b> buck was slowly making its way along the bank to the left of us, we'd already seen lots in the fields over the last few miles, this part of Yorkshire is like the Serengeti at times there's so many deer to be seen in broad daylight.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_2K4VhLhJGx0GjdTiyc012Z1rci_4yIqlu0ExMgZ3z8TKKQYHtLA-RzDxOVPdVAGxjrPD9AdNcuR-O32BItHHNxanzOmdTAILxWzX1zSJ0Yk0iNLKziAgEUXg0LlqSBtkEVZqF5gqzxyhmQphMRCNjAcahTU6eBVan-x1buFK_0Lwnt7Y5h7mR_GxR9b/s916/Roe%20deer%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="916" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_2K4VhLhJGx0GjdTiyc012Z1rci_4yIqlu0ExMgZ3z8TKKQYHtLA-RzDxOVPdVAGxjrPD9AdNcuR-O32BItHHNxanzOmdTAILxWzX1zSJ0Yk0iNLKziAgEUXg0LlqSBtkEVZqF5gqzxyhmQphMRCNjAcahTU6eBVan-x1buFK_0Lwnt7Y5h7mR_GxR9b/w640-h628/Roe%20deer%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The tide was in and the wetland was packed with waders and waterfowl resting up waiting for the mudflats to become exposed again. A scan through the massed ranks of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b> soon brought a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spotted Redshanks</span></b> into view, but why did they have to be the furthest birds away from us? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidM5hxmAbwwf6CtVBFwHWsAjg-xtcqWY3yU83zDGVcDHieMAdmT0M8OOKoA4mXTdB7KMSodLs13z8msNma_b21ZA7109WmP-N02xPynJeYke_mevt6hRAVzcLTQfx2di4S9IZZUdYLX4aov_oiKdoG4_dWdXNzUAPCP48DbE8pUsyW8amrOl9bZLoRGMY9/s1016/166%20Spotted%20redshank.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1016" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidM5hxmAbwwf6CtVBFwHWsAjg-xtcqWY3yU83zDGVcDHieMAdmT0M8OOKoA4mXTdB7KMSodLs13z8msNma_b21ZA7109WmP-N02xPynJeYke_mevt6hRAVzcLTQfx2di4S9IZZUdYLX4aov_oiKdoG4_dWdXNzUAPCP48DbE8pUsyW8amrOl9bZLoRGMY9/w640-h440/166%20Spotted%20redshank.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Wigeon</span></b> wasn't so easy hiding itself well among around 120 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b>, 80 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pintail</span></b> and 160 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> with assorted <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall, Mallard, Grey Lag Geese</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Geese</span></b> to hide behind. With help from other birders already in the hide we eventually picked its head out, the rest of it was hidden behind a grassy bank at the rear of the pool, like the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spotted Redshanks</span></b> it was miles away! We'd be able to get a better view of it from the screen round the corner but for now we were content to peruse the waders at close quarters, one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunlin</span></b> in particular was very close.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0WesjIkLtc7_Js36QjpqrvSTC-_OVkWD58xQDmO3pOV0C6uDO9ITN_3z3m1mV55bPqFn1fwUyJFotbm9uAPjNQB_49tfS3q66x8HU1GzJoglVEmgpkM0YyBo4hJnGuu58feP3tiZqp9E3Xci5rVOk2LC2jc6xbQnwkqiFoGQZstVnubtpOw7SH_7nF8c/s1520/Close%20Dunlin%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1520" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0WesjIkLtc7_Js36QjpqrvSTC-_OVkWD58xQDmO3pOV0C6uDO9ITN_3z3m1mV55bPqFn1fwUyJFotbm9uAPjNQB_49tfS3q66x8HU1GzJoglVEmgpkM0YyBo4hJnGuu58feP3tiZqp9E3Xci5rVOk2LC2jc6xbQnwkqiFoGQZstVnubtpOw7SH_7nF8c/w640-h406/Close%20Dunlin%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxifXMKQMr_ZGZet7yJ0mz6wbT_HGdei2wLbUtntI28ics9HmsRXNwa2zynftK7-E8LEY2_3EOIUWj0NZFrzTahTn3bzyXcKVyoIRRPSgcjA2QS2oqWipLINPVKc5n2IkhVs7jF_xSJfi034SP6iE6XGYahx4Ek9DPQLdULR5olt9Hj_eUdcGJfh8bLTs/s1402/Close%20Dunlin%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1402" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxifXMKQMr_ZGZet7yJ0mz6wbT_HGdei2wLbUtntI28ics9HmsRXNwa2zynftK7-E8LEY2_3EOIUWj0NZFrzTahTn3bzyXcKVyoIRRPSgcjA2QS2oqWipLINPVKc5n2IkhVs7jF_xSJfi034SP6iE6XGYahx4Ek9DPQLdULR5olt9Hj_eUdcGJfh8bLTs/w640-h476/Close%20Dunlin%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After a look at the waders, which included some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot </span></b>hiding among the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> throng, at least a dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Avocets</span></b>, a smaller number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tailed Godwits</span></b>, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bar Tailed Godwits</span></b>, seven <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Greenshanks</span></b>, half a dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Plovers</span></b> with an attendant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plover</span></b>, a solitary <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwing</span></b> , which we were told was a scarce sighting here - odd we thought, we're sure we'd seen them in good numbers here in the past, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ringed Plovers</span></b> and while we're on long legged thingies, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> and a good half dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b>...oh and lots of gulls including well over 20 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gulls</span></b>...and a lone <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sandwich Tern</span></b>...it was like the Eric Morecambe and Allen Pools at our favourite Leighton Moss reserve but on steroids! This place is ace! It even had <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese</span></b> flying over just like home. All was quiet in the hide as we all enjoyed the wader/waterfowl spectacle before us, quiet that is until a head poked round the door and said "there's a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagle </span></b>in the field over the road". <b><span style="color: red;">SCRAMBLE - GO - GO -GO!!!</span></b> Once outside news was that it was in the air going north. beside the hide door there's a tall bank to screen the birders from the birds, we tried to be clever and ran down the path to the left thinking, wrongly, that the further we got from the bank the more we'd be able to see over it - we saw nothing as apparenty it had kept very low. LCV on the other hand dashed off with the crowd back towards the car park and got a glimpse of it as it flapped lazily like a giant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> into the distance and probably right over IH's car as he turned up just as the excitement (and/or disappointment) was dying down.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With the full team now assembled and the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Wigeon</span></b> 'nailed on' we went back up the 'eagle dipping path' to look for the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">American Wigeon</span></b> from the screen. It was there but still a bit distant and took a bit of finding.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8NMYNydKxgcanvBYHZlycGdixelVjidQPQEMDymVuL4mgIvtkBNQMSM45C6Q1SN-I1iW5kpAuzAReDzEeLb5m-FFs6umuzOxC17cu7F97Q9g7DQekg6Qi6FgTJoWOPGEQ2yvRVrXv66APHABDr4e86l8nL0Q3ThK22D1MHkFJz5r3V3qkCWepcWXtLlq/s2187/American%20wigeon%20hidden%20far.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="2187" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8NMYNydKxgcanvBYHZlycGdixelVjidQPQEMDymVuL4mgIvtkBNQMSM45C6Q1SN-I1iW5kpAuzAReDzEeLb5m-FFs6umuzOxC17cu7F97Q9g7DQekg6Qi6FgTJoWOPGEQ2yvRVrXv66APHABDr4e86l8nL0Q3ThK22D1MHkFJz5r3V3qkCWepcWXtLlq/w640-h292/American%20wigeon%20hidden%20far.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was easier when something flushed the ducks and they shuffled around a bit.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg074Wf_Np8rOHKRm24s3hI1rUDQgwgA_ru7f8AEQpbLBGIh-bgfUaGorHQAjLS3EKdPVOx99TZ_KBKsk0c00wEDXvE_vF3rWrbjb2yD05Hi7_4ZMoDJA1zXtYzF-LdEpTg5XRfBhqNfx2MiTSdc8NXOBehA0Yjhp4566krSKq5cBIN9i23MA8Ot47p71EE/s2019/American%20wigeon%20not%20hidden%20far.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="2019" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg074Wf_Np8rOHKRm24s3hI1rUDQgwgA_ru7f8AEQpbLBGIh-bgfUaGorHQAjLS3EKdPVOx99TZ_KBKsk0c00wEDXvE_vF3rWrbjb2yD05Hi7_4ZMoDJA1zXtYzF-LdEpTg5XRfBhqNfx2MiTSdc8NXOBehA0Yjhp4566krSKq5cBIN9i23MA8Ot47p71EE/w640-h278/American%20wigeon%20not%20hidden%20far.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKFa6Vkz6TbvOx9yrCQzB1MyPLdp3d5-rUHb1jdlpHZCLQPTKDcXuDPdnwZY9vbRqEUkYw62Zw_riSywA1hKVYWYaM9VzpKcRQhAwPye_lY78fl0vlILw2h08G4kFxXwBhdtgo44uoi9lxS110dJceZGwsJnxJc2FtU7vinZmE-2MZRQ7KyHN5ASi-arj/s1968/American%20wigeon%20not%20hidden%20standing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1968" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKFa6Vkz6TbvOx9yrCQzB1MyPLdp3d5-rUHb1jdlpHZCLQPTKDcXuDPdnwZY9vbRqEUkYw62Zw_riSywA1hKVYWYaM9VzpKcRQhAwPye_lY78fl0vlILw2h08G4kFxXwBhdtgo44uoi9lxS110dJceZGwsJnxJc2FtU7vinZmE-2MZRQ7KyHN5ASi-arj/w640-h288/American%20wigeon%20not%20hidden%20standing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>By now it was mid-morning and a brew in the Visitor Centre was beckoning but first we had another look from the hide. Well worth it as we had a male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> come over the sea wall at the same time a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrine</span></b> tazzed about and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> hovered and were lucky enough to get all three in the bins at the same time. While watching the raptors someone pointed out a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Yellow Wagtail</span></b> on the mud in the far corner, a bird we rarely see these days so a bit of a shame it was so far away, it could have done the decent thing and played around with the point-blank <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunlin</span></b> below our window. As it happened there were actually two but only one wuold come out from behind the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Thistles</span></b> at a time. When we first looked we could only see a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pied Wagtails</span></b>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUdrADEMBDCX4Mn6xeLlkgUHL4aMta0HTVitsRFRGZVs0fYvrPFyCu2MHywy2r-PinEe8ZpRpQh5ylnOx_35gbZIF2zxgx6Cjv9rygGWL4DWqDWV-RB7lsz8P2zMhisyJVE9raKff6XkKAhP4gG5eJ5b4VgEuG1w2zGKxckV8caqBEyVtsQ-xXq-87Uxb/s1661/Two%20Pied%20wagtails.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1661" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUdrADEMBDCX4Mn6xeLlkgUHL4aMta0HTVitsRFRGZVs0fYvrPFyCu2MHywy2r-PinEe8ZpRpQh5ylnOx_35gbZIF2zxgx6Cjv9rygGWL4DWqDWV-RB7lsz8P2zMhisyJVE9raKff6XkKAhP4gG5eJ5b4VgEuG1w2zGKxckV8caqBEyVtsQ-xXq-87Uxb/w640-h403/Two%20Pied%20wagtails.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>But we only had to wait a minute for one of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Yellow Wagtails</span></b> to show, getting a half acceptable pic was another matter...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uph-Ii25S9cCRY4EW3Ih5SB0zgIlts8a6IXv7zrjx72qLJ4SVrZhSVEDOkrg-0kWV_ZZsQNCrARB8qAeNq3zyMYvTk5_QYkYW5BWwJWplaDKWVULF9uBhlZHtcABphyphenhyphenU64oAlNjuE8_CN9CfKZDVjjvj0zhDUzyPLxTyzc-8xNYH9iusOmtTJDZUIwrI/s1969/Yellow%20wagtail%20with%20two%20pied%20wags.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1969" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uph-Ii25S9cCRY4EW3Ih5SB0zgIlts8a6IXv7zrjx72qLJ4SVrZhSVEDOkrg-0kWV_ZZsQNCrARB8qAeNq3zyMYvTk5_QYkYW5BWwJWplaDKWVULF9uBhlZHtcABphyphenhyphenU64oAlNjuE8_CN9CfKZDVjjvj0zhDUzyPLxTyzc-8xNYH9iusOmtTJDZUIwrI/w640-h278/Yellow%20wagtail%20with%20two%20pied%20wags.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Not the best pic of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Yellow Wagtail</span></b> you'll ever see but you should just about able to make it out in the centre of the pic.<br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Roe Deer</span></b> from earlier put in another appearance too.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fjzbp1ywTJ_JWSODQ1woritlyBaubY4vh5dpf76GHew2PwlkJ_8SOggYOhunUgf94Vzp6Em-Ndtv9s5WF17dSpaApYIXUHJC0IcpwfhqWfRV_QNJYmkMiHveR_Q02vZBz2rczPG2ZQHlAhrygZ6of8CCqHQ-5lUSSUzvy6JE1-cmCK7fAwEIRLbhFWpB/s1267/Roe%20deer%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="1267" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fjzbp1ywTJ_JWSODQ1woritlyBaubY4vh5dpf76GHew2PwlkJ_8SOggYOhunUgf94Vzp6Em-Ndtv9s5WF17dSpaApYIXUHJC0IcpwfhqWfRV_QNJYmkMiHveR_Q02vZBz2rczPG2ZQHlAhrygZ6of8CCqHQ-5lUSSUzvy6JE1-cmCK7fAwEIRLbhFWpB/w640-h498/Roe%20deer%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfoGc74NJ50vQKBHJTZoUD48wi8wpx9-uvlzX3JvsYI4KFlbzzWX3sCEdOCMfQeb9wsEkw3XRL18wADyX51Upuxy2NFLUnzkzhAZalRyxXB9KdbkGb6BaLksqW-2UlXPXugTss41z10obN4cCrDVZB1AYsZztVfK_h4BPgHG-ws1CUgaImqN__kxLBMa7/s1454/Roe%20deer%202%20with%20leaf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1454" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfoGc74NJ50vQKBHJTZoUD48wi8wpx9-uvlzX3JvsYI4KFlbzzWX3sCEdOCMfQeb9wsEkw3XRL18wADyX51Upuxy2NFLUnzkzhAZalRyxXB9KdbkGb6BaLksqW-2UlXPXugTss41z10obN4cCrDVZB1AYsZztVfK_h4BPgHG-ws1CUgaImqN__kxLBMa7/w640-h512/Roe%20deer%202%20with%20leaf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We had a go at getting pics of some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Plovers</span></b> that had strayed into range and began walking closer still.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffSZS40NhPlvg95CBL8bPkj5c2gz5-SNv6QB36l7QkMEVli3lhIDXAH_DhhzdIhxfc4G5jVuuZuNVylX8goHEYa5KWJKoJWEZKf6bfyLhueuoBvbUaah83_izkBtLKa2M1uqh-QD-c8vvCouIIOZ4rzGM4B4ud1YMrRYw01aRZ2VpyLiaSTwgNiU2E8Ln/s959/Grey%20plover%20far%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="647" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffSZS40NhPlvg95CBL8bPkj5c2gz5-SNv6QB36l7QkMEVli3lhIDXAH_DhhzdIhxfc4G5jVuuZuNVylX8goHEYa5KWJKoJWEZKf6bfyLhueuoBvbUaah83_izkBtLKa2M1uqh-QD-c8vvCouIIOZ4rzGM4B4ud1YMrRYw01aRZ2VpyLiaSTwgNiU2E8Ln/w432-h640/Grey%20plover%20far%201.jpg" width="432" /></a></div>But a passing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Merlin</span></b> darted over their heads flushing them before they came much closer. We then turned our attention to trying to get some pics of different plumages of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gulls</span></b> sat close together but hey weren't really playing ball and we could only manage three adults and a second winter.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOtoGoMIG6WpxK08XCHzValnG236ci9cTqDc4t9eSMtKOTW63K8oQu_VnuXHlKZYyFhT7v3TEfuef_lI4YOp5NMwURoi7VUa7RTPgELqUIItWmiH5HieCkl43sWLQGS_CFcz3YyRAhkmLLh6zodKnYdpg2eQ6F6dBH9QXBGtJAm7fF8TVRRSaMBZggenW/s1329/Four%20Mediterranean%20gulls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1329" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOtoGoMIG6WpxK08XCHzValnG236ci9cTqDc4t9eSMtKOTW63K8oQu_VnuXHlKZYyFhT7v3TEfuef_lI4YOp5NMwURoi7VUa7RTPgELqUIItWmiH5HieCkl43sWLQGS_CFcz3YyRAhkmLLh6zodKnYdpg2eQ6F6dBH9QXBGtJAm7fF8TVRRSaMBZggenW/w640-h420/Four%20Mediterranean%20gulls.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Eventually the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Plovers</span></b> returned and we got great views, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot</span></b> came a bit closer too.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQoTtNUc-1jxrEbV1P-onqxWK7bnIA_6paFKo8Ts5inMj4GH_bdrdR3otHzysoH5ypzk9_N36IqJZsI5GwM1sJRSzr4ValK0C4Y5ZuNT4vQtXrnf9Ykd-H_B2jp4VAGEuhxqwQ7OZGga_wSAxy4a5RajGpKIdbqu3ScFeFx7QgydT7ZP47aRjwbfJDETC/s1288/Grey%20plover%20nearer%20pecking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1288" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQoTtNUc-1jxrEbV1P-onqxWK7bnIA_6paFKo8Ts5inMj4GH_bdrdR3otHzysoH5ypzk9_N36IqJZsI5GwM1sJRSzr4ValK0C4Y5ZuNT4vQtXrnf9Ykd-H_B2jp4VAGEuhxqwQ7OZGga_wSAxy4a5RajGpKIdbqu3ScFeFx7QgydT7ZP47aRjwbfJDETC/w640-h470/Grey%20plover%20nearer%20pecking.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITHCqjMPwelIJ-3l_TQrJY23jBx6E91pGAjtTpM9kOibnuhMkoEFfyOU_F6mjyGDizDslYg0mCW7EL3u-5I0fLW_GCFwHByIL1HBRWHGetLQie01KSxrE4k2te3mkQIsP-FQL6hpc4jdIWZKJ0ZTXSz11IVGs_TpEJFhekfXQxP6LaqHkjDlvknfvSyLN/s1580/Grey%20plover%20with%20worm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1580" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITHCqjMPwelIJ-3l_TQrJY23jBx6E91pGAjtTpM9kOibnuhMkoEFfyOU_F6mjyGDizDslYg0mCW7EL3u-5I0fLW_GCFwHByIL1HBRWHGetLQie01KSxrE4k2te3mkQIsP-FQL6hpc4jdIWZKJ0ZTXSz11IVGs_TpEJFhekfXQxP6LaqHkjDlvknfvSyLN/w640-h458/Grey%20plover%20with%20worm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NnpRe8TPvc45qROGGXQNMMEt3-TrdPUxZKykXRbVaG0RNcKUE8Skl54co_BF8_GrT-plwMLL8v7r5HP4YZNdotxf6dtP7Iy80WV4v2OGjWw4AoDSUaIObrrOPENytJnIMrM-mieo3RcKjiNTEZFGD-iESJCm8rvNFkPD6LrjlrNliZZoA4J5btJvptTr/s1705/Knot%20closer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1705" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NnpRe8TPvc45qROGGXQNMMEt3-TrdPUxZKykXRbVaG0RNcKUE8Skl54co_BF8_GrT-plwMLL8v7r5HP4YZNdotxf6dtP7Iy80WV4v2OGjWw4AoDSUaIObrrOPENytJnIMrM-mieo3RcKjiNTEZFGD-iESJCm8rvNFkPD6LrjlrNliZZoA4J5btJvptTr/w640-h258/Knot%20closer.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRmAY_l14wWga0rdbJz6VobdIzZAssQHszOKmZuqBgMHqnGHf4ggI0xyy1gH1DPYX2uo27by71BGKjhxfA4W0xmblbxhb06cV_zJwoAc0ddtcJcIwGuh04iINftoxsSDgbfGHj3i91tlmvDm7NpPXhZlxQrs_yALf7GoOnYcbS1vgYn4GwX-ylVpZDPt3/s1822/Knot%20and%20Dunlin%20close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1822" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRmAY_l14wWga0rdbJz6VobdIzZAssQHszOKmZuqBgMHqnGHf4ggI0xyy1gH1DPYX2uo27by71BGKjhxfA4W0xmblbxhb06cV_zJwoAc0ddtcJcIwGuh04iINftoxsSDgbfGHj3i91tlmvDm7NpPXhZlxQrs_yALf7GoOnYcbS1vgYn4GwX-ylVpZDPt3/w640-h328/Knot%20and%20Dunlin%20close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Fortunately several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Knot</span></b> came even closer. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAElw0kHdUsIo2mOvLXWFe87tZTXc2dshQh_CH4gxnldUs3XfOy_dPJn7hArSLgYyCXbh3giQtBpnni5tEWyCurvCUIuDgZTmAKNeW43Wu5l0bKIteRAzdFC64SkeIlzLGAnAQHyvSYGmVXMqCOtZO84gs2GNLnDyE36ENdmZChNGoTJrs8gb5C61PC-_/s1558/Grey%20plover%20and%20Knot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="1558" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAElw0kHdUsIo2mOvLXWFe87tZTXc2dshQh_CH4gxnldUs3XfOy_dPJn7hArSLgYyCXbh3giQtBpnni5tEWyCurvCUIuDgZTmAKNeW43Wu5l0bKIteRAzdFC64SkeIlzLGAnAQHyvSYGmVXMqCOtZO84gs2GNLnDyE36ENdmZChNGoTJrs8gb5C61PC-_/w640-h344/Grey%20plover%20and%20Knot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhshIo1M-uTtCUH2CBEetMD2Iqm04tX6INTSIaCu3obRHHreRNTDQZhXHMcAzBVo_pgpKTNPUMDzIskIs15HzHpoT06PficBBF4R1Fh4_VdN3thiuBJ6mLrSgPtf5VTVDERdb8yD0ywcJ6fbzXUlMb-8igEjiy2w0Nux-fzeWhjMhM0vyjDL0aBgxAW0v/s2169/Knot%20three%20together.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="2169" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhshIo1M-uTtCUH2CBEetMD2Iqm04tX6INTSIaCu3obRHHreRNTDQZhXHMcAzBVo_pgpKTNPUMDzIskIs15HzHpoT06PficBBF4R1Fh4_VdN3thiuBJ6mLrSgPtf5VTVDERdb8yD0ywcJ6fbzXUlMb-8igEjiy2w0Nux-fzeWhjMhM0vyjDL0aBgxAW0v/w640-h308/Knot%20three%20together.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIOlKSXtcTJDlFVRL52xEH-OmWQAT5jgzP_RleZzrvagW7dSSHGSWcf0QSzylanbXCZdRg43YGREZZecMaRCLgdhIcDEILPKcTsVv2EnHE4-S4scupl-3Z-J7p1w7ERtoBWuP922889ju_KAPLgR7K4QsH07lKQhg4_s36VSXoi-IOz3n_EyUuDz_y_fd/s1388/Knot%20closer%20still.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1388" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIOlKSXtcTJDlFVRL52xEH-OmWQAT5jgzP_RleZzrvagW7dSSHGSWcf0QSzylanbXCZdRg43YGREZZecMaRCLgdhIcDEILPKcTsVv2EnHE4-S4scupl-3Z-J7p1w7ERtoBWuP922889ju_KAPLgR7K4QsH07lKQhg4_s36VSXoi-IOz3n_EyUuDz_y_fd/w640-h446/Knot%20closer%20still.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDvjlPEHsd7mk5n9LZNeYjteERbmVwWlP5F3ZrFaJ8qxrh3I2LxpVBmK9rJZv_rFteCODkxBaCS13iegybudzGpKrLnW25LnIjLkzIgWpAtxNc2BJmvJFbyT4lszXpXHlkIeFJwWJEOB0d3aPBsY81DOtTfg5V9NP8cRwPXF6EUekK9a9habcQK2SH4Fi/s1583/Knot%20closer%20still%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1583" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDvjlPEHsd7mk5n9LZNeYjteERbmVwWlP5F3ZrFaJ8qxrh3I2LxpVBmK9rJZv_rFteCODkxBaCS13iegybudzGpKrLnW25LnIjLkzIgWpAtxNc2BJmvJFbyT4lszXpXHlkIeFJwWJEOB0d3aPBsY81DOtTfg5V9NP8cRwPXF6EUekK9a9habcQK2SH4Fi/w640-h468/Knot%20closer%20still%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plover</span></b> alsiputo in an appearance.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkhSF7lp7gsujFGcDQa3a5IK8pxy2IOtSJ96oNboKBS3NALZx0Ou_Xp3ODNsJr9LfiWIp_B5PhPTX07dTdeJBuxtJd0gR4DThXxnmyOFRi9RityI3sSYewn9S1N1SPQ5RBW6Oxu2IzcRT57Wz3KwaVCDU4M_R8cfjfSzl6cNk_symt944Bd2lh8SvU86P/s1558/Synchronised%20Golden%20and%20Grey%20plovers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1558" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkhSF7lp7gsujFGcDQa3a5IK8pxy2IOtSJ96oNboKBS3NALZx0Ou_Xp3ODNsJr9LfiWIp_B5PhPTX07dTdeJBuxtJd0gR4DThXxnmyOFRi9RityI3sSYewn9S1N1SPQ5RBW6Oxu2IzcRT57Wz3KwaVCDU4M_R8cfjfSzl6cNk_symt944Bd2lh8SvU86P/w640-h404/Synchronised%20Golden%20and%20Grey%20plovers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">With all that activity we'd almost forgetten about getting a brew so back to the cars it was passing a different <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Roe Deer</span></b> on the way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5IAdwCpi3Ds_FDZyRuGGWkX_SlUW-KJ6Hq-EWdSIrDMqSmVjvoXK_CB7U2ppat9muN72G5AXAksp3J98HaVaXyg2h_uVbIu8RkUq5NZDTxyh-5J3GWg0SVapvqkr5mNb_JKhpuK8sb9YJG3BfkzZH7SzaRxcFfidxvMQQ1M7wUr28s8uGthz9WMbS4b-/s1264/Roe%20deer%204%20Kilnsea%20car%20park.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1264" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5IAdwCpi3Ds_FDZyRuGGWkX_SlUW-KJ6Hq-EWdSIrDMqSmVjvoXK_CB7U2ppat9muN72G5AXAksp3J98HaVaXyg2h_uVbIu8RkUq5NZDTxyh-5J3GWg0SVapvqkr5mNb_JKhpuK8sb9YJG3BfkzZH7SzaRxcFfidxvMQQ1M7wUr28s8uGthz9WMbS4b-/w640-h602/Roe%20deer%204%20Kilnsea%20car%20park.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After being suitably refreshed and caffeined upit was back to the birding. The adjacent Canal Scrape was our first stop where a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebe </span></b>was busy devouring <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">3-spined Sticklebacks</span></b>. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlew</span></b> briefly probed the grassy area to the right and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhens</span></b> poked around the back of the pool. Other than that it was deadly quite. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> was asleep on the water's edge oppposite but as much as we scanned we couldn't find any others or any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jack Snipe</span></b>. Now LCV had brought along a right tricky Thermal Imaging gizmo and this seemed the perfect time and place to give it a whirl. It immediatly found two 'heat signatures', one stonger than the other, about a foot apart not far to the right of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b>. Persistant viewing with the bins eventually found them to be two more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> but incredibly hard to see dee among the cut reeds and without the aid of the Thermal Imager would have passed over as just shadows in the tall grass. A small bird dived int othe reeds from on high, probably a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Reed Bunting</span></b> but it was so far in to the reedbed that the Thermal Imager couldn't 'see' it.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The wind had died down a little bit and the sun had come out so we had a look round the village for any small birds that might have been hunkered down in the worst of the weather. Not much doing a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Chiffchaffs</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Goldcrests</span></b> were all we could muster. There was plenty of insect action, or really inaction, in the churchyard where we found a selection of winged beasties doing their best to glean some heat from the church wall. There were at least seven <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darters</span></b> and a selection of other flies and hoverfles.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz08hoYyyv54Rk1Kh9XMJYL30H48yBhRdaaFlCVImI5lWQNoZWFfjDLGT3xxbdIckc_vb6jmBNSLPWeRtTKbossfttpUbfpHAWBTb2hBm-ppAD-UKvI-cLdVNcGfvemfQIZ-wLtl8YUp6ai8C1HYQwNxzgcpGE6CYWlH8PSqtDsJ37OF41uH8FSsOsUHy/s1226/Red%20Admiral%20on%20church%20wall%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1226" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz08hoYyyv54Rk1Kh9XMJYL30H48yBhRdaaFlCVImI5lWQNoZWFfjDLGT3xxbdIckc_vb6jmBNSLPWeRtTKbossfttpUbfpHAWBTb2hBm-ppAD-UKvI-cLdVNcGfvemfQIZ-wLtl8YUp6ai8C1HYQwNxzgcpGE6CYWlH8PSqtDsJ37OF41uH8FSsOsUHy/w640-h564/Red%20Admiral%20on%20church%20wall%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCU7ochiGnoK4i08pixhI1ly9FSaO4qGmqLW5MQ_-FX7JFDjlyq6v1mH9MP6TTjQNuoYKC5rWbcIa8W0bF6Q9UBH2xofYTp6kzmfR3tVjsbX7PXEhbInTvwjCz66uGKfP4TxyW7jPMb6VPM3-Y-CJhE4qpzkEsRsnpu6gOI2BQ4BSMQaHDoZk6zPzRJGc/s995/Common%20Darter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="995" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCU7ochiGnoK4i08pixhI1ly9FSaO4qGmqLW5MQ_-FX7JFDjlyq6v1mH9MP6TTjQNuoYKC5rWbcIa8W0bF6Q9UBH2xofYTp6kzmfR3tVjsbX7PXEhbInTvwjCz66uGKfP4TxyW7jPMb6VPM3-Y-CJhE4qpzkEsRsnpu6gOI2BQ4BSMQaHDoZk6zPzRJGc/w640-h496/Common%20Darter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOZns_9j4b9gQrCxrcSuZI6WkZHaRjCP9GWUVVUjM_TN0G6DqXvhoWkU2gDuO_ZItIMti3iok3UY_RrUk4y-KlISsv8Fe6Hk7nh1OtxCmg9zVYQeIQ8wBg1x5FuzmQMkp80OAdvekd2eESZDRn6TuN0xJmu1hqKsbf1piAe_mY_J_Dvjdxc-bPChUduuX/s1392/Common%20Darter%20being%20photographed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1392" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOZns_9j4b9gQrCxrcSuZI6WkZHaRjCP9GWUVVUjM_TN0G6DqXvhoWkU2gDuO_ZItIMti3iok3UY_RrUk4y-KlISsv8Fe6Hk7nh1OtxCmg9zVYQeIQ8wBg1x5FuzmQMkp80OAdvekd2eESZDRn6TuN0xJmu1hqKsbf1piAe_mY_J_Dvjdxc-bPChUduuX/w640-h426/Common%20Darter%20being%20photographed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3A6G5ivfhMpUS7AUapPvjb_sowzXc8A1eU6DLR2Lbf_PGBrdwC6qxihbV4E8bOBeIG0j_6S21Qy3HoRYg79yTZsVfjHTEY-mKHziwEAoKsoY58UzyOHxgbxewZ3LrGJZ0LDt91HMbuEap_j905oo4Ob9fZz6wofk1rB54-g1VKrs2MbrOI-GwXI3fbvBZ/s1808/Common%20Darters%20on%20Kilnsea%20church%20window%20sill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1808" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3A6G5ivfhMpUS7AUapPvjb_sowzXc8A1eU6DLR2Lbf_PGBrdwC6qxihbV4E8bOBeIG0j_6S21Qy3HoRYg79yTZsVfjHTEY-mKHziwEAoKsoY58UzyOHxgbxewZ3LrGJZ0LDt91HMbuEap_j905oo4Ob9fZz6wofk1rB54-g1VKrs2MbrOI-GwXI3fbvBZ/w640-h334/Common%20Darters%20on%20Kilnsea%20church%20window%20sill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzzo8H6zk4NfXU9GZGY3CVCiqrpbIKPeJSx8TIwxQeJ81KNvHYECklZiXpCoJyuo3igcjkuq5chT-qOhADEuFldaJb_CqTzZnRj0GDKUm2mAyaQ2tVRtGN9OTrVcec1wqzzUPETyzRhs3gd-WTFrrOMo8QfSW7ti4QErpEqU06c5Jfz_Z8RqQWvfyCKzs/s1254/Fly%20on%20Kilnsea%20church%20wall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1254" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzzo8H6zk4NfXU9GZGY3CVCiqrpbIKPeJSx8TIwxQeJ81KNvHYECklZiXpCoJyuo3igcjkuq5chT-qOhADEuFldaJb_CqTzZnRj0GDKUm2mAyaQ2tVRtGN9OTrVcec1wqzzUPETyzRhs3gd-WTFrrOMo8QfSW7ti4QErpEqU06c5Jfz_Z8RqQWvfyCKzs/w640-h494/Fly%20on%20Kilnsea%20church%20wall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzy9z8AYSkaLT4r6IfIeUj4y16Ppxg-cw9o2mhvpr_l86T7hVmP2OkpBcRB1zz5o2F3FF32MBLzVIsvJ_vog6jLMqJ_QIs9qBzTVZF1a8QLCPNjwWZce_xLdpHcDlKGSD0eGHqLx7tc9gykt8YmJ0_bbC92onFAbw4q9WHkFUYUmT3KNRcmwmKc1TGrHM/s1503/Hoverfly%20on%20Kilnsea%20church%20wall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1503" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzy9z8AYSkaLT4r6IfIeUj4y16Ppxg-cw9o2mhvpr_l86T7hVmP2OkpBcRB1zz5o2F3FF32MBLzVIsvJ_vog6jLMqJ_QIs9qBzTVZF1a8QLCPNjwWZce_xLdpHcDlKGSD0eGHqLx7tc9gykt8YmJ0_bbC92onFAbw4q9WHkFUYUmT3KNRcmwmKc1TGrHM/w640-h396/Hoverfly%20on%20Kilnsea%20church%20wall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Exhausting the possibilities around the village we headed back down the road to have a late seawatch, passing a family of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> on the way. We were really struggling for passerines having only seen a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swallow, House Martins</span></b> and a single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sand Martin</span></b> going through and not a single thrush of any species nor even a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wren</span></b> nor a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robin</span></b>. The only small bird that seemed to be about in any numbers were <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b>, we'd heard several scattered about so far.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k3Aq0AEqlFVHzdVI4XQqWOk8sHQvXrBl-bMAU7z2RLlFUX0je4bzHE9XI17oKRVNAVDRC4XtedzWGv98-IgQ5ihatPAQG2niQ-Ggmfb-D2VMi7NAvGsQmC-DZgjWx1mDWhyqaskUXE7c0_-UhnL1OSzFEBWtIIFjk882yhOWcnBG2-uLy9RKSqnzSUjX/s894/Stonechat%20on%20fencepost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="894" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k3Aq0AEqlFVHzdVI4XQqWOk8sHQvXrBl-bMAU7z2RLlFUX0je4bzHE9XI17oKRVNAVDRC4XtedzWGv98-IgQ5ihatPAQG2niQ-Ggmfb-D2VMi7NAvGsQmC-DZgjWx1mDWhyqaskUXE7c0_-UhnL1OSzFEBWtIIFjk882yhOWcnBG2-uLy9RKSqnzSUjX/w640-h604/Stonechat%20on%20fencepost.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>So it was to be seawatching for the rest of the afternoon and for the first time ever we entered a dark and unoccupied hide - where was everybody? Not long after getting the scopes set up we had a juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> come in off the sea which was good, seen a couple more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrels</span></b> footling about in the still strong wind and had a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sandwich Terns</span></b> come past. On the sea were small numbers of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guillemots</span></b> and a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbills</span></b> scattered about with a still summer plumaged <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Diver</span></b> not too far offshore. More <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Divers</span></b> passed southwards in the distance and mostly <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Terns</span></b> continued to pass in the middle to close range. A local lad joined us and was soon onto a trio of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Terns</span></b> only as they drew nearer he saw that one of the them was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tern</span></b>, a good find for our Trip List. He and LCV also saw a 'hirundine' darting about miles away close to the furthest right turbine out to sea. What could it be? Far to far away to be able to see something as small as a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swallow</span></b>, maybe a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swift</span></b> of some unknown species? Could it be something else hawking about. The lad suggested it could be a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nighjar</span></b> that was waiting for the cover of darkness before coming in to land.We didn't see it and eventually it was ignored as too far away to be identifiable. Other possible species like <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Merlin</span></b>, the latter apparently hunt incoming passerines using turbines as a vantage point and launch pad, hadn't entered our minds.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the afternoon wore on and the passage birds dried up, with only a big bull <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seal </span></b>to watch our thoughts turned to the luscious grub and hearty pints in the Crown & Anchor. While walking back to the car a shout went up from a couple of birders by the gate arms waving out over the Humber; "<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glossy Ibis</span></b>". Now LCV was still faffing and chatting to the other birder so IH, having seen the bird dashed back (he's far better at dashing than we are) to let them know but to no avail it had gone to ground in the depths of the salt marsh by the time they'd caught up with us. A bad miss for LCV but then he did get the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagle</span></b> earlier. The cars was duly loaded with all the kit and we drove back up to the pub, passing on the way the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glossy Ibis</span></b> it flew over the road as we were passing the church and LCV got brilliant views of it in glorious late afternoon sunshine from the driving seat - not a bad 'While Driving' tick!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Food and beer were ordered, not necessarily in that order, and while we were sat waiting for our grub to appear we watched a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kestrel</span></b> (of which there seemed to be far more than usual about - a bit of passage today?) struggling to cling on to the telephone wires running down the street. After being blown about on there it decided to try to perch atop the telegraph post where it clung on for dear life for several minutes its talonss gripping the timber with as much tenacity as the bird could muster. It gave up and tried to have a little hover over the saltmarsh butu got blow backwards and over the buildings along the road and out of sight behind us. But that wasn't the last we saw of it - a little while later we saw it crash chin first in to the middle of the road, far from the controlled decent on to an unsuspecting vole this was a full blown belly flop and must have hurt. It gathered its senses and flew up onto the low sea wall where it sat hoping no-one had seen it for several minutes while it composed itself. We've never seen a bird of prey land like that it must have bben absolutely knackered - if it had just crossed the North Sea against that wind it certainly would have been.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once our meals had been devoured it was off to our digs passing by the gas works where we saw a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fox </span></b>run, or more like amble, across the road in front of us and then not 100 yards further on a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rabbit</span></b> on the grass verge. No <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Barn Owls</span></b> for us on this stretch of road tonight unlike previous yaers whe nwe have seen them hunting the meagre verges along the road.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last bird of the day was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tawny Owl</span></b> hooting from the trees across the road outside the bedroom window as we closed our eyes for a good night's kip after an unusual but nevertheless interesting first day at Spurn.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Anything can happen at Spurn, what would the weather be doing (not promising) and what goodies might it bring - if any?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In the meantime let us know who's crash landing in your outback.<br /></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-30633047644789294772023-09-29T18:04:00.003+01:002023-09-29T18:04:14.126+01:00Lancashire coast - The new Carmargue? Part 2<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari was back</b> at Leighton Moss with CR, more to do with the weather forecast than anything else, the plethora of hides to bunk in to meant a soaking from isolated heavy showers was less likely than anywhere else. Our day started before we'd even got to the Feeding Station. A member of staff was putting thr moth trap away so we asked what they'd caught. She kindly showed us the pots of moths they'd trapped that night. As we don't often trap in woodland and rarely this late in the season most of them were new to us...<b><span style="color: #20124d;">Large Wainscot, Pink Barred Sallow, Black Rustic, Feathered Ranunculus</span></b> and a few more we can't remember (should have taken phone pics and/or used a notebook!) were all good to see. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Feeding Station was busy with a number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coal Tits</span></b> going back and forth and we spotted a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Tit</span></b> doing a smash and grab raid on the sunflower heart feeder. Best was a stiking male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bullfinch</span></b> that sat at eye level just a few yards away. Always good to see these close up and personal.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24QdAI3vXZahWDBFvAI6TTb6Ahlzh0vkSAlRl2cqcqKuV3arIAxR5ghj9gp_dwCAbYABWQUXjhxwWDqhc94QofiUIBeEGzuniwV8Juhcwp63_aEP1_r7P4uMqzyJyunEoLuoxGRKtctrbb7iObzGErO1cHzAcVV3gMbeyerZ5xVAsOwZyDzKi4-qdClSK/s1401/Bullfinch%20profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1363" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24QdAI3vXZahWDBFvAI6TTb6Ahlzh0vkSAlRl2cqcqKuV3arIAxR5ghj9gp_dwCAbYABWQUXjhxwWDqhc94QofiUIBeEGzuniwV8Juhcwp63_aEP1_r7P4uMqzyJyunEoLuoxGRKtctrbb7iObzGErO1cHzAcVV3gMbeyerZ5xVAsOwZyDzKi4-qdClSK/w622-h640/Bullfinch%20profile.jpg" width="622" /></a></div>Leaving the Feeding Station and deciding to head to the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tit</span></b> grit trays on route to the Grizedale Hide a passing birder told us of large <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> stag and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> were visible from the Sky Tower. We've not been up there for a while so taking advantage of the information up we went. The first thing we saw was a nicely coloured male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> dashing low across the pool, perhaps hoping to put a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> up but nothing moved for him. It didn't take long to find the stag laying down on a dry patch deep in the reedbed.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUUU80v23ZAFeo2WAKIuxFYyCwvQTd5gFA-yreVGEyxmcY23m8evI68V-cuPwPHflZxt1Z0vGpMXtWeAVHgUZYoPu-_XlfrEpKZKjqkVUIVAxUWTOdu7SRShaRoCj2bNZgK-zVERPFbpgR8I23SKZRKRvDeXEjqc2CiL59tKMcHTk_AFNzXekPXWSr_EI/s1372/Red%20deer%20stag%20in%20reeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1372" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUUU80v23ZAFeo2WAKIuxFYyCwvQTd5gFA-yreVGEyxmcY23m8evI68V-cuPwPHflZxt1Z0vGpMXtWeAVHgUZYoPu-_XlfrEpKZKjqkVUIVAxUWTOdu7SRShaRoCj2bNZgK-zVERPFbpgR8I23SKZRKRvDeXEjqc2CiL59tKMcHTk_AFNzXekPXWSr_EI/w640-h450/Red%20deer%20stag%20in%20reeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier </span></b>was harder, and had perhaps stopped flying around. Eventually we found it tucked up in a bush miles away right on the far side of the reserve. Far to far for a pic but always good to get one on our day list. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> early on in the day makes for an already good day! Now for those pesky <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> we missed on our previous visit a couple of weeks earlier, would they show this time. A photographer with all the gear was already in situ at the grit trays and told us 'we should have been here five minutes ago'...dohhh...we could hear their 'pings' further back in the reeds and got brief views of a couple flitting over the reed tops going further away...not the best news. We'd have to come back this way after visitying the hide so all was not lost.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The hide was quiet with only a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b>, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Heron</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b> on offer. The egret, however, was worth the watch as it stalked around the pool.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7T_Z7VWR-m1OPIW6Gb7okN5WUEAjs5a3TQyzUcD2laCLQqNjKJWq2fLGHC-aikA6NOfFDoK3ma1mfg32Y1jHVRQ78BoE3SUMphoRDHrw4If7BEkIhYbH4rM2y4O3jrFMcphPUOwXVH8M_ORgRC0KaaD6xlqjaO1uwiO-QIrZvDUK54wLXfW9ZhAatLwa8/s2013/Great%20white%20egret%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2013" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7T_Z7VWR-m1OPIW6Gb7okN5WUEAjs5a3TQyzUcD2laCLQqNjKJWq2fLGHC-aikA6NOfFDoK3ma1mfg32Y1jHVRQ78BoE3SUMphoRDHrw4If7BEkIhYbH4rM2y4O3jrFMcphPUOwXVH8M_ORgRC0KaaD6xlqjaO1uwiO-QIrZvDUK54wLXfW9ZhAatLwa8/w640-h420/Great%20white%20egret%2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CSQD6qTm0hKRA_BO7tg3E5W26yxCTxgEo2ihyphenhyphen9gE_8s1iNavFz5_V6q9up5QbxfgFMYZpP6aHUUJfxjkh1KVaY4CuTGa2gWYxFlZkFHsm_Q4_ifit92o6YOCLVkqeeH9cBu25q3_uVrHTg2klhClML1jJ_7ZG-3Z4Y14Y9eFYyEBZAeiLtluORHHNZ5w/s1635/Great%20white%20egret%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="1635" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CSQD6qTm0hKRA_BO7tg3E5W26yxCTxgEo2ihyphenhyphen9gE_8s1iNavFz5_V6q9up5QbxfgFMYZpP6aHUUJfxjkh1KVaY4CuTGa2gWYxFlZkFHsm_Q4_ifit92o6YOCLVkqeeH9cBu25q3_uVrHTg2klhClML1jJ_7ZG-3Z4Y14Y9eFYyEBZAeiLtluORHHNZ5w/w640-h556/Great%20white%20egret%2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzWyxMYLi7Mf2tfqarLk7sjcODhXp0_sC5gu8owiyN3SLmJzF4e8qDRH1jNanXbNcHW9Uwv17ZcEhJdngOciD11T45Bub7i5hoZ882CzT_I_pIc3tC4IW0hVCqyd-E4QPwnT3xf0izgQEKwy_Clfcv-oJXIlOq4683Niv_X4xJBmnmD1IIFU4e6X_nt3u/s1516/Great%20white%20egret%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="1333" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzWyxMYLi7Mf2tfqarLk7sjcODhXp0_sC5gu8owiyN3SLmJzF4e8qDRH1jNanXbNcHW9Uwv17ZcEhJdngOciD11T45Bub7i5hoZ882CzT_I_pIc3tC4IW0hVCqyd-E4QPwnT3xf0izgQEKwy_Clfcv-oJXIlOq4683Niv_X4xJBmnmD1IIFU4e6X_nt3u/w562-h640/Great%20white%20egret%201.jpg" width="562" /></a></div>After a while with no success it flew to the left and started stalking another part of the pool. This time it did make a catch, a small <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">'Jack' Pike</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8cxNlpAbSDd4KJrNRgQBGEN9lA7_McBXNxyGOKKUiUX2uHZ8XGE7LpJ-hCxj0IyDGH2v_5QwbXNu6UQgEVIRpZzuQRqClexNfAR2NRRiALGuKtQU1Ef3soYMSkHt_97roS5yOcs_5F5Jq7szsoxMSWCvGCny0qDvpxgb57EtpuX2DyAL7kj3RehHJDgK/s1527/Great%20white%20egret%205%20charge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1527" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8cxNlpAbSDd4KJrNRgQBGEN9lA7_McBXNxyGOKKUiUX2uHZ8XGE7LpJ-hCxj0IyDGH2v_5QwbXNu6UQgEVIRpZzuQRqClexNfAR2NRRiALGuKtQU1Ef3soYMSkHt_97roS5yOcs_5F5Jq7szsoxMSWCvGCny0qDvpxgb57EtpuX2DyAL7kj3RehHJDgK/w640-h568/Great%20white%20egret%205%20charge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXOwisqGQJwJT8PtaodZ4VVS8PssZ6ZZZXuL9bAaNkFoLGA6X_aq1kZPLIRbAsd-H3TKVGbrkSqgyfcYsN5vQ92Un0EnDpC1GAR2R69RxHWdbclog388JTnDFSmHRfgdeAjYBEUELSPVsNRibVxD4qd_uLmYFW8mBlrZNI4dxzHu576UtKR2exwTEATMo/s2148/Great%20white%20egret%206%20with%20jack%20pike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="2148" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXOwisqGQJwJT8PtaodZ4VVS8PssZ6ZZZXuL9bAaNkFoLGA6X_aq1kZPLIRbAsd-H3TKVGbrkSqgyfcYsN5vQ92Un0EnDpC1GAR2R69RxHWdbclog388JTnDFSmHRfgdeAjYBEUELSPVsNRibVxD4qd_uLmYFW8mBlrZNI4dxzHu576UtKR2exwTEATMo/w640-h448/Great%20white%20egret%206%20with%20jack%20pike.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WQnNX06YBz32pb4WMiLhluTQx1BWRIh9CFLPb-94JxwmmBi7CSQ4MboBu0g6r6wwq4DGeTKMBQWKorBo5KSodtFopQJ7W5H0UoW_i6bTouqf1ubIR5FIWUhgs6NL7qmZ5JkfvPaG_VIUS7gcCkMwYf9epNulBguHWi6m3eWqfIXcSe-46Hgo_i8ZdrK/s1960/Great%20white%20egret%208%20with%20jack%20pike%20b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="1960" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WQnNX06YBz32pb4WMiLhluTQx1BWRIh9CFLPb-94JxwmmBi7CSQ4MboBu0g6r6wwq4DGeTKMBQWKorBo5KSodtFopQJ7W5H0UoW_i6bTouqf1ubIR5FIWUhgs6NL7qmZ5JkfvPaG_VIUS7gcCkMwYf9epNulBguHWi6m3eWqfIXcSe-46Hgo_i8ZdrK/w640-h510/Great%20white%20egret%208%20with%20jack%20pike%20b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With not much else on the go and no sign of the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> getting up and walking across the causeway at the back of the pool we went back to the grit trays after being told the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> had been seen a few minutes earlier. "You've just missed them" the photographer told us. Never mind we went on to the Tim Jackson Hide knowing we'd have the chance to have another try on the way back. Again there wasn't much to be seen there except a shed load of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>...we do like a nice <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>...just look at the vermiculations on that!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszYVvPWX3PTKEFuDjpDPMEMtyJ2uO4lfdhSIB8y9H9pp7oSnHrEHN532geAOk3KHNLVbt-R7Vx6iQD4k-Q2XB0u0Q6-ypDdZbsn-B4FdUS961gukABzOilGFnpjuDiboTXsvcRF4QvrlP4_90RNCIAr68sV0Nh9vwisMQYKZxQDcdo_hmFyNyCjTiJu1Z/s1833/Gadwall%20pair%204%20snoozing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="1833" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszYVvPWX3PTKEFuDjpDPMEMtyJ2uO4lfdhSIB8y9H9pp7oSnHrEHN532geAOk3KHNLVbt-R7Vx6iQD4k-Q2XB0u0Q6-ypDdZbsn-B4FdUS961gukABzOilGFnpjuDiboTXsvcRF4QvrlP4_90RNCIAr68sV0Nh9vwisMQYKZxQDcdo_hmFyNyCjTiJu1Z/w640-h470/Gadwall%20pair%204%20snoozing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gt6gUrx3-bBYykWZqLFP6JFPl5G8mUxw-RPRKettbgm2Pn-QugCkW3ul4allshCQaerTu8kn17yWfufXn28FLT6tDmWE1r0CMqqbTApfe8IByHNU-yCUrcslDhpPjySYix3oLRWxeQhMSn3Ls2XRzCIzgdtDe80mUl6PtG9k7xQnrc6VN0Yi4bmCJf9B/s2145/Gadwall%20pair%202%20male%20wing%20stretch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="2145" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gt6gUrx3-bBYykWZqLFP6JFPl5G8mUxw-RPRKettbgm2Pn-QugCkW3ul4allshCQaerTu8kn17yWfufXn28FLT6tDmWE1r0CMqqbTApfe8IByHNU-yCUrcslDhpPjySYix3oLRWxeQhMSn3Ls2XRzCIzgdtDe80mUl6PtG9k7xQnrc6VN0Yi4bmCJf9B/w640-h394/Gadwall%20pair%202%20male%20wing%20stretch.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1rVpGRiak-hqpTVv_M_2Y-a0bd_OBisaW9eFKjdj8rC073kIEqfCfkoUrQGnPdTgsILlCfXRAvYP9vFurQZQdRdeOE32EIUJm57qvJM8Xv7utf5G1fheIxeLIGrCjVlelK9ZYFa4crsSw_zJMv6XhPU6hS0Gy8c05hdv5fwYVJrwyMZamzkM7eRqGI2Q/s2063/Gadwall%20pair%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2063" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1rVpGRiak-hqpTVv_M_2Y-a0bd_OBisaW9eFKjdj8rC073kIEqfCfkoUrQGnPdTgsILlCfXRAvYP9vFurQZQdRdeOE32EIUJm57qvJM8Xv7utf5G1fheIxeLIGrCjVlelK9ZYFa4crsSw_zJMv6XhPU6hS0Gy8c05hdv5fwYVJrwyMZamzkM7eRqGI2Q/w640-h432/Gadwall%20pair%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_rSRw-v-Q1Ys84C1HHNdHB3Opvb97mVrltTxUOCxqit5TylwsKhMqvtuNcyEeoQAK4rNKURRRgVSBTDUoB434cdFqYXFpeQ0RTReq0ig6ioC2y1hDFMDv31JvJRR1iCKWtfoscRQUR1mAStPkOzX-si5pziNTa7UPACnLfx_Qp38ryEPrSxiyY7gxk0j/s1837/Gadwall%20pair%205%20male%20quacking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="1837" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_rSRw-v-Q1Ys84C1HHNdHB3Opvb97mVrltTxUOCxqit5TylwsKhMqvtuNcyEeoQAK4rNKURRRgVSBTDUoB434cdFqYXFpeQ0RTReq0ig6ioC2y1hDFMDv31JvJRR1iCKWtfoscRQUR1mAStPkOzX-si5pziNTa7UPACnLfx_Qp38ryEPrSxiyY7gxk0j/w640-h512/Gadwall%20pair%205%20male%20quacking.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A return visit to the grit trays saw the photographer packing up, he'd had a good morning, but we'd missed the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tit</span></b> again...third time unlucky. Along the path we heard <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cetti's Warblers</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Water Rails</span></b> with a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robin</span></b> in the tree beside the grit trays. Butties began to beckon and they were some way off in the boot of the car, a quick look in a quiet Lillians Hide didn't warrant staying long, the water levels stilla bit too high after a wet week. Butties were extracted from the car and we wander off down to the Causeway Hide to eat them. On the way we had to pass the old set of grit trays and guess what - Bingo - <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits </span></b>were there waiting for us...fourth time lucky!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3VBSwH_kF-9brHbO1Fp_6HGwqpiNnIlQkCyJJiwv2w-mbMye4u3MG7E8i76eYySlt3mDJY7flL5vrMCCU8hzLgarZwH0Jso9BbC3gMMJk1d4M68xGAmNOKlma4qOU4GIpnj6yglKulUiF9mO1SQQmkFhX2L2FWNUk3aC2k99eW8GrV9L3C3w1peYDRAE/s1514/Bearded%20Tit%20Female%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1514" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3VBSwH_kF-9brHbO1Fp_6HGwqpiNnIlQkCyJJiwv2w-mbMye4u3MG7E8i76eYySlt3mDJY7flL5vrMCCU8hzLgarZwH0Jso9BbC3gMMJk1d4M68xGAmNOKlma4qOU4GIpnj6yglKulUiF9mO1SQQmkFhX2L2FWNUk3aC2k99eW8GrV9L3C3w1peYDRAE/w640-h462/Bearded%20Tit%20Female%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1UQKTrbmVgM3S60Q0wD7msDVe5KB8uuGKtBKXoxPrWi439hKH2_GZ1g3lWma4VzGSuubNKQWMuLgu-UmvIVIpJTsnN17LW6Hc2eENudOBZitW2ymr56w8xJNOX1ombB3SSxGm_PGs_VjdC073fWDqGSFA9E-PS00Wli-nBO7S22PmwgAnRUh0Knj_dfK/s1155/Bearded%20Tit%20Male%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1155" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1UQKTrbmVgM3S60Q0wD7msDVe5KB8uuGKtBKXoxPrWi439hKH2_GZ1g3lWma4VzGSuubNKQWMuLgu-UmvIVIpJTsnN17LW6Hc2eENudOBZitW2ymr56w8xJNOX1ombB3SSxGm_PGs_VjdC073fWDqGSFA9E-PS00Wli-nBO7S22PmwgAnRUh0Knj_dfK/w640-h556/Bearded%20Tit%20Male%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1qAyGGr5hndeTdxau5g9qF7Yiwrs_zkVIQnnj98AZRtCMgEh2w6sQKPE98E-PVhX9slXM_VvzV7EqJLw31V9gwBU6G8ShewjGmAjhhRGXzqm9EYz52Q_qNd06Q3g2bNPMAF1lDPIu9CaCmBPjwqZY-tRQDnUBE7hMRyuCU5YOeLZ1ss9YJlJ9j-f-I-1/s1394/162%20Bearded%20tit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1394" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1qAyGGr5hndeTdxau5g9qF7Yiwrs_zkVIQnnj98AZRtCMgEh2w6sQKPE98E-PVhX9slXM_VvzV7EqJLw31V9gwBU6G8ShewjGmAjhhRGXzqm9EYz52Q_qNd06Q3g2bNPMAF1lDPIu9CaCmBPjwqZY-tRQDnUBE7hMRyuCU5YOeLZ1ss9YJlJ9j-f-I-1/w640-h522/162%20Bearded%20tit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our butties would taste even better now! We chowed down on them at the Causeway Hide as planned but again high water levels were palying against us. Yet more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b>, the usual herd of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mute Swans</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallards </span></b>with four <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cormorants</span></b> sat on the little island and not a great lot else. No sign of any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harriers</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ospreys</span></b> although we were told one of the latter had been seen earlier in the morning. Other folk told us that the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b> had been showing well from Lower Hide so after lunch was finished off we went. We'd already seen a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swallows, Sand Martins</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">House Martin</span></b> drop in during a light shower but on the way down the Causeway to the gate a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swift </span></b>sped over head, not particularly late but you don't see many after the end of August. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">At Lower Hide it didn't take long for the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> to show and although it was always fairly distant for pics it stuck around fishing for ages giving great views in the bins.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVkXcWVIqBwY8NaxjOp9gWKOOSe9luHoMZfahS1cj6JUpjGqoY-1_NkS7vULaPiVuIJiVljg5WOr3GzAYKXTEI8g5w-h61sCyI4DvpBB4etK9JVfDdJicm_klqtsFZ27oyUjSCCHSttwTYtN5a4mREBZB_nPwPF7E-9Dy4DIuQGEkRKOdwJArGPBlVofp/s1625/Otter%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1625" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVkXcWVIqBwY8NaxjOp9gWKOOSe9luHoMZfahS1cj6JUpjGqoY-1_NkS7vULaPiVuIJiVljg5WOr3GzAYKXTEI8g5w-h61sCyI4DvpBB4etK9JVfDdJicm_klqtsFZ27oyUjSCCHSttwTYtN5a4mREBZB_nPwPF7E-9Dy4DIuQGEkRKOdwJArGPBlVofp/w640-h244/Otter%201.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtYhw_HzKR4tZTWQS5TJuRoVTQV6q7dgQkHrrpaniVs-_YXMbvc8me_7yiY25vRX94U9MzBsLObFDrznVG_oe_8EgO6mhGxhyphenhypheneUxf2WHUxESSH6PgS3blhHk1PKr68A2OIGQQrSSpcssiqXnn7sZ6wzGNxh8bE50n82a99p2JnA6EnDm2cCs2OkWeklon/s1156/Otter%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="1156" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtYhw_HzKR4tZTWQS5TJuRoVTQV6q7dgQkHrrpaniVs-_YXMbvc8me_7yiY25vRX94U9MzBsLObFDrznVG_oe_8EgO6mhGxhyphenhypheneUxf2WHUxESSH6PgS3blhHk1PKr68A2OIGQQrSSpcssiqXnn7sZ6wzGNxh8bE50n82a99p2JnA6EnDm2cCs2OkWeklon/w640-h386/Otter%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQwZW0XKKzDu6VylXI2BvfrLzNCfBxkLIx-O3yJzlBwaHxSoO1wBYm5mOO5KNo5ifjkdJcCn-Yby9EMEJl30ZVTzESDNMRv4ilTmmYB37QuuP753ruYI6OoJc86ecA3e24FBcB6MndvZZnQvaCUD-t4zFM_z1XhtPSFLafVjE3pyF1VbSoJ6z6R_LNNDP/s966/Otter%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="966" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQwZW0XKKzDu6VylXI2BvfrLzNCfBxkLIx-O3yJzlBwaHxSoO1wBYm5mOO5KNo5ifjkdJcCn-Yby9EMEJl30ZVTzESDNMRv4ilTmmYB37QuuP753ruYI6OoJc86ecA3e24FBcB6MndvZZnQvaCUD-t4zFM_z1XhtPSFLafVjE3pyF1VbSoJ6z6R_LNNDP/w640-h328/Otter%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ku0JPjtCAGK9MF63dxVhKMKsa1kSx8H5RzghcNTnY6Ah__c3T2wfU9ezQWTjd0j59Vgs3P-KYSi6gdPoDK9MgzK4TsPo4lyxBZFWrDaKtAEecekwpHEBg16-7iKEBHNLLETF9CXmyUJ-HU4Ov2VP-0Qsc7tLnTXzEWc_lUOOBy5tniS1DmiaI0RY4b7r/s1348/Otter%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1348" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ku0JPjtCAGK9MF63dxVhKMKsa1kSx8H5RzghcNTnY6Ah__c3T2wfU9ezQWTjd0j59Vgs3P-KYSi6gdPoDK9MgzK4TsPo4lyxBZFWrDaKtAEecekwpHEBg16-7iKEBHNLLETF9CXmyUJ-HU4Ov2VP-0Qsc7tLnTXzEWc_lUOOBy5tniS1DmiaI0RY4b7r/w640-h358/Otter%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b> was tearing a fish to shreds in a dead tree away across the pool. Try as we might we just could't get the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> to swim quite far enough to the right to be able to get both in the bins at the same time.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinR6sxdCjYiGhJpVirHtRNa68EXM4WWGYDmZTNMOHsS0nGGhWZ5ZnrTXhApTrQ7C0UIsnJxHSg03hzu5dv1vjqY3LsNHAN3SVTPsMQWRXd5XG32rklRythSts6q9-SRwSrASdaE3hFzlR6iy0Frjn17TdWtI-KxqGgq0qJ04OMURD9AcfZsx2JSBuufaf/s934/Osprey%20in%20dead%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="845" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinR6sxdCjYiGhJpVirHtRNa68EXM4WWGYDmZTNMOHsS0nGGhWZ5ZnrTXhApTrQ7C0UIsnJxHSg03hzu5dv1vjqY3LsNHAN3SVTPsMQWRXd5XG32rklRythSts6q9-SRwSrASdaE3hFzlR6iy0Frjn17TdWtI-KxqGgq0qJ04OMURD9AcfZsx2JSBuufaf/w580-h640/Osprey%20in%20dead%20tree.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>More short showers meant more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swallows</span></b> dropping in, we searched through them for American <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cliff Swallows</span></b>...just in case, seeing as how many have reached our shores on the back of the recent gales. As you might expect we had no joy.<br />With afternoon pushing on we decided to call it a day here and head over to the saltmarsh hides for the final session. A quick pitstop at the visitor centre gave CR the chance to have a shuffy round the little wildflower garden where he found a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Hummingbird Hawkmoth</span></b>...nice one, we saw it very briefly before it shot off to who knows where. And we had a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span></b> unsuccessfully attack one of the feeders and perch up atop it briefly.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBsaaVweuOu60NcsjUWeo5fziA6M-NNoiSzfkxO0AAMN8erD6zs_zLSW6vpdvw6BEzFmu7Bf2_hSWoB2CTbsIgq0SU3cmwx7elNWUgpHmFOXOJoJ-cELbt7yf1kPAE8g2YaYryycBgxR2Wbbc3s2VRwIW0823V_pDPoSxbd-GOERaMuNFpoAKvInQmrvS/s1785/Sparrowhawk%20at%20feeder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1785" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBsaaVweuOu60NcsjUWeo5fziA6M-NNoiSzfkxO0AAMN8erD6zs_zLSW6vpdvw6BEzFmu7Bf2_hSWoB2CTbsIgq0SU3cmwx7elNWUgpHmFOXOJoJ-cELbt7yf1kPAE8g2YaYryycBgxR2Wbbc3s2VRwIW0823V_pDPoSxbd-GOERaMuNFpoAKvInQmrvS/w640-h420/Sparrowhawk%20at%20feeder.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Now the title of this blog alludes to warmer climes and so far we've not shown you much evidence of that apart from the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b> - well it all kicked off down on the saltmarsh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the Allen Hide there was bad sunny glare to the left but looking right was where the long legged action was. It was just like the Carmargue now. Two<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Little Egrets</span></b> vied for the best spot in the shallows while a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoonbill</span></b> swept the deeper water a little beyond them.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-wmcQs-K6WT6HInYxHBJtDpMGwWDwSv3UYSoawE2Hmp-pIU7kS4czz_aVoGGrHBtWhS5HrwZKzeIdslO_fisczllCgVWz97mOkM2zQTInptmbOU3a-p1-PAtNBiUcPqAkQByF2vmFyt0Pf4MOoryWDjtd2NhO8qLUytp2mGsGcGSEXv-rVBJTIQzoZ0X/s1877/Spoonbill%201%20with%20two%20agro%20egrets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1877" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-wmcQs-K6WT6HInYxHBJtDpMGwWDwSv3UYSoawE2Hmp-pIU7kS4czz_aVoGGrHBtWhS5HrwZKzeIdslO_fisczllCgVWz97mOkM2zQTInptmbOU3a-p1-PAtNBiUcPqAkQByF2vmFyt0Pf4MOoryWDjtd2NhO8qLUytp2mGsGcGSEXv-rVBJTIQzoZ0X/w640-h266/Spoonbill%201%20with%20two%20agro%20egrets.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdF2znPEeS0avCBTkN08zLNVYhZxRt5h9xBlnQjC-dly4lO1G0IlTrPNTeBIrYHyM2wnlPCbjoAD_ZSOY7bHqkA1cIMAz9YmxiTQoRhplNsw5rBmFGdQ5ONJJR6mQ1pmQCQCMAxzA5p6oKxVhIFpDfTh5IDWQTeqfJ-O7Zx2AOMasJr7OfTktBO6ILU52/s1220/Spoonbill%205%20sweeping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1220" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdF2znPEeS0avCBTkN08zLNVYhZxRt5h9xBlnQjC-dly4lO1G0IlTrPNTeBIrYHyM2wnlPCbjoAD_ZSOY7bHqkA1cIMAz9YmxiTQoRhplNsw5rBmFGdQ5ONJJR6mQ1pmQCQCMAxzA5p6oKxVhIFpDfTh5IDWQTeqfJ-O7Zx2AOMasJr7OfTktBO6ILU52/w640-h402/Spoonbill%205%20sweeping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And regularly snaffled up a tasty morsel.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdnT-Xneu8s_TS6tZoyqLCWDdEI8q8O7af0cDDA5VEj7LE6XFzjRTH7NyDyyc6Qhk9us7fERPctILveaN-14uJ2sH_N9GhT6KXoMQLP-jeu8W2sl0fyilUmM2SW04Bkm9eCMIhvUU7d1ZgjpXdgffeYz4xbN0i3rV4XtBObT1OP6bhuuQVVAQxtQg3Xbr/s1194/Spoonbill%204%20gulp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1194" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdnT-Xneu8s_TS6tZoyqLCWDdEI8q8O7af0cDDA5VEj7LE6XFzjRTH7NyDyyc6Qhk9us7fERPctILveaN-14uJ2sH_N9GhT6KXoMQLP-jeu8W2sl0fyilUmM2SW04Bkm9eCMIhvUU7d1ZgjpXdgffeYz4xbN0i3rV4XtBObT1OP6bhuuQVVAQxtQg3Xbr/w640-h408/Spoonbill%204%20gulp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Closer and tighter to our right a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> shared a little bay with a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Heron</span></b>. Both having some success.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfJdMbhSwLWOftBqMJBl7jc7muwg30EfKoz0cMIcsSI7TmanR3jOlmerCNlQJ4Llmm1SZD8rzp98TwktkAn6HCAcNWJwDoqnQq6WXjt-ifLatIsEumim6dGFM-knuTTLLkOAf5q8_RMDlOUBnz19PrlungT8rQC17GkukmJXeT9aR_wa11HZ2ASHuimwz/s1378/Little%20Egret%202%20strike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1378" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfJdMbhSwLWOftBqMJBl7jc7muwg30EfKoz0cMIcsSI7TmanR3jOlmerCNlQJ4Llmm1SZD8rzp98TwktkAn6HCAcNWJwDoqnQq6WXjt-ifLatIsEumim6dGFM-knuTTLLkOAf5q8_RMDlOUBnz19PrlungT8rQC17GkukmJXeT9aR_wa11HZ2ASHuimwz/w640-h412/Little%20Egret%202%20strike.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyi8Bd34lYFaX-rQ7Pe3SsBihFm61WpsReNzPED3O3P2uPyrQ6c_IG7azlqlgeDR0xnzTYfP5e_wqERoha11p-Iz6uYZEg5us_rKiaYUXhAnOab-d24oLJQ0Xh1LJxh-1QOIhPp375I01PvHv6JW61bSkkC3MBXtH8inbU9qZ34SDM1F3nQR8LAAYTJQQY/s1045/Heron%20with%20tiny%20fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1045" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyi8Bd34lYFaX-rQ7Pe3SsBihFm61WpsReNzPED3O3P2uPyrQ6c_IG7azlqlgeDR0xnzTYfP5e_wqERoha11p-Iz6uYZEg5us_rKiaYUXhAnOab-d24oLJQ0Xh1LJxh-1QOIhPp375I01PvHv6JW61bSkkC3MBXtH8inbU9qZ34SDM1F3nQR8LAAYTJQQY/w640-h498/Heron%20with%20tiny%20fish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> waded past us and in to the edge of the glare where it promptly stopped and speared a rather sizeable <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Green Shore Crab</span></b> which its big feet must have disturbed from the gooey ooze between its toes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VA14ikdNR5-R8f8kiJgJvA6v65Lmp4slJNifU1CPh1XP3NbBgD_DsXL3xKWnfK9VJlQ_wWsPqmp7UbiaipqLW0Lx5KVobxZ1ftmr8GTV-R-kedUPmISbG4Olt9wvKLOxbC4tV_3Rxt80WbzwUobjP836zuxQMTP0OQnQQxHPB9PvWJ1oh7pQxi-Tw6wM/s1366/Little%20Egret%204%20with%20crab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="1060" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VA14ikdNR5-R8f8kiJgJvA6v65Lmp4slJNifU1CPh1XP3NbBgD_DsXL3xKWnfK9VJlQ_wWsPqmp7UbiaipqLW0Lx5KVobxZ1ftmr8GTV-R-kedUPmISbG4Olt9wvKLOxbC4tV_3Rxt80WbzwUobjP836zuxQMTP0OQnQQxHPB9PvWJ1oh7pQxi-Tw6wM/w496-h640/Little%20Egret%204%20with%20crab.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>A quick wrangle and it was swallowed whole, Don't think our tonsils would be too happy about us swallowing a large crab whole, just look at those pincers! The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret </span></b>wasn't the only bird having oozy success, a trio of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b> came by probing deep in to the mud and pulling out tiny little round things which we think must be <b><span style="color: #20124d;"><i>Hydrobia</i></span></b> snails.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbwpE_mTAw7kSs5Mt58wdVEOd7DeBAPrpx5KbpT0PxSaC4ijCN0WnZhXFA5yZnZMIYH8c0qcRV059dSG9WK3RuDlRSnNRTlSSLbyadWP1HXG88IjkWsh5_QImljWQtYYhvK4qpZfa-ZDmuShnR209iLJAY0DzMkCjyUs0lL-zb1WIVOS6KkcNhfnxkcMK/s1012/Redshank%201%20with%20Hydrobia%20snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1012" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbwpE_mTAw7kSs5Mt58wdVEOd7DeBAPrpx5KbpT0PxSaC4ijCN0WnZhXFA5yZnZMIYH8c0qcRV059dSG9WK3RuDlRSnNRTlSSLbyadWP1HXG88IjkWsh5_QImljWQtYYhvK4qpZfa-ZDmuShnR209iLJAY0DzMkCjyUs0lL-zb1WIVOS6KkcNhfnxkcMK/w640-h608/Redshank%201%20with%20Hydrobia%20snail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They also caught many (what look like) <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Lugworms</span></b>, some of which were swallowed there and then but others were taken to the edge of the pool to have the mud rinsed off them. It seemed about 50/50 but why those chosen to be rinsed were rinsed and the others not is a complete mystery - they all looked equally gooey from where we were sat.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ofoooN40a0eS3BADE6YqyU5NfoDE-f1yPhMSvsu8kKQfkWXUboJMS2tYegHSBIhEgrAXfOGk0JMgkTmLhnFBddkNbvTuv8xcXwtBip7pvnSzCMTM8ftT1IqHP1njeJ795MGpO3jesgSWmB9yhapC4wdwauEwtq_TR0csEHRv2wAZVRSUxWA9VOQ0_ADi/s1577/Redshank%202%20with%20Lugworm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="1577" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ofoooN40a0eS3BADE6YqyU5NfoDE-f1yPhMSvsu8kKQfkWXUboJMS2tYegHSBIhEgrAXfOGk0JMgkTmLhnFBddkNbvTuv8xcXwtBip7pvnSzCMTM8ftT1IqHP1njeJ795MGpO3jesgSWmB9yhapC4wdwauEwtq_TR0csEHRv2wAZVRSUxWA9VOQ0_ADi/w640-h550/Redshank%202%20with%20Lugworm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then one of them emulated the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> and caught another <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Green Shore Crab</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2IQcTxqomFD2QcW-E1zTjjC5-vCuBW13Qr4nJp7V0ZuwPumet1NL349ISlJq2t7YlOof6Kley8sOnEVE3EC4M3T8lrAN1tu46CISenowQpW6BIDjEynX_gFmbCHhe8kRNWPrMOPXoi-QgDLUOkTwZ9YlQqn6Y45cDh_q-5x-9WMQ-dVpo5BtyP09RZ0W/s1081/Redshank%20with%20Green%20Shore%20Crab%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="945" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2IQcTxqomFD2QcW-E1zTjjC5-vCuBW13Qr4nJp7V0ZuwPumet1NL349ISlJq2t7YlOof6Kley8sOnEVE3EC4M3T8lrAN1tu46CISenowQpW6BIDjEynX_gFmbCHhe8kRNWPrMOPXoi-QgDLUOkTwZ9YlQqn6Y45cDh_q-5x-9WMQ-dVpo5BtyP09RZ0W/w560-h640/Redshank%20with%20Green%20Shore%20Crab%201.jpg" width="560" /></a></div>Interesting to see the crab has been speared through its softer underside, how did the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> manage that beneath the surface of the murky water?<br /> Now a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank </span></b>isn't going to be able to swallow something that size whole is it? No siree deffo not! What did it do? It wrangled the crab to a patch of slightly deeper water and then shook it vigourously to remove a leg at a time. Was the water being used as some kind of vice tostop the body moving so much enabling a leg to be pulled off more easily???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKkcKY7Qp6W-DC8VIGJT8VCjWfQeazDIfaBAeMC-laHYc7jChzAgf6IhIUA0OaQrqTYrjs-8cyMqsHQ8BAT5alib7r9ai9F76vTPdxenjWNzGD_ZUHnOnEMTCDyw2JKOy6ZrOxVvQb-nLew4lsPbd_JlfqRxXOl69qi5mk_aYQsBjRM_j9xkuMZ0zS2d6/s1562/Redshank%20with%20Green%20Shore%20Crab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1562" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKkcKY7Qp6W-DC8VIGJT8VCjWfQeazDIfaBAeMC-laHYc7jChzAgf6IhIUA0OaQrqTYrjs-8cyMqsHQ8BAT5alib7r9ai9F76vTPdxenjWNzGD_ZUHnOnEMTCDyw2JKOy6ZrOxVvQb-nLew4lsPbd_JlfqRxXOl69qi5mk_aYQsBjRM_j9xkuMZ0zS2d6/w640-h484/Redshank%20with%20Green%20Shore%20Crab.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoFyQd1RoXbg75xJjCdnSHNc9bXwNiWV16Kq2hltMlUxwcZSePC8PLCFK94tgnRpboN8mmJlngBPepPQoLHsmOAVTnbF5bJcjas1CWomw91oF3WUVs-vhWc2EmT1r6v0lKVF86oLxuw8M7KX6vIKmqX4xHZFTqVcX8mC6FuEFR4l-THJQjsHit1hiZaTg/s1359/Redshank%20with%20Green%20Shore%20Crab%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1359" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoFyQd1RoXbg75xJjCdnSHNc9bXwNiWV16Kq2hltMlUxwcZSePC8PLCFK94tgnRpboN8mmJlngBPepPQoLHsmOAVTnbF5bJcjas1CWomw91oF3WUVs-vhWc2EmT1r6v0lKVF86oLxuw8M7KX6vIKmqX4xHZFTqVcX8mC6FuEFR4l-THJQjsHit1hiZaTg/w640-h364/Redshank%20with%20Green%20Shore%20Crab%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that wader probing and feeding activity from the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b> reminded us of way back in '78 when were counting the timing the probe rate and success rate of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b> and other waders at on the Mediterranean coast further east than the Carmargue at Ma'agan Michael Kibbutz fish ponds in Israel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For some reason we didn't see what became of the de-legged crab, perhaps becuase all the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b>, about 100 of them, a few yards to the left of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> took up as something unseen flushed them. Within the flock we saw a slightly smaller bird, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ruff</span></b>? No once they'd settled it was slightly easier to see than against the sun in flight and was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plover</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedTI5oKUQ0NSUl3KYE7qHZ6e17hijf6P36LOiqqI1h0z_qkmZHC5aN-9GznZUYuZdzn2_RdyvDgASJWgiZfOASpdbtMmaO5TZWEMHtd9yvzDxnw-A98VHDExr28EiCt-Z6kF7ior1eeUJP7Wz7gYOPRVWao2iY2d776KXFdxpuOY81l_c7Rlk-6AhbLog/s1719/Golden%20Plover%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1719" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedTI5oKUQ0NSUl3KYE7qHZ6e17hijf6P36LOiqqI1h0z_qkmZHC5aN-9GznZUYuZdzn2_RdyvDgASJWgiZfOASpdbtMmaO5TZWEMHtd9yvzDxnw-A98VHDExr28EiCt-Z6kF7ior1eeUJP7Wz7gYOPRVWao2iY2d776KXFdxpuOY81l_c7Rlk-6AhbLog/w640-h238/Golden%20Plover%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As the sun moved round the light got worse but would be better from the Eric Morecambe Hide, looking back this way anyway so off we went. We'd now visited all the hides, the Feeding Station, the Garden and the Skytower, that must be the first time that's ever happened!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Indeed the light was much better looking away from the sun but the distance was a bit further, at least you can see the lovely golden spangles now.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOpH9jblWnsm2Sj5S6-QMxvD9lU6zUurloz0w2MQd7Li9ep6kglptq_amJyBsuz9qMTJp5I5ONMKXdBtNlFbBjlRpF_2j5oFytfo_ewANZ0EoGBOEnIgMf1kyeDZDTGLFnYM30qv02A80s491Ts_TALW2I31HLYsE4fHt6twM9cz3Abd-y3_yda_30wsM/s771/Golden%20Plover%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="485" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOpH9jblWnsm2Sj5S6-QMxvD9lU6zUurloz0w2MQd7Li9ep6kglptq_amJyBsuz9qMTJp5I5ONMKXdBtNlFbBjlRpF_2j5oFytfo_ewANZ0EoGBOEnIgMf1kyeDZDTGLFnYM30qv02A80s491Ts_TALW2I31HLYsE4fHt6twM9cz3Abd-y3_yda_30wsM/w251-h400/Golden%20Plover%203.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>Our <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoobill</span></b> had relocated too and was now much nearer than earlier.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1RQck5V2XzgtsJnMRqdgjkV9yRLDgUV7UeuZK2BIg-me6swTyFBezeWXQg6-UIGeU527eiAXlN8qPXRcQg8-JYQCCaATuOMoESq560jFVLwwbRG6tlsPfFizZoiifui6rzYRNL0u5uiD0aP5bqXRFHJMD5XCFJUcfS_zWllf9oTvffJydWpvNuBaPniH/s1184/Spoonbill%207%20a%20bit%20closer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1184" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1RQck5V2XzgtsJnMRqdgjkV9yRLDgUV7UeuZK2BIg-me6swTyFBezeWXQg6-UIGeU527eiAXlN8qPXRcQg8-JYQCCaATuOMoESq560jFVLwwbRG6tlsPfFizZoiifui6rzYRNL0u5uiD0aP5bqXRFHJMD5XCFJUcfS_zWllf9oTvffJydWpvNuBaPniH/w640-h398/Spoonbill%207%20a%20bit%20closer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Looking the other way ther was glare again so it was trickier to pick out anything out of the ordinary. There were plenty more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b>, we couldn't find any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spotted Redshanks</span></b> lurking furtively among them, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Tailed Godwits</span></b>, loads of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> tucked up undere the bank fast asleep. A smattering of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shelducks</span></b> were further out on the pool, mostly juveniles and single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b> caught our eye. The birders sat next to us with telescopes found a humungously distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrine</span></b> sat out on the farthest edge of the marsh which we eventually picked up in the bins when it flew a couple of hundred yards but not getting any closer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We'd turned round to have a look at somethinhg on the Allen Pool and got a pleasant surprise when we turned back - we'd only turned away a minute or so but in that time two new <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoonbills</span></b> had appeared. Great stuff.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhWtS8mq0UNC-kpngXig9_tHsHUZzCf7b6GX-7GyCXoCjmfVAxGPEREIw-0V5fj_DZKeHkC7vioJzte8ZPUGQMjObUjIPSuATZWmR9heze7bqYMEXydtfcownrO_KXphzyGFmftT7nW300BRj83JuTWG8bpP1CVv_2SQmNGKRGEPOV1n7rS82_eav6sRS/s1445/Two%20Spoonbills%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1445" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhWtS8mq0UNC-kpngXig9_tHsHUZzCf7b6GX-7GyCXoCjmfVAxGPEREIw-0V5fj_DZKeHkC7vioJzte8ZPUGQMjObUjIPSuATZWmR9heze7bqYMEXydtfcownrO_KXphzyGFmftT7nW300BRj83JuTWG8bpP1CVv_2SQmNGKRGEPOV1n7rS82_eav6sRS/w640-h352/Two%20Spoonbills%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>They had a little go at feeding but soon gave up and started to have a bit of a preen<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1kLkKnQCIIgnGjZcLvEfWFu8xY_PEg45eSyBagdi8wKCUNhvVInlhl1rdduNLDkXeFx299hyouYLi71-zn_vemJjoRziUATxfE3-ElohjQWGXLfIp3vWWShi6hvwZDKmPYgOsOElPqdorC4HrK0nknLajChir2olQ7EIyAIDH0qwRvj5E8DVvpOp6cp2/s1387/Two%20Spoonbills%202%20scratch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1387" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1kLkKnQCIIgnGjZcLvEfWFu8xY_PEg45eSyBagdi8wKCUNhvVInlhl1rdduNLDkXeFx299hyouYLi71-zn_vemJjoRziUATxfE3-ElohjQWGXLfIp3vWWShi6hvwZDKmPYgOsOElPqdorC4HrK0nknLajChir2olQ7EIyAIDH0qwRvj5E8DVvpOp6cp2/w640-h358/Two%20Spoonbills%202%20scratch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OSvO9AtjVrJlyYKPbkVlirpmQ2AJ2EMtfg2B8etvXF012KwHiQCcSds7OLsFM-JJIOye2YbkLLQqot4XMRHchW0jnpnmZvL1qTmYNK04w8a1EMQog4HuofdPHj7FpNXuCrjDJSRQiWVHjsbZ6FwuqGkIVjq0dP3gZxXGv5n1xzgDjLC7KTmfSxH4-Hdf/s1162/Two%20Spoonbills%203%20preen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1162" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OSvO9AtjVrJlyYKPbkVlirpmQ2AJ2EMtfg2B8etvXF012KwHiQCcSds7OLsFM-JJIOye2YbkLLQqot4XMRHchW0jnpnmZvL1qTmYNK04w8a1EMQog4HuofdPHj7FpNXuCrjDJSRQiWVHjsbZ6FwuqGkIVjq0dP3gZxXGv5n1xzgDjLC7KTmfSxH4-Hdf/w640-h516/Two%20Spoonbills%203%20preen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>After a little argy-bargyover summat n nowt <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPnu3TagwjSfo3vGlwlJnTKa0FH3Wn_4HrUiQPS-yearZ76yD63UYpHbICYuHas_G9MMiOJUYqluizynP6n4DeqxHp31XpbT8q-OSkGuQI-qcC528x-YoLTcPtvqNl4vMLSiG_hH2vIxIHtVo_e-tNGRRt1rz08163VdKTdEeooJdIa5_zOCO3CobcbCA/s1833/164%20Spoonbill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1833" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPnu3TagwjSfo3vGlwlJnTKa0FH3Wn_4HrUiQPS-yearZ76yD63UYpHbICYuHas_G9MMiOJUYqluizynP6n4DeqxHp31XpbT8q-OSkGuQI-qcC528x-YoLTcPtvqNl4vMLSiG_hH2vIxIHtVo_e-tNGRRt1rz08163VdKTdEeooJdIa5_zOCO3CobcbCA/w640-h410/164%20Spoonbill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>they both climbed out on to the bank and promptly fell asleep head tucked under their wings and became statuesque...just like almost all the other times we've ever seen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoonbills</span></b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was getting near time to leave but ther was one last bird to see, again as if from nowhere a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Grebe </span></b>magically appeared right under our nose so we fired off a few pics.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O2IRnxSIyBfEvqTyi9Cmj-YGYHLtP8b4E-19oApejtWGO7YhkSCYJVN-VtpyPELMHDD0ZnLGEXOSPytIelBjLHr6ZaUrHFz54vSV_q6Lj90Zo59TYEvXgU6GjkJ00Ytv9AN5Q7C86s9ZIq6BB6qVMUDG223OQISV9WDlR4gR0mPkyWxE0RzrUJBCVE-i/s2912/Little%20Grebe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="2912" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O2IRnxSIyBfEvqTyi9Cmj-YGYHLtP8b4E-19oApejtWGO7YhkSCYJVN-VtpyPELMHDD0ZnLGEXOSPytIelBjLHr6ZaUrHFz54vSV_q6Lj90Zo59TYEvXgU6GjkJ00Ytv9AN5Q7C86s9ZIq6BB6qVMUDG223OQISV9WDlR4gR0mPkyWxE0RzrUJBCVE-i/w640-h380/Little%20Grebe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And with that it was time to hit the trail back to Base Camp - what an few excellent days out on safari in Lancashire's answer to the Carmargue - Bring on the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Winged Stilts, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingos </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Gallinules</span></b> to make even more authentic.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoonbill</span></b> became the 164th species of bird added to our International Photo Challenge...happy days.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Where to next?</b> We're off out a bit to east shortly.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>In the meantime let us know who's demolishing the crab population in your outback<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><br /></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-22195723187356783132023-09-28T12:07:00.000+01:002023-09-28T12:07:12.182+01:00Lancashire coast - The new Carmargue? Part 1<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari has been</b> out n about with good mates CR and IH over the last two or three weeks; we've been to both the north side and south side of the River Ribble to some of the variety of coastal and inland wetlands to be found between Liverpool and Barrow, not that we got into Cumbria this time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Over the last few years it's been noticeable how many more egrets you can see in these places than <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Herons</span></b>, the latter was the only long legged thingy to be found in the parts back in the day. Now it's a game of 'by how many will <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b> outnumber <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Herons</span></b> today?'. And it's usually 'loads'. And it's no longer 'just' <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b> there's a whole host of 'Daz' (other titanium oxide enhanced laundry cleaneres are available) white long legged beasties waiting to outnumber <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Herons</span></b>, they're all over the shop! Not that we're complaining, we'd have had to go to far flung corners like the Danube Delta to see <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egrets</span></b> when we started birding some 50 something years ago, not that we'd been much further than Anglesey back then.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">First up we headed up north to Leighton Moss where we found a trio of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cattle Egrets</span></b> out on the saltmarsh, until very recently these were quite scarce locally favouring a few small hotspots but now seem to almost ubiquitous although still in small mubers, we're yet to come across a double figure flock. Maybe when they start following the plough like they do on the continent we'll see large numbers together - by then they'll probably be fighting off <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Kites</span></b>, or maybe even <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Winged Kites</span></b>, for what gets turned out of the soil.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVPuURZtAybceHs7hLXXGF6aLPNMCrCbhzl8UBG0-EXYT6BZUjuj9nUGvd-niN-n_SsszMX_kf-Q-ez7aH89LEzXNuMpv3DQMNWylKNawkuTnFNpDjdC91GRcedJP3jqOnJfN4n4dA63ec5bgcAe3ZsPzO0QRAVtyeovlX1j5hvslraFe754O3STuX5hH/s1621/Cattle%20egret%20in%20flight%20over%20cattle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1621" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVPuURZtAybceHs7hLXXGF6aLPNMCrCbhzl8UBG0-EXYT6BZUjuj9nUGvd-niN-n_SsszMX_kf-Q-ez7aH89LEzXNuMpv3DQMNWylKNawkuTnFNpDjdC91GRcedJP3jqOnJfN4n4dA63ec5bgcAe3ZsPzO0QRAVtyeovlX1j5hvslraFe754O3STuX5hH/w640-h522/Cattle%20egret%20in%20flight%20over%20cattle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXATkBmZtO8P1SsKbI7QqaKYVS23xsM6eLK8VzY9Q7hGQeNWzAkE3GcNRoO2Jw7rE033xXXrh7opIaMybYDXAoQqRQpKWwUQ0Tnm5gSeL5fx6all-RDgLynaXx6Z50kJdyozHhHwa6NeLG_fKM8Rb93GUR3-0zmS6Btk4mMIaPk4NmZX-WDGZhQjzz1jPX/s1185/Cattle%20egret%20walking%20in%20front%20of%20legs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1185" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXATkBmZtO8P1SsKbI7QqaKYVS23xsM6eLK8VzY9Q7hGQeNWzAkE3GcNRoO2Jw7rE033xXXrh7opIaMybYDXAoQqRQpKWwUQ0Tnm5gSeL5fx6all-RDgLynaXx6Z50kJdyozHhHwa6NeLG_fKM8Rb93GUR3-0zmS6Btk4mMIaPk4NmZX-WDGZhQjzz1jPX/w640-h480/Cattle%20egret%20walking%20in%20front%20of%20legs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsE8tsohPGaBWDTsN9W2t7HTVQYYdAx9ozVeZOB1q9od4hdKLvMMOtLhnORDj-qtkzYv2Bmm1mtD_qLWD2NTJFAce7_2qMEi7THg9zgMFg3AwHTYyxZ1sGOqDTjD4DKauSfnQirvhE9QVmuHnRcj557Ct2YkK_jvXBZTeJlfxtRifkDjphDlv6DTs9BWS/s1971/Cattle%20egret%20with%203%20cattle%20looking%20left.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="1971" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsE8tsohPGaBWDTsN9W2t7HTVQYYdAx9ozVeZOB1q9od4hdKLvMMOtLhnORDj-qtkzYv2Bmm1mtD_qLWD2NTJFAce7_2qMEi7THg9zgMFg3AwHTYyxZ1sGOqDTjD4DKauSfnQirvhE9QVmuHnRcj557Ct2YkK_jvXBZTeJlfxtRifkDjphDlv6DTs9BWS/w640-h466/Cattle%20egret%20with%203%20cattle%20looking%20left.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YQpJRFFZrTWaGsH8quNfHr1iTT7AROqDi_WW1a-qptTQqXXGcpUDGz3r5qFZw6SM7eSiWHmG9Yo7o1WEFjkPxLKhikYsw4FK1bFafv65g215dBtyDLR10RRUuNp0Lb31K_juYvj4kAxVU8qVQSiSCcgPMSqQp746qS3--9rrDYfSCEeBV0FzMI7TCIuO/s1914/Cattle%20egret.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1914" data-original-width="1838" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YQpJRFFZrTWaGsH8quNfHr1iTT7AROqDi_WW1a-qptTQqXXGcpUDGz3r5qFZw6SM7eSiWHmG9Yo7o1WEFjkPxLKhikYsw4FK1bFafv65g215dBtyDLR10RRUuNp0Lb31K_juYvj4kAxVU8qVQSiSCcgPMSqQp746qS3--9rrDYfSCEeBV0FzMI7TCIuO/w614-h640/Cattle%20egret.jpg" width="614" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHRGRYGZXacWQvAzlgyRxaottdAIbY7vxRsV8tRjSFA_CqESM7To4PnweHL9FSglcyLMjivsWSXbpoxmd63iN9EFYMV3N_CEupQKO0_AAJsvdD_f8JzZyJUiYD7PP-xbJx-_iN4J0O4XpotyIRwaRYp5_ldS8yYcUvRn1f4WZ4t-iaquE0OYK7j_1ydSi/s994/Cattle%20egret%20in%20flight%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="994" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHRGRYGZXacWQvAzlgyRxaottdAIbY7vxRsV8tRjSFA_CqESM7To4PnweHL9FSglcyLMjivsWSXbpoxmd63iN9EFYMV3N_CEupQKO0_AAJsvdD_f8JzZyJUiYD7PP-xbJx-_iN4J0O4XpotyIRwaRYp5_ldS8yYcUvRn1f4WZ4t-iaquE0OYK7j_1ydSi/w640-h470/Cattle%20egret%20in%20flight%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the moss itself it was pretty quiet with somewhat too high water levels in the pools and very recent habitat work outside two of the hides. But of course we did find a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great White Egret</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1RXoh0SRyOz7hnkZRDppuPLLM9PVkayhCa6EHCFjyzztyREi87rS5GSqndgEM3p6XsGrG_80qDP_HNGVlC69H9suWnkbGoibPR7DwyGw6O9jaFhh62nZnISkgApoRZ8fDD10XLx0c6bapIL3sqTDSrsA8ReOkXvmQjUx9CYCVSoxV9cHe0woQTLC0M2v/s1346/Great%20white%20egret%20in%20the%20haze.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1346" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1RXoh0SRyOz7hnkZRDppuPLLM9PVkayhCa6EHCFjyzztyREi87rS5GSqndgEM3p6XsGrG_80qDP_HNGVlC69H9suWnkbGoibPR7DwyGw6O9jaFhh62nZnISkgApoRZ8fDD10XLx0c6bapIL3sqTDSrsA8ReOkXvmQjUx9CYCVSoxV9cHe0woQTLC0M2v/w640-h510/Great%20white%20egret%20in%20the%20haze.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Beyond it in the furthest part of the pool was a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Heron</span></b> too and then there were two. After a bit of a squabble over fishing rights the newcomer flew off over the Causeway...we hadn't taken much notice of it but looking that way at something else we saw that its upper wings were very gingery and we were suddenly became very interested in it. Now there had been a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Heron</span></b> here but it was at least two weeks since the last sighting and we hadn't paid enough attention to this bird and it was soon lost to view. However, with plenty of other birders around all day it's unlikley that had it been a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Heron</span></b> no-one else had seen it...so 'just' a 'normal' <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Heron</span></b> and a trick of the light combined with a good dose of wishful thinking was the conclusion.<br />The <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bearded Tits</span></b> weren't playing ball at either of the grit trays and with nothing much else about in easy reach of the lens (recently pics of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ospreys, Bitterns, Marsh Harriers</span></b> and more had been flooding social media groups but they weren't on show today) we had to 'make do' with watching the dragonflies outside the Causeway Hide window and what a show they were putting on for us, they were loads of them, Mostly <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Migrant Hawkers</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbg-_MZJxAoxtZm1DYNBKRfQwfvZlXqseC9J14JNYwvSs5WhE2L9HuH_utfUi3J__SB8MUP1KJw-eMPyfQCS-rmG3k1nx_pqSX6XbSbgioO6M_6h0gPnjVjocR_VmkIpSpdpV69tjoLF3xCbArCYhP8tScCcKCJkeuCpvJU818cEG2Ko3i64NoZ2aJYFY/s1080/Migrant%20Hawker%20facing%20away.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1080" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbg-_MZJxAoxtZm1DYNBKRfQwfvZlXqseC9J14JNYwvSs5WhE2L9HuH_utfUi3J__SB8MUP1KJw-eMPyfQCS-rmG3k1nx_pqSX6XbSbgioO6M_6h0gPnjVjocR_VmkIpSpdpV69tjoLF3xCbArCYhP8tScCcKCJkeuCpvJU818cEG2Ko3i64NoZ2aJYFY/w640-h550/Migrant%20Hawker%20facing%20away.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOcwkx6m_bokZvNjImlHbmeqOFvFVjqFpirgfQa0YyQrWgmZmrV9C3G55RFH3eIYcAAtIKr7DwaZOwxCwr0TsF4WahVu4loepnRxOI68d2Ti1p1vWFWWrhu11hmUcLV-4AnB1nyGYNgbcwplCOwVkS5aHcYlj0qSumwzWiL24IjO_cmEkG03jYJ9vZ2aw/s1397/Migrant%20Hawker%20facing%20away%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1243" data-original-width="1397" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOcwkx6m_bokZvNjImlHbmeqOFvFVjqFpirgfQa0YyQrWgmZmrV9C3G55RFH3eIYcAAtIKr7DwaZOwxCwr0TsF4WahVu4loepnRxOI68d2Ti1p1vWFWWrhu11hmUcLV-4AnB1nyGYNgbcwplCOwVkS5aHcYlj0qSumwzWiL24IjO_cmEkG03jYJ9vZ2aw/w640-h570/Migrant%20Hawker%20facing%20away%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEShfOuFW5_ERo3eHXY9-WvcuxLZlmArJ-RYgcvtFOMjW1eoDQFVbCqF66o9t_rtfqR-ZCQa26y2q2Ue3ztPVOBkOhaLkEHKPqEJD0tTDzd29-xFw8-hZk2E2jRv-ffuUlfuwU8qVTqII7PGbLw9TbdLio6x6wF6rUVFcZquBlfsf2oXf1RiR1_IEJnx1d/s1573/Migrant%20Hawker%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1573" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEShfOuFW5_ERo3eHXY9-WvcuxLZlmArJ-RYgcvtFOMjW1eoDQFVbCqF66o9t_rtfqR-ZCQa26y2q2Ue3ztPVOBkOhaLkEHKPqEJD0tTDzd29-xFw8-hZk2E2jRv-ffuUlfuwU8qVTqII7PGbLw9TbdLio6x6wF6rUVFcZquBlfsf2oXf1RiR1_IEJnx1d/w640-h430/Migrant%20Hawker%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdK2WtzgESQ6QyJm_jIJJFJkSsu5Xi52n6_CXnNN5uwrcAgcCeP7Tc-AMK0BmzAHXegIsj3QwrnI9uzyiHGGUEaqgFAKsy9e5kZf-KwQmJdovb15shbdxwtm1ondEiCBRWbuqtyKhdmdOQG8uqNMSh6sYrNb9jgQT3BzxgjdOOLryewRve0bQiHMwW2DBa/s1525/Migrant%20Hawker%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1525" data-original-width="1160" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdK2WtzgESQ6QyJm_jIJJFJkSsu5Xi52n6_CXnNN5uwrcAgcCeP7Tc-AMK0BmzAHXegIsj3QwrnI9uzyiHGGUEaqgFAKsy9e5kZf-KwQmJdovb15shbdxwtm1ondEiCBRWbuqtyKhdmdOQG8uqNMSh6sYrNb9jgQT3BzxgjdOOLryewRve0bQiHMwW2DBa/w486-h640/Migrant%20Hawker%201.jpg" width="486" /></a></div>Like the egrets it's not that long ago that these were almost unknown around these parts too. Always numerous though were <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darters</span></b> and so it was today with several pairs in tandem on the wing and perching up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gqqz9dpqNuu4dwtsRmD-7g1LUCHVs-mU9niddwGRdRRt1GpAe-w3b2TvaAKSDYAXmpq617o7n6KTLr8DiDAGFRGAq8T7aF3nuyFY9gyVdh3B7lPRY70LQ_YXXeRuIl2ro4EekmPToPqaR95inuo2cXuW58hnchZ3ztSNuT40l5SoCvy7Oc6B6SuVkHD6/s1497/Mating%20Common%20Darters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="1361" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gqqz9dpqNuu4dwtsRmD-7g1LUCHVs-mU9niddwGRdRRt1GpAe-w3b2TvaAKSDYAXmpq617o7n6KTLr8DiDAGFRGAq8T7aF3nuyFY9gyVdh3B7lPRY70LQ_YXXeRuIl2ro4EekmPToPqaR95inuo2cXuW58hnchZ3ztSNuT40l5SoCvy7Oc6B6SuVkHD6/w582-h640/Mating%20Common%20Darters.jpg" width="582" /></a></div>So far this year we've not come across a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Garganey</span></b> so we spent quite a lot of time checking through the nort so many <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> to be found in case one was lurking in plain sight and nobody had picked it out yet. What was unsual wasa Teal stood on a post, there's lots of posts sticking out of the water here and we've seen all manner of birds stood on them but never a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b>. There's got to be a first time for everything we suppose.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtRlCkukwJ9_M5mI7SZLfcGz8aXpSXqZcw34B1gEOE535eh0Grql7XEqlLorWYOBNFEoaE-TUu8uVZy9uAf2Q02RnsDKhxYXpCZp0Ot2GBzxxVOE_becDxYuCIYZcTwycOE0-C5QzGDzwdWD9le2n5TPNYz01G3xEaoFXIMcFyXHHR9QQf8yg7C-dxmWZ/s1295/Teal%20on%20a%20post.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1295" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtRlCkukwJ9_M5mI7SZLfcGz8aXpSXqZcw34B1gEOE535eh0Grql7XEqlLorWYOBNFEoaE-TUu8uVZy9uAf2Q02RnsDKhxYXpCZp0Ot2GBzxxVOE_becDxYuCIYZcTwycOE0-C5QzGDzwdWD9le2n5TPNYz01G3xEaoFXIMcFyXHHR9QQf8yg7C-dxmWZ/w640-h456/Teal%20on%20a%20post.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>No sign of any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Garganey</span></b> on the main reserve but we did find a distant likely candidate on the saltmarsh pools with a much greater number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b> to rummage through.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAWfOKcYijZinczjfTe7yEe8fe3LtOBTZKZ7m7Qh0Z_JAUCL8caH9H7z6xvmfP8G9ZolH5Ro5F4BrCqBiU4el9R4wEiYc68ailoBva_1bOMwUcgSl4PnnmOvmOLa7zGDJbA4SvKXEjpkmTi2bPGW5RqhBTedWAXr-W0N5uXpHaFnKHe3oNtuj6IUnmEb-/s1293/Pale%20Teal%20looking%20a%20bit%20like%20a%20Garganey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1293" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAWfOKcYijZinczjfTe7yEe8fe3LtOBTZKZ7m7Qh0Z_JAUCL8caH9H7z6xvmfP8G9ZolH5Ro5F4BrCqBiU4el9R4wEiYc68ailoBva_1bOMwUcgSl4PnnmOvmOLa7zGDJbA4SvKXEjpkmTi2bPGW5RqhBTedWAXr-W0N5uXpHaFnKHe3oNtuj6IUnmEb-/w640-h492/Pale%20Teal%20looking%20a%20bit%20like%20a%20Garganey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>At range through the bins it did look quite good but when we asked a newly arrived birder to put his scope on it it showed a bit of previously hidden green on the wing so no joy for us. It did stand out from the crowd, often a good sign of something unusual - if you take your eyes off it and then can't relocate it it probably wasn't anything out of the ordinary but this one was easy to pick out among the much darker, plainer <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b>...close but no cigar! <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were also put onto two very distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Whinchats</span></b>, always nice to see but we do wish they'd been a mile or two closer - we won't be winning any photo competitions with this effort.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFMO5SCrqlU78HvdPDGD-FGwBke8eHTOSnPld2jseiZ_OrtKzNNGbYUX-tOKZ-9gCl578wA8D8eV_X0WJRJqHjIBd7eheW8eITHDZXiSa7evD7WrqlU_nLNW9VTVrLx6IpMi1L9s8fe0CSmgj-KDGKql6OFdjMKIsdiHs-rMPlwIZoE2sFM1yj0rTUmyh/s1191/Whinchat%20distant%20on%20post.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1148" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFMO5SCrqlU78HvdPDGD-FGwBke8eHTOSnPld2jseiZ_OrtKzNNGbYUX-tOKZ-9gCl578wA8D8eV_X0WJRJqHjIBd7eheW8eITHDZXiSa7evD7WrqlU_nLNW9VTVrLx6IpMi1L9s8fe0CSmgj-KDGKql6OFdjMKIsdiHs-rMPlwIZoE2sFM1yj0rTUmyh/w616-h640/Whinchat%20distant%20on%20post.jpg" width="616" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our next safari was south of the Ribble to Marshside, in the hope of connecting with a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoonbill</span></b> or two. The pools at Sandgrounders Hide were really good for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Geese</span></b> and not a lot else! Closeish were a smattering of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapwings</span></b> and a few gulls until IH found a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pale Bellied Brent Goose</span></b> lurking at the far end of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Goose</span></b> flock. We watched it come nearer, waiting for a better photo opportunity when CR shouts <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b>. Which duly landed on the perch especially positioned for them. Not only did it land, it fished too and for a good length of time, giving the camera shutter a lot of work to do.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXcmvgL7n_nYYHH0ZGXZHSuzfLSW-0HpgPR32zXBC1J2UUC69Wj8WdzKZOTS4wJHCQ-ODqArHnLcYO-b-jEqbd5WK_XPdLpQdnJp80CYIMKecGLiTr3i54G-wvDS96t0C6RFfnbN94LbeS2InfgnGtFhC-zWMgtQkY7NfvqUc-wepTQ0NI024ZCcgGdp9/s2752/Kingfisher2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2752" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXcmvgL7n_nYYHH0ZGXZHSuzfLSW-0HpgPR32zXBC1J2UUC69Wj8WdzKZOTS4wJHCQ-ODqArHnLcYO-b-jEqbd5WK_XPdLpQdnJp80CYIMKecGLiTr3i54G-wvDS96t0C6RFfnbN94LbeS2InfgnGtFhC-zWMgtQkY7NfvqUc-wepTQ0NI024ZCcgGdp9/w640-h420/Kingfisher2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmAeqN92M_Eq6o7FIM0fDeKOlXSbz0dHKUaEmHQ3-fUVLUD3HWPynt0V1Elu_cieBPE0Zkx3Phmx4dPhcRnbfmcfRVUcYoW_XMNfzjYC0a23KcIGwKz0N8n9rgx-ygSnzpoQazpBf9UMh6KsM1aJwA6mIPcGElLsiowHSbBhfq3nQ6jfJvxNeEZMDj18A/s1406/Kingfisher%20diving%20underside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="1255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmAeqN92M_Eq6o7FIM0fDeKOlXSbz0dHKUaEmHQ3-fUVLUD3HWPynt0V1Elu_cieBPE0Zkx3Phmx4dPhcRnbfmcfRVUcYoW_XMNfzjYC0a23KcIGwKz0N8n9rgx-ygSnzpoQazpBf9UMh6KsM1aJwA6mIPcGElLsiowHSbBhfq3nQ6jfJvxNeEZMDj18A/w572-h640/Kingfisher%20diving%20underside.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4se1CZ9Vovs2d_tXifUZ23rHdZqgQYrJbo0I0I4mMMdsOXC-IGadAV5uMveU-M54CzHGNRKaPTXJ1z7OQQQjRUcw8jSuTkZGdOXSz6N5RZtGTTPZ31F74wTDhMiMaavLfR0zdsqum3ZZ1s1I2Io-gTWSZ2C8gAhObvgviUTMGYngxyM0O2naC8sr4JBB/s1284/Kingfisher%20with%203-spined%20stickleback.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1284" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4se1CZ9Vovs2d_tXifUZ23rHdZqgQYrJbo0I0I4mMMdsOXC-IGadAV5uMveU-M54CzHGNRKaPTXJ1z7OQQQjRUcw8jSuTkZGdOXSz6N5RZtGTTPZ31F74wTDhMiMaavLfR0zdsqum3ZZ1s1I2Io-gTWSZ2C8gAhObvgviUTMGYngxyM0O2naC8sr4JBB/w520-h401/Kingfisher%20with%203-spined%20stickleback.jpg" width="520" /></a></div>After a good while the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> left which meant looking for the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brent Goose</span></b> again, it was nowhere to be seen among the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Geese</span></b> - how could it hide so effectively? Well it wasn't hiding at all it was right out in the open on its own, it had snuck across the channel onto the island in front of us while our attention was elsewhere.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31uMXhYNqpwpbIKajhFak37XtEBvLYjIEiIxqtlUAipqnmAZZFSEdMd3qWoIBTtKMcGYazGy-iA_8E0CyomBQK313zVJbY_c2to5VWlZ60LNg3EdE-42D7OYyDkg4ihRGNFkIh9sPJteNWEeLipS9uUN068ZB73648WoalKSYnf9yuIDwtCNLPcu7WsIZ/s890/Pale%20bellied%20Brent%20goose%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="890" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31uMXhYNqpwpbIKajhFak37XtEBvLYjIEiIxqtlUAipqnmAZZFSEdMd3qWoIBTtKMcGYazGy-iA_8E0CyomBQK313zVJbY_c2to5VWlZ60LNg3EdE-42D7OYyDkg4ihRGNFkIh9sPJteNWEeLipS9uUN068ZB73648WoalKSYnf9yuIDwtCNLPcu7WsIZ/w640-h518/Pale%20bellied%20Brent%20goose%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>While watching it grazing all alone we spotted a juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Ringed Plover </span></b>working its way along the water's edge behind it and while looking at that IH saw a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Wagtail</span></b> drop in briefly. Having exhausted the possibilities of the pool we decided to nip round the other side of the reserve and view the muddy pools from the old sea wall wherwe a number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlew Sandpipers</span></b> had been seen in recent days. It didn't take long to find them too and a nice <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ruff</span></b> for good measure.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Yi0AvXcvPYU2flKHwAXhwZS3N5opB-poctp2FhJ5KTP8FtPmt4Wj94jx9115a3BfXUAKtshc1lxngBFI-tJYkJx5MIezXhUF5iH_uIs5TaYscGrgF35_6odfs0Fi-McY4q98UCf_9J99Z9AOfS9iSZEG7mIuRQXvn8YS50CrvAGpeoxTwV2hS142E22j/s1201/Curlew%20Sandpipers%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1201" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Yi0AvXcvPYU2flKHwAXhwZS3N5opB-poctp2FhJ5KTP8FtPmt4Wj94jx9115a3BfXUAKtshc1lxngBFI-tJYkJx5MIezXhUF5iH_uIs5TaYscGrgF35_6odfs0Fi-McY4q98UCf_9J99Z9AOfS9iSZEG7mIuRQXvn8YS50CrvAGpeoxTwV2hS142E22j/w640-h432/Curlew%20Sandpipers%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuT__EZArYO4ByTUgEKs5iwlivBCpGzdSQSCGJdwAGABocjaNmvqg2-0uK_zGfzmP8iCJARTzmmSuSFfAPh5vHzZNztomqOA_VTdzxmeEM2LhVOcsG0AnRWoQ2urdxbkpX-h5fmzoW_NBuH8e-FLmjuckiQ5JYrT17ML40D-OngimGL5a8gnB4lCI06Vj/s1037/Ruff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="1037" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuT__EZArYO4ByTUgEKs5iwlivBCpGzdSQSCGJdwAGABocjaNmvqg2-0uK_zGfzmP8iCJARTzmmSuSFfAPh5vHzZNztomqOA_VTdzxmeEM2LhVOcsG0AnRWoQ2urdxbkpX-h5fmzoW_NBuH8e-FLmjuckiQ5JYrT17ML40D-OngimGL5a8gnB4lCI06Vj/w640-h354/Ruff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>While we were watching (and checking the small flock of roosting <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gulls</span></b> for <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gulls</span></b> - gotta be done!) another dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlew Sandpipers </span></b>dropped in - We now had more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Curlew Sandpipers</span></b> in front of us at any one time than we've had before and possibly almost as many as we've ever had put together - they're not a bird we see often or many of - WOW! Sadly they were too far spread to be able to fit in one frame so this is the most we could get together.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ucVIpPMYIioFkg3Ba6aULm7krOCisCXi8sl1AWs85NaJGAHkuxmsdFYlJdbhg3eMjZEbX4yBRL3sBrnFfnJnFOMEFxLXtcNAGogacYCMydm3UrH30as7nykVNEKWd5diMVD6lehCgT0G7BT1oBW7zUQma5CN673uubHV4SbRriSR8QDm7E4qUC7Et1du/s1219/Curlew%20Sandpipers%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="837" data-original-width="1219" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ucVIpPMYIioFkg3Ba6aULm7krOCisCXi8sl1AWs85NaJGAHkuxmsdFYlJdbhg3eMjZEbX4yBRL3sBrnFfnJnFOMEFxLXtcNAGogacYCMydm3UrH30as7nykVNEKWd5diMVD6lehCgT0G7BT1oBW7zUQma5CN673uubHV4SbRriSR8QDm7E4qUC7Et1du/w640-h440/Curlew%20Sandpipers%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There were no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Spoonbills</span></b> to be seen from this side and only a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b> so it wasn't that Carmarguey after all.<br />From there we hit Martin Mere WWT reserve where there were a lot of noisy argumentative <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag Geese</span></b>, well they made a change from the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Canada Geese</span></b> at Marshside. A quick fly-by <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> made it a daily double which doesn't often happen.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4-fgHrVBYyJRVWbNmyeD_TxsgK6lfhGXnvbp9C9hpQ-3jdNRfCFB1EGTgXyCcht3JFtgc4MfoJMpSt8ACm1GPhbo9T23Vfkw5OfaEhWeqj46i6ACipfcdDZ96tnWByOo4lAtkp9Hm1rG_XeWVuhrpJ0jNPK_C2om-8kxgE-vixTtGBghgLTvdw6dom8c/s1441/Grey%20lag%20geese%202%20squabble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1441" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4-fgHrVBYyJRVWbNmyeD_TxsgK6lfhGXnvbp9C9hpQ-3jdNRfCFB1EGTgXyCcht3JFtgc4MfoJMpSt8ACm1GPhbo9T23Vfkw5OfaEhWeqj46i6ACipfcdDZ96tnWByOo4lAtkp9Hm1rG_XeWVuhrpJ0jNPK_C2om-8kxgE-vixTtGBghgLTvdw6dom8c/w640-h416/Grey%20lag%20geese%202%20squabble.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Like at Leighton Moss the the water level was a bit too high after all the recent rain so there was precious little mud to attract many waders. Scanning around we found the usual duck characters,<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Teal </span></b>and<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Shoveler</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard, </span></b><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall </span></b>and just a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wigeon</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhb5Pb9II1lt65kUhPgUlL9kHBr1qtCIqy42ITMGMhmycCIPs8FqmZNCjRl_MnPOve90CzLugIjgVmXAWUqm2D96QLJhNMfg1qCBWB9ZdzDvsz_corJAeFwJndSVBH51EoOclWyX86Ntq1L31y6dEPghwdIIqdx17tuECVsSAXLlNuFfBKmFouedGWhyR/s1303/Teal%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1303" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhb5Pb9II1lt65kUhPgUlL9kHBr1qtCIqy42ITMGMhmycCIPs8FqmZNCjRl_MnPOve90CzLugIjgVmXAWUqm2D96QLJhNMfg1qCBWB9ZdzDvsz_corJAeFwJndSVBH51EoOclWyX86Ntq1L31y6dEPghwdIIqdx17tuECVsSAXLlNuFfBKmFouedGWhyR/w640-h370/Teal%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8uXlzyHo7o9OJ1jyoKc1Y5dvFpPZduytNNGI9HQq97eYiN9fisU26dJ4nz_g5Belmvgm1KpSQbSMSicMuSY6hU8JnmvpzbMqVH_jnuMTI9sJg004nXqEpSbHTT1PDVWauFJsNweMQQYDsTh2bebrF_Z10lOaGuHg_vTrqhVBkFJKMwqRpT47Hdz-BoJE/s1489/Shoveler%20male%20eclipse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1489" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8uXlzyHo7o9OJ1jyoKc1Y5dvFpPZduytNNGI9HQq97eYiN9fisU26dJ4nz_g5Belmvgm1KpSQbSMSicMuSY6hU8JnmvpzbMqVH_jnuMTI9sJg004nXqEpSbHTT1PDVWauFJsNweMQQYDsTh2bebrF_Z10lOaGuHg_vTrqhVBkFJKMwqRpT47Hdz-BoJE/w640-h330/Shoveler%20male%20eclipse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rXXHtEmGaeZSx5sQUH6Cdo2xIIpcEG9LOaW4c31ymfmk5C2Je45LQCE5aOOj0Lz5RJaIWi_WKMvTyKX8Ga4xpJcxSkqfcIM6lY8fJpi9APSdHllSR-Nr4G7x_EsStcXywChzYqZnjqRylNCTcMTGI9Vee-ZUwydE1tWJJTO9TAKReMLhchB_65BQq57B/s1464/Shoveler%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1464" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rXXHtEmGaeZSx5sQUH6Cdo2xIIpcEG9LOaW4c31ymfmk5C2Je45LQCE5aOOj0Lz5RJaIWi_WKMvTyKX8Ga4xpJcxSkqfcIM6lY8fJpi9APSdHllSR-Nr4G7x_EsStcXywChzYqZnjqRylNCTcMTGI9Vee-ZUwydE1tWJJTO9TAKReMLhchB_65BQq57B/w640-h342/Shoveler%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcg3j7zI0rBNalxt3xFnNjOZEQAdcQZ_TcIbr60c3JkkLM4PXsOZ9colVS7eY-0rZHsJM2_DXGEJzLRPaJ7IOM4bsLYSFue4zWCBG0hyphenhyphenDO_mfQRfAEZMAwJlzho3P9ndq_Q8yRbvWfoQ_R0WcWiB-xaYDrXfSJtn9ZoqxzZhMcMcdaHJWcCCuG3M2k7pd/s1100/Mallard%20flapping%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="744" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcg3j7zI0rBNalxt3xFnNjOZEQAdcQZ_TcIbr60c3JkkLM4PXsOZ9colVS7eY-0rZHsJM2_DXGEJzLRPaJ7IOM4bsLYSFue4zWCBG0hyphenhyphenDO_mfQRfAEZMAwJlzho3P9ndq_Q8yRbvWfoQ_R0WcWiB-xaYDrXfSJtn9ZoqxzZhMcMcdaHJWcCCuG3M2k7pd/w432-h640/Mallard%20flapping%202.jpg" width="432" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmk4KtMT3v2fpDr7-UtANZYFjKWKX8U852j1AAZviztVj1rCdaH_P3Y9nq8DmlC_RcdKzzPwOOPBTJJd0sdiA4jvdWaYpdlR-d-YlF0UH9i13E0r2ClaXFjEGwRAWxD64P9Te1EDw4xtPkKspVdBRBqe2KWXhAaibLpeW1974El2D86ui_ETITKfngfnI/s1917/Gadwall%20female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1917" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmk4KtMT3v2fpDr7-UtANZYFjKWKX8U852j1AAZviztVj1rCdaH_P3Y9nq8DmlC_RcdKzzPwOOPBTJJd0sdiA4jvdWaYpdlR-d-YlF0UH9i13E0r2ClaXFjEGwRAWxD64P9Te1EDw4xtPkKspVdBRBqe2KWXhAaibLpeW1974El2D86ui_ETITKfngfnI/w640-h378/Gadwall%20female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAy4BuHNgO82J0ZqdNmoMHMLi1QkQP9WOfVPDlYgpdmwcYCFz7NT7cz4HT9wiUNI7cDXxCT6-BtYwD8NTAMdz3tlvX-5YA0qqwBB7X5WGDNfqe4tlXqWK_OGAt1oS4gks4Xt_7BtaYTeD58uuvXDZ74SV1i-Eju40gmjnNSYKTHH0e1ZXQoVXtD8BIZub/s1461/Gadwall%20male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1461" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAy4BuHNgO82J0ZqdNmoMHMLi1QkQP9WOfVPDlYgpdmwcYCFz7NT7cz4HT9wiUNI7cDXxCT6-BtYwD8NTAMdz3tlvX-5YA0qqwBB7X5WGDNfqe4tlXqWK_OGAt1oS4gks4Xt_7BtaYTeD58uuvXDZ74SV1i-Eju40gmjnNSYKTHH0e1ZXQoVXtD8BIZub/w640-h390/Gadwall%20male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A bit of scanning the margins gave us a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snipe</span></b> secreted among the snoozing <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Teal</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3GryHeKpCRnL9h5uxXwY_cxVoCiQ3NHSDeycWH3mbQSnXP5bv7CzNFqSIwm3f1MxTi2eo0s4M1D30uKpVBEKOsanswIxhiQ37BN_y7tEskE4BFas_6L0UqQWHgzLsWLqy75AHxEatk4Yt8l01XV905nJ7h9JhypZTtd3_FvwnBGhTvOpqvAxykvby_Nr/s984/Snipe%20preening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="984" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3GryHeKpCRnL9h5uxXwY_cxVoCiQ3NHSDeycWH3mbQSnXP5bv7CzNFqSIwm3f1MxTi2eo0s4M1D30uKpVBEKOsanswIxhiQ37BN_y7tEskE4BFas_6L0UqQWHgzLsWLqy75AHxEatk4Yt8l01XV905nJ7h9JhypZTtd3_FvwnBGhTvOpqvAxykvby_Nr/w640-h466/Snipe%20preening.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Most of the recently arrived <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese</span></b> were away elsewhere but there were a small number to be seen among the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag Geese</span></b> hordes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteH1EuKZT1U35xtqZ1kKcJ-QHyHtmmrlJu5bUFE6aLP0rhRu_WopobESuSKQ4llieFmYWJrrJqYCAPM-n3cw2TtJN0SKRNbbe6ul7-8_1OMEN5J2xtGHii2n-8Sb6Xk7LIItq2J9zw1ow-h76gZzGBBBhtNClKmxcMOoBqMiRwRewF5NrpdIiOoHjzCKL/s1360/Pink%20footed%20geese%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1360" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteH1EuKZT1U35xtqZ1kKcJ-QHyHtmmrlJu5bUFE6aLP0rhRu_WopobESuSKQ4llieFmYWJrrJqYCAPM-n3cw2TtJN0SKRNbbe6ul7-8_1OMEN5J2xtGHii2n-8Sb6Xk7LIItq2J9zw1ow-h76gZzGBBBhtNClKmxcMOoBqMiRwRewF5NrpdIiOoHjzCKL/w640-h472/Pink%20footed%20geese%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Moving round to the new Tominson Hide we had a bit of a shock when the herd of cows came trundling down the narrow track. Was someone moving them back to the shed we'd just passed, seems a bit odd to be doing that during opening hours but as far as we could tell there was no 'cowboy' 'cushing' them on from the rear. Two calves took an interest in us as we stood in the widest part of the track we could find and then we saw the huge bull lumbering along...and still no sign of a 'cowboy'...the flimsey gate we were stood by didn't look as if it would hold our weight if we had to vault it, not that we do much vaulting but in the case of an emergency, and it certainly wouldn't hinder the progress of a 1000+ kg animal should he have had the mind to follow us...oooh errr. He passed by without looking up far more interested in the lush grass on the opposite side of the path - phew! We tried to get three lingering cows to catch up with the rest so that we could carry on to the hide but they wouldn't pass us rather they turned and went back the way they came so our cattle wrangling skills were rated as a big fat 0... </div><div style="text-align: justify;">CR did the decent thing and phoned reception for assitance and shortly after a member of staff came running down the track explaining that a gate had inadvertently been left open. He suggested we make our way to thew hide and stay there until he told us the coast was clear - which we did! On the way to the hide we pased a family of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Stonechats</span></b> on the adjacent fence but had no time to stop and admire them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once in the hide all we had to do was watch and wait for the cattle to be brought home. High water levels meant there wasn't much to see other than the almost ubiquitous <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Lag Geese</span></b>, a couple more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese</span></b> and a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gadwall</span></b> but we had to stick it out until the coast was clear. <span style="opacity: 0; position: absolute; user-select: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;">Close Encounters of the Herd Kind! Ian missed all the excitement ftoday (&amp; jeopardy) when we were surrounded by these escaped Longhorn Cattle, including bull, and had to phone the visitor centre asking them to rescue us 😱 https://twitter.com/messages/media/1702722124132016343</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before too long our cowboy friend popped his head through the door letting us know the beasts were back in their field and the gate locked behind them. Off we went for a look at the Stonechats but for a few minutes we couldn't find them. Then one reappeared further down along the fenceline.<br /></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS6A8UOpj34zqxwzVFfVR59D-asNS7v_a0X3jHzFp0vg6UnOkQlzm3de3_oPx0a2oMntmKjp36FC-SVvjMcx_KCCY3EsG1Hvl70pdqQl06nwfD8kftkwzEe4BtwQ6Ae95oDFBlJ5AlSNmuWppUaSZt4_nk-Qu3dRkmJFAZYE4R-QLJDQnDgvxX37y_Xh1/s1103/Stonechat%20close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1103" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS6A8UOpj34zqxwzVFfVR59D-asNS7v_a0X3jHzFp0vg6UnOkQlzm3de3_oPx0a2oMntmKjp36FC-SVvjMcx_KCCY3EsG1Hvl70pdqQl06nwfD8kftkwzEe4BtwQ6Ae95oDFBlJ5AlSNmuWppUaSZt4_nk-Qu3dRkmJFAZYE4R-QLJDQnDgvxX37y_Xh1/w640-h498/Stonechat%20close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then a second deep in the vegetation behind the fence<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLN8Ks1cpBa8mbcijo9Wc56hOtNyb0oCh1yE_eg11MXZBjAHpjpa5WJ2m2EG1O19aiUcJynWGALKCCDO-tJiLpTZzLFsM2fP_mvdXxkyK6A1rpeQudPTM8Z_sfX-ElrofTx-dl-SGlZSCDyGEMf0bVq9uJlrBl_RVuZbpm_DMbgfgF3rlMIpkItQxEZwA6/s1125/Stonechat%20juvenile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1125" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLN8Ks1cpBa8mbcijo9Wc56hOtNyb0oCh1yE_eg11MXZBjAHpjpa5WJ2m2EG1O19aiUcJynWGALKCCDO-tJiLpTZzLFsM2fP_mvdXxkyK6A1rpeQudPTM8Z_sfX-ElrofTx-dl-SGlZSCDyGEMf0bVq9uJlrBl_RVuZbpm_DMbgfgF3rlMIpkItQxEZwA6/w640-h482/Stonechat%20juvenile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite a long search we never did see the rest of the family, where had they disappeared too?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With time now pressing it was decided to have a last look from the Discovery Hide and lo and behold what did we find here - a whole heap of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cattle Egrets</span></b>, and, of course, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egrets</span></b> scattered about the wetland.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGv21QPDGWNVwCERShG01UFylH4CEpbSknqQQvWA1QzMBeiTfK83uD_rf4auujwFTgkKzFQqgHU-3JcgWbSZF2zHqau5rYzGN_pkrsdvDfbUZK9ZB5EFPIJjj6FZsvTvUTJu-GaOCJJUKLy536rdGM_uA8SpamlyQzK4B-SWL6S5n27viAeyqLcCg5zH0/s1207/Cattle%20egrets%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1207" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGv21QPDGWNVwCERShG01UFylH4CEpbSknqQQvWA1QzMBeiTfK83uD_rf4auujwFTgkKzFQqgHU-3JcgWbSZF2zHqau5rYzGN_pkrsdvDfbUZK9ZB5EFPIJjj6FZsvTvUTJu-GaOCJJUKLy536rdGM_uA8SpamlyQzK4B-SWL6S5n27viAeyqLcCg5zH0/w640-h432/Cattle%20egrets%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJz74Qga3ERjR-s7Y3LxaGfe1dgPSmu-8T-10G3Rh_tw_80doTlvVKp4f625Q4qCbeg494Pe6wN9hksExbf81KJlXtWmSTjg-dHXpSsP47GwABLlzcbAwPM-c8qnwaDBhxTJKDH8xtV2A7-fhr14kRC_VmZ8zsbCk0XNjaI8R32BZCX2CAxeUVyH3jEyFN/s1289/Cattle%20egrets%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1289" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJz74Qga3ERjR-s7Y3LxaGfe1dgPSmu-8T-10G3Rh_tw_80doTlvVKp4f625Q4qCbeg494Pe6wN9hksExbf81KJlXtWmSTjg-dHXpSsP47GwABLlzcbAwPM-c8qnwaDBhxTJKDH8xtV2A7-fhr14kRC_VmZ8zsbCk0XNjaI8R32BZCX2CAxeUVyH3jEyFN/w640-h364/Cattle%20egrets%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OHxsvHDWMMljwBuOanGRhYKw7V7oQpyf4qqZIQmxdcYCPhHGlAuS2hhe1QlTGnMvs3Yvr2phkJoK7DRdecs4xP5fIYfbvXqdsWpsPmzSy7dWTlpGuycF63MpyhmEGzSqcCafKk-3jvmqGeS2Y0zr1qtJhZWTsucNCm5E2tfiQ7qIIfhYpQJP3kL1-K7k/s1837/Cattle%20egrets%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1837" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OHxsvHDWMMljwBuOanGRhYKw7V7oQpyf4qqZIQmxdcYCPhHGlAuS2hhe1QlTGnMvs3Yvr2phkJoK7DRdecs4xP5fIYfbvXqdsWpsPmzSy7dWTlpGuycF63MpyhmEGzSqcCafKk-3jvmqGeS2Y0zr1qtJhZWTsucNCm5E2tfiQ7qIIfhYpQJP3kL1-K7k/w640-h248/Cattle%20egrets%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As the wore on so the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pink Footed Geese</span></b> began to return for the night, the sound as they came in was just fabulous.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba7-o3iALfCU3qzMAJb1uf4tbYfUUa1Dkwb75f1FyR7QNAfgQiMQjBK9UyU3ZUPypwkf0YK_-OSscJMRuvbs_q4WXkN1YqvhL9VpkEAC-1GCJrKKKuMP8IKV0t_kG6aH6ge5ncdBmamtUaTC0lWwwzwXlQmIv7Qi1yTrEfdFI6JrOz2MaKOR_buugSSg1/s1275/Pink%20footed%20geese%203%20skein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1275" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba7-o3iALfCU3qzMAJb1uf4tbYfUUa1Dkwb75f1FyR7QNAfgQiMQjBK9UyU3ZUPypwkf0YK_-OSscJMRuvbs_q4WXkN1YqvhL9VpkEAC-1GCJrKKKuMP8IKV0t_kG6aH6ge5ncdBmamtUaTC0lWwwzwXlQmIv7Qi1yTrEfdFI6JrOz2MaKOR_buugSSg1/w640-h498/Pink%20footed%20geese%203%20skein.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>At times they filled the sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwsmvC2UlE6wnPhirf-mC1ecTVFzzEcjOCcgC8Ve9RJpGoGMiyKdF6Vkyc3SNE_s-hWE8jxujdXxjvF2CQp5hV1j0ViylI5DNtUyLHRMDzYIBGYcHj69yKruMWTnqHqUApWAici7MHs1SWqHZXidhuWfsYiHujo6V7DgGVVkKh6rIGlHrBBNJGn8BKkhR/s1798/Pink%20footed%20geese%202%20flock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1798" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwsmvC2UlE6wnPhirf-mC1ecTVFzzEcjOCcgC8Ve9RJpGoGMiyKdF6Vkyc3SNE_s-hWE8jxujdXxjvF2CQp5hV1j0ViylI5DNtUyLHRMDzYIBGYcHj69yKruMWTnqHqUApWAici7MHs1SWqHZXidhuWfsYiHujo6V7DgGVVkKh6rIGlHrBBNJGn8BKkhR/w640-h380/Pink%20footed%20geese%202%20flock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Even better was a well grown <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b> chick poking around on its own right outside the window. Too good an opportunity to miss - just look at those feet! We do like a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhen</span></b>; one of the best birds in the book - you can keep your brightly coloured <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfishers</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b>, it's <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Moorhens</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Coots</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterraneran Gulls</span></b> for us everytime...oh and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swifts</span></b> - what's not to like about a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swift</span></b>?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXw1nDtLVd29FMRRITZJAONLbYkaEI9tzM2ZZmsnODOp5XQeGRkFClMYmn_UhyXlvBrfPgkaRe1eQtkEr9v7P-T-wCpLLAPeUXdYqmZjvxYJetpNatyznX_E6ig5O3ZC28FsYkdZpCdaGLES2fk0VQcCkqDglkEZVfJAdEfDUhVZA-IEj6JVRmR3cGT2-A/s1327/Moorhen%20juvenile%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1327" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXw1nDtLVd29FMRRITZJAONLbYkaEI9tzM2ZZmsnODOp5XQeGRkFClMYmn_UhyXlvBrfPgkaRe1eQtkEr9v7P-T-wCpLLAPeUXdYqmZjvxYJetpNatyznX_E6ig5O3ZC28FsYkdZpCdaGLES2fk0VQcCkqDglkEZVfJAdEfDUhVZA-IEj6JVRmR3cGT2-A/w640-h500/Moorhen%20juvenile%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCxDbOmkLfRkBNwgEC_OHbEYvh_xNU_Mpyx42y7UmCLoJ6xMVmAeUffeOv0SmnrFVVO-PP-fHJFN2l4d8u_KGe6d-PJelpaoTfPBIZ4TQIm0OIeZe6gJNKOFnn3Uw4zRPSw2MuBOdmNuf5FnGdYDIcBk0rm1EuYuJjfqz6UfWTOSZQo5BBoHSUtwDbXnX/s1739/Moorhen%20juvenile%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1739" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCxDbOmkLfRkBNwgEC_OHbEYvh_xNU_Mpyx42y7UmCLoJ6xMVmAeUffeOv0SmnrFVVO-PP-fHJFN2l4d8u_KGe6d-PJelpaoTfPBIZ4TQIm0OIeZe6gJNKOFnn3Uw4zRPSw2MuBOdmNuf5FnGdYDIcBk0rm1EuYuJjfqz6UfWTOSZQo5BBoHSUtwDbXnX/w640-h424/Moorhen%20juvenile%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Sadly time was up and we had to head back to Base Camp.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Where to next?</span></b> More adventures on the 'Carmargue' coast.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's got the longest legs in your outback<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-89800565058230627252023-09-20T12:54:00.000+01:002023-09-20T12:54:01.664+01:00A little bit of ice and not a lot of green - Part 3<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari woke up</b> to fog the next morning which meant a bit of a relax and leisurely breakfast before disembarking in to the huge metroplois of a little over 2000 people that is Quatatoq. Apparently it's Greenland's sixth largest town and even has a top flight football team - in a league of six...and today was match day. In fact all the season's matches were to be played over consequtive days, after the thaw and before the freeze starts again. A few of the guests and IH wanted to go to the match so we decided to join them. But begore that there was some after breakfast watching to be done before disembarking onto the tender for athe short ride to the quayside. There wasn't much going on in the harbour, a guest had reported a single early morning unidentified dolphin before the fog set in but other than that it was 'just' the usual <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous, Iceland</span>. <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Black Backed Gulls </span></b>and a small number of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Black Backed Gulls</span></b>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOCiGxWsF_5yKBt0WfJdG3PMd00s0pYHKvtzhEYePpOENDPCUHQ-b4wDuKbO6bGpeMD-z1ABqXycFuMI7j_k7elFar2yw7KVCVIubxvF8iCvPnd8GNYMfQExy9JmGhaMw5mffA5kyiCtTBna94-2Cm_sz4HXdN-cHqIP8LqiaJawVM-5fGmOf2gE62rfS/s2200/Qaqortoq%20from%20Borealis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="2200" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOCiGxWsF_5yKBt0WfJdG3PMd00s0pYHKvtzhEYePpOENDPCUHQ-b4wDuKbO6bGpeMD-z1ABqXycFuMI7j_k7elFar2yw7KVCVIubxvF8iCvPnd8GNYMfQExy9JmGhaMw5mffA5kyiCtTBna94-2Cm_sz4HXdN-cHqIP8LqiaJawVM-5fGmOf2gE62rfS/w640-h288/Qaqortoq%20from%20Borealis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once on shore we asked direction to the footy stadium but were now unsure if we'd get to see any of the match as the 'back aboard' time wasn't much after kickoff. We came across a souvenir shop and had a quick look deciding what to purchase on the way back to the ship rather than carry it round all day. From the shop we'd not gone far when one of the other passengers told us of some ducks in the stream running through town. Now <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Harlequin Duck</span></b> was very high on the list of wanted birds, if not right at the top, and this rocky torrent looked bob on for them so we were a little disappointed only to find a well groun young <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard</span></b> and a handful of adults even if <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard</span></b> was a new species for the trip. Barely hiding our disappointment we headsed on up the hill in the general direction of the footy stadium, we'd not gone far when are attention was focus on a cracking pair of adult <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagles</span></b> soaring right overhead...and we hadn't brought a proper camera...dohhhhhh. And even mor dohhhhh we never thoughth to try to get some video with our phone.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a very mild day again now the fog was long gone, it was t-shirt sleeves weather again, not what we expected in Greenland at all. Over the hill from the eagles was a large glacial lake set in a depression in the mountains. It was school summer holidays and there were several kids enjoying a probably chilly swim and diving from the big rock above the house.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8JSnl_bLBBsgtfZiIjneoN8ezA4-Tith4DhKBiN7fvMms2GPt7raOuXjSkLB_22krOg4BXfuIL8V7NrCr-c_-FB0yZAjkkntHODVHtwbVFL_Vg1tJIqlGsI0k0bCKZ9lPik_fr-eJgqPRXdZjWa2257Sw607Tu1VulqhwHvjWrHI9brPV8OcRYti1zMM/s2560/Qaqortoq%20glacial%20lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2560" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8JSnl_bLBBsgtfZiIjneoN8ezA4-Tith4DhKBiN7fvMms2GPt7raOuXjSkLB_22krOg4BXfuIL8V7NrCr-c_-FB0yZAjkkntHODVHtwbVFL_Vg1tJIqlGsI0k0bCKZ9lPik_fr-eJgqPRXdZjWa2257Sw607Tu1VulqhwHvjWrHI9brPV8OcRYti1zMM/w640-h288/Qaqortoq%20glacial%20lake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The little bay in the foreground looked very inviting so off came the shoes and socks, trousers were rolled up and we had a good few minutes paddle...well of all the things we expected to do in Greenland. a place we never expected to be able to visit in the first place, a paddle in the lake was well down below the bottom of the list. It looked inviting and it was lived up to our first impressions it was jolly nice in there not cold at all in the shallows. We even very nearly caught a little fish in our hands. Not sure what the local chap watching was thinking but he did have a look of incredulity on his weather beaten Inuit face, especially as we walked back up to the road and then up the hilltowards the stadium in bare feet - don't think he could quite believe his eyes. A couple of Octobers ago IH had a paddle at Spurn Point and a pound to a penny this Greenland lake was warmer than the North Sea!<br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eventually we arrived at the stadium and on the edge of the car park saw two things of interest. The first was this pretty little blue flower whose ID still eludes us. It was growing on the edge of the ditch separating the car park from the road. Again we weren't sure what the locals might have been thinking when they were watching two grown men, tourists at that, crawling around in a ditch on their hands and kneews photographing lordy knows what with their phones. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2sXwTWH6uBTBZHOQapJYrAbCsHBjqNYdR94VjQuSo253Dgw15VsDJBxFMSvCfghXh87AUm6aiiga4ZXzVC4YIe8PmPy3tz6cVxqm6jdQm_QpRpU0JdzLcrQwKno-jCljSE1hORewFETsA1_Lp5tsXGO4uzT2WPi6Mc5Y54xqfuBHWS3N-ko1AFttk5as/s1344/Football%20car%20park%20flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="852" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2sXwTWH6uBTBZHOQapJYrAbCsHBjqNYdR94VjQuSo253Dgw15VsDJBxFMSvCfghXh87AUm6aiiga4ZXzVC4YIe8PmPy3tz6cVxqm6jdQm_QpRpU0JdzLcrQwKno-jCljSE1hORewFETsA1_Lp5tsXGO4uzT2WPi6Mc5Y54xqfuBHWS3N-ko1AFttk5as/w406-h640/Football%20car%20park%20flowers.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other thing we saw was a football, and an almost fully inflated one at that. Well in such close proximity to a 'Premier League' stadium it would be rude not to take advantage and have a kick around. IH is quite fit and sporty but was wearing hiking boots, we were shod in trainers and haven't kicked a football for x years - where x is a large positive integer so the game wasn't quite as skilful as Manchester City or Barcelona would play! All the same it was great fun and worked up a fair old sweat. And the surroundings weren't bad either.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5ISIt3fNKkLhy-CnNSD4bZ_Vln5OUnKZF6eWqVLqmGp_Q_TsC28avrABSbIIHLt2LqcOuluN59SbcoQNeAFRXSg63cIjbQyfmjkqOCVyoJ1Tm8g4ThUKB2zYukHmZ-hDnrqcl2qOvviG8MrE23paRh_Ygyb6EJB-k84BHQCfnZniEhIg7-j1wEPLcCCv/s1334/Football%20field%20backdrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="702" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5ISIt3fNKkLhy-CnNSD4bZ_Vln5OUnKZF6eWqVLqmGp_Q_TsC28avrABSbIIHLt2LqcOuluN59SbcoQNeAFRXSg63cIjbQyfmjkqOCVyoJ1Tm8g4ThUKB2zYukHmZ-hDnrqcl2qOvviG8MrE23paRh_Ygyb6EJB-k84BHQCfnZniEhIg7-j1wEPLcCCv/w336-h640/Football%20field%20backdrop.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonder if they ever fill that huge terrace<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The teams came out for their pre-match warm up but we had to leave before kick off to make sure we got back to the quayside in time for the last tender. We never did find out who won.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Birds also seen around and about were the ubiquitous <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ravens</span></b>, a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Buntings, Common Redpolls </span></b>and one guest got a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lapland Bunting</span></b> using the Merlin App when they heard an unfamiliar call on their walk aruond the lake.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Back aboard Borealis it was chastening to hear tales of guests being offered slices of whale meat in the fish market, some even tried it! On the way back to the ship the tender went past the biggest building in town, the seal skinning factory - it had a lovely mural of a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seal</span></b> sitting on an icefloe painted on it; you know, that photo we really wanted to get.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Once we got going back down the fjord we saw a couple of packs of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seals</span></b> along with two individual seals' heads. Could these have been either <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bearded Seals</span></b> and/or <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Hooded Seals</span></b> or were they 'just' <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seals</span></b> that had become separated from their pack?<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Jp8va6Msk-r-5E9EKdkOTbJZU_laMdh46xQSPwjEN25G3-Lj-oSQn9s4SNbsXucqLN5fE1iZVvyU0_IL6-ppZZjWFWaMMXheMYmZbm_5ucvU8S1tCWPVq4QU6p0hgXYpqG56FWao18O8Bth7HcY8giolG306oMhDjh0Ior9K3b-DPNV-iyhiC7Wn-YFQ/s1656/Harp%20seals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="1656" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Jp8va6Msk-r-5E9EKdkOTbJZU_laMdh46xQSPwjEN25G3-Lj-oSQn9s4SNbsXucqLN5fE1iZVvyU0_IL6-ppZZjWFWaMMXheMYmZbm_5ucvU8S1tCWPVq4QU6p0hgXYpqG56FWao18O8Bth7HcY8giolG306oMhDjh0Ior9K3b-DPNV-iyhiC7Wn-YFQ/w640-h152/Harp%20seals.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /></p><p>Closer to the open sea we had a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whale</span></b> and more <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whales</span></b>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WFXXgYDCqB1-pnQAr-xBfMmUmO3jKLwGN3G-kvJOk-x6Ve-lu0-gEsE2P-I-_FbOk5QLAlWgBYYM_pjD6ak3B9jchEhLaPb9KwUlg8NouTiS8PoTtOS039A_b9DxCoGVe9-lXnvbv5pkKXBA9NPN3M7YfUV0ctnhdYTP9I1cigAIkkIFXA1FVLyJdZMS/s1492/Fin%20whale%20blow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1492" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WFXXgYDCqB1-pnQAr-xBfMmUmO3jKLwGN3G-kvJOk-x6Ve-lu0-gEsE2P-I-_FbOk5QLAlWgBYYM_pjD6ak3B9jchEhLaPb9KwUlg8NouTiS8PoTtOS039A_b9DxCoGVe9-lXnvbv5pkKXBA9NPN3M7YfUV0ctnhdYTP9I1cigAIkkIFXA1FVLyJdZMS/w640-h382/Fin%20whale%20blow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Birds included the usual <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmars, Kittiwakes</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> but no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b>, a guest reported a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Pomarine Skua</span></b> and other than <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Iceland Gulls</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous Gulls</span></b> there was precious little else. As dusk began to fall so the fog returned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-6dVbrWRwZ7hlk6bXxQ5jdI6ot1TBNi3HgmIfIU91QGF25Ima3ak5EgaEUJ4uWcU814fMjW_S9SfJzGgYkUqxDYNsYIgRrZg619rJaBLRPHOTZnHszylirbqU7E62MDw3v-Y6TC7D-9T2B3-zCCF6hMmwA3PpWRSr5Mq-5_EiVuc4xaBCMRknfLSTJD6/s1972/Iceberg%20shrouded%20in%20fog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1972" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-6dVbrWRwZ7hlk6bXxQ5jdI6ot1TBNi3HgmIfIU91QGF25Ima3ak5EgaEUJ4uWcU814fMjW_S9SfJzGgYkUqxDYNsYIgRrZg619rJaBLRPHOTZnHszylirbqU7E62MDw3v-Y6TC7D-9T2B3-zCCF6hMmwA3PpWRSr5Mq-5_EiVuc4xaBCMRknfLSTJD6/w640-h292/Iceberg%20shrouded%20in%20fog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Much later on a nocturnal perambulation of the deck in search of the aurora AB came across a boat load of stwaways, dozens of them, in the form of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wheatears</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxgIr3A_7M8cwzMJWDSQVq7CXBUqmxHJ3Zz_s_3cTPCUMZtfL747Vg-7OuMpztEF7HJ-7C-OvvsOYhBz0rkrA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxxa0aOXABI3Zyu57nLSDOv0E7Tn4UjsDt9tzlxC6-hAfmt5YmNyKAAIJSUS8l621Z-dN4MMA65nejlIawZKA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwFBLXnvG3F2Jn2W6_2W40B6DCdYTNjKpFpjTygYuUpfO--Z2SsChwxr2KLVHuYQoVwzVoofhofenrlg6b8zQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p>And not just the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wheatears</span></b> he also found a pair of mating moths, again of unknown species - somehow between us we'd all neglected to pack our concise guide to the moths of Greenland. And no he didn't see any sign of the aurora.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LUKNyPIv9mFaYq0-bTFglajTwVc25hlLGmTnHiszW48bbArnuK0fEUwBq7c4aTIWGamCkq4j4OewMwSEETr6PL0yBvQ90W6-ZIC4xDoefTELDlYNPE7OlZtLQn4gQE8W_SRdvh1e4PO8sjnN9Gc4PPE6XI2RMpP91279SVwAu2YxO6U3km-QKEvnZHMP/s924/Moth%20on%20hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LUKNyPIv9mFaYq0-bTFglajTwVc25hlLGmTnHiszW48bbArnuK0fEUwBq7c4aTIWGamCkq4j4OewMwSEETr6PL0yBvQ90W6-ZIC4xDoefTELDlYNPE7OlZtLQn4gQE8W_SRdvh1e4PO8sjnN9Gc4PPE6XI2RMpP91279SVwAu2YxO6U3km-QKEvnZHMP/w498-h640/Moth%20on%20hand.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day was an odd sort of a day. We were at sea all day on the way back across the Atlantic. By now we knew we weren't going the route published in the pre-cruise brochure - Southern Ireland was off, we were now going the direct route across the northern coast of Ireland, a bit further south than the outward route though. The weather was mild with some cloud and a calm sea picking up a bit later but it was hard going, there wasn't much out there. Even the decks were quiet, the seeming lack of wildlife making many of our stalwart watchers head indoors and do other things. The first half of the morning gave us a few <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b> blows, mostly distant and a mad flurry of about an hour and a half after lunch produced a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sperm Whale</span></b>, a handful more <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whales</span></b> and a small pod of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Atlantic White Sided Dolphins</span></b> with an associating family of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Long Finned Pilot Whales</span></b>.<br /></div><div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CSrkestQHQmACCcHn2Kg2a5rMlhZt4MGeUiL7KmH_3XM4CtnHprk7rb8KO-KfKU8grXji0J6ZuZVC9_QjfMB-G6VsdISy5VvTvBvikhfGwAlGE99sMaaVGNQ1Q4KCPgmKG51nC9DMLCsPwuDYGMjc456wTw126Fi2MUkgOwyEmMEfuyU_l1j9gQWiIVk/s1241/Promenade%20deck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1241" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CSrkestQHQmACCcHn2Kg2a5rMlhZt4MGeUiL7KmH_3XM4CtnHprk7rb8KO-KfKU8grXji0J6ZuZVC9_QjfMB-G6VsdISy5VvTvBvikhfGwAlGE99sMaaVGNQ1Q4KCPgmKG51nC9DMLCsPwuDYGMjc456wTw126Fi2MUkgOwyEmMEfuyU_l1j9gQWiIVk/w516-h640/Promenade%20deck.jpg" width="516" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Big Three were still about but in much smaller numbers and still missing the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b>. Small numbers of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Sheawaters</span></b> tazzed about and IH had a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sooty Sheawater</span></b> but really it was a case of where were all the seabirds?<br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our penultimate full day at sea was a breezy but mild day, the wind giving us a choppy sea making cetacean spotting difficult and getting a confident ID even more so. It turned out to be another odd day at sea. Before breakfast we'd seen several <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b> blows but not a single bird, not even a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmar</span></b>! After breakfast it was no better and hard work trying to enthuse the remaining few guests that were sticking it out with us over a Fulmar or two every hour - it really was that dead out there...climate change changing fish/plankton distributions, bird flu, just a 'bad' patch of ocean? Who knows but it was desperatly quite for long stretches. After lunch a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Shearwaters </span></b>broke the deadlock along with just two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Shearwaters</span></b> and AB copped for a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sooty Shearwater</span></b>. A single distant auk remained unidentified. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eventualy a bit of blubbery action came our way with a pod of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Common Dolphins</span></b> racing past and under the ship, a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sperm Whale</span></b> was seen fairly well as was another <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b>. Better was to come though. AB and a coupleof the passengers spotted some 'wrong' disturbance in the choppy water about a mile or more ahead of the ship. It took a while before we got on to it but then we saw some big breaches including two animals breaching together, at first we though they had the look of big <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Blue Fin Tuna </span></b>about them but they were even too big for that to be right. Despite the incredible distance AB managed to fire some shots off and caught a couple breaches.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRzLLThtYvhw7PH3yIFxeA-gKx67akUSmQ9sf8PJd3lopGK8-VUWFYhdZ21R-I_6PFaSCOBdV9hUxCydyPQ2Wm6j2xKVdduictfUO5t6_hEqCCwV4hOAxcY5gKK45wPKx5YAxC18dI08-vDQTqQcZxi3gmtbiDMR08_TSXFaV_WB6XiktJmskvDZ0qmG6/s484/Sowerbys%20beaked%20whale%20Anno%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRzLLThtYvhw7PH3yIFxeA-gKx67akUSmQ9sf8PJd3lopGK8-VUWFYhdZ21R-I_6PFaSCOBdV9hUxCydyPQ2Wm6j2xKVdduictfUO5t6_hEqCCwV4hOAxcY5gKK45wPKx5YAxC18dI08-vDQTqQcZxi3gmtbiDMR08_TSXFaV_WB6XiktJmskvDZ0qmG6/s16000/Sowerbys%20beaked%20whale%20Anno%202.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD74cf8ikQge_jIjrqrmUnzaUEKI4HKabiIbwGpuZWGCR72h3_wO6WiZMs5D4LdlKVngkTVpA8XL2xZRjosKOpVGL-hi5Mwt3Prp6cP5TYhktUoaeybedhrSj-zoehz_ldtUDWb6FaxciBRLBbIRfOWQW9s0OedAYlkBYHKspLnZL3DoF5BgmKP4lM4WPB/s446/Sowerbys%20beaked%20whale%20Anno%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD74cf8ikQge_jIjrqrmUnzaUEKI4HKabiIbwGpuZWGCR72h3_wO6WiZMs5D4LdlKVngkTVpA8XL2xZRjosKOpVGL-hi5Mwt3Prp6cP5TYhktUoaeybedhrSj-zoehz_ldtUDWb6FaxciBRLBbIRfOWQW9s0OedAYlkBYHKspLnZL3DoF5BgmKP4lM4WPB/s16000/Sowerbys%20beaked%20whale%20Anno%201.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some debate followed as to which species they were and it was decided that they were probably <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sowerby's Beaked Whales </span></b>- confirmation came later from shore based experts who had been sent the pics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The notebook ends for the day with the line "<b>AN ODD DAY!!! More blubber than feathers.</b>" In fact we took no photos with either camera nor phone all day and that must tell you something.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The final day at sea continued the quite long stretches of not a lot, still just a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmars</span></b>, a few more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Shearwaters</span></b> than the last couple of days, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cory's Shearwater</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> began to reappear.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOchQ7hlQrWUX0y1evFJMqiorJdu49rCszQ1dutCXcwvK8lKj3hVwwoMQubEHg7SXnUXJSKzH2jiraOLoW_s6Bn_iBTKsB5PEcS0f7EEiix43OCs3yj74S-93V2Gu3Fjhoa_98Subc1oD3x6ALkgB0F2Vf5OXy6J7aa3TdkuLU0qG1-tgZpZ90KQCGJ8oo/s2206/Gannets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1353" data-original-width="2206" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOchQ7hlQrWUX0y1evFJMqiorJdu49rCszQ1dutCXcwvK8lKj3hVwwoMQubEHg7SXnUXJSKzH2jiraOLoW_s6Bn_iBTKsB5PEcS0f7EEiix43OCs3yj74S-93V2Gu3Fjhoa_98Subc1oD3x6ALkgB0F2Vf5OXy6J7aa3TdkuLU0qG1-tgZpZ90KQCGJ8oo/w640-h392/Gannets.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Some even cruised by close to the ship.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMVvvSh6ECJwLhw6PIZPac9mKwuipaa3s-FjwcbPxCq0bFlTnXFiRSHT1mR1hSPbeGJ6jXuaxblhz5wyD3X7la4qgnXcZ9xkBOCv5EHvi3OuxCMkWskHxBZFhCbQPmxB__gV0PC58aXvjHSzAvutBHXMCLuWGMUYQZj55y12c_si80aUFiihLQdJAS3t9/s2753/Gannet%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2753" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMVvvSh6ECJwLhw6PIZPac9mKwuipaa3s-FjwcbPxCq0bFlTnXFiRSHT1mR1hSPbeGJ6jXuaxblhz5wyD3X7la4qgnXcZ9xkBOCv5EHvi3OuxCMkWskHxBZFhCbQPmxB__gV0PC58aXvjHSzAvutBHXMCLuWGMUYQZj55y12c_si80aUFiihLQdJAS3t9/w640-h356/Gannet%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A guest pointed out a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b> blowing in the middle distance - that was a relief as now we'd had blubber on every day since leaving the mouth of the Mersey.<br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">It continued to be hard work until we hit the coastal waters off northern Ireland when large numbers of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Shearwaters</span></b> started to appear. Small groups of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guillemots</span></b> also came into play along with smaller numbers of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> and the odd <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbill</span></b>. The supporting cast included some juvenile '<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i>Comic</i> Terns</span></b>', our final <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cory's Shearwater</span></b> and the first <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herring Gulls</span></b> for a long time! With this increased bird activity it wasn't too long before an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Skua</span></b> turned up and by the end of the day we'd seen several. Sadly despite all the bird activity suggesting there was plenty of fish about we saw no pods of dolphins nor werde any reported by the guests, although AB saw a lunging <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Minke Whale</span></b> in amogst a large flock of actively feeding <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes</span></b> which everyone else somehow missed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Darkness fell as we approched the northern tip of the Isle of Man, in the morning we would be woken up early already berthed at Liverpool ready for disembarking after breakfast.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What a fabulous trip...<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Birds wot we saw but didn't get a pic of - <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Leach's Petrel, Cory's Shearwater, Sabine's Gull, Little Auk, Razorbill, Gyr Falcon, Great Northern Diver</span></b> and<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Pomerine Skua</span></b>.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">What we totally missed that was seen by others - <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Skua, Brunnich's Guillemot, Red Necked Phalarope, Grey Phalarope</span></b> & <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Diver</span></b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the blubber our tally was <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whale, Fin Whale, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, Minke Whale, Sowerby's Beaked Whale</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Long Finned Pilot Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Short Beaked Common Dolphin</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">White Beaked Dolphin</span></b>, we didn't see the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Atlantic White Sided Dolphins</span></b>. We also saw <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seals</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seals</span></b> with the possiblility of an unidentified <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bearded Seal</span></b> and/or <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Hooded Seal</span></b> which we can't count. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">We saw no terrestrial mammals although guests saw <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Arctic Fox</span></b> and right at the end we were shown a photo of an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Arctic Hare</span></b> that a guest took at Signal Hill, Narsarsuaq.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">All that remains is to thank AB for inviting us and OWE for including us among their number, Wifey for letting me go, brother R for looking after the pooch while we were away, Borealis' crew especially the galley, waiting on and cabin staff for looking after us so well and of course all those guests who watched with us through fine weather and foul and chatted to us away from the watches they're what makes the trip special, those guests that shared their photos for our round-up talk in the lecture hall and which we've 'stolen' for this blog, hope our paths cross again, and finally IH for 'volunteering' to share a cabin...along with his immense wildlife skills and knowledge of course</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Back on terra firma we've been out n about so we've seen some interesting wildlife to tell you about soon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's been breaching in your outback<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-1994928371578903692023-09-18T10:48:00.004+01:002023-09-18T10:48:38.308+01:00A little bit of ice and not a lot of green - Part 2<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari continued northwards</b> as part of the <a href="https://www.oceanwildlifeencounters.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ocean Wildlife Encounters</a> team aboard Borealis heading towards Isafjordur in the Fjordlands of NW Iceland.It was a sunny day with a cool breeze but very nice when in the sun and out of the wind. From the ship in the harbour there were lots of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Terns </span></b>buzzing about back and forth fishing and then taking said fish over the town to their nesting area and then flying staright back for more fish.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc39ZvMx7v-BRgx6MkjWcZ4FkrQQlKhuZCYDrX_j4qMKnvwi8rgpdZHV3TzxBxBQaJhXk6acmgmGJXPCEpfe7aqO5c4F-Fjhesp2fviNznn80DklnUgq8r2p_pk6GJej6EhJykL6McmMtCCAd0Pmw6Um1iSRzR3EmnqUPnxI4nzJgNQ9fS8bp_HxY9eg5V/s1063/Arctic%20tern%20diving.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="942" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc39ZvMx7v-BRgx6MkjWcZ4FkrQQlKhuZCYDrX_j4qMKnvwi8rgpdZHV3TzxBxBQaJhXk6acmgmGJXPCEpfe7aqO5c4F-Fjhesp2fviNznn80DklnUgq8r2p_pk6GJej6EhJykL6McmMtCCAd0Pmw6Um1iSRzR3EmnqUPnxI4nzJgNQ9fS8bp_HxY9eg5V/w568-h640/Arctic%20tern%20diving.jpg" width="568" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLqHGj6UoZTjLelqfVD8jhmWrvmJbJZlO8xJSRMInN6Rqc-tmXKjBP6art3xu-15CLUcpAgNPvVPXvYwPxFDKpVE6ZQWm_s2LV_CxRcEJPQCHM_F0Pdu2lHGhjOvh-54-ZLDnEizfjm98yX5-Cx1HkAthma7b3LFXMdbn4WJMRTNZZRpHqYK_WNRdETvK/s1180/Arctic%20tern%20overhead.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1180" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLqHGj6UoZTjLelqfVD8jhmWrvmJbJZlO8xJSRMInN6Rqc-tmXKjBP6art3xu-15CLUcpAgNPvVPXvYwPxFDKpVE6ZQWm_s2LV_CxRcEJPQCHM_F0Pdu2lHGhjOvh-54-ZLDnEizfjm98yX5-Cx1HkAthma7b3LFXMdbn4WJMRTNZZRpHqYK_WNRdETvK/w640-h496/Arctic%20tern%20overhead.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Town itself was a modern, utilitarian affair with a few old buildings scattered around the older parts of the harbour.<br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNgPx7y1y-By1NldxlFNUBvIzxhlaIl5_x9yFAGAR4jJwxPNrzKKuCsiYNHqsYZjWzduNMX41qayYyFcZfRKFlyUbwAaoCZaVEojkt_LevFo-qdvtuooYj93tPK4bpFMwUliOt0QNp8xGWJPE_kgMJVoUhkKMRso82W0ui3HGIehS8DxBOr_a1bqw3bBe/s1313/Isafjordur%20hotel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1313" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNgPx7y1y-By1NldxlFNUBvIzxhlaIl5_x9yFAGAR4jJwxPNrzKKuCsiYNHqsYZjWzduNMX41qayYyFcZfRKFlyUbwAaoCZaVEojkt_LevFo-qdvtuooYj93tPK4bpFMwUliOt0QNp8xGWJPE_kgMJVoUhkKMRso82W0ui3HGIehS8DxBOr_a1bqw3bBe/w640-h462/Isafjordur%20hotel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Around the harbour <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes </span></b>loafed around on the warehouse rooftops. A bit different to the more usual <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herring</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gulls</span></b> back home.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uWt3IS1NhzelKzDMS7lqVPKKHo3TH-jvKGvS5IPxkazSB0XWi9CtqmpyRpos-aDwMf_OzVS-6prFX8Fgg8H7NtqBIOgg32HSJGdqW2XPkDVU-3MGpfKoV0RZDg3eQNyZDeRZkAuFoQncMPh57o5bw-XeFID7u8UQfLrsNIwL_w6udA5Dmbzl1EWiUYZt/s1571/Kittiwake%20on%20roof.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1571" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uWt3IS1NhzelKzDMS7lqVPKKHo3TH-jvKGvS5IPxkazSB0XWi9CtqmpyRpos-aDwMf_OzVS-6prFX8Fgg8H7NtqBIOgg32HSJGdqW2XPkDVU-3MGpfKoV0RZDg3eQNyZDeRZkAuFoQncMPh57o5bw-XeFID7u8UQfLrsNIwL_w6udA5Dmbzl1EWiUYZt/w640-h604/Kittiwake%20on%20roof.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And instead of Carrion Crows hanging out around town it was <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ravens</span></b> cronking from the rooftops.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7Di4EE_ACCX5MKJgqAfJrAefzWn8G9ArHeOC1d7CjZM2KLfPZG0ASScVY3xg6m5dx4Ub4uFIBJxon6kny7a24RLbXadW_zgzQCIvgaSAmLCLYnDNr9qHJn5f64FeBNACoLjo9CRPjLD7HwxUxumQZxNyPiXkHhs_OG0b6lykofHp_u53zal9DA7nycup/s1559/Raven%20on%20roof.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1261" data-original-width="1559" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7Di4EE_ACCX5MKJgqAfJrAefzWn8G9ArHeOC1d7CjZM2KLfPZG0ASScVY3xg6m5dx4Ub4uFIBJxon6kny7a24RLbXadW_zgzQCIvgaSAmLCLYnDNr9qHJn5f64FeBNACoLjo9CRPjLD7HwxUxumQZxNyPiXkHhs_OG0b6lykofHp_u53zal9DA7nycup/w640-h518/Raven%20on%20roof.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Just outside the ship's berth a small dock for fishing boats held a flock of between 30 and 40 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Purple Sandpipers</span></b>, easily the most we've ever seen together and probably more individuals than we've ever seen before too.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XSfmv7ZDduTDgGifalPtZGaGd9pX4aWA9Xl0njAcWsKEfA7Vm9JAt4gcJqTGdrqSnvNGdfJnajSeAiiR2BkoN9bt00gA882AAzzByos2HacqJu-PrPmBWdlzdigP3ZIJFhOqdtGAKa3JZWehJOFXjANOdYx_zHXO5qb5yeRcbYcdSK2n8Oo44v4rox_b/s1507/Purple%20sandpiper%20on%20tyre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1507" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XSfmv7ZDduTDgGifalPtZGaGd9pX4aWA9Xl0njAcWsKEfA7Vm9JAt4gcJqTGdrqSnvNGdfJnajSeAiiR2BkoN9bt00gA882AAzzByos2HacqJu-PrPmBWdlzdigP3ZIJFhOqdtGAKa3JZWehJOFXjANOdYx_zHXO5qb5yeRcbYcdSK2n8Oo44v4rox_b/w640-h380/Purple%20sandpiper%20on%20tyre.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLsfq1CJM0bBlB_3cSSR4KnOvQ2IrshRCW3ZdCVF8lquxbpNKDNF6kpBJUQ131G9WF_O3LXb9ge8Xj8Wu3jawpMTl73GNM5X9-S4pjqfbCj0gk6-nTnXC5U64yUCuPesjlypAtzYzVuKbEQdUvV4M2dW6IaHr1Cl-uGW9l_EhK1WX30j2e7fHr7UIR0hH/s1307/Purple%20sandpiper%20on%20tyre%20flapping.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1307" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLsfq1CJM0bBlB_3cSSR4KnOvQ2IrshRCW3ZdCVF8lquxbpNKDNF6kpBJUQ131G9WF_O3LXb9ge8Xj8Wu3jawpMTl73GNM5X9-S4pjqfbCj0gk6-nTnXC5U64yUCuPesjlypAtzYzVuKbEQdUvV4M2dW6IaHr1Cl-uGW9l_EhK1WX30j2e7fHr7UIR0hH/w640-h606/Purple%20sandpiper%20on%20tyre%20flapping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRc-hDKdC9eDE_An3BnVtH0xFxSyRk7MIRuG8wJqFrmVvQ6LkH59xeO4XZCRknwKjMa5SH4vxGcG2sNuV2_Nk-p1NdMUxkXgABz-xR1MQIA-236LGt0FHYb6NVj3Tcn-FAT9R7w_FBhdXRt4q2fEJjcAhXKyRfpLI8gY7ENRvTDIT6pX1Lxx9xEUdlJaCF/s1622/Purple%20sandpiper%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1622" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRc-hDKdC9eDE_An3BnVtH0xFxSyRk7MIRuG8wJqFrmVvQ6LkH59xeO4XZCRknwKjMa5SH4vxGcG2sNuV2_Nk-p1NdMUxkXgABz-xR1MQIA-236LGt0FHYb6NVj3Tcn-FAT9R7w_FBhdXRt4q2fEJjcAhXKyRfpLI8gY7ENRvTDIT6pX1Lxx9xEUdlJaCF/w640-h358/Purple%20sandpiper%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a rather large <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Lion's Mane Jellyfish</span></b> in the dock too, we tried to get a pic but without a polarising filter it proved impossible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outside the dock gate was a sandwich board advertising a two hour afternoon whale watching trip...yes! But would we get back to Borealis before she set sail, 'all abourd' time was 15.30. The very helpful young lady behind the desk in the adjacent lodge assured us the skipper knew about our timings and 'promised' we would see whales as there were about 60 in the local fjords. Too good to miss - out came the credit card!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We had a little time to kill so when to find some more onshore wildlife, some snacks for lunch and a mooch around town. All the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Tern</span></b> activity naturally attracted the attention of the local <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Skuas</span></b> and every so often there would be a commotion as a gang of terns mobbed an approaching skua, the nearer the skua got to the nesting area the more terns joined in and the louder the commotion became. But all of a sudden the terns began making a very different agitated call and dozens of them went skywards a hundred or more feet and continuing to rise. We put our bins up and just caught a large falcon streaking away from us beneath them...no terns were mobbing this one, far too risky? We'd just seen the back end of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gyr Falcon</span></b> and later confirmed by a passenger who'd had better views of it going the opposite way back towards the cliffs on the other side of the bay to the ship.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZVOdU7EzQc3tm9akkvc2EZEjMPgYfGct7Sy8AQdpj6-XOuPndlogl5Eptu9WM506mVngimEzYXIJwebh_8I_hQanRjjTyTSFUCHDO4pWKZiJZC43AhQgK6MlB9AtpRdErhty7Xx47yHFjzUrc09fK1Qb3i--_WU0yknH1W7ZQWYah-cmIMt8dTGW2r9C/s2560/Isafjordur%20town.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2560" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZVOdU7EzQc3tm9akkvc2EZEjMPgYfGct7Sy8AQdpj6-XOuPndlogl5Eptu9WM506mVngimEzYXIJwebh_8I_hQanRjjTyTSFUCHDO4pWKZiJZC43AhQgK6MlB9AtpRdErhty7Xx47yHFjzUrc09fK1Qb3i--_WU0yknH1W7ZQWYah-cmIMt8dTGW2r9C/w640-h288/Isafjordur%20town.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One type of bird we'd expected to come across by now was a diver of one species or another, if only we'd looked in this bay as one of the passengers, a young (by cruising standards) birder had a cracking summer plumaged <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Throated Diver</span></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Butties were scoffed by the dock waiting for our ride which duly arrived on time off-loaded a family that looked like they'd been on a camping expedition somewhere up-country, once they were off we were on.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwEZfgBIaLdmkR4moS9nnwP3xQZ02U_FTMzYwnTVyOoH7pUHvF0UWK7KuxOIjtdRdyB48R9VTqrrQ-24hj19j_CTGfhueFdNEhid4MoSeLgu64HcucsEQyOcAgqXMnh6_EFwTwrw5Nn8dwDvNz-pMwOcJOPxqw7dQNKT4tDePpQYRKDgsgq-ZpBStrZQd/s1760/Whale%20watching%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwEZfgBIaLdmkR4moS9nnwP3xQZ02U_FTMzYwnTVyOoH7pUHvF0UWK7KuxOIjtdRdyB48R9VTqrrQ-24hj19j_CTGfhueFdNEhid4MoSeLgu64HcucsEQyOcAgqXMnh6_EFwTwrw5Nn8dwDvNz-pMwOcJOPxqw7dQNKT4tDePpQYRKDgsgq-ZpBStrZQd/w640-h288/Whale%20watching%20boat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And soon out into the fjord leaving Borealis and a Viking cruise liner far behind and where, hopefully, whales awaited us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41QsCZ-ZH-OjlWuStkWVo_UnwuOS55Fp9wCVL-RPWO780aSy-H_kCZ43e7L0SvT6Hh0Uuxly_bPi-bOa8BP73S3islvZS3pZI61sQhTgTQgVA1Pd9vTjwEcaNVomOZJdvCA3SXpLmsoYX2JZjNkCCOp9oOkOtLtENZTMASuTzEI_SXLxqSAljZVx0g8ko/s2184/Ships%20in%20Isafjordur%20harbour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="2184" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41QsCZ-ZH-OjlWuStkWVo_UnwuOS55Fp9wCVL-RPWO780aSy-H_kCZ43e7L0SvT6Hh0Uuxly_bPi-bOa8BP73S3islvZS3pZI61sQhTgTQgVA1Pd9vTjwEcaNVomOZJdvCA3SXpLmsoYX2JZjNkCCOp9oOkOtLtENZTMASuTzEI_SXLxqSAljZVx0g8ko/w640-h232/Ships%20in%20Isafjordur%20harbour.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As you can see this far north there was bits of snow and ice still lingering on the higher more sheltered parts of the hills, hence the blog title a little bit of ice (in Iceland).<br />It wasn't long before our keen eyed skipper spotted a distant whale blow and he put the hammer down to get us in good viewing range 'tout suit'. Wow - could that boat motor!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrHTdMOBqrrmlDUxUOfGUxMtMNEA9jLeCEzUPGSIDN_bcwi-KsknC7DNva-aAJ0moamQiKFBB_TWbLcHs0-aGL1QLJim4FJjbH-Aikt-TpV1Ub24NrNd0Gk2_ZEtygbr6GHQEaloWkOqcgqiXaKcrPVisq0ZPrN83-RXJK8X0AsQZDSjgOq3tenLp68PQ/s1968/Racing%20to%20the%20next%20whales.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1968" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrHTdMOBqrrmlDUxUOfGUxMtMNEA9jLeCEzUPGSIDN_bcwi-KsknC7DNva-aAJ0moamQiKFBB_TWbLcHs0-aGL1QLJim4FJjbH-Aikt-TpV1Ub24NrNd0Gk2_ZEtygbr6GHQEaloWkOqcgqiXaKcrPVisq0ZPrN83-RXJK8X0AsQZDSjgOq3tenLp68PQ/w640-h328/Racing%20to%20the%20next%20whales.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The next hour and a half were spectacular, dreams come true time.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3Q23Dpg_PctqBk1y7C_zUkmyexqGiBMBjqLQe_KFDWQYcIwDvK1s4_JEvPfrqAVfbu0AR07TPXOHMS0VG8GrlXSs_tugn5zxku_ZpjhRSAbN0G_OxsbZd-qrHtDFfvzEi1IT5P-P_Mld4rOHO_7Npvj5hr84nFuENexwuY9hAiJ4MS3osuw3BT6VF_fu/s1674/Humpback%20dive%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1674" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3Q23Dpg_PctqBk1y7C_zUkmyexqGiBMBjqLQe_KFDWQYcIwDvK1s4_JEvPfrqAVfbu0AR07TPXOHMS0VG8GrlXSs_tugn5zxku_ZpjhRSAbN0G_OxsbZd-qrHtDFfvzEi1IT5P-P_Mld4rOHO_7Npvj5hr84nFuENexwuY9hAiJ4MS3osuw3BT6VF_fu/w640-h366/Humpback%20dive%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg20pCXIiI6bROasjfrq_ONv03W8vst6p_n1okTptiEOEMBTKUZqVUZSRFo_dRGPBVUiZ6MUKgh6nJo68Xf1h52CMS-5QR1M5dBQr22F6P-ZsqS7M4b9-Klq99Ui64YX61SDbXjA06mgGjWsIfqlyYwe8TYCZl7o5ngG9_guknL159SOKRManEhzXr_s6o/s1665/Humpback%2016%20and%2017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1665" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg20pCXIiI6bROasjfrq_ONv03W8vst6p_n1okTptiEOEMBTKUZqVUZSRFo_dRGPBVUiZ6MUKgh6nJo68Xf1h52CMS-5QR1M5dBQr22F6P-ZsqS7M4b9-Klq99Ui64YX61SDbXjA06mgGjWsIfqlyYwe8TYCZl7o5ngG9_guknL159SOKRManEhzXr_s6o/w640-h452/Humpback%2016%20and%2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlnY4gKQhgRwstuORWyrfKuA-sphyPjpqBnLpkgrpgAV1fugElGvrphkktv15M9kjuibbS1DBiZ0C3sj95b-pITAEqXaYeZ6be5DXh-nKE-GYD7i4xI33QugMvumCVMtssheDTjxo-vFMIEizs3nVHXh1kYxA-2-pIXc7jYf4MVu8QAJttTBI40s-2L4A/s2060/Humpback%2015%20close%20to%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="2060" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlnY4gKQhgRwstuORWyrfKuA-sphyPjpqBnLpkgrpgAV1fugElGvrphkktv15M9kjuibbS1DBiZ0C3sj95b-pITAEqXaYeZ6be5DXh-nKE-GYD7i4xI33QugMvumCVMtssheDTjxo-vFMIEizs3nVHXh1kYxA-2-pIXc7jYf4MVu8QAJttTBI40s-2L4A/w640-h308/Humpback%2015%20close%20to%20boat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6lL5kxlwwvMMoY8gKNn4Ik93QZpp7qJe-m2SG0_sg1xEpTDYLhuXouvyfDLuFFMuyWc3DdB3tY_78ejybMxIdLEbtU8M844OiO4Ru5gZYbRbeJzOjWKpcNJbxh9hIY1wV6JSYrHnTZfqgZV6qr7LHbx2BIcFoSM705r4cofDYrz-Q769lI8PJR_G1cPt/s1779/Humpback%2015%2016%20and%2017%20a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1779" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6lL5kxlwwvMMoY8gKNn4Ik93QZpp7qJe-m2SG0_sg1xEpTDYLhuXouvyfDLuFFMuyWc3DdB3tY_78ejybMxIdLEbtU8M844OiO4Ru5gZYbRbeJzOjWKpcNJbxh9hIY1wV6JSYrHnTZfqgZV6qr7LHbx2BIcFoSM705r4cofDYrz-Q769lI8PJR_G1cPt/w640-h386/Humpback%2015%2016%20and%2017%20a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0obr8SRZ2jknCtPnr-Xsq0iGJ3pM4_w97DugmLoWf1m12bYhdv0FZP9KZJpwJjjJGxDONF675U1ypOWYYSgx_Rfhv8xF0ozue4rsNq6FLbX83BsskvSWA9NmKpG7pmMj28abnptG8DxCvZ0Wtl2GQj3i_Icp86fzskSWnHWqOWmp0pAfo_s9jYsx9hO7v/s1731/Humpback%2014%20tail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1731" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0obr8SRZ2jknCtPnr-Xsq0iGJ3pM4_w97DugmLoWf1m12bYhdv0FZP9KZJpwJjjJGxDONF675U1ypOWYYSgx_Rfhv8xF0ozue4rsNq6FLbX83BsskvSWA9NmKpG7pmMj28abnptG8DxCvZ0Wtl2GQj3i_Icp86fzskSWnHWqOWmp0pAfo_s9jYsx9hO7v/w640-h384/Humpback%2014%20tail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjyrwSsV1mPBTJzAGG9WL9Dnc4h0FNUx37BOS547c_OVFPCA1FAL02Xp3sIitGLBifMSMwbWgV2EAxKhPs1QSGes7GMba6vlZZMy6EOxalNqxhmogVNHkJYEGEyE329PPe7ND-wea-ne3xxK3nVl2v-pto3EMPzZAd3lsKlGjA_CV2WmKQrCLHFknlTMn/s1194/Humpback%204%20tail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1194" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjyrwSsV1mPBTJzAGG9WL9Dnc4h0FNUx37BOS547c_OVFPCA1FAL02Xp3sIitGLBifMSMwbWgV2EAxKhPs1QSGes7GMba6vlZZMy6EOxalNqxhmogVNHkJYEGEyE329PPe7ND-wea-ne3xxK3nVl2v-pto3EMPzZAd3lsKlGjA_CV2WmKQrCLHFknlTMn/w640-h620/Humpback%204%20tail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKZDXtPPPcR2wA1qqJ-xB1j8OatZj-jujOH6iEmnhYBZHpIY95GItYXUK-Z2EIU705RMm5KOxeZAR6OYdKzZtwVDYdPwKxgru_uyyNOgWg9YCAo4rWf-O8lhHYWr33OXDJCuP_SAFusB61FZhs3LIVu911rT9aFsxPcP7dBoT1cAkONrGkZOpRXrk83Mf/s1208/Humpback%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="1208" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKZDXtPPPcR2wA1qqJ-xB1j8OatZj-jujOH6iEmnhYBZHpIY95GItYXUK-Z2EIU705RMm5KOxeZAR6OYdKzZtwVDYdPwKxgru_uyyNOgWg9YCAo4rWf-O8lhHYWr33OXDJCuP_SAFusB61FZhs3LIVu911rT9aFsxPcP7dBoT1cAkONrGkZOpRXrk83Mf/w640-h584/Humpback%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6BEHSEkKreLIG_88K2_uokWDemni7hgk_vFfxT2DjAVvVmvwux6ONZYKHVSKbFLctckw6L8WTTYfThNWD9VoprLnxX9NFd8L5_YkUPfiTLaGTJVFdThjaqce1Vm8990Exh-IhB77mZcrwS8JnwkkZDQXLxYDljVqLvDMRb-wvXdBcyFwk-sWTAr8344A/s1897/Humpback%202%20close%20to%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1897" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6BEHSEkKreLIG_88K2_uokWDemni7hgk_vFfxT2DjAVvVmvwux6ONZYKHVSKbFLctckw6L8WTTYfThNWD9VoprLnxX9NFd8L5_YkUPfiTLaGTJVFdThjaqce1Vm8990Exh-IhB77mZcrwS8JnwkkZDQXLxYDljVqLvDMRb-wvXdBcyFwk-sWTAr8344A/w640-h370/Humpback%202%20close%20to%20boat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Spectacular and well worth bending the credit card for. We reckon we saw somewhere between 15 and 20 <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whales</span></b> altogether. And all against the spectacular backdrop of Iceland's rugged scenery. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeiNIpcl0Sgvll1-MGkkhJrlZcQj9m9osNPYPUVXAzK0UmxJ7tIBvH0ltTdV78KLCBYwSj0PB9bLp9HCpnNjSwgU6a3vg6jRbyHEQUdBRcGen390YeTOx5-Dusw3hmqaTGPR-97FdlK7YiVOGtxU7pNcgKIb_YQj8fLYCtEqvntgZTCbCuppKefjQjlDT/s1322/Humpback%20fjord%20waterfall%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeiNIpcl0Sgvll1-MGkkhJrlZcQj9m9osNPYPUVXAzK0UmxJ7tIBvH0ltTdV78KLCBYwSj0PB9bLp9HCpnNjSwgU6a3vg6jRbyHEQUdBRcGen390YeTOx5-Dusw3hmqaTGPR-97FdlK7YiVOGtxU7pNcgKIb_YQj8fLYCtEqvntgZTCbCuppKefjQjlDT/w580-h640/Humpback%20fjord%20waterfall%202.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>Not bad for 90 minutes watching, certainly won't see that in any 90 minute watch off Blackpool promenade no matter how hard we try.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also out in the fjord were lots and lots of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> and we certainly tried to get an in-focus snap of one/some and failing miserably. The ones on the water dived before we got close enough and those flying past laden with <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Sand Eels</span></b> were fast so very tricky from a very wobbly small boat - there was quite a bit of swell out there.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-79RNlaiISbsHUiB0g4ZSF5S9nOEKF2Nvwg3Fy4Gb8bDs6MvxP-85zNYWCx0bf6F1TLET-aBaViEJDUeoxLw6f5JPgSJGL5kXHW9fsMhq7H3ZT3a06SR3eF5lLI9WiNi9ZzJ3C4wcxqBzIfYMR3pXZresi_ltEc0SHWXXmHxxPKo7G41wg_KLcNEa0UQy/s1861/Puffins%20in%20flight%20with%20sandeels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1861" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-79RNlaiISbsHUiB0g4ZSF5S9nOEKF2Nvwg3Fy4Gb8bDs6MvxP-85zNYWCx0bf6F1TLET-aBaViEJDUeoxLw6f5JPgSJGL5kXHW9fsMhq7H3ZT3a06SR3eF5lLI9WiNi9ZzJ3C4wcxqBzIfYMR3pXZresi_ltEc0SHWXXmHxxPKo7G41wg_KLcNEa0UQy/w640-h318/Puffins%20in%20flight%20with%20sandeels.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We did get one flying close by but just as the camera was about to lock on to it it changed its mind and locked on to the huge photobombing <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whale</span></b> that surfaced in front of it instead - how annoying...Not.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc41ERTPw8M36IgICMlESw-WReuBHQDBm4_6kdLf717y1sSfjy0VIA88hQk3EufolK_oRwwrzZdvYzfV0XdWG7RJC1lY3EkoX9FHnxDwLifwziI1auLo5VcYFOgh7MqC253cZBwzfqacDJwuiXK-PW5o0g7X705s7CnZ2gcWEmf3eO-Ai6GhcoKShzR845/s1650/Puffin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1650" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc41ERTPw8M36IgICMlESw-WReuBHQDBm4_6kdLf717y1sSfjy0VIA88hQk3EufolK_oRwwrzZdvYzfV0XdWG7RJC1lY3EkoX9FHnxDwLifwziI1auLo5VcYFOgh7MqC253cZBwzfqacDJwuiXK-PW5o0g7X705s7CnZ2gcWEmf3eO-Ai6GhcoKShzR845/w640-h376/Puffin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just in case you'd fogotten what <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins </span></b>look like when they're close and properly focused here's a lovely pic by passenger Karen Burns taken on a sightseeing boat down a different fjord.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yxxgwiVew3_2RueoTI5dTuhP0EKZY5ANTNB2w5zGXRwgUzqGgzR6tv85FmwOt4m45WMIB45fUcGD_Um_kPPM3YDoBym_1z_nunG3M3THjknM7sCdtrCxmyXrbM_P31KXrS7NmaF7OgdgUreWsNfZ2xBABhT4S7jQEUyPqscDGd4dCP4jzAuOBnZBiuNx/s2024/Puffins%20by%20Karen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="2024" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yxxgwiVew3_2RueoTI5dTuhP0EKZY5ANTNB2w5zGXRwgUzqGgzR6tv85FmwOt4m45WMIB45fUcGD_Um_kPPM3YDoBym_1z_nunG3M3THjknM7sCdtrCxmyXrbM_P31KXrS7NmaF7OgdgUreWsNfZ2xBABhT4S7jQEUyPqscDGd4dCP4jzAuOBnZBiuNx/w640-h334/Puffins%20by%20Karen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">What a fantabulous boaty ride and as guaranteed we were back aboard Borealis just in time for afternoon tea and a very welcome cuppa.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the crew pulled up the anchor and we started to move away from the dock IH noticed that the moon was in a very photogenic postion against the cliff opposite.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHX0QJGA49lkA6BqRYq5SQzsl0tu31yB4FM7jcayGzNcsA3mVo2EihdXq-nydWEvbGhv_TkkVXjTnb5MOb7gsrSYvBNF-_ogh7g6SkyrZ73gr6F-JeEAZMQLcOZSXYBNl3mDCAjFHgR_Jskc97ZP-8ZzfTaD5PKZ6VHz-q9bRtmxaTjGHx-bFQDOTlGo0/s1575/Moon%20over%20cliffs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1575" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHX0QJGA49lkA6BqRYq5SQzsl0tu31yB4FM7jcayGzNcsA3mVo2EihdXq-nydWEvbGhv_TkkVXjTnb5MOb7gsrSYvBNF-_ogh7g6SkyrZ73gr6F-JeEAZMQLcOZSXYBNl3mDCAjFHgR_Jskc97ZP-8ZzfTaD5PKZ6VHz-q9bRtmxaTjGHx-bFQDOTlGo0/w640-h404/Moon%20over%20cliffs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Viking ship left minutes before us and they should have got fantastic views of a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b> just off their port bow just a bit too far ahead of us for decent pics. There was plenty of other whakle acticvity too with a couple of big breaches from <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humback Whales</span></b> but unfortunately very distant.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmCRq_qBXtWxv65B_nHNNDhmaEV34d_5ylDpGpedIAu8lroIbqFAvTeWcM_lnmMxC6jGchMv3C1aQyxZrbAMoYZmW1gsoLvVvWqKgInocOzuZWM8Vryb_YHHvGCfn7EZf6AUYsfjoIMMMANCThPJlfbqWR0PSapiyvAQNI5whytQnoV1Wu1fU04NGqLpD/s1760/Race%20with%20Viking%20cruise%20ship.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmCRq_qBXtWxv65B_nHNNDhmaEV34d_5ylDpGpedIAu8lroIbqFAvTeWcM_lnmMxC6jGchMv3C1aQyxZrbAMoYZmW1gsoLvVvWqKgInocOzuZWM8Vryb_YHHvGCfn7EZf6AUYsfjoIMMMANCThPJlfbqWR0PSapiyvAQNI5whytQnoV1Wu1fU04NGqLpD/w640-h288/Race%20with%20Viking%20cruise%20ship.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Before we'd got to the mouth of the fjord AB picked up a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Phalarope</span></b> fairly close to the boat and a guest reported a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whale</span></b> that we'd all missed. Once out of the fjord the Viking boat went north along the coast and we headed south west into the open ocean. Close to the coast there were a few more auks including <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Brunnich's Guillemots</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbills</span></b>, we missed both...grrr - we would have liked pics of them for our Photo Challenge as we would have of the several small parties of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Auks</span></b> too.! Further offshore shearwaters came back into play with plenty of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Shearwaters</span></b>, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cory's Shearwaters</span></b>, another speciers we failed to get a pic of, and four <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sooty Shearwaters</span></b> but, maybe strangely considering how many we'd seen so far during the voyage, no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Sheatwaters</span></b>. All too soon it was sunset and the last chance to find a whale blow'<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimckyDAMpVcAFi6rF4S8jLvnNeje1B-6639BlQW6LXN0ES0iE9jR84geQYcdG9IBI09S3gIK_sjCASyfeJ84BUcl7hZ6lgiJGHXDMah2ALruT0WEKq1gj40Y81FtQsW9r0Bb8ulR92rl7oQwDwKYQhzqwBCKH3EPkmpg2hNmBeKs3_j9zZWJ28BpK_AXA/s1760/Sunset%20and%20last%20chance%20to%20spot%20whales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1760" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimckyDAMpVcAFi6rF4S8jLvnNeje1B-6639BlQW6LXN0ES0iE9jR84geQYcdG9IBI09S3gIK_sjCASyfeJ84BUcl7hZ6lgiJGHXDMah2ALruT0WEKq1gj40Y81FtQsW9r0Bb8ulR92rl7oQwDwKYQhzqwBCKH3EPkmpg2hNmBeKs3_j9zZWJ28BpK_AXA/w640-h264/Sunset%20and%20last%20chance%20to%20spot%20whales.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeu2Mk9Y311f_loBCkAk7M01XliTi_LPfuK3fzA7vVqjhBqBAs46gZUT4gOK3sEqCuGDJGbajt800DLxrx1QUlMSQ_3vXQA6gMKNK49Vd2WBEMBWyUnFgk7tk33BelLtPNyNBsyWfo3oY2zePYpoZi6aaUCFbFcGdZQvFWyaoOH0_ZKDzlUs_TZ_XsbO-/s1210/Sun%20down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="619" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeu2Mk9Y311f_loBCkAk7M01XliTi_LPfuK3fzA7vVqjhBqBAs46gZUT4gOK3sEqCuGDJGbajt800DLxrx1QUlMSQ_3vXQA6gMKNK49Vd2WBEMBWyUnFgk7tk33BelLtPNyNBsyWfo3oY2zePYpoZi6aaUCFbFcGdZQvFWyaoOH0_ZKDzlUs_TZ_XsbO-/w328-h640/Sun%20down.jpg" width="328" /></a></div>The following day was cooler with some cloud and a sea state 4, lots of white horses making spotting dolphin splashes difficult to see and the wind moving whale blows around making them difficult to discern as from which species they came. It was a long slow day that improved as the afternoon turned to evening, although guests had reported both dolphins (probably <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">White Beaked Dolphins</span></b>) and a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whale</span></b> before breakfast. Our notebook says we had a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whale</span></b> at lunchtime and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sperm Whales</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b> blows after dinner. Birdwise it was shearwaters again. The Big Four had been reduced to a Big Two as there were far fewer <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> and only a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> seen all day. We spotted a distatnt petrel which can only have been a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Leach's Petrel</span></b> up this way. IH found a flock of 'probable' <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Grey Phalaropes</span></b> and AB saw a juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sabine's Gull</span></b>. A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Dunlin</span></b> called as it flew round the ship a couple of times without landing and a flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plovers</span></b> went past us early in the morning. Another lost <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gull</span></b> was also seen. Once again the day belonged to the shearwaters and now we were a bit further south <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Shearwaters</span></b> were by far the most numerous.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDM6-U5cGZy4AyxHPyx3RXgvedH1x-djpvYsg76rVXSkgx2cdxOILCdatZ4bFe442RoK0vgtbWPjXuQiRZhlNImwL9W1BAsmFAjWbISLrc3ilrK0mh1lBkjTBYZTx4uBPjUxMyCw34JJhoFt_-NrE_cNxuG18xZSl636yLb8Kz9Lv74jN5x7reKdfrh4R/s1296/Great%20shearwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1296" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDM6-U5cGZy4AyxHPyx3RXgvedH1x-djpvYsg76rVXSkgx2cdxOILCdatZ4bFe442RoK0vgtbWPjXuQiRZhlNImwL9W1BAsmFAjWbISLrc3ilrK0mh1lBkjTBYZTx4uBPjUxMyCw34JJhoFt_-NrE_cNxuG18xZSl636yLb8Kz9Lv74jN5x7reKdfrh4R/w640-h418/Great%20shearwater.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>With a supporting cast of fewer than 10 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cory's Shearwaters</span></b>, several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Shearwaters</span></b> including a weird pale one that might have been a leucistic individual, a trick of the light or something else altogether and a single <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sooty Shearwater</span></b>. The only other bird of note was an <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Skua</span></b> giving one of the many <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes</span></b> a whole load of grief right above the ship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The best thing of the day was saved until last though and was something we'd never even heard of before. Once it had got too dark and too cold to stay on deck our entourage of enthusiatic wildlife spotting guests had ebbed away it was time for a well earned pint in our regular music bar. Only tonight we found someone else was sitting in our favourite seats - I mean how very dare they!!! That meant we were 'forced' to sit elsewhere and this time with the band out of sight round the corner we sat facing the windows and as the sun set AB said "Did you see that?"; "The Green Flash", and he didin't mean the iconic tennis shoes from yesteryear. We saw it too just as the last millimetre of sun was above the horizon the orange glow turned to green and then was gone. Apparently it's a refractive trick of the atmosphere and the air has to be incredibly clean which is probably why it's rarely seen from land where there is dust, smog, smoke etc <br />We awoke the following morning to calmer seas, blue skies and the greenland coast.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmz8oP2vF_xRPqk9RNn_L8PncrlIwaIAn8PBoMW7O0uCVYpmmL1nJ9TthCUDEHky0OySNNYEuI6SAL3M76DT6QOXVtuM_o2lpJTbnPrbfHFa0Bpf8p_GM0YInOiqm2ehNZJc5V7YXNZNzp0ynRP1BmzB9iQjedF1Kn9tPlURkFS-7P77U9EDv1eidAXSv/s1683/Greenland%20coast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1683" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmz8oP2vF_xRPqk9RNn_L8PncrlIwaIAn8PBoMW7O0uCVYpmmL1nJ9TthCUDEHky0OySNNYEuI6SAL3M76DT6QOXVtuM_o2lpJTbnPrbfHFa0Bpf8p_GM0YInOiqm2ehNZJc5V7YXNZNzp0ynRP1BmzB9iQjedF1Kn9tPlURkFS-7P77U9EDv1eidAXSv/w640-h300/Greenland%20coast.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not very green and a lot more snow and ice than Iceland despite being only slightly further north than the northern tip of the Shetland Iseles at this point. We alsways thought that there was an outside chance we'd get to Iceland after all it's a fairly popular destination, not too distant and several friends have been and told us how good it is if a tad on the very expensive side, but Greenland - no; never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd ever get to Greenland and yet here we were not far off the coast and sailing right towards it. Not only that but we had our first ever iceberg, a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whale</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whale</span></b> blows and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Leach's Petrel</span></b> all before breakfast - what else would the day hold?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYVTMOavSqMNnbrNTywjpQj_3gqLfP9QcCeoX32jue2KesB8htMbFhvbde6N-brb5PDtypeUa8CFKlTe3t7162KnW9uAAUwh1POQeRemx_64jsWXYsp1Jg86yA7gdd9CEK7AiaT7SGsZdRoHJ8i8awVu4yfxwzWq0VhHNHgitFr2LPWkvddB9Yf4mZIrt/s1959/1st%20Iceberg%20and%20Greenland%20coast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1959" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYVTMOavSqMNnbrNTywjpQj_3gqLfP9QcCeoX32jue2KesB8htMbFhvbde6N-brb5PDtypeUa8CFKlTe3t7162KnW9uAAUwh1POQeRemx_64jsWXYsp1Jg86yA7gdd9CEK7AiaT7SGsZdRoHJ8i8awVu4yfxwzWq0VhHNHgitFr2LPWkvddB9Yf4mZIrt/w640-h326/1st%20Iceberg%20and%20Greenland%20coast.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnk4dS4H6rW45qq_C5whMpD0642u37dlNnvmt_KdQMav1K_KTOTRwA1bIHrKyc0bDUU2Xu3dRCz1RDMP3d8mmh8Bv6gcxKxqYFu3zaiHtmR1NrWCBxE98OWwqL5CByESNRwgJtO-K6o6wd9Q_CmF_e2hx200ZcM2hpy_iyxYD3kZ_Ewj6WXdQxdNRq_re/s1217/1st%20Iceberg%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="1217" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnk4dS4H6rW45qq_C5whMpD0642u37dlNnvmt_KdQMav1K_KTOTRwA1bIHrKyc0bDUU2Xu3dRCz1RDMP3d8mmh8Bv6gcxKxqYFu3zaiHtmR1NrWCBxE98OWwqL5CByESNRwgJtO-K6o6wd9Q_CmF_e2hx200ZcM2hpy_iyxYD3kZ_Ewj6WXdQxdNRq_re/w640-h334/1st%20Iceberg%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>More big icebergs was the answer.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU7iV_jAbvKfLEjV1IXTIx6G7Ow9DIlvEdycVbrXUKnft45HCtXMLva0ODBXXN0M0H77kwXb6I6RR3ybikFmmUMmlQ5W8lQrv8JCji-T440QqgwYR5A4ZpmKkEtxv7yRgkKkHbcbz5MyziW988_ZaKpseCCDC7Zjt_6u2o5w1PUhoup5pUpWzoOV_7CtV/s1759/Iceberg%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1759" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU7iV_jAbvKfLEjV1IXTIx6G7Ow9DIlvEdycVbrXUKnft45HCtXMLva0ODBXXN0M0H77kwXb6I6RR3ybikFmmUMmlQ5W8lQrv8JCji-T440QqgwYR5A4ZpmKkEtxv7yRgkKkHbcbz5MyziW988_ZaKpseCCDC7Zjt_6u2o5w1PUhoup5pUpWzoOV_7CtV/w640-h358/Iceberg%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixevwuZojKz93sgNbhksRNkhQnO5JeMybiBiF8-X93J7HUOBgP0qnOWj6uva3IlRk8TuZoZR1TU3wbU3-UPadRUvBauEtxWAYGNU9-U51pWWkbkRiOTHBxw9fpKplUDB-RG7xkH8ngV-gmSS7fEaHDy_Q9qZwBef7vzHZdE-aURQhl5oQcXhZzwiRUq7iR/s1777/Iceberg%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1777" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixevwuZojKz93sgNbhksRNkhQnO5JeMybiBiF8-X93J7HUOBgP0qnOWj6uva3IlRk8TuZoZR1TU3wbU3-UPadRUvBauEtxWAYGNU9-U51pWWkbkRiOTHBxw9fpKplUDB-RG7xkH8ngV-gmSS7fEaHDy_Q9qZwBef7vzHZdE-aURQhl5oQcXhZzwiRUq7iR/w640-h382/Iceberg%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRL6TsWWnuyB6H8pRDdinsjgSDYKnZivR9vCvVlFrPEDak2ksF8KGp2gWLAjQS_058x_0Gu6hzMUX6QQ2V0w28B14gyFwH7ud6Na0EZFK3LMpby7qVZswUan3EjnywFw6yrrkKRJbu-wLr72D3BbPALghVNkO1DK3mDcQekO5w9-A0jK6W3xKFQuf4oYL/s1881/2nd%20Iceberg%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1881" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRL6TsWWnuyB6H8pRDdinsjgSDYKnZivR9vCvVlFrPEDak2ksF8KGp2gWLAjQS_058x_0Gu6hzMUX6QQ2V0w28B14gyFwH7ud6Na0EZFK3LMpby7qVZswUan3EjnywFw6yrrkKRJbu-wLr72D3BbPALghVNkO1DK3mDcQekO5w9-A0jK6W3xKFQuf4oYL/w640-h312/2nd%20Iceberg%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Well what do you expect - it is Greenland and sort of famed for its ice after all.<br />At sea the Big Four was still only the Big Two with only one <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffin</span></b> and no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> seen but plenty of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Guillemots</span></b> close to the coast.<br />Then it was into Prince Christian Sound we went...oh wow...more scenery than you could shake a sweaty stick at<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzO2DkiXlX-T7GhNQXUprs2V_iwprJ-giSixdccySJyaoAz3NzckjmxfzLFA-gfxSK3fAlRqCbnX91w1NjKLKTxhu2bSjXGTGEfXzY0rPNujPJvMEknFxSto3B2J0QiQASj1cBogeROJ2i3ZJsCE3sNOIwZuWc5KcCFpqm57XSK5Xjfos5Hp2fvLGpqar/s1800/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzO2DkiXlX-T7GhNQXUprs2V_iwprJ-giSixdccySJyaoAz3NzckjmxfzLFA-gfxSK3fAlRqCbnX91w1NjKLKTxhu2bSjXGTGEfXzY0rPNujPJvMEknFxSto3B2J0QiQASj1cBogeROJ2i3ZJsCE3sNOIwZuWc5KcCFpqm57XSK5Xjfos5Hp2fvLGpqar/w640-h426/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the sound we had <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Iceland</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous Gull, Great Black Backed Gulls</span></b> and shed loads of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSdZMb_QZ559xZ4f9RGhcbauBfNs5c9_H0uGF9dR0sZ6nIR5jynqL-FInAEk2vah5b5sLlBrPgq21BPNG-roTsH9bAjG39R8x1uGrTn65xFLIK6mmT9_cvgihzrG4QLM1VzlC4x-_StBAdxJP05PYUuumaWWjpxep5WS-fZBxe94hZU7URHXPGU259W_S/s2172/Kittiwakes%20on%20iceberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="2172" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSdZMb_QZ559xZ4f9RGhcbauBfNs5c9_H0uGF9dR0sZ6nIR5jynqL-FInAEk2vah5b5sLlBrPgq21BPNG-roTsH9bAjG39R8x1uGrTn65xFLIK6mmT9_cvgihzrG4QLM1VzlC4x-_StBAdxJP05PYUuumaWWjpxep5WS-fZBxe94hZU7URHXPGU259W_S/w640-h426/Kittiwakes%20on%20iceberg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-NOdgnTDHaHKa-YVwoB7pyBjuQYWwks0mxR9xxXChAvgrCfpplOW7lH07QpCWhHDIMwGSifqu7XdqPLY4Az9ftH86ne6Dr67mjdULwrkX-hoKMmfF7L3KIRt43K8xIiDOyks9ulKGdK1iZGsvyULFH_TEoIhehkEjJqIkC-q0Rq5wy2n3SvKcfVQkENH/s1965/GBBG%20and%20Iceland%20gulls%20on%20ice%20floe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1965" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-NOdgnTDHaHKa-YVwoB7pyBjuQYWwks0mxR9xxXChAvgrCfpplOW7lH07QpCWhHDIMwGSifqu7XdqPLY4Az9ftH86ne6Dr67mjdULwrkX-hoKMmfF7L3KIRt43K8xIiDOyks9ulKGdK1iZGsvyULFH_TEoIhehkEjJqIkC-q0Rq5wy2n3SvKcfVQkENH/w640-h384/GBBG%20and%20Iceland%20gulls%20on%20ice%20floe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>But really it was the scenery that took centre stage. Glaciers, glimpses of the icecap, intusive volcanic dykes and other rock formations, waterfalls; the Sound had it all, a veritable geographers and geologists paradise...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIZ7DX-DzWBH0yaGAfJvieWT0pu36KWQGDR_IYvtlLqZphUlUoNmsUVofxHhgSxeSM1q05617T8vAzy2NohL449isCML0xIGKPdzGEMK-C5AI3gJk8rr34AAgpw0z41o02NM6oLeVN5irmxaV8tUh9wBYrq5ntkqWlmlnWQd6WVEqQj13T2-s9QGgCNyU/s1800/Very%20high%20waterfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIZ7DX-DzWBH0yaGAfJvieWT0pu36KWQGDR_IYvtlLqZphUlUoNmsUVofxHhgSxeSM1q05617T8vAzy2NohL449isCML0xIGKPdzGEMK-C5AI3gJk8rr34AAgpw0z41o02NM6oLeVN5irmxaV8tUh9wBYrq5ntkqWlmlnWQd6WVEqQj13T2-s9QGgCNyU/w426-h640/Very%20high%20waterfall.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAzNjZjgimcQzYoTOqZkD3vDYHy4IpOB_sO2vACsbSTIphM6xisyldM6-XLvRJ1-a6nlS7ZUKGZ5JGUfBCk73-U8vs-_YkAIR9YrFboc5gFkxUdRgi4MoS3fHPawCnhUo8O98fpoIgdDxHSCRqvRfrjeLH5Fyuya00uWQCe7Z6IoqWdSAXyy5DBqHLJkF/s1800/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20rock%20strata.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAzNjZjgimcQzYoTOqZkD3vDYHy4IpOB_sO2vACsbSTIphM6xisyldM6-XLvRJ1-a6nlS7ZUKGZ5JGUfBCk73-U8vs-_YkAIR9YrFboc5gFkxUdRgi4MoS3fHPawCnhUo8O98fpoIgdDxHSCRqvRfrjeLH5Fyuya00uWQCe7Z6IoqWdSAXyy5DBqHLJkF/w640-h426/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20rock%20strata.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlhAXmJxY2GesGt0BzyZHUP66a_NceDdpNTpXJu_84sfipXYKxwyDpE8SUmsjOQS9DLuRbgbvtJ7fUSAFQBC8UCwwnc1QwoneQxbIAQKl8LzqRU5inqKD518wkUBmRoniG5xGCE1Ys1ZYlHq2fAMCgBr6XxpzKYGLcn5BbTf1x4jGBYE3_amSSy4vxH_G/s1760/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20glacier%203%20phone%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlhAXmJxY2GesGt0BzyZHUP66a_NceDdpNTpXJu_84sfipXYKxwyDpE8SUmsjOQS9DLuRbgbvtJ7fUSAFQBC8UCwwnc1QwoneQxbIAQKl8LzqRU5inqKD518wkUBmRoniG5xGCE1Ys1ZYlHq2fAMCgBr6XxpzKYGLcn5BbTf1x4jGBYE3_amSSy4vxH_G/w640-h288/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20glacier%203%20phone%20pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzGN0G9nGoj29KMd_MgqFmvHpczauOEts-U0UDITTJBEatOn21HqDn3R-SngrG1N1L0pv5fa_y5mNo2xYicNtNHSI5-vJ1943WJHyAc9GJzqmnutG_Ec3rhrU0exy4PQwY3aCmVkJzjHIvVBO_ThXb6taR9lvf1zGdpT7qGBMmnUlqIC5Nltq80ngYJh2/s1760/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20glacier%202%20phone%20pic%20close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzGN0G9nGoj29KMd_MgqFmvHpczauOEts-U0UDITTJBEatOn21HqDn3R-SngrG1N1L0pv5fa_y5mNo2xYicNtNHSI5-vJ1943WJHyAc9GJzqmnutG_Ec3rhrU0exy4PQwY3aCmVkJzjHIvVBO_ThXb6taR9lvf1zGdpT7qGBMmnUlqIC5Nltq80ngYJh2/w640-h288/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20glacier%202%20phone%20pic%20close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2160" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin48o92gKa2RWwJ_FwbbHIO_yIAqJpPDhEGVUhPQxpMae8JYANs39RbhtA1CW_nyvDlfrywEwL7sJ1Z-UWsZ3gdzk9p0zm2BVXdYbIGuma2mwHUoVUOlr4LuBglHVlo5v_dank_f5fHbQNVIEH3qn1GbvTljv2DBj-rB6iZWYc1UDmKvpRPxX55Sd6ApO1/w640-h426/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%20dyke%20and%20waterfall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEwQfj_6jDx5v-k_dquNANOQ1mHd0g-eeCuOMjZOjYIilf72ZtiusB-t4Lu_WhfcdcxvzXxR5Cee7nlVNLmmN1w3hm-KVTPKtlOtjEifJtDSgZALmG_Kn3cYO7wLleSPb9qb3mlKBGrV_ZC7UC00vQH7cPHdZb012ajDy3e3TquZIdvvdM3OiKo45762i/s1760/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%205%20phone%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEwQfj_6jDx5v-k_dquNANOQ1mHd0g-eeCuOMjZOjYIilf72ZtiusB-t4Lu_WhfcdcxvzXxR5Cee7nlVNLmmN1w3hm-KVTPKtlOtjEifJtDSgZALmG_Kn3cYO7wLleSPb9qb3mlKBGrV_ZC7UC00vQH7cPHdZb012ajDy3e3TquZIdvvdM3OiKo45762i/w640-h288/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%205%20phone%20pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi978gKnJ91U_jFC6AksmtM6fGGE4ngUxYULNVexPzwyQb-oaCtKWvO3TPTzI-pEp6Y-LG0Y8JA0poE2DyhNRWUXAK-BJx64vLdxXeQvFJzjY0vhYKAow64JitRmZb91tF3nPoOC1hLIUh1Eg6Y55isLofVan2nQOKY-VTZ28vduQvW8IICDueSAfTpTjrJ/s1423/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%204%20phone%20pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="698" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi978gKnJ91U_jFC6AksmtM6fGGE4ngUxYULNVexPzwyQb-oaCtKWvO3TPTzI-pEp6Y-LG0Y8JA0poE2DyhNRWUXAK-BJx64vLdxXeQvFJzjY0vhYKAow64JitRmZb91tF3nPoOC1hLIUh1Eg6Y55isLofVan2nQOKY-VTZ28vduQvW8IICDueSAfTpTjrJ/w314-h640/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%204%20phone%20pic.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNltBG-SRSJq5nkjAp8fDyV9h6nKhWE-G0XuZlxeyCr7LXd6wckCqNV3InFm2S5fCWc5Q_tnAJTw14_laTTcIaeKjDKuaCcngdsidYHpe_QlVA-E81XLAjwgwDu5j4EHBTO2GM75XuPgRstPmgW5uC4ENcajvf3yPyqSVcywzqcVkvhKGX4Ps7hAvCJxQ8/s1980/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNltBG-SRSJq5nkjAp8fDyV9h6nKhWE-G0XuZlxeyCr7LXd6wckCqNV3InFm2S5fCWc5Q_tnAJTw14_laTTcIaeKjDKuaCcngdsidYHpe_QlVA-E81XLAjwgwDu5j4EHBTO2GM75XuPgRstPmgW5uC4ENcajvf3yPyqSVcywzqcVkvhKGX4Ps7hAvCJxQ8/w640-h426/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKZvYwaXLGRGunkj8sZtNku3JaeVgXa7og2L6OTFIIyJt8fvHdDL-shTqipJX3SMVOOkUDJo9X8V228yXAZwCgCvsYSjBMNWDgD-CX3BNp2krlvMXvTJt0ri5cQ87t5qkV0tXiYANSlrgn8yZKEQoVj5zp4XlPXPhrDXFZWEx8vyP-qpt11WuEMlksCzN/s1784/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1784" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKZvYwaXLGRGunkj8sZtNku3JaeVgXa7og2L6OTFIIyJt8fvHdDL-shTqipJX3SMVOOkUDJo9X8V228yXAZwCgCvsYSjBMNWDgD-CX3BNp2krlvMXvTJt0ri5cQ87t5qkV0tXiYANSlrgn8yZKEQoVj5zp4XlPXPhrDXFZWEx8vyP-qpt11WuEMlksCzN/w640-h364/Prince%20Christian%20Sound%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>and icebergs that looked like swans.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxy49yYXgmCgRINJ3_WRH0-VzxJxTGdliry2RLEUHXlwlorfN0RKZCBHgUWjLFBh7wZSmAAxgebJZJBUsxFurZftqwh_hDgZ5qStU8OThi8hxA_ZiXMW4ie-nl2J8t9SC1efkVzocRU14dDnK7sb5nvuAYeSBM2cEVYtml5klIPvFCJgH3urrW0jzvlTti/s1860/Iceberg%20that%20looks%20like%20a%20swan%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1860" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxy49yYXgmCgRINJ3_WRH0-VzxJxTGdliry2RLEUHXlwlorfN0RKZCBHgUWjLFBh7wZSmAAxgebJZJBUsxFurZftqwh_hDgZ5qStU8OThi8hxA_ZiXMW4ie-nl2J8t9SC1efkVzocRU14dDnK7sb5nvuAYeSBM2cEVYtml5klIPvFCJgH3urrW0jzvlTti/w640-h374/Iceberg%20that%20looks%20like%20a%20swan%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>All this spectacularness was broughth right down to earth when we sailed past this perfectly formed glacial U-shaped valley staright out of a school geography text book.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqn3WDnigVYwA654qUScC3h4Q6WSJ6edZTrqx4jexSmy4hVBDb-TAAFw-jA-fQIpYVXvatT0vDE6cIc0SOZ0gmtxQc2BfD1iOVFGqJNHtIYLni6A77gStWnzhxykEh0_wYeCxy5c3y_uBeu7MtOGX-6jSeTNM05Gc3Q5jTjEc9eHpA64KlQWhf4yZETGM/s1980/Former%20glacier%205ya%20now%20empty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1980" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqn3WDnigVYwA654qUScC3h4Q6WSJ6edZTrqx4jexSmy4hVBDb-TAAFw-jA-fQIpYVXvatT0vDE6cIc0SOZ0gmtxQc2BfD1iOVFGqJNHtIYLni6A77gStWnzhxykEh0_wYeCxy5c3y_uBeu7MtOGX-6jSeTNM05Gc3Q5jTjEc9eHpA64KlQWhf4yZETGM/w640-h426/Former%20glacier%205ya%20now%20empty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>One of the passengers, a keen geologist, had been through here five years ago and this valley was then filled with a glacier, as you can see there's nowt left of it and a significant sign that all is not well with our planet.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whilst in the sound we got a brief view of a couple of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seals</span></b> and hoped for the iconic sighting and subsequent photo of one hauled out on an icefloe. It would have happened but when the passengers saw it from the bow of the ship we were otherwise engaged at the stern helping our OWE colleagues give a binocular and telescopes workshop. We did however see the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagles</span></b> that flew over.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-gbywQZQLyTeqq-VwYrOE9ixHk6d9e0sQA3uehpigvY54sFfiCQESrTn4_dvn6vz4PeBD3JvSQpDCMFhAnC-5JgihzSWyZeHGZZSGPV9p9Jret4pmklQ1xW9nVCfL__WptdpRQw6QK9bhKjelLZigZVZExIwDve9RyzStr5v8EH_sd3d2QFwwhjP0_eJ/s1483/Distant%20white%20tailed%20eagle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1483" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-gbywQZQLyTeqq-VwYrOE9ixHk6d9e0sQA3uehpigvY54sFfiCQESrTn4_dvn6vz4PeBD3JvSQpDCMFhAnC-5JgihzSWyZeHGZZSGPV9p9Jret4pmklQ1xW9nVCfL__WptdpRQw6QK9bhKjelLZigZVZExIwDve9RyzStr5v8EH_sd3d2QFwwhjP0_eJ/w640-h336/Distant%20white%20tailed%20eagle.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCEPrqZ9s9SVaBlc_IMasa8YdFT1ruuv70DLoA9_Oxy0k1zxh7pmJp1OMk00RW65SUEMjTBbbC-sk0WEaGn3tniktz_8daiLpoZl2lAhQVq9j1b8gK-r8TGDSJJTgPXdECPrO1BmAg-z6V7zaByHWpOLwrF6SbPTMMFMrTn3LD1-apKllSbYZcjhHhB2Y/s2032/White%20tailed%20eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2032" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCEPrqZ9s9SVaBlc_IMasa8YdFT1ruuv70DLoA9_Oxy0k1zxh7pmJp1OMk00RW65SUEMjTBbbC-sk0WEaGn3tniktz_8daiLpoZl2lAhQVq9j1b8gK-r8TGDSJJTgPXdECPrO1BmAg-z6V7zaByHWpOLwrF6SbPTMMFMrTn3LD1-apKllSbYZcjhHhB2Y/w640-h382/White%20tailed%20eagle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The only negative we could find to say about Greenland so far is that it wasn't very green.<br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Leaving the sound we sailed north and had a slight change of plan, we would be visiting the furthest north of the ports first rather than last. So up to Nanortalik we headed arriving overnight.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">No town in Greenland is of any real size and Nanortalik is one of their bigger places but still only manages a population in the high hundreds. The port area was small and it was a tender ride from the ship to the dock. It had the feel of a frontier town about it once we'd got ashore. We wanted to see some <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Snow Buntings</span></b> so followed the calls we heard through and industrial estate until we found them up on a bluff by a comms tower.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbMKB4xD6UY8y7CWCMJfNguNy7J12p_wW3fCdik16JpJtlHlu54PvNx_ckRFiq6EvGD9gNirZUUTChheG_yxF_-8RQQWYCdus_Q3aWnw0fPJ4NL5q6-aiDT_WxnvMECQEWxsvyhXKD17gfg6oqKUrIj2oCc2C384Hl2wbOjmBDFk1UsP1mCuCeDRAJEhM/s1756/Borealis%20at%20anchor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1756" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbMKB4xD6UY8y7CWCMJfNguNy7J12p_wW3fCdik16JpJtlHlu54PvNx_ckRFiq6EvGD9gNirZUUTChheG_yxF_-8RQQWYCdus_Q3aWnw0fPJ4NL5q6-aiDT_WxnvMECQEWxsvyhXKD17gfg6oqKUrIj2oCc2C384Hl2wbOjmBDFk1UsP1mCuCeDRAJEhM/w640-h354/Borealis%20at%20anchor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On the way we passed some familiar looking orchids but a new species for us, <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Northern Green Orchid</span></b>. Similar in form to our marsh and <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Common Spotted Orchids</span></b> but differing in having green flowers rather than the purple of ours.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DM8vcemoldaFRRQpuG8e9CQvNorO-AScqOQFwFGcr9j46dMpZiOSvyFhgGWHRP84_vxQ_Ke72qYjwGZzlI-5ozePhyfKJDicp1yxOzvzcNJH6-6_0JB_Tnq0jjxzMs-ooL9iet4j5PSX7d1S5fGvxzbqQutbK0OwYmoZMwF6LiI83S-bfOk2kfdYcbKJ/s1500/Northern%20Green%20Orchid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DM8vcemoldaFRRQpuG8e9CQvNorO-AScqOQFwFGcr9j46dMpZiOSvyFhgGWHRP84_vxQ_Ke72qYjwGZzlI-5ozePhyfKJDicp1yxOzvzcNJH6-6_0JB_Tnq0jjxzMs-ooL9iet4j5PSX7d1S5fGvxzbqQutbK0OwYmoZMwF6LiI83S-bfOk2kfdYcbKJ/w426-h640/Northern%20Green%20Orchid.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A spalsh of blue was provided by <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Arctic Harebells</span></b> and there was a new species of willowherb for us too, <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Arctic Fireweed</span></b> whose pinky flowers were all over the shop.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiR17pDL2fEP8PeDIhU-8IdGiIJaJk2CdCuroNU2oTcklGDsr5_uGP5yu0UtUuzTBS22-6q1T4TvdYG2HxX_yeLv8EIjr08z3WqXciGs0iRcAKFI-WjLdcbLVNfzWhwIleTVB0BJHEF1YpJcm8oOlfBGVx4yAR4G6slpo_dRtkG5-Bntq6aglXVlaC1oR/s2077/Arctic%20Harebells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="2077" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiR17pDL2fEP8PeDIhU-8IdGiIJaJk2CdCuroNU2oTcklGDsr5_uGP5yu0UtUuzTBS22-6q1T4TvdYG2HxX_yeLv8EIjr08z3WqXciGs0iRcAKFI-WjLdcbLVNfzWhwIleTVB0BJHEF1YpJcm8oOlfBGVx4yAR4G6slpo_dRtkG5-Bntq6aglXVlaC1oR/w640-h484/Arctic%20Harebells.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYx7jn8cNxcTilbk0ma94rYNuhJgc8KlRkU7CpBzGhzndexJtifCGhiQ1EsbXVlmBYSrb7Y3W-fkdtGs53v7-w8BDjtEjLO-56_iJ8cGgz7nRy6zuZWwX4mxTUI70DTB0Xee9k3B_uZZE_Dgj9bu-SQ7K03FKqzokzRYntHiV2qyzigO4S1boiXoiRF1Dz/s1500/Arctic%20Fireweed%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYx7jn8cNxcTilbk0ma94rYNuhJgc8KlRkU7CpBzGhzndexJtifCGhiQ1EsbXVlmBYSrb7Y3W-fkdtGs53v7-w8BDjtEjLO-56_iJ8cGgz7nRy6zuZWwX4mxTUI70DTB0Xee9k3B_uZZE_Dgj9bu-SQ7K03FKqzokzRYntHiV2qyzigO4S1boiXoiRF1Dz/w426-h640/Arctic%20Fireweed%201.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>The town could hardly be described as pretty but it did have a feature church and interestingly many of the houses had paineted on windows rather than the real thing, mabe the price of windows is prohibitive with everything needing to be imported or glass loses too much heat in the winter???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjoEmDxXp8imDoqY5VbzQBqiVS-TzZ9sI3MBeN_oTTk8AuvgFYHYEonTN-zMPssIhk417fuf2Rp0x9YNyuWkSak-Sz623sywrh6eq50HmePF4q7Vh28j_fkn2x78WfCRnEe8QqgGz8doGtwnhT2Fc_hZtcJ57REOcIbjya2uumQfZ3K0-t0gOK28wuyg0/s1693/Nanortalik%20metropolis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1693" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjoEmDxXp8imDoqY5VbzQBqiVS-TzZ9sI3MBeN_oTTk8AuvgFYHYEonTN-zMPssIhk417fuf2Rp0x9YNyuWkSak-Sz623sywrh6eq50HmePF4q7Vh28j_fkn2x78WfCRnEe8QqgGz8doGtwnhT2Fc_hZtcJ57REOcIbjya2uumQfZ3K0-t0gOK28wuyg0/w640-h498/Nanortalik%20metropolis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4LGoFp43inw5CHOaldcVuDwt-qMmHtIaa191iAoZ5mb7vZaJv4ilHFSMx_9aoIakve8WzoGirafeBJAOPAM9Qzah2PYas9HKzzx0uNUp7Aau6K8wpTQi4gIq9Q03b-gS8213zSHIx109T9wNMqGto4lbRYhR52TEPplyMMA5Ddz6ASI2nHvM7H-J8U7t/s1806/Nanortalik%20church%20from%20front%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1806" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4LGoFp43inw5CHOaldcVuDwt-qMmHtIaa191iAoZ5mb7vZaJv4ilHFSMx_9aoIakve8WzoGirafeBJAOPAM9Qzah2PYas9HKzzx0uNUp7Aau6K8wpTQi4gIq9Q03b-gS8213zSHIx109T9wNMqGto4lbRYhR52TEPplyMMA5Ddz6ASI2nHvM7H-J8U7t/w640-h466/Nanortalik%20church%20from%20front%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-ejKqeE0LuHDaOf1isds5G7iXUqBhkR9OeP_604bel4hxcDBKYrVRlisQkyuLetOqP2wIEYm0sSTjYst-5GgqFeZFlh0JzrRpxmkIx-V6acCOtZHpuRXdwXAuCnACAIozO6Iiumft00F3FXXz6MQNyEPfCNv79gvc4TOEbGNEOB_Rp-mPFilQetz2Vdj/s1478/House%20with%20painted%20on%20windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1478" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-ejKqeE0LuHDaOf1isds5G7iXUqBhkR9OeP_604bel4hxcDBKYrVRlisQkyuLetOqP2wIEYm0sSTjYst-5GgqFeZFlh0JzrRpxmkIx-V6acCOtZHpuRXdwXAuCnACAIozO6Iiumft00F3FXXz6MQNyEPfCNv79gvc4TOEbGNEOB_Rp-mPFilQetz2Vdj/w640-h502/House%20with%20painted%20on%20windows.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>There were a small number of butterflies among those buttercups but we never got close enough to get an ID on them, precious few other insects around doing any pollinating but therewere midges doing the biting thing!</p><p>In the harbour we had both <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Iceland</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous Gulls</span></b>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI48lEp_R8ArFed5fIxxUkMWfF0PyK6zm1Szrt_PvK43tNE8kU5NUUqxgbpHIxo_t-HHv16EWnripmhh4MtESm4f957xzHIaTKF1r1fMaWvms2syeqexN4cPd7UQtykMeNPpXLuJSpb9wYmyqOCYbI63vKOI720fVcLIR8cNa6qw5kJNd3CCO6i4-JqHon/s2064/Iceland%20gull%20on%20seaweed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="2064" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI48lEp_R8ArFed5fIxxUkMWfF0PyK6zm1Szrt_PvK43tNE8kU5NUUqxgbpHIxo_t-HHv16EWnripmhh4MtESm4f957xzHIaTKF1r1fMaWvms2syeqexN4cPd7UQtykMeNPpXLuJSpb9wYmyqOCYbI63vKOI720fVcLIR8cNa6qw5kJNd3CCO6i4-JqHon/w640-h374/Iceland%20gull%20on%20seaweed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIfgBfKkgBCDXYiKLhDZzR_BKNHnim31qRZJAyZ6BINmKobWVZoKwX80cWy7_j0vYizg9tXJ41QZS8dZYa73JLEYeKuxCAeIkPe6GTXvisRlZ7K3LWR7qHWlkpxvqjRUL7Fri1S6REqMkzEWEPybZ-qUSNI7PmP5KdTYWC89zclyXWayUhJxGeTrce7tt/s1997/Glaucous%20gull%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="1997" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIfgBfKkgBCDXYiKLhDZzR_BKNHnim31qRZJAyZ6BINmKobWVZoKwX80cWy7_j0vYizg9tXJ41QZS8dZYa73JLEYeKuxCAeIkPe6GTXvisRlZ7K3LWR7qHWlkpxvqjRUL7Fri1S6REqMkzEWEPybZ-qUSNI7PmP5KdTYWC89zclyXWayUhJxGeTrce7tt/w640-h442/Glaucous%20gull%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Now Nanortalik means Place of the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Polar Bears</span></b> but we'd have to have been very lucky to arrive when one was present as apparently they're not that regular or frequent a visitor despite the name. There had, however, been one about three weeks earlier, some passengers were shown video of it ambling menacingly around the outskirts of town. The nearest we got to one was on this mural down the main drag.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsWyiUtNJniXjSPqh8vgoxHZHnK2xm5UZ-GS2tyzJyRy8_5mkdPkHiBMdyxBWU5XINA1MXVSX_ch-HG6d_rLHRiAw74NLvu-sI10pH6ldvHeCLmw7cUFyPOkQDJibp4U_R2dOj2lqEhao73e2SWd6-zDwL65FS6sb03LNPmc9mKCzOkIfUVuUtRcJ6t4e/s1804/Nanortalik%20mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1804" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsWyiUtNJniXjSPqh8vgoxHZHnK2xm5UZ-GS2tyzJyRy8_5mkdPkHiBMdyxBWU5XINA1MXVSX_ch-HG6d_rLHRiAw74NLvu-sI10pH6ldvHeCLmw7cUFyPOkQDJibp4U_R2dOj2lqEhao73e2SWd6-zDwL65FS6sb03LNPmc9mKCzOkIfUVuUtRcJ6t4e/w640-h358/Nanortalik%20mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Mid-afternoon was sailing time so it was back to work spotting wildlife from the decks. The harbour area had a little island with a massive glacial eratic rock sat on it. Ooh we do like a glacial eratic...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIDV7_7wU4_1k8nhL7xAigh8F_16ugYvv9SJHtb1Mpk_bAve3oq45RNXwc8AvA-kAFE3eT89HFXGQHxUox-QRNoLaaciz5u-gF3tnmeWuJSTATdBBlfekyx7R0QnE2VGUAOuYcRLddtdau2wgfqfTtO4p7uShDNQQ2ZpmXa6kMZ8tnZXNkKna-M6ElnKX/s1844/Glacial%20eractic%20on%20shoreline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1844" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIDV7_7wU4_1k8nhL7xAigh8F_16ugYvv9SJHtb1Mpk_bAve3oq45RNXwc8AvA-kAFE3eT89HFXGQHxUox-QRNoLaaciz5u-gF3tnmeWuJSTATdBBlfekyx7R0QnE2VGUAOuYcRLddtdau2wgfqfTtO4p7uShDNQQ2ZpmXa6kMZ8tnZXNkKna-M6ElnKX/w640-h390/Glacial%20eractic%20on%20shoreline.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Sailing out we had more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagles</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whale</span></b> blows, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whales</span></b>, three pods of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seals</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Long Finned Pilot Whales</span></b> were reported by a guest. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wheatears</span></b> and a<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Redwing</span></b> were also seen by some of the guests.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our next stop was 'just around the corner' a very big corner, Narsarsuaq, home to a former US military hospital for soldiers wounded during the D-Day Landings. This place was tiny compared to the metropolis of Nanortalik. During the sail in we had a couple of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Humpback Whales</span></b> and two <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sabine's Gulls</span></b> of which we managed to see one. Other good birds included, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic, Pomerine</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long Tailed Skuas</span></b>, the latter we could not get on for love nor money. We also missed a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Red Necked Phalarope</span></b> which was too close to the ship oin the wrong side.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There's not much to Nanortalik just a huge runway, with a conference centre, a few distressed and repurposed industrial buildings a smattering of houses and a cafe/tourist information centre/museum and a hill with a comms tower. But it also has the Greenland Arboretum aka a hill with some proper trees on it and a glacial lake in a valley of wildflowers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIN1lBPBLrx8nahcDo4tgdTopnQUZcnZg_FWWrwMk1hpghN3Yf4FodbnPPuKVpVqmn04AMWzvKyMMdcjKmFr7ieXO4VKL1kQ7yr-qcAQolP6J0YXcTwbneXZFIVDLTr8VdqNDKYbxe7cl8J-PtG6dxzvaBZ4D9vKBstN6JpdYZm_op0SdJblm0OyvceJO/s1760/Industrial%20dereliction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIN1lBPBLrx8nahcDo4tgdTopnQUZcnZg_FWWrwMk1hpghN3Yf4FodbnPPuKVpVqmn04AMWzvKyMMdcjKmFr7ieXO4VKL1kQ7yr-qcAQolP6J0YXcTwbneXZFIVDLTr8VdqNDKYbxe7cl8J-PtG6dxzvaBZ4D9vKBstN6JpdYZm_op0SdJblm0OyvceJO/w640-h288/Industrial%20dereliction.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6HrvojOcHmlz_wmpTf6seHhntvx83ANeUxqiS-idVRkYikrEDFmbP0-soJL-TiY4Zy7OHx-BGLCisOG7i37KvAeth9lxNHrmzV-GYb7IO8JtAzbm_l7bVzalkcHBN0qO_syDZlYtDPX1znoIWNjQNR5-7IKNHzboYFDP9YwGz7t5KyEQMw2IP-KAcVoY/s1760/Industrial%20dereliction%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6HrvojOcHmlz_wmpTf6seHhntvx83ANeUxqiS-idVRkYikrEDFmbP0-soJL-TiY4Zy7OHx-BGLCisOG7i37KvAeth9lxNHrmzV-GYb7IO8JtAzbm_l7bVzalkcHBN0qO_syDZlYtDPX1znoIWNjQNR5-7IKNHzboYFDP9YwGz7t5KyEQMw2IP-KAcVoY/w640-h288/Industrial%20dereliction%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>An <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Arctic Fox</span></b> ran across the road in front of some guests close to the top building, lucky so-n-so's. We had to put up with 'just' lots of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wheatears</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Redpolls</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsssKbEIyrZcLjRBbPFpnSph56jqAKdcdQ1tMikKJ5us8COBO8Imx7X-jEdN1CeTQ8jiy42X8dN2fCgTAi5Fvu7fV4PBISSyCGJmv_EBW6x6mXC1M__7CoStB4urC2eflDW5JQMwxwW3d2UHtdUs0IojJFFk0ud-SSIQAakz8GbaBxqcFUtBRf1X69LkFS/s2220/Juvenile%20Common%20Redpoll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="2220" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsssKbEIyrZcLjRBbPFpnSph56jqAKdcdQ1tMikKJ5us8COBO8Imx7X-jEdN1CeTQ8jiy42X8dN2fCgTAi5Fvu7fV4PBISSyCGJmv_EBW6x6mXC1M__7CoStB4urC2eflDW5JQMwxwW3d2UHtdUs0IojJFFk0ud-SSIQAakz8GbaBxqcFUtBRf1X69LkFS/w640-h366/Juvenile%20Common%20Redpoll.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc0qbYbJiB9F6kDvOUxS3UBUDHmPVzvJgWhUYlj4n_kYgaBl3M9aCk-VrD2BSkzfZ8hXEBDDfjkF-4oCmpu5pRJq-BTFLUqzuq1QRJlaHyDhmnMs1BaV6BKx_IlT713mvN-jFEcJrCTNZ3OoEI9T61ee3kxblPnTOqjjO7pAxZLfT0AOVSpl5ldhe7nCv/s1899/Juvenile%20Common%20Redpoll%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="1899" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc0qbYbJiB9F6kDvOUxS3UBUDHmPVzvJgWhUYlj4n_kYgaBl3M9aCk-VrD2BSkzfZ8hXEBDDfjkF-4oCmpu5pRJq-BTFLUqzuq1QRJlaHyDhmnMs1BaV6BKx_IlT713mvN-jFEcJrCTNZ3OoEI9T61ee3kxblPnTOqjjO7pAxZLfT0AOVSpl5ldhe7nCv/w640-h384/Juvenile%20Common%20Redpoll%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Abandoned American paraphinalia was spotted along the wildflower valley including a fire hydrant and an old chimney from a long gone house overlooking the lake.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG6mMGtmtYz5hSo71AwbfeRnZzbuZeT60BMsUldyXFHqE_-y5Pc0BLgh3ym42tf2BWvqcsWJWL-vlxwdj4_VnVszPsXWK5ucVYNfE1Y7amlYWIqMcqvNOrJGiuYGg8UGKGHOkfqZnu1mQsU_vpsH6tpCAxfhFo8g-GOqBSYVw3RcxSQ6BQasnESF9yJsW/s2200/Lonely%20chimney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="2200" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG6mMGtmtYz5hSo71AwbfeRnZzbuZeT60BMsUldyXFHqE_-y5Pc0BLgh3ym42tf2BWvqcsWJWL-vlxwdj4_VnVszPsXWK5ucVYNfE1Y7amlYWIqMcqvNOrJGiuYGg8UGKGHOkfqZnu1mQsU_vpsH6tpCAxfhFo8g-GOqBSYVw3RcxSQ6BQasnESF9yJsW/w640-h288/Lonely%20chimney.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowP16wqwVpdiiwlrnTXC7W-dQuCHCBbSnzaYP4Hnnzgd_C8IaYdlFCxKMgH2GmG-Dh8rzlFi_J2PewwY2jr4cclr-V20_VhAdhovRslZgDiERK5PnGh3F6lJKCoo6ykt6EzWxSVSwnX2TS0DyyHvyoNk61TxenpGawf4LtMis7uBwO2dIVVa4SKOMblb1/s1560/American%20fire%20hydrant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="702" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowP16wqwVpdiiwlrnTXC7W-dQuCHCBbSnzaYP4Hnnzgd_C8IaYdlFCxKMgH2GmG-Dh8rzlFi_J2PewwY2jr4cclr-V20_VhAdhovRslZgDiERK5PnGh3F6lJKCoo6ykt6EzWxSVSwnX2TS0DyyHvyoNk61TxenpGawf4LtMis7uBwO2dIVVa4SKOMblb1/w288-h640/American%20fire%20hydrant.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>We were with IH on this walk and between us reckoned we both fit up the chimney if a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Polar Bear </span></b>appeared as there was nowhere else to run and we hadn't taken advantage of the rifles on offer at the hire shop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR72gwcNHEt3tqcKeFWApvTWfDZPKRI4GT3H-hT2W_N-86yFw1vdiFtMNWiJdXXAM0JgGQjUGhHKL8hMDMWtSp-ZRgCjqBpVNZh0iz4B2tbt3HbsuPJBmnl1WP0oTovIyUX9WAAhWcPZ50BtnMoNcO07hp5XwqTzTOUNYN7ki26TKY2YI7smG7X87W1lpw/s1330/Rifles%20for%20hire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="648" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR72gwcNHEt3tqcKeFWApvTWfDZPKRI4GT3H-hT2W_N-86yFw1vdiFtMNWiJdXXAM0JgGQjUGhHKL8hMDMWtSp-ZRgCjqBpVNZh0iz4B2tbt3HbsuPJBmnl1WP0oTovIyUX9WAAhWcPZ50BtnMoNcO07hp5XwqTzTOUNYN7ki26TKY2YI7smG7X87W1lpw/w312-h640/Rifles%20for%20hire.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>Bees and insdeed other insects were few and far between in the flower valley so we were lucky to find this solitary bee which has the look of a leaf-cutter bee but we could well be miles out on that tentative ID. We also had two species of hoverfly and later back on ship a bumble bee flew over the stern.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RSc6pc__FyAx8hAtQva8R4XIjUG9RiSAytAQ0aP2o89yXq1K_2CjFzv6hUS2wc3mZUwTfntnOi-2x0oANXEqvmCAU4caE4UqceGaLv51p4Oa6ha9MgQlCSRWEZUoWzP2UgOEDRfWQ1fHAwMKxvjIOXXpW6VrUK3PBqFkLGKzty_ZZGB7mt5iOtGQiy_m/s1247/Solitary%20bee%20on%20Arctic%20Fireweed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="912" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RSc6pc__FyAx8hAtQva8R4XIjUG9RiSAytAQ0aP2o89yXq1K_2CjFzv6hUS2wc3mZUwTfntnOi-2x0oANXEqvmCAU4caE4UqceGaLv51p4Oa6ha9MgQlCSRWEZUoWzP2UgOEDRfWQ1fHAwMKxvjIOXXpW6VrUK3PBqFkLGKzty_ZZGB7mt5iOtGQiy_m/w468-h640/Solitary%20bee%20on%20Arctic%20Fireweed.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The agricultural land opposite Narsarsuaq was the only agricultural land we saw and was home to the first Viking settler of Greenland, Eric the Red. Who's reconstructed house you can visit for a fee. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bright blue iceberg we learned was composed of very very old compressed ice probably drifted down from the nearby ice fjord Qooroq<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSagrgcfodIwmNiRMyExYFiFyB2DUkfK4gEbs0LCCE0BsBFGisjMGsOkjXWP73Nj_z6UQEKl1IzAZ6woYuuKnauTHO27fpT37LHJHwLJxDYbMubhXrp1TEdgtUJmg22U1Gvhg_a0Vt_mdhM5RdyZF16kA0OBSg8TZ6llljfRPO7nEUeFne6gVjJYN8npO9/s2450/Blue%20ice%20is%20ancient%20ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="2450" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSagrgcfodIwmNiRMyExYFiFyB2DUkfK4gEbs0LCCE0BsBFGisjMGsOkjXWP73Nj_z6UQEKl1IzAZ6woYuuKnauTHO27fpT37LHJHwLJxDYbMubhXrp1TEdgtUJmg22U1Gvhg_a0Vt_mdhM5RdyZF16kA0OBSg8TZ6llljfRPO7nEUeFne6gVjJYN8npO9/w640-h310/Blue%20ice%20is%20ancient%20ice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">On our wanders IH found this rock covered in whatb we now know as <b><span style="color: #783f04;">Elegant Sunburst Lichen</span></b>, if you're going to be a lichen why not be bright orange and have a awesome name too. What he didn't know when he picked it up is that said lichen grows on rocks which have had their nutrient status enrichedby animal pee...hmmm cue lots of subsequent hand washing!</div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6P5s0dC6rxuxyQg7eljSP4Ui7kAQ6BQnG-VnoFtvlwWi6WeLbCRotUCrWBNBRcNkPW9Bf_XsWwldxwCJ5Qn6v4Q9LMjjf0AqeXe022MAz_DTK9ZRWGHppNR7f9K_alXB3xUHvsILZUXWbZ8uGGjsRkeCyUxy_CkBh5tOpqjbmC-HJy9-BS6i6tHx4b3h/s1624/Elegant%20Sunburst%20Lichen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1624" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6P5s0dC6rxuxyQg7eljSP4Ui7kAQ6BQnG-VnoFtvlwWi6WeLbCRotUCrWBNBRcNkPW9Bf_XsWwldxwCJ5Qn6v4Q9LMjjf0AqeXe022MAz_DTK9ZRWGHppNR7f9K_alXB3xUHvsILZUXWbZ8uGGjsRkeCyUxy_CkBh5tOpqjbmC-HJy9-BS6i6tHx4b3h/w640-h520/Elegant%20Sunburst%20Lichen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">From the bus back to the harbour we spotted a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Northern Diver</span></b> in one of the roadside bays but couldn't reloacate it for a very distant pic once back aboard.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">While waiting for the ship to set sail a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Tailed Eagle</span></b> flew across the harbour and landed almost out of sight behind some tall vegetation where it looked to be eating something, indeed a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Raven</span></b> was sat close by eagerly awaiting some scraps. And if you're ging to watch eagles and whales on a mild day in remote Greenland you might as well do it with a cocktail in hand as this guest did.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0OTGyLZH6dO7zFvH-6utk7mbPmWyldoyouTMdwHCeBuoF-RVQSjFmUg-sD4F6vVzndKEmFzlgV__3KXfU97PTGTu72-7TFZZRf7O5VbjzftZbU23URAi2A6japXoklHTkUv0LfyVyByWyIMSVSj0zglB5QhVGP_l2W9Vj5PrehjMdJ588c3R1DF1br6Q/s1080/Whale%20watching%20with%20cocktail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0OTGyLZH6dO7zFvH-6utk7mbPmWyldoyouTMdwHCeBuoF-RVQSjFmUg-sD4F6vVzndKEmFzlgV__3KXfU97PTGTu72-7TFZZRf7O5VbjzftZbU23URAi2A6japXoklHTkUv0LfyVyByWyIMSVSj0zglB5QhVGP_l2W9Vj5PrehjMdJ588c3R1DF1br6Q/w426-h640/Whale%20watching%20with%20cocktail.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>The sail back down the fjord towards our final destination in Greenland was full of icebergs and Kittiwakes with <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Skuas</span></b> patrolling for the chance of a stolen meal.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaT2gQ1R8vq_5QkH9Lp4blZIcUtB6gYxfCmV9241zE6IFEYivGlFPNIbz1gPNkx_iuMNC3pXae5PFWgOHL3GsSIGEZ11egelzBjFgNr7KcNuMQinXxwBvqqWYIXU0c2Mqtb6yZ-uZljRRHmAht3y0EDsJc_JnPk5vCpPrRofgYsx3kXAgm42jMpYEk6ya/s1511/Arctic%20skua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1511" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaT2gQ1R8vq_5QkH9Lp4blZIcUtB6gYxfCmV9241zE6IFEYivGlFPNIbz1gPNkx_iuMNC3pXae5PFWgOHL3GsSIGEZ11egelzBjFgNr7KcNuMQinXxwBvqqWYIXU0c2Mqtb6yZ-uZljRRHmAht3y0EDsJc_JnPk5vCpPrRofgYsx3kXAgm42jMpYEk6ya/w640-h328/Arctic%20skua.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZz5MJYL3rdvw9Aeq9Lz_V0YXmrDeNES66uIXfiKEayw4I46h3zFIkbI4UaBXxwD-v1G-5Ic4qAl6MWQURDy0HXX8oAZAZSXI2j44hb_DDRKkAONa11A6g4T8LHCQUDAKRJAt0L8TwP0eGdudopVB8TgcyQUnAlY9Sd2JipMTK0kcstYWBn0WXXZZ4IGCl/s1823/Dirty%20iceberg%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1823" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZz5MJYL3rdvw9Aeq9Lz_V0YXmrDeNES66uIXfiKEayw4I46h3zFIkbI4UaBXxwD-v1G-5Ic4qAl6MWQURDy0HXX8oAZAZSXI2j44hb_DDRKkAONa11A6g4T8LHCQUDAKRJAt0L8TwP0eGdudopVB8TgcyQUnAlY9Sd2JipMTK0kcstYWBn0WXXZZ4IGCl/w640-h376/Dirty%20iceberg%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuzfFh1Ngu7OuQsViy5L6BA8FCnPnkiQCRVW38e3YSu8usjmc6q2rF5BTz95lJfOmPXaVc2iHZZG3I3js7CvSvp-kyy5qcZKYSOg_SxXKxlo5ydioNqYqofBJBaCWmLbCEe3bcGv09K4rcyXv835cdYFhsV1wuRkNRG24pB_J2je_ruIUdsUEjAtiBhK9/s1901/Dirty%20iceberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="1901" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuzfFh1Ngu7OuQsViy5L6BA8FCnPnkiQCRVW38e3YSu8usjmc6q2rF5BTz95lJfOmPXaVc2iHZZG3I3js7CvSvp-kyy5qcZKYSOg_SxXKxlo5ydioNqYqofBJBaCWmLbCEe3bcGv09K4rcyXv835cdYFhsV1wuRkNRG24pB_J2je_ruIUdsUEjAtiBhK9/w640-h490/Dirty%20iceberg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Iceland Gulls</span></b> were also numerous and guest John Riley got some good shots of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harp Seals</span></b>.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4E37kGHHkJvIw4sQOp_OszP8ocmLJizDZRUlWmseGoAVLzvKWVvR0Re71pCelQZON292PTxm0dLXYz3kE5mMTRwUjOpY1f9Nv52-68hbCRttqzmYSuVevI1_ZgLnGgJqYXFv2J94ckV0T9yBLhxLEjcK0T8bRk2p-hob7g1u0iqMxUiufy5kXNKQZ_am/s1850/Iceland%20Gull%20in%20flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="1850" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4E37kGHHkJvIw4sQOp_OszP8ocmLJizDZRUlWmseGoAVLzvKWVvR0Re71pCelQZON292PTxm0dLXYz3kE5mMTRwUjOpY1f9Nv52-68hbCRttqzmYSuVevI1_ZgLnGgJqYXFv2J94ckV0T9yBLhxLEjcK0T8bRk2p-hob7g1u0iqMxUiufy5kXNKQZ_am/w640-h362/Iceland%20Gull%20in%20flight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghTKbhSGhQHl8TZzmEhb_Bn5wZTYkbmOaKO90QTOUdJh0VKBioZyb2xSFV71FQuM4M83zjXcxDiQlBnl53YZJ8_sTbKuF7AFWk0-K6KCqHG1sKKjDCsWB4N-k1EWy1wYfZ7XQX0Sky8o-_J99fx3W76vKh2IC-tg3bD-qoQFMbFvmzxgKF6_NWq9FBCxe/s1419/Harp%20seals%20john%20riley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1419" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghTKbhSGhQHl8TZzmEhb_Bn5wZTYkbmOaKO90QTOUdJh0VKBioZyb2xSFV71FQuM4M83zjXcxDiQlBnl53YZJ8_sTbKuF7AFWk0-K6KCqHG1sKKjDCsWB4N-k1EWy1wYfZ7XQX0Sky8o-_J99fx3W76vKh2IC-tg3bD-qoQFMbFvmzxgKF6_NWq9FBCxe/w640-h332/Harp%20seals%20john%20riley.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>As dusk fell more icebergs were in evidence.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q_vpFsP2pba6z8Ytx-bFFn4WqiQsztF_jiYv2TkORmuB8jgROVmhTD2o0OZxScHpLMB9ooJwFZSHQ60iHCdJxy160wPlmWXQnv3yMiUpJsdn3kwA7WO27EvlpZ2s8qfnprmsCz96VWM6xLdqTMklWt_01jCfwJgJBlHy1bx2PGP0s5fMR95hvbW7dF9n/s2004/Iceberg%20alley%20at%20dusk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="2004" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q_vpFsP2pba6z8Ytx-bFFn4WqiQsztF_jiYv2TkORmuB8jgROVmhTD2o0OZxScHpLMB9ooJwFZSHQ60iHCdJxy160wPlmWXQnv3yMiUpJsdn3kwA7WO27EvlpZ2s8qfnprmsCz96VWM6xLdqTMklWt_01jCfwJgJBlHy1bx2PGP0s5fMR95hvbW7dF9n/w640-h306/Iceberg%20alley%20at%20dusk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And there were yet more icefloes that looked (if you use your imagination) like swans<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRTRR9BnrqNdg3Mdp6S5Efa0BxmvxjJyToXl2GsssrmNElvTaOlyBhzfE3ahzeFTBQhlstx9yoy9wUhy7DsrF-IlASeNRSmuKApG_yiiWaD23h-1fogU6zcbaANcmQie1g34R0eCvRUk1I0zHlfPZR89AImbpnnjeB9sXaDCe3U9SDhSKOAs_t2FnnRmT/s1171/Icefloe%20looking%20vaguely%20swan%20like.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1171" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRTRR9BnrqNdg3Mdp6S5Efa0BxmvxjJyToXl2GsssrmNElvTaOlyBhzfE3ahzeFTBQhlstx9yoy9wUhy7DsrF-IlASeNRSmuKApG_yiiWaD23h-1fogU6zcbaANcmQie1g34R0eCvRUk1I0zHlfPZR89AImbpnnjeB9sXaDCe3U9SDhSKOAs_t2FnnRmT/w640-h438/Icefloe%20looking%20vaguely%20swan%20like.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>That night passenger Karen Burns was alerted to the possiblity of an aurora from her phone app and went out for a shufty.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nA7DMttoAE6nT2LdWcC6Hh7bbOyIblvWKU_mHm_bE5Af4IvGAZBqTxr11pcJmaCp5CBHQ1FPYVS-zQFTf54a5qRkUSIuzvL_0ZGN_Nh_2wTc5tiVImv8FzFR4ockLJHUcW9NMyS3TkRtbelT97JvkkFyzT22QSw0sHSozdnD0v7415FvdFd4UG8qc6sJ/s1320/Karen%20northern%20lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1320" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nA7DMttoAE6nT2LdWcC6Hh7bbOyIblvWKU_mHm_bE5Af4IvGAZBqTxr11pcJmaCp5CBHQ1FPYVS-zQFTf54a5qRkUSIuzvL_0ZGN_Nh_2wTc5tiVImv8FzFR4ockLJHUcW9NMyS3TkRtbelT97JvkkFyzT22QSw0sHSozdnD0v7415FvdFd4UG8qc6sJ/w640-h360/Karen%20northern%20lights.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">We had a look the following night at around 02.00 but it was cloudy...ah well maybe next time.<br /></p><p>And that ends Part Two.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Part three takes us to our final destination, Quaqatoq and then back across the Atlantic to Blighty.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's watching what with a cocktail in their hand in your outback. <br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-63568692757996946602023-09-14T13:28:00.001+01:002023-09-14T13:28:52.022+01:00A little bit of ice and not a lot of green - Part 1<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari was invited </b> by old Southside friend AB on an adventure much further afield recently. We headed down to Liverpool to join the cruise ship Borealis as one of the wildlife guides for <b><a href="https://www.oceanwildlifeencounters.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ocean Wildlife Encounters</a></b>. This was our second adventure aboard this ship with OWE, the previous one was a rather rough and windy jaunt to eastern Canada last October which sadly we've not written up for you. Lots of brilliant wildlife was seen despite the bad weather and this cruise promised just as much in, hopefully, far better conditions.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Rb_mNFTtGQ_VMzgExrjwwtf_k9DEM6OK0xYrTOVtncq3oSRqsOpZ6_s3HiHlVLemPK8F2UwRcrOMfPvOK5NI3sBgHmVjqpyv2qCtb9xT4ciFbgLUMK0PYDGuH0keKU1WVlXJcP6cGOALTftyDiSbtK3gQU9mOM7WClKOjT87B6AtrggiK3Vkq9fmGqvs/s1440/Borealis%20at%20Pier%20Head.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1440" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Rb_mNFTtGQ_VMzgExrjwwtf_k9DEM6OK0xYrTOVtncq3oSRqsOpZ6_s3HiHlVLemPK8F2UwRcrOMfPvOK5NI3sBgHmVjqpyv2qCtb9xT4ciFbgLUMK0PYDGuH0keKU1WVlXJcP6cGOALTftyDiSbtK3gQU9mOM7WClKOjT87B6AtrggiK3Vkq9fmGqvs/w640-h396/Borealis%20at%20Pier%20Head.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borealis at Pier Head Liverpool</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Once aboard we made our way to the observation area on Deck 6 to scan the river for<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <b>Harbour Porpoises</b> </span>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Peregrines</span></b> among other things. Neither of either showed themselves.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik47LFxsHmox1X9VuZMffJHSBePH-Q-y_aepjH_NsQR8E19G1rXviQ79fUX9uUAE7Ny_SFLkyzKAGH4iYJocav94cvlZm_OJez5RSRFU9kYhFxqKNv6YI8-3-KM_0ovrfueG3MTHB3Ll6byP50QJagtR4MlQaj5_9AK3rN1bE9eQWpp4OHXHQETuGPlvgH/s2200/Liverpool%20waterfront%20from%20Deck%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="2200" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik47LFxsHmox1X9VuZMffJHSBePH-Q-y_aepjH_NsQR8E19G1rXviQ79fUX9uUAE7Ny_SFLkyzKAGH4iYJocav94cvlZm_OJez5RSRFU9kYhFxqKNv6YI8-3-KM_0ovrfueG3MTHB3Ll6byP50QJagtR4MlQaj5_9AK3rN1bE9eQWpp4OHXHQETuGPlvgH/w640-h288/Liverpool%20waterfront%20from%20Deck%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A rather large and noisy transport plane flew over us while we watched, easily the most exciting thing so far!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol59yJCwYAVNJc4aVMxpVKYVpZ1gUgMWVjS5j2hhLtZz3IbiRnBsIOC_llYxqwwzMNLOiaQ4gsQWAWGWUD6dF8oQ7V3rVXSDXFll12e1Ixwisf7Q4y-JhNY_aG3qmrn37SUr1dhku6nVbV4H_tPapsb_1K5yo2up5SEnSKyVEw0hYnGIIpEvdDR8o2BUM/s1811/RAF%20Transport%20plane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1811" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol59yJCwYAVNJc4aVMxpVKYVpZ1gUgMWVjS5j2hhLtZz3IbiRnBsIOC_llYxqwwzMNLOiaQ4gsQWAWGWUD6dF8oQ7V3rVXSDXFll12e1Ixwisf7Q4y-JhNY_aG3qmrn37SUr1dhku6nVbV4H_tPapsb_1K5yo2up5SEnSKyVEw0hYnGIIpEvdDR8o2BUM/w640-h356/RAF%20Transport%20plane.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then with time to kill before setting sail we had a look off the back of Deck 3 where several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Herring</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Lesser Black-backed Gulls</span></b> were successfully catching plenty of very small fish out of the very murky water racing by as the tide ebbed.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXL_GSeivOFyfe27GpVa_DiKxpptCIoFftUhzoSe8wBVj62lhZRc2NL5v264-IiDzDLg3iq3VT0C7WQMDdfo3lNGTopDGVHQ9dgZkC7n9LojEJm21apnkhxFEC4AoshNwL372ctmAzR27fPdAlVHhZnj-18hdY1XfgblaA1NpwTwFptiyopLsMgMy2eJc/s3000/Lesser%20black%20backed%20Gull%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2020" data-original-width="3000" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXL_GSeivOFyfe27GpVa_DiKxpptCIoFftUhzoSe8wBVj62lhZRc2NL5v264-IiDzDLg3iq3VT0C7WQMDdfo3lNGTopDGVHQ9dgZkC7n9LojEJm21apnkhxFEC4AoshNwL372ctmAzR27fPdAlVHhZnj-18hdY1XfgblaA1NpwTwFptiyopLsMgMy2eJc/w640-h430/Lesser%20black%20backed%20Gull%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgab5dRoCp8f2htRcm_GvlJO3VaonIfTX5Zlq5noEaOO8mjzbjJSfK7IKE3EceUwvs_8f0xAJfGmiJXl6c3x1DhOG376kzT8MBxVf4QeJZrr-dPMaO8k15ea3qC-Hgrv0m_S9HipGO51pds7wxGtZ4WOjU_mERvRdj4CRBPutERrtNjSbB-aZpxLabC6zc7/s3000/Herring%20Gull%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2574" data-original-width="3000" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgab5dRoCp8f2htRcm_GvlJO3VaonIfTX5Zlq5noEaOO8mjzbjJSfK7IKE3EceUwvs_8f0xAJfGmiJXl6c3x1DhOG376kzT8MBxVf4QeJZrr-dPMaO8k15ea3qC-Hgrv0m_S9HipGO51pds7wxGtZ4WOjU_mERvRdj4CRBPutERrtNjSbB-aZpxLabC6zc7/w640-h550/Herring%20Gull%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We've no idea how they saw the fish but they barely touched the surface to catch them and swallowed them within milliseconds.<br />After a fair old feast in the buffet restaurant it was time to don the fetching purple official OWE tabard and start work as the ship began to move off its berth. Our route would take us past the west side of the Isle of Man, through the North Channel then out into the Atlantic south of St Kilda.<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNYSxtbWiN1Gv3OkzISoIiX8WdovA9fy-BHX13_kX8soyqAjrcVCIsLetSsHJDRdg4sJusoMZpLzG104wqUsrGYeMgMczCaJQoVpjxxMsR2AkAZdk31hWiHWUESaNt70S1ZL9yr_QAx8eJ1fZAAzfVY84_sCi6G0mutU5Whs0bhybjn7bI4safZXCRSqK/s1284/Itinerary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1284" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNYSxtbWiN1Gv3OkzISoIiX8WdovA9fy-BHX13_kX8soyqAjrcVCIsLetSsHJDRdg4sJusoMZpLzG104wqUsrGYeMgMczCaJQoVpjxxMsR2AkAZdk31hWiHWUESaNt70S1ZL9yr_QAx8eJ1fZAAzfVY84_sCi6G0mutU5Whs0bhybjn7bI4safZXCRSqK/w640-h394/Itinerary.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Our mission was to show as many of our fellow passengers as much wildlife as we possiblly could from shoals of <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Jellyfish</span></b> to <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whales</span></b>. And everything else in between...fingers crossd on the latter as we'd badly dipped one on the Canada trip. One thing we hoped for was plenty of petrels, particularly <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Storm Petrels</span></b>, as we've only seen them once before. As luck would have it and would it be an omen we did see a Petrel almost straight away but it was 'just' the river pilot's boat come to see us safely through the channel out into the bay.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PeX6TlJnhvaJrPQSCTfoz7jf_jwJEXSFh21wg_fjy-eoQzrs0XEzdif6iEU6VNXF92OaA49Zyuu4rjX79OnHN0beopMVZxf1kne85gCdQLQuStB-Ij3f7UeM89hB6exy8djda6DMJ6vEaPXz7NhO4nJCfQcEfmHk-xcCK3IyhbP0E0KHI7N7HcVACpSt/s6000/Pilot%20boat%20Petrel.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PeX6TlJnhvaJrPQSCTfoz7jf_jwJEXSFh21wg_fjy-eoQzrs0XEzdif6iEU6VNXF92OaA49Zyuu4rjX79OnHN0beopMVZxf1kne85gCdQLQuStB-Ij3f7UeM89hB6exy8djda6DMJ6vEaPXz7NhO4nJCfQcEfmHk-xcCK3IyhbP0E0KHI7N7HcVACpSt/w640-h426/Pilot%20boat%20Petrel.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Working our way out of the River Mersy and into Liverpool Bay there wasn't much happening, excitement rose considerably when a small flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Oystercatchers</span></b> then a lone <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Woodpigeon</span></b> flew across in front of us. No <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harbour Porpoises</span></b> we found nor were ther any <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seals</span></b> on their favoured haul-out sandbank whcih had only just been uncovered by the dropping tide. In fact much of Liverpool Bay was devoid of life, there were very few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes</span></b>, just one reasonable sized flock of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Shearwaters</span></b> with precious few others, just a handful of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> and very sadly far more dead ones than live ones - bird flu victims? - a solitary <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmar</span></b>, no skuas, no divers, no terns, no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Scoters</span></b>, no <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Gulls</span></b>; it was very quiet out there. Best was a snall flock of about a dozen <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Golden Plovers </span></b>whizzing past the observation area.<br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">North of the Isle of Man we came across the first auks, small flotillas of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guillemots</span></b> scattered here and there and we hit our first blubber, with a least two <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bottlenose Dolphins</span></b> been seen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZseIQjaEZHrsU9hdbnNhic_apYZJYB7syfEdzzarGICoZ2ZjsrYYcUq_oZX3nDzvMR7x4QcBvuTXqrr192NsAAYzRLARZkhx0lkhbdY1J9m01TYvR4W6xPAFRsbP476V6MO0vgB9OSwqvliquFwF42pVO-osm42u_LDU7AsiTF1oZHYz0D2qoGfR4MDuO/s1588/Guillemots.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1588" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZseIQjaEZHrsU9hdbnNhic_apYZJYB7syfEdzzarGICoZ2ZjsrYYcUq_oZX3nDzvMR7x4QcBvuTXqrr192NsAAYzRLARZkhx0lkhbdY1J9m01TYvR4W6xPAFRsbP476V6MO0vgB9OSwqvliquFwF42pVO-osm42u_LDU7AsiTF1oZHYz0D2qoGfR4MDuO/w640-h334/Guillemots.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Rain showers were a feature of the morning of Day 2 but they faded away to give long sunny spells by the afternoon.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqYzalHUglh0r8LQXpcgFnCufJBWZYVndQhZF0oIrN87E3tz8vN4ybc1hmnwZP1UmyKT5kO-HvUW2wKCpcpCT81y-eQp6TBGTtrO7s-t1i3U_FplIjfOCYpR0EPCNWa_pFpZUBsz2KUCTCpq4tutfU1kowWO7Mcwh31S2U-OV7o34oO3ZbjuCfFUOi7sb/s1684/Rainbow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1684" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqYzalHUglh0r8LQXpcgFnCufJBWZYVndQhZF0oIrN87E3tz8vN4ybc1hmnwZP1UmyKT5kO-HvUW2wKCpcpCT81y-eQp6TBGTtrO7s-t1i3U_FplIjfOCYpR0EPCNWa_pFpZUBsz2KUCTCpq4tutfU1kowWO7Mcwh31S2U-OV7o34oO3ZbjuCfFUOi7sb/w640-h456/Rainbow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>New birds for the trip today included a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Razorbills</span></b> and the first of many <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> with a few <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sooty Shearwaters </span></b>and<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Great Skuas</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZsqPQUgYhV_1UAlW-Se4T5I4NcnkSmV_0pX1QR5UlSHdyJx0Z2Fyrk0OFLXGE2WeDhtv6fSX-sjwPSU_aYuQ493eZgprdbZo9p0Iatqha2maC951DaEYeQJtb2w9oXO1jwqCRZ4D2R7VYkndEbwK194RfcPZpiIh0HsZtvKOH6rfQHEXZdm2y70i3wy3/s2623/Sooty%20Shearwater.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="2623" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZsqPQUgYhV_1UAlW-Se4T5I4NcnkSmV_0pX1QR5UlSHdyJx0Z2Fyrk0OFLXGE2WeDhtv6fSX-sjwPSU_aYuQ493eZgprdbZo9p0Iatqha2maC951DaEYeQJtb2w9oXO1jwqCRZ4D2R7VYkndEbwK194RfcPZpiIh0HsZtvKOH6rfQHEXZdm2y70i3wy3/w640-h338/Sooty%20Shearwater.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5E1Cbn87YGfLDkhdv9xWEORKCOmk-EYICtlqzVJgrjsFnl5MzWgKYAjKNZ1zUMxMWAArH0a_bRJiPtkmmk84QKquQrCsjRBWBBxA8jPK8g9iXcXQ5nWN9iYcaLe0eoG-Kj0O88oeSR4In_-TxeAUV-Z86t_B09PoaGmMQPb2yY1Gu8D0NTAWzqQQ0H0H/s3363/Great%20Skua.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1816" data-original-width="3363" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5E1Cbn87YGfLDkhdv9xWEORKCOmk-EYICtlqzVJgrjsFnl5MzWgKYAjKNZ1zUMxMWAArH0a_bRJiPtkmmk84QKquQrCsjRBWBBxA8jPK8g9iXcXQ5nWN9iYcaLe0eoG-Kj0O88oeSR4In_-TxeAUV-Z86t_B09PoaGmMQPb2yY1Gu8D0NTAWzqQQ0H0H/w640-h346/Great%20Skua.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There were many more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manx Sheawaters</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Guillemots</span></b> too and everywhere we looked there were <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Fulmars</b></span>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sLVtb47TQlj8VtVItQ-dc6RSSElT0tFbajtYGsyUjVIrEMAQF7HWmCmqWT_d2IOyRjFmD_ktaI5gZwEDYsktjv7NmFcfwqW_fLF9QyStcUMz2IKxeT-b9vewR9vuSkvnzeBHJm4d-8BJqyuVOFe6RdIK3-F5dTdifZhRPy7Qa9LHzvaMLwY7JPzjyO8E/s1545/Manx%20Shearwaters%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="1545" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sLVtb47TQlj8VtVItQ-dc6RSSElT0tFbajtYGsyUjVIrEMAQF7HWmCmqWT_d2IOyRjFmD_ktaI5gZwEDYsktjv7NmFcfwqW_fLF9QyStcUMz2IKxeT-b9vewR9vuSkvnzeBHJm4d-8BJqyuVOFe6RdIK3-F5dTdifZhRPy7Qa9LHzvaMLwY7JPzjyO8E/w640-h262/Manx%20Shearwaters%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjn6f2rIaMPe1s5vVqR_vSwRhiWVXwc0MDgWm11HJjWqqckg4xItVrWi5Ktyatzhgk3IN0KUPPGRAjZ1IbURgYT4oo99ai2DQGT7eFbrvz0mNHgAsfaGyT0JOqzgt-qbo_IP_Ky_Ivuuc2yiFxVQcYVJvPwCkG2Of-qF9imXtmTNJc7wYeGEkLPQRoLim/s1471/Guillemot%20flock%20on%20water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1471" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjn6f2rIaMPe1s5vVqR_vSwRhiWVXwc0MDgWm11HJjWqqckg4xItVrWi5Ktyatzhgk3IN0KUPPGRAjZ1IbURgYT4oo99ai2DQGT7eFbrvz0mNHgAsfaGyT0JOqzgt-qbo_IP_Ky_Ivuuc2yiFxVQcYVJvPwCkG2Of-qF9imXtmTNJc7wYeGEkLPQRoLim/w640-h402/Guillemot%20flock%20on%20water.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dllutOan1teME0WoiQrPjuHWh4TG5bh1zzdPgHIeIsqYJREDoTeBqJCx19Z_Tpz8jUkeda65bDLaamC7G9atS5w_sPvHHjy8ykhxCkUeXhlISIInda0eaQrlX9kUsppU5DYVl3qQ18Gi-h7lUfokkkjJ9xHc9-s33tYFblZB6YeZJb0M_-ZBhlrCPSVa/s5568/Fulmar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3712" data-original-width="5568" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dllutOan1teME0WoiQrPjuHWh4TG5bh1zzdPgHIeIsqYJREDoTeBqJCx19Z_Tpz8jUkeda65bDLaamC7G9atS5w_sPvHHjy8ykhxCkUeXhlISIInda0eaQrlX9kUsppU5DYVl3qQ18Gi-h7lUfokkkjJ9xHc9-s33tYFblZB6YeZJb0M_-ZBhlrCPSVa/w640-h426/Fulmar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Many years ago (c40) we'd apparently mentioned to OWE colleague IH during a ferry crossing to Ireland that <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmars</span></b> didn't eat, no-one had actually ever seen one eat anything at all. And since that time we both shook our heads and said "no, never seen any <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmar</span></b> eat anything since then either". So it must be true. Although discussions took us to decide that they actually keep the planet safe by eating Marine Dark Matter at night, converting it into Visible White Matter and safely disposing of it during the day. Note how carefully the bird is trying to keep our oceans clean by ejecting the VWM into the air away from the water.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrWFBmj0VG8oMCKvWgFwYBX2UClkgbg7OQO-xh6Cs71mGKge1nea9ICBoMFMoRIwTe-sn30tBlD1-b2dHFA6KriwjlStqrU-jpMI_AKrMm1h-s3Q2JLWfgJyXPw4sdmUCVl7R-dnyzWvjVP5m8C1dzXdpUeXj2W3CyvsQVVrJycITGP7G8LebRhEJbW9F/s1393/Fulmar%20doing%20poo%20being%20careful%20not%20to%20foul%20the%20water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1393" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrWFBmj0VG8oMCKvWgFwYBX2UClkgbg7OQO-xh6Cs71mGKge1nea9ICBoMFMoRIwTe-sn30tBlD1-b2dHFA6KriwjlStqrU-jpMI_AKrMm1h-s3Q2JLWfgJyXPw4sdmUCVl7R-dnyzWvjVP5m8C1dzXdpUeXj2W3CyvsQVVrJycITGP7G8LebRhEJbW9F/w640-h392/Fulmar%20doing%20poo%20being%20careful%20not%20to%20foul%20the%20water.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Good to see far more live <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> than dead ones today too...a big relief really.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUrtxZFAGhg91KmPonXQzZ_JWKDVQ2gyeuY4MeTDJG9cqWZX-fkiB7sbVu33gt5pcoR0iK_0MU4m0V_wSluj2z-ReXNrQJm4OcnUYIGHz_BLX6WQcdNOg7Iu76dW7sHV_WXRtfzYTb7ACuJ_Uf3RcthHzec0ovG73WWrnlwpxYMJzGduTbJy-BS1W0cUZ/s5568/Adult%20Gannet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3712" data-original-width="5568" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUrtxZFAGhg91KmPonXQzZ_JWKDVQ2gyeuY4MeTDJG9cqWZX-fkiB7sbVu33gt5pcoR0iK_0MU4m0V_wSluj2z-ReXNrQJm4OcnUYIGHz_BLX6WQcdNOg7Iu76dW7sHV_WXRtfzYTb7ACuJ_Uf3RcthHzec0ovG73WWrnlwpxYMJzGduTbJy-BS1W0cUZ/w640-h426/Adult%20Gannet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We also saw our <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Storm Petrels</span></b>, several small groups...brilliant but a nightmare to photograph such a tiny scrap of feathers from so high up on the ship so please excuse the poor pics.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuLiH0h3IDxjbyQ1tk7as-UNOYWby4vPxjZEXwqvrXsV1JgVucnu6_Rjnu00QBGfxshj3-aIO1L0TqPIKFfpULeDL6SLRb6aSen8pdQS8Iq0y00ZkSzqJJT6tttR6miIpii7H847xtUZugUh_RoA5kgBuJlg-shGt-oIp5GC0nfbugFkSZ8m8ofNNSUJX/s1476/Storm%20Petrel%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1476" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuLiH0h3IDxjbyQ1tk7as-UNOYWby4vPxjZEXwqvrXsV1JgVucnu6_Rjnu00QBGfxshj3-aIO1L0TqPIKFfpULeDL6SLRb6aSen8pdQS8Iq0y00ZkSzqJJT6tttR6miIpii7H847xtUZugUh_RoA5kgBuJlg-shGt-oIp5GC0nfbugFkSZ8m8ofNNSUJX/w640-h370/Storm%20Petrel%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XXp4ZswQL0QkOMy3b11D5Re0FPVtf8Np_OP26Piiqgoc7gJRgHk5YzyO0IOciD9ktEsMBldrjr4M4YSSLbObTXkFMur5uzEi3z_XOib4F0Ruz-1pBCgbz2SwOMHxlc6wrNlr7yheHOyWpFRDQO1p8wJALQbtms86O9baYIzz5vRfcEOUZw-mGPx_cL1m/s1118/Storm%20Petrel%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1118" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XXp4ZswQL0QkOMy3b11D5Re0FPVtf8Np_OP26Piiqgoc7gJRgHk5YzyO0IOciD9ktEsMBldrjr4M4YSSLbObTXkFMur5uzEi3z_XOib4F0Ruz-1pBCgbz2SwOMHxlc6wrNlr7yheHOyWpFRDQO1p8wJALQbtms86O9baYIzz5vRfcEOUZw-mGPx_cL1m/w640-h410/Storm%20Petrel%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnCMxzILJqufl835k3i8XLmX-_yiNC5Wq9lKs_2uPuDEL1ewxfEBQN7rh2NXMS2tqTp2NH-65IXhHy7QgIRBU0EIessolXXpW7CVVWI0zEZUWh_K9HRwuPOXX33PJRyH1X946cZzTVIk72cu5iOucI74RGUSnf-kBGoBIXMvgGhb9EsxdvCbewLgFU46r/s925/Storm%20Petrel%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="925" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnCMxzILJqufl835k3i8XLmX-_yiNC5Wq9lKs_2uPuDEL1ewxfEBQN7rh2NXMS2tqTp2NH-65IXhHy7QgIRBU0EIessolXXpW7CVVWI0zEZUWh_K9HRwuPOXX33PJRyH1X946cZzTVIk72cu5iOucI74RGUSnf-kBGoBIXMvgGhb9EsxdvCbewLgFU46r/w640-h324/Storm%20Petrel%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafE3odGw55tXZwXr6SF65G4ZSdwpwO-fOxRC4d5g8nQcb_LJudCz25NZoJY5unmUg5jraibi5iYqnZ_-qTu7Q_ndzt-URPi6WYrhq7qk_7cIdBJVYK3UEa_kHLBVJgevve8C_8f205jfHhzKonZyw444VX9Rty2pTkOskd9rqsVad-Z5O_BWlyy5OVZCh/s1131/Storm%20Petrel%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1131" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafE3odGw55tXZwXr6SF65G4ZSdwpwO-fOxRC4d5g8nQcb_LJudCz25NZoJY5unmUg5jraibi5iYqnZ_-qTu7Q_ndzt-URPi6WYrhq7qk_7cIdBJVYK3UEa_kHLBVJgevve8C_8f205jfHhzKonZyw444VX9Rty2pTkOskd9rqsVad-Z5O_BWlyy5OVZCh/w640-h380/Storm%20Petrel%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>St Kilda loomed in the distance when we spotted a lone <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Leach's Petrel.</span></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKx7UpWZWQZr_-z3eOtDpZxfSyMcaQaGI3ASN6dv3lWTY_kSgM5ltl1w9-MKDmSal6Jt0npyBPwz-bhI1PRy5BavxW04LNEBYa0MGUFegLtPTqkcMBFplsu9Z3ZtFDN3obCKSWyB1RxnvAhSerAJ0peHItBvNfN0HKN7D29dc29mY0QRq3vCpewAJ9a5i/s5528/St%20Kilda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="5528" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKx7UpWZWQZr_-z3eOtDpZxfSyMcaQaGI3ASN6dv3lWTY_kSgM5ltl1w9-MKDmSal6Jt0npyBPwz-bhI1PRy5BavxW04LNEBYa0MGUFegLtPTqkcMBFplsu9Z3ZtFDN3obCKSWyB1RxnvAhSerAJ0peHItBvNfN0HKN7D29dc29mY0QRq3vCpewAJ9a5i/w640-h336/St%20Kilda.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The only <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Grey Seals </span></b>of the trip were seen today, just two, a brief sighting of one diving well away from the boat and one that swam beneath our bow. We see those regularly off the prom close to Base Camp but a 'wobbly old-fashioned school ruler' was something we've only ever seen once before and nowhere near Base camp - the tall dorsal fin of a <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Sun Fish</span></b>.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As for finned blubber an odd cloud in the shape of a whale's tail was a good omen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9Il0kbjO0XcbuFwAcTIPM6nXHkHPyTxJcOrR3KkRbRwXQt7bkdrz3X51PhOyN_G4lyo8Wed9t6Z8y97BHT_1EjNeAIEpJrYnBvAkeWD20udLOWkK5gTBcX9GJLa_8EWkvlYQNW1MNa5OVLvtKwakm51T4TS_AHNcgBRQf1oX5joe5IWfLrk6CF33BGM2/s5568/Whale%20tail%20cloud.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3712" data-original-width="5568" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9Il0kbjO0XcbuFwAcTIPM6nXHkHPyTxJcOrR3KkRbRwXQt7bkdrz3X51PhOyN_G4lyo8Wed9t6Z8y97BHT_1EjNeAIEpJrYnBvAkeWD20udLOWkK5gTBcX9GJLa_8EWkvlYQNW1MNa5OVLvtKwakm51T4TS_AHNcgBRQf1oX5joe5IWfLrk6CF33BGM2/w640-h426/Whale%20tail%20cloud.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Passing beyond St Kilda we had pods of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Common, Bottlenose</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">White-beaked Dolphins</span></b> a couple of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whales</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Long-finned Pilot Whales</span></b>, some passengers reported seeing <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harbour Porpoises</span></b> in the flat calm sea too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWuxxrMPYsJv904-aaX0e8q50dkYR1KEbTzVx1H0Vy4Xlo-97hl18JjNpee1LaRi36qY8NFQbeBaC7RWATu5kcTQhhZ4EAEIkVGRKk48FYUWOM_TLICAjhnsIBMrBTFoLosinRFcSwlSHfwmTQ127zgO6Hm0ACfSSC999C78qn_4zlFhiuA-FAYuStCQq/s1290/Common%20Dolphin%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1290" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWuxxrMPYsJv904-aaX0e8q50dkYR1KEbTzVx1H0Vy4Xlo-97hl18JjNpee1LaRi36qY8NFQbeBaC7RWATu5kcTQhhZ4EAEIkVGRKk48FYUWOM_TLICAjhnsIBMrBTFoLosinRFcSwlSHfwmTQ127zgO6Hm0ACfSSC999C78qn_4zlFhiuA-FAYuStCQq/w640-h534/Common%20Dolphin%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOn4B8Qw9yO_DQvsb3cyQLlZ4xLFGS6Vfwg5lGKM2I8PXImhVRcyLz5Gbj9uOKZZLP7dc_um2lDGhewuEpj1d1ZaU3ums4mCb2eC-7emswnSB3DIw0Z60aagBDcr9_iL8_GVgYY7wR1ECe9p-QJZWeIvgqLuUJAHinE9Kfh4qj2WP3AYxwxx_x8EfhMry/s1717/Common%20Dolphin%201%20crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="1717" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOn4B8Qw9yO_DQvsb3cyQLlZ4xLFGS6Vfwg5lGKM2I8PXImhVRcyLz5Gbj9uOKZZLP7dc_um2lDGhewuEpj1d1ZaU3ums4mCb2eC-7emswnSB3DIw0Z60aagBDcr9_iL8_GVgYY7wR1ECe9p-QJZWeIvgqLuUJAHinE9Kfh4qj2WP3AYxwxx_x8EfhMry/w640-h516/Common%20Dolphin%201%20crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5iyhszdUe9d9z2xfcKJmk4IkHKp-U2Zob8UNx1XJtIicQPbjAb-2XtirC1AdXfBeoSVog0CGv0jYn-PHcqK6k8F68DSTgCrLlvu33ehSdzj1rgpTOAQvpbSganXJ5S3svUSDvDM_Y0ajPXF3LIi3BOC0nbmTu3tkXntcOSGOAF7Q67Zyln3lBKDQSHoy/s1865/Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20Pod%202%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1865" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5iyhszdUe9d9z2xfcKJmk4IkHKp-U2Zob8UNx1XJtIicQPbjAb-2XtirC1AdXfBeoSVog0CGv0jYn-PHcqK6k8F68DSTgCrLlvu33ehSdzj1rgpTOAQvpbSganXJ5S3svUSDvDM_Y0ajPXF3LIi3BOC0nbmTu3tkXntcOSGOAF7Q67Zyln3lBKDQSHoy/w640-h284/Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20Pod%202%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwQAwt7SsFspk9LQUHzW0UnpmavPTvnOsVNkYXiE5a5-rqLNriCScFFSThNa-PMcP7Sj9LJEBa7L6pGj7-ITtzevqY9qO1M-PMnMb_qY_5dQELFwd2qy2sGPhtbkU1xjyZH7bm5MmLymWzYIVCq2kB1MkJU5XFXOba6I2z9xh6BAGENzcgL8QhKE25B7S/s1318/Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20Pod%201%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1318" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwQAwt7SsFspk9LQUHzW0UnpmavPTvnOsVNkYXiE5a5-rqLNriCScFFSThNa-PMcP7Sj9LJEBa7L6pGj7-ITtzevqY9qO1M-PMnMb_qY_5dQELFwd2qy2sGPhtbkU1xjyZH7bm5MmLymWzYIVCq2kB1MkJU5XFXOba6I2z9xh6BAGENzcgL8QhKE25B7S/w640-h570/Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20Pod%201%207.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlf3dzdEfOEelUNk_XV9YGBsWwnwD0-w3MAMqZT7QwwO1V7mwQuJ6ndqa4GyN9-uZgR8dDLzJnprpYsNvftgYMvlDwvTorN8QQ9_DMCvLyPaPSMdhT-fUNJhOy1OVyUplbwSf2J6sTgc47vdgzZxKOFcMDKubWUWlkaeeDbbn7c_SiydiV4lf4058_h3m_/s1806/Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20Pod%201%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="1806" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlf3dzdEfOEelUNk_XV9YGBsWwnwD0-w3MAMqZT7QwwO1V7mwQuJ6ndqa4GyN9-uZgR8dDLzJnprpYsNvftgYMvlDwvTorN8QQ9_DMCvLyPaPSMdhT-fUNJhOy1OVyUplbwSf2J6sTgc47vdgzZxKOFcMDKubWUWlkaeeDbbn7c_SiydiV4lf4058_h3m_/w640-h304/Bottlenose%20Dolphin%20Pod%201%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the passengers, Richard Davison, kindly provided a 'BoC' pic of the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Long-finned Pilot Whales</span></b> as we failed spectacularly to get any shots off. This one is a female without the big curled 'Smurf's hat' dorsal fin of the males.<br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G7LTdwOOAkqF8JXLbRZFqEjmQXkR8BW0BBWrOkFpFykDksJxGiaKeaDIw0J9sURyUEi6naqhAj-bUEweXh5NWxHVQGvMlRAup95ShqX-prLElWwCoacjZNALxm47u6Knkf18xXzU-Jghd6w7db5cTyOTMJD_nuBOa0WmQnLJA4qxUbLBlbCn7X9iaa_k/s1539/Pilot%20whale.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="1539" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G7LTdwOOAkqF8JXLbRZFqEjmQXkR8BW0BBWrOkFpFykDksJxGiaKeaDIw0J9sURyUEi6naqhAj-bUEweXh5NWxHVQGvMlRAup95ShqX-prLElWwCoacjZNALxm47u6Knkf18xXzU-Jghd6w7db5cTyOTMJD_nuBOa0WmQnLJA4qxUbLBlbCn7X9iaa_k/w640-h600/Pilot%20whale.jpg" width="640" /></a>At dusk a series of blows on the port side...getting all nautical now...alerted us to a couple or maybe even three logging <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sperm Whales</span></b>...job done...get in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps-LGFBWqB-oQ57WT8zgOd4zqMbFxXpuBITUUifGUqxcEc3-S3qQPAJxF4cPKoOrsz_t6j6TjEp-p7NlIdYoKyE2tRZ02IESC6Zl8qa4pgTckyIKVFYvK3Y7MLlL75neVlWeeLOF7J_4I62KO8En82DkjCHh5Ye_pjH1ugz7-Z-dR_ZeeqLqqUukkOk0l/s1316/Sperm%20whale%20blow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1316" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps-LGFBWqB-oQ57WT8zgOd4zqMbFxXpuBITUUifGUqxcEc3-S3qQPAJxF4cPKoOrsz_t6j6TjEp-p7NlIdYoKyE2tRZ02IESC6Zl8qa4pgTckyIKVFYvK3Y7MLlL75neVlWeeLOF7J_4I62KO8En82DkjCHh5Ye_pjH1ugz7-Z-dR_ZeeqLqqUukkOk0l/w640-h418/Sperm%20whale%20blow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid720uSt2cm6Ll5__uUHLMR9e9Q2_Ax-7DYh8HZSfZijNRt-befb1_gLaGHD06e_1MDhCyWmS2gQGX-enQZCzg_4mXRB2ks1mv9VVwXLEGPZjxjqSfaDaRiazEjsmJk-qPxvPYbLPB4yIzdsmzgG5Bo3W30VtvFxngdmlfSoJ4N7aB7iy2FEiNCn1QvBl2/s1196/Sperm%20whale%20small%20dorsal%20fin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="1196" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid720uSt2cm6Ll5__uUHLMR9e9Q2_Ax-7DYh8HZSfZijNRt-befb1_gLaGHD06e_1MDhCyWmS2gQGX-enQZCzg_4mXRB2ks1mv9VVwXLEGPZjxjqSfaDaRiazEjsmJk-qPxvPYbLPB4yIzdsmzgG5Bo3W30VtvFxngdmlfSoJ4N7aB7iy2FEiNCn1QvBl2/w640-h308/Sperm%20whale%20small%20dorsal%20fin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNJfjA_LsQ6BI2THZJKPejCYTx5siVHp6u725xSYlFwPjxJ3ZufpBMK4sKNhjHkCfZfp81nzacOVvfCvXyEfOxIxDgMbqtnWMFh45x6dc9EesleDk9U8qkqDq7a6bEj577ZpemN0eD2zlkQkD-cCDcMxxaU9TSva3xj7Olj6nid1puUyLJVXKwjhgi1t1/s1394/Sperm%20Whale%20tail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1394" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNJfjA_LsQ6BI2THZJKPejCYTx5siVHp6u725xSYlFwPjxJ3ZufpBMK4sKNhjHkCfZfp81nzacOVvfCvXyEfOxIxDgMbqtnWMFh45x6dc9EesleDk9U8qkqDq7a6bEj577ZpemN0eD2zlkQkD-cCDcMxxaU9TSva3xj7Olj6nid1puUyLJVXKwjhgi1t1/w640-h364/Sperm%20Whale%20tail.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And with the last of the tails disappearing into the depths so the light went too - time for a well earned pint and an exhausted collapse into the cabin ready for Day 3.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">Our third day brought more showers on a cool breeze but still only a slight sea. We now had a 'Big Four' thing going on; <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Puffins</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b> were pretty much ever-present in varying numbers all day but bird-wise the shearwaters were the stars today, plenty of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Manxies</span></b>, 5 <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sootys</span></b> and more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Shearwaters</span></b> than you could shake a stick at. We also had a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blue Fulmar</span></b> and small flcoks of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Arctic Terns</span></b> along with couple of juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Headed Gulls</span></b> well away from land and going even further away. Auks were not so well represented other than the Puffins but several distant tiny blobs of black and white zooting through the troughs could only have been <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Auks</span></b>...it took a while to get a handle on them and they were impossible to photograph but it wasn't until we realised they were still in breeding plumage that we worked out what they were.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Out in the middle of nowhere a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstone</span></b> turned up on the bow and pottered around in front of several admirers for an hour or so. It really shouldn't have stayed so long as it was now at least 30 miles closer to where it had come from than where it was going to. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw-9k81rza9IwSvqz7doWB3IoQFAHfJiooOvhV-fntPhMsFNZ3oQzBD-oIm9YC59y_09u99xMqklZ8Y3LewhVAhmnWbJ9u24JoaSL8ciNT_5MvMJ5OVOvtDZXn_hYN-5ef_TrIEGx0RnPy5FgkdYVMoKFrKpBNxVqjcmQN0clS7uy1F_vE8AK3H_L6psH/s2004/Guest%20with%20Turnstone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="2004" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw-9k81rza9IwSvqz7doWB3IoQFAHfJiooOvhV-fntPhMsFNZ3oQzBD-oIm9YC59y_09u99xMqklZ8Y3LewhVAhmnWbJ9u24JoaSL8ciNT_5MvMJ5OVOvtDZXn_hYN-5ef_TrIEGx0RnPy5FgkdYVMoKFrKpBNxVqjcmQN0clS7uy1F_vE8AK3H_L6psH/w640-h426/Guest%20with%20Turnstone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A young <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannet</span></b> also cruised round the ship circumnavigating us several times during the morning.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFfTbipHODooO2meWMGTOX1eIJXJOq5a8zN6nw4uyIZt7JTHAPVbge0iqht9k2mvic9iXuD5h13aEWGrv2_3FSSgK6O-DdqrCjTYxnQTG2_d9VCysBMl96RQ0UowdJ-eahvTsnz1doRlIz0bQ78MMi3w7Dj0VhkVV2_Tw9ECH-SayLnVdR4iIA2jirA13/s3165/2cy%20Gannet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1945" data-original-width="3165" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFfTbipHODooO2meWMGTOX1eIJXJOq5a8zN6nw4uyIZt7JTHAPVbge0iqht9k2mvic9iXuD5h13aEWGrv2_3FSSgK6O-DdqrCjTYxnQTG2_d9VCysBMl96RQ0UowdJ-eahvTsnz1doRlIz0bQ78MMi3w7Dj0VhkVV2_Tw9ECH-SayLnVdR4iIA2jirA13/w640-h394/2cy%20Gannet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was plenty of cetacean action throughout the day too. Pods of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Common Dolphins</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">White-beaked Dolphins</span></b> both evading the lens. We did manage to get lots of shots of empty sea though...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4KEaUVJHOYJ5Q9RRc6pYCBfiyRFnD0pyOYg0buL_WTLbhJjwAAvYwZiAD1PYkjEEe91k38GTzaWo80nabeSwsUhKnYuBpyFqH8r7aaNniV937o1QOGNtcZny9Z_Yd6S7CwTDjF_8Ox5THBjt4srRocNYI2MzRTRJFDBsjnwL6kS11p0SKLTmqzoMUYvM/s1392/Missed%20empty%20sea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1392" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4KEaUVJHOYJ5Q9RRc6pYCBfiyRFnD0pyOYg0buL_WTLbhJjwAAvYwZiAD1PYkjEEe91k38GTzaWo80nabeSwsUhKnYuBpyFqH8r7aaNniV937o1QOGNtcZny9Z_Yd6S7CwTDjF_8Ox5THBjt4srRocNYI2MzRTRJFDBsjnwL6kS11p0SKLTmqzoMUYvM/w640-h426/Missed%20empty%20sea.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Whale-wise we clawed back our <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whale</span></b> dip and got lots of passengers onto one of two seen during the day...so many passengers in fact that they were all stood in front of us and we could get a shot through the throng so that's our next nautical mission - to get a pic of a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whale</span></b>. Having dipped the 'Canada' one we were impressed tro see how much animal is visible above the water compared to the next biggest thing in the sea, the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whales</span></b>...they really are enourmous and very impressive!<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Talking of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whales</span></b>, we saw lots, well lots of blows and some of them were close enough to resolve into a bit of the animal.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPee_BH06kNE111YN3qrT5YzDYZvdkOjtytI16aWzOUS0bsUPeuvAENgEU17QkVRNidKazj3b1ac5eUYLG6KU35Yk1oVN1stL4uW8PA11A6gpN7f8OLe4Y-Z2eM6eBo9_OmC-dLyG2fnK1027sFjtIF1XlYCWAmh9SAaWj47TwSlaknJRK0IG7HmHOkzL/s2131/Fin%20Whale%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="2131" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPee_BH06kNE111YN3qrT5YzDYZvdkOjtytI16aWzOUS0bsUPeuvAENgEU17QkVRNidKazj3b1ac5eUYLG6KU35Yk1oVN1stL4uW8PA11A6gpN7f8OLe4Y-Z2eM6eBo9_OmC-dLyG2fnK1027sFjtIF1XlYCWAmh9SAaWj47TwSlaknJRK0IG7HmHOkzL/w640-h300/Fin%20Whale%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis413F8gqK9B4GBrERO0PeqB0FwT5dPY6J9yma64dEBPVyLqrANFJPa405EoEq6DBcfBZwu-oF3SO5dHLD-advAUslOC-9k5yB5d87vXPDZrj--nL8gMkJQvXs-87O60_x9QJAgOLNhYDScXE24ytJOphtO0vTix-sz9Sejw2kwOD57OwNUbJ88vtLhqs6/s2069/Fin%20Whale%205%20fin%20about%20to%20appear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="2069" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis413F8gqK9B4GBrERO0PeqB0FwT5dPY6J9yma64dEBPVyLqrANFJPa405EoEq6DBcfBZwu-oF3SO5dHLD-advAUslOC-9k5yB5d87vXPDZrj--nL8gMkJQvXs-87O60_x9QJAgOLNhYDScXE24ytJOphtO0vTix-sz9Sejw2kwOD57OwNUbJ88vtLhqs6/w640-h304/Fin%20Whale%205%20fin%20about%20to%20appear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGQ3drvJ4VB0tdeU_Q_TRXDf259vHuUB5b1E-qko15Cl8jqpW2jAJqTXoDr5GdrVQNaHeWygEbGGIEhX4vcQYkSRL8dbiEj387dOhLVF7nUKIfJoE5FsqqSZg3yze_5raBwZ1q7JePGRYQgx6rCwRkw0bmqp03q1Wb4fZgafgqzBr3lTVehwOdUqOcnmM/s1933/Fin%20Whale%206%20rostrum%20about%20to%20disappear.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1933" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGQ3drvJ4VB0tdeU_Q_TRXDf259vHuUB5b1E-qko15Cl8jqpW2jAJqTXoDr5GdrVQNaHeWygEbGGIEhX4vcQYkSRL8dbiEj387dOhLVF7nUKIfJoE5FsqqSZg3yze_5raBwZ1q7JePGRYQgx6rCwRkw0bmqp03q1Wb4fZgafgqzBr3lTVehwOdUqOcnmM/w640-h300/Fin%20Whale%206%20rostrum%20about%20to%20disappear.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRYHmM1Rp59iptbbuLZSsYIOp5yLhS74DG8Wf-1-hAE-lLsnWeFTEIZgwCcKCCxo64rze_RMYXGvlxqzZ0xQS4zOzhWeXpbXBJ9r5Wt-9lNpnnbgAV6vTo7vQzTLHt6mZd-IEGZoOnZM2h7zuesbSgaV9BXQGbuF-6D9_FjKxMktE-9CSPmke1Ttkax9M/s2098/Fin%20Whale%207%20rostrum%20gone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="2098" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRYHmM1Rp59iptbbuLZSsYIOp5yLhS74DG8Wf-1-hAE-lLsnWeFTEIZgwCcKCCxo64rze_RMYXGvlxqzZ0xQS4zOzhWeXpbXBJ9r5Wt-9lNpnnbgAV6vTo7vQzTLHt6mZd-IEGZoOnZM2h7zuesbSgaV9BXQGbuF-6D9_FjKxMktE-9CSPmke1Ttkax9M/w640-h270/Fin%20Whale%207%20rostrum%20gone.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whales</span></b> had a supporting cast of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whales<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC5pm3_6x84S42TKMVtGpQ9tM59QNKzz6TqrGBNogY2ir44LEBavwnI1GloZuWw-VP5hMUA3tL_fHJZZu_l9GG4qpOfIc7HEKJQcbzw09YaJzDFh7fZgLjKjDLZbWlQLmk4XZT2TdKVzcluQxKMX-OWO90rSeSkGnHmggs7jG9jKFkffkpokHs1PGthZB/s1659/Minke%20Whale%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1659" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC5pm3_6x84S42TKMVtGpQ9tM59QNKzz6TqrGBNogY2ir44LEBavwnI1GloZuWw-VP5hMUA3tL_fHJZZu_l9GG4qpOfIc7HEKJQcbzw09YaJzDFh7fZgLjKjDLZbWlQLmk4XZT2TdKVzcluQxKMX-OWO90rSeSkGnHmggs7jG9jKFkffkpokHs1PGthZB/w640-h382/Minke%20Whale%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtrSOmUzrWhGkAcWLdUXVZ1pawI85S2vkMSdtjO_lZkaA_hZd_49faXgoksfEDIuhWGDEy0yCm7Z3d3rgHydxCTohCwG8pY5ATsXd2qmIEfoOPSj0-EKr3YukJQ9hJbS0K3ntdMX_mS7dU5KpcR0lRQsh9slTgFY75JxSg3ZV-wsUveyIKEg06EhOIRTY/s1484/Minke%20Whale%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1484" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtrSOmUzrWhGkAcWLdUXVZ1pawI85S2vkMSdtjO_lZkaA_hZd_49faXgoksfEDIuhWGDEy0yCm7Z3d3rgHydxCTohCwG8pY5ATsXd2qmIEfoOPSj0-EKr3YukJQ9hJbS0K3ntdMX_mS7dU5KpcR0lRQsh9slTgFY75JxSg3ZV-wsUveyIKEg06EhOIRTY/w640-h394/Minke%20Whale%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNwrS94gNoy3l395qA4NpUeghF6xFx2r1ZLADjFvVG5iSXhRgtJnd7DK29sVH7H2QHCL-jNm9l6k-uW2sfvOBvoHgMXy2hNhVcC7bppO9kB_BW6vgaNzfkw1OBqlxBJEp9K7WKpKadWBYZmXnN4iCx53tuaRNulJ2NUASGo1eFjnWaoBAm135Lwt_oHzZ/s1243/Minke%20Whale%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1243" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNwrS94gNoy3l395qA4NpUeghF6xFx2r1ZLADjFvVG5iSXhRgtJnd7DK29sVH7H2QHCL-jNm9l6k-uW2sfvOBvoHgMXy2hNhVcC7bppO9kB_BW6vgaNzfkw1OBqlxBJEp9K7WKpKadWBYZmXnN4iCx53tuaRNulJ2NUASGo1eFjnWaoBAm135Lwt_oHzZ/w640-h344/Minke%20Whale%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />For an hour or so we had the cruise's Special Guest Speaker join us (as if AB wasn't special enough!) she came up for a chat and a bit of an interview thing as well as joining in with the watching. She's probably familiar to many of you. here's a screenshot of her Twitter (now X) feed from that day.<br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDK9lFAN8vMX1RqrY0XEOqiLll9Py4_h8Mu7MdPrurxryABxZ-NlVUiHKvlS5FxgDo6aGNVA_i54ysaEZO2FQPtVaaFyh7veMn-VFI11fm_oxQWp5Y0uaUumslXguV04QVvXaLAn5xgeCYzLqkhZhsIsrvoFaDh0UaDiBOQG_BccQPfMzT_r0d4Far5Ypr/s2408/OWE%20and%20Michaela%20Strachan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2408" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDK9lFAN8vMX1RqrY0XEOqiLll9Py4_h8Mu7MdPrurxryABxZ-NlVUiHKvlS5FxgDo6aGNVA_i54ysaEZO2FQPtVaaFyh7veMn-VFI11fm_oxQWp5Y0uaUumslXguV04QVvXaLAn5xgeCYzLqkhZhsIsrvoFaDh0UaDiBOQG_BccQPfMzT_r0d4Far5Ypr/w288-h640/OWE%20and%20Michaela%20Strachan.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From L-R The Safari, Michaela S, IH<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">She certainly filled her boots with cetacean sightings while watching with us but we just couldn't rustle up the <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whale</span></b> she really wanted. Good of her to be wearing an almost matching uniform too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A grand day out on the beautiful briny sea and getting ready for a bit of land-lubbering tomorrow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Day 4 saw us dock just offshore at Heimaey Island a few miles off the SE corner of Iceland. A small island which had suffered an almost catastrophing volcanic eruption in the early 1970's. It was a warm and sunny day, t-shirt sleeves weather. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gyWKpwoLcXHv_zGFAVzqmzcx_doVte9ekhGM7d2dqZpiCde9aGfDHqLK3k8qoEnsjUtNW4hNfO1rEbtGQunDx7obwIsCvVbDNUTQ7ctkA8N0qxHlcwPv-higPVG9M9NWLHCdrku4inxlolB0eDgXBp1ZDKvwymb4wDXYv7Z9G3ZI4w4WGdCNahyHTfjQ/s1500/At%20anchor%20Heimaey%20Island.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gyWKpwoLcXHv_zGFAVzqmzcx_doVte9ekhGM7d2dqZpiCde9aGfDHqLK3k8qoEnsjUtNW4hNfO1rEbtGQunDx7obwIsCvVbDNUTQ7ctkA8N0qxHlcwPv-higPVG9M9NWLHCdrku4inxlolB0eDgXBp1ZDKvwymb4wDXYv7Z9G3ZI4w4WGdCNahyHTfjQ/w640-h426/At%20anchor%20Heimaey%20Island.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>While waiting for the tenders to take us to shore we watched from Deck 3 to see what we could see and mostly it was Fulmars...the ship was surrounded by them giving some good photo opportunities.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ldO8gbznxLudbkIAWprhdu9QCA3idAZh-oNQ_y1v_pAno5v18AmaWRRNsrIYwefp3piOl_cmLmh4ISaxQYz3_-J4C-56D4mSHZU1iJIvyhHSx1R0mVrNE6hMs2snyqPySFjwyppE4nQYu0iebRu1W5r962CghlkKEaibNo3Hbfb4C3DvC0OgaIPzRR-J/s2829/Fulmars%20around%20the%20ship.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="2829" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ldO8gbznxLudbkIAWprhdu9QCA3idAZh-oNQ_y1v_pAno5v18AmaWRRNsrIYwefp3piOl_cmLmh4ISaxQYz3_-J4C-56D4mSHZU1iJIvyhHSx1R0mVrNE6hMs2snyqPySFjwyppE4nQYu0iebRu1W5r962CghlkKEaibNo3Hbfb4C3DvC0OgaIPzRR-J/w640-h322/Fulmars%20around%20the%20ship.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ECbQDKezlOhtzLKqzmLwuV1zkxFh2ja8Y78ePWx_pz0VGPWRycBBnqkD5FfaOsahtXUQnxr_TNXs-EX3_0LEMeeh_z-DywaGk_ZSqtjJR1gt3s8wxeCwX7hx4JLyLyr1PHcvz08zfvt8aCu7ttikfGua0VRwE3edSClMaMyKVwHJD2guSqTGBMYGHQpm/s2388/Fulmar%20close%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="2388" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ECbQDKezlOhtzLKqzmLwuV1zkxFh2ja8Y78ePWx_pz0VGPWRycBBnqkD5FfaOsahtXUQnxr_TNXs-EX3_0LEMeeh_z-DywaGk_ZSqtjJR1gt3s8wxeCwX7hx4JLyLyr1PHcvz08zfvt8aCu7ttikfGua0VRwE3edSClMaMyKVwHJD2guSqTGBMYGHQpm/w640-h392/Fulmar%20close%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkyUKdkSOblCs71SuQgIr8jp0WXqBLanA7ZEYNkmaSh8MkhJLXMQgmLsGg__TQEvuKCucejbC265fnMD8GB9WYff6W8Qd_jVbGG7NDMFXKFwsj91-xDdzjqpDVA3s1yRc19q6M3u1WDYd5NsScBei0ZQwF6BQ-U-GJ0uFwEuMn7l_r_iSH1Z9w8l7dfRJ/s1651/Fulmar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1651" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkyUKdkSOblCs71SuQgIr8jp0WXqBLanA7ZEYNkmaSh8MkhJLXMQgmLsGg__TQEvuKCucejbC265fnMD8GB9WYff6W8Qd_jVbGG7NDMFXKFwsj91-xDdzjqpDVA3s1yRc19q6M3u1WDYd5NsScBei0ZQwF6BQ-U-GJ0uFwEuMn7l_r_iSH1Z9w8l7dfRJ/w640-h484/Fulmar%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wheatear</span></b> was briefly hopping around the boat while <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Wagtails</span></b> flew back and forth overhead. Further away from the boat we had an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Arctic Skua</span></b>, a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Skuas</span></b> sadly not as close as the Fulmars.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGrh4RozZy4ddJao6R0RS48RG_eiHzuIb3Jsvj2kEt0gmjmzkjjXxKH79mHd2xIhnrCUCkHuvUQCAuqph9H623qqvm-3ZGVU1Qy9xzOlFWNYheShxlzroe1Xq30l2IfIYZubVTDA-3nsXbLuSyJjhOA1px_Pm4fOqVOO-dooSha5ng0z6jHU4_eDah1bg/s1215/Great%20skua%20around%20ship.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1215" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGrh4RozZy4ddJao6R0RS48RG_eiHzuIb3Jsvj2kEt0gmjmzkjjXxKH79mHd2xIhnrCUCkHuvUQCAuqph9H623qqvm-3ZGVU1Qy9xzOlFWNYheShxlzroe1Xq30l2IfIYZubVTDA-3nsXbLuSyJjhOA1px_Pm4fOqVOO-dooSha5ng0z6jHU4_eDah1bg/w640-h524/Great%20skua%20around%20ship.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There were plenty of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> and a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whale</span></b> was fairly close too our mooring position too<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5fixfkzfa02yslSxrLzuidZaNT2rg-QoFe6st6V2Lk9sEWwjYhnbdQKqUwVdFrBIu969Jk_0naY-Eur6_5_vAd7yri1tKowV3FiDph7inAhWcPvWrYQHWtlQlsgY0axowKbF8bvFBT7-O21oqKp9m8kJETeHIZ8VGRCb7u6q0aSl8QjgAKGwnIu4Fckd/s1747/Minke%20whale.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1747" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5fixfkzfa02yslSxrLzuidZaNT2rg-QoFe6st6V2Lk9sEWwjYhnbdQKqUwVdFrBIu969Jk_0naY-Eur6_5_vAd7yri1tKowV3FiDph7inAhWcPvWrYQHWtlQlsgY0axowKbF8bvFBT7-O21oqKp9m8kJETeHIZ8VGRCb7u6q0aSl8QjgAKGwnIu4Fckd/w640-h256/Minke%20whale.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>In the distance across the bay over on the mainland an extinct volcano had attracted a cloud 'in perfect harmony', looking just like the real thing!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLjVOgl1x-XFDY6qedfjeLpzjWfbFItAJhI3W2HVVCGSMSwmp894Hw14PqZa5Ag_1-W9IItH2ZXJJCJagznhFiA-HQKWL-aQbDt1io_LTxZ_FV36n4m-pUwKYeCqpx3wJ2S_Bft4-dp-KHn0AOGkGhTKGSv9VqlvMX1Yt3N-xDDMZrz9CemDGzaBdTXW2/s1281/Cloud%20above%20inactive%20volcano.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="953" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLjVOgl1x-XFDY6qedfjeLpzjWfbFItAJhI3W2HVVCGSMSwmp894Hw14PqZa5Ag_1-W9IItH2ZXJJCJagznhFiA-HQKWL-aQbDt1io_LTxZ_FV36n4m-pUwKYeCqpx3wJ2S_Bft4-dp-KHn0AOGkGhTKGSv9VqlvMX1Yt3N-xDDMZrz9CemDGzaBdTXW2/w476-h640/Cloud%20above%20inactive%20volcano.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>Eventually it was our turn to head for shore for a bit of sightseeing. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Guillemots</span></b> welcomed us as we sailed towards the harbour entrance while <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous Gulls</span></b> soared overhead. The ride also gave the chance to get some eye level pics of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fulmars</span></b> sat on the water but keeping them in the frame as the little boat wallowed around in a rather large swell was tricky to say the least. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwq0Yb1Wr7G41W-1DDP2KqH_b0vtUV0eID-CMcYa4xLDUvMzuoAKyQB-AlblNOB7aa_WgH9VAR4jh_Qz9QwLsQnXTHPjxgrDkrkDjak548gLm3LKqV77RLVhXppCEkuxqXvMx8-0dMe09vOAG0QPG_4cxK7sEwFVPPtAHz-MickQhFEwKDg7emsAVCrA6/s2341/Fulmar%20from%20tender.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="2341" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwq0Yb1Wr7G41W-1DDP2KqH_b0vtUV0eID-CMcYa4xLDUvMzuoAKyQB-AlblNOB7aa_WgH9VAR4jh_Qz9QwLsQnXTHPjxgrDkrkDjak548gLm3LKqV77RLVhXppCEkuxqXvMx8-0dMe09vOAG0QPG_4cxK7sEwFVPPtAHz-MickQhFEwKDg7emsAVCrA6/w640-h456/Fulmar%20from%20tender.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was a warm day and the popular walk up the volcasno that nearly destroyed the town was given the thumbs down so we had a lower level wander around the larva fields it buried half the town with. There were some poignent signs indicating where former homes stood now buried in 30 feet of basalt. We heard <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Meadow Pipits</span></b> and saw a flock of pigeons, or rather <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Rock Doves</span></b> - we've never seen such a large flock of pigeons in which almost all were the original 'wild type'. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3pYahY6DyEOUOnlD55_4I7JApQgyrYtzF4qlWFm0F7Cln7ac99XqPLNk-Fy0pl9E5jsQl7v8sG1Q7n2UeJwY5EWl72BTGSK4w-o9Tl6HyAW66sz7XJvgjS2vuGq2hAA8-T8qhnNcyO6POUCB0Bctc2Qk59nlAavXJvsCtBqGtEwJjlKw3R-FRhPA_FfZ/s1429/Rock%20doves.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1429" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3pYahY6DyEOUOnlD55_4I7JApQgyrYtzF4qlWFm0F7Cln7ac99XqPLNk-Fy0pl9E5jsQl7v8sG1Q7n2UeJwY5EWl72BTGSK4w-o9Tl6HyAW66sz7XJvgjS2vuGq2hAA8-T8qhnNcyO6POUCB0Bctc2Qk59nlAavXJvsCtBqGtEwJjlKw3R-FRhPA_FfZ/w640-h426/Rock%20doves.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The rocky larva field had some weird and wonderful shapes and in its crevices grew some interesting plants.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81Osl5jbfJo7KyoS-wLgtfX8cL0GyNKQn2KIl-cypbcNKS5VnD0c2loj8oJXEzyxrmA7B7UNH1rj7NeQmWoLxy7QQCQVlWLegjXIUKuGjwIrtGq910exM5zJ_gpjE8k_31EOp6ZAWNl-QJH_hpG9bHhLeuTABhT3pXHEZaJkXGDcAEWG9d2jKBctVMvmC/s1719/Basalt%20lava%20flow%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1719" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81Osl5jbfJo7KyoS-wLgtfX8cL0GyNKQn2KIl-cypbcNKS5VnD0c2loj8oJXEzyxrmA7B7UNH1rj7NeQmWoLxy7QQCQVlWLegjXIUKuGjwIrtGq910exM5zJ_gpjE8k_31EOp6ZAWNl-QJH_hpG9bHhLeuTABhT3pXHEZaJkXGDcAEWG9d2jKBctVMvmC/w640-h388/Basalt%20lava%20flow%202.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFX0XIAgjPsR1umnNGapDMNZCsMxLIde9UqoF1EEtJDVaDja1nyOJl4exG78H-W3otozTDGDgZru7flHZONZlDFvO7d_DRW32Z_F6igJ_qaynSC8CRO7nbfDQWothn_SuH9zDXNRbZRgJDBtR1vGPv_rKfj6LfLaJtdOahGEx9JcucrZKnjiYpQR96o0d/s1704/Sedum%20possibly%20Orpine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="1351" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFX0XIAgjPsR1umnNGapDMNZCsMxLIde9UqoF1EEtJDVaDja1nyOJl4exG78H-W3otozTDGDgZru7flHZONZlDFvO7d_DRW32Z_F6igJ_qaynSC8CRO7nbfDQWothn_SuH9zDXNRbZRgJDBtR1vGPv_rKfj6LfLaJtdOahGEx9JcucrZKnjiYpQR96o0d/w508-h640/Sedum%20possibly%20Orpine.jpg" width="508" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitze0gZAzB3Gbm3XELHhESu8N2tfFwy0bUdPdVRRI4le3eehU6c-iY6cTVInjz22RsO1nWMMmuoOdwOqLB9-slp4jxep4Ajb8-DK2jmnrHOr-qD9FtsacpH709r3F5Bc_Ldrc5jWKykQCTbtSsDthGl8Y6iGDmnJzxEruU6KScVBClWbR6RgPeQ5pKw_28/s1341/Plant%20in%20crevice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1341" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitze0gZAzB3Gbm3XELHhESu8N2tfFwy0bUdPdVRRI4le3eehU6c-iY6cTVInjz22RsO1nWMMmuoOdwOqLB9-slp4jxep4Ajb8-DK2jmnrHOr-qD9FtsacpH709r3F5Bc_Ldrc5jWKykQCTbtSsDthGl8Y6iGDmnJzxEruU6KScVBClWbR6RgPeQ5pKw_28/w640-h560/Plant%20in%20crevice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We're not sure what those plants are but they seem familiar and we feel we ought to know them.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a curcuit of the lower boulder fields we weren't sure where to head for next when another passenger told us of the old church and there was a bit of a sandy bay beyond where they had seen some unidentified waders so that made our mind up for us and off we went down the hill.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLZwy2FpnHDRu9fxVqONzqWMqi9kKz7fla03llOYFeHjm8kI57t9tPUqH8JilFCOaws5I4RwmgmswpAjWxcw6TBKt7mBDrfiAmCajs7sUcx0DiNu4Xb3QmAFcImuHolWa5gCnXySLwUbghFRTD5Yf-sIo2HgkQwNcAowfG8Fo0ylRr1KaelbekJHBm-hl/s4000/Stave%20church%20side%20on.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="4000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLZwy2FpnHDRu9fxVqONzqWMqi9kKz7fla03llOYFeHjm8kI57t9tPUqH8JilFCOaws5I4RwmgmswpAjWxcw6TBKt7mBDrfiAmCajs7sUcx0DiNu4Xb3QmAFcImuHolWa5gCnXySLwUbghFRTD5Yf-sIo2HgkQwNcAowfG8Fo0ylRr1KaelbekJHBm-hl/w640-h288/Stave%20church%20side%20on.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6SU-39B363-T41JjfN8fIS1WSD1ZD4iqooUTjqx4nxMnZLmdOoWk9mTldmhYzonAH3P5yNMlvEeexiMP5KeQGT7UygtmGF4lQfwJ0B0HHR4V8JM6j_UcKkhYyAvprDXyKleG1p-wtQLBCivRXmEezHQ0ccKw1fwuzQZTcrDcD1_9UJdeOc5d_N-N36pN/s1573/Stave%20church.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1573" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6SU-39B363-T41JjfN8fIS1WSD1ZD4iqooUTjqx4nxMnZLmdOoWk9mTldmhYzonAH3P5yNMlvEeexiMP5KeQGT7UygtmGF4lQfwJ0B0HHR4V8JM6j_UcKkhYyAvprDXyKleG1p-wtQLBCivRXmEezHQ0ccKw1fwuzQZTcrDcD1_9UJdeOc5d_N-N36pN/w640-h436/Stave%20church.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A few yards further on from the church the mystery wader turned into a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Turnstone</span></b>. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpwood01STeJufwQV9IyxYnit2E88uDX_Nsv1Q-5KFncOb_Pu-FeN-cZGkXlo5NlPZ_XyswBe1LRFHuJrYIGo7ad9mosh2a6npYYmZrciMzoHdRQtr1vDgMvMg6zbeIsFAbDyKouGdW1v7tpyShhJo0GrNaVSjrZSVG1__tfuiwj7oP1GCWJiybf-cpkF/s2321/Turnstone%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1604" data-original-width="2321" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpwood01STeJufwQV9IyxYnit2E88uDX_Nsv1Q-5KFncOb_Pu-FeN-cZGkXlo5NlPZ_XyswBe1LRFHuJrYIGo7ad9mosh2a6npYYmZrciMzoHdRQtr1vDgMvMg6zbeIsFAbDyKouGdW1v7tpyShhJo0GrNaVSjrZSVG1__tfuiwj7oP1GCWJiybf-cpkF/w640-h442/Turnstone%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A short waslk through a bit of a quarry brought us to the beach where we found not a lot including a flighty <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> which we accidentally flushed and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ringed Plover</span></b> which sat atop a pile of quarry waste - did it have a nest or chicks nearby?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CdMREPsJa1P0YR1sNjIvm7W5m7XWm38yR7sTjZdnCqeulB0MZ6pzLsb9E-_ay8zjGbMDUkBBS47G3pXjLeOPe5eemxyO84RuA3IJUOGlxiW0n_6jCzdtv5qr4Q6EvFN2zBZsEHAMqha6NRXJ4swwLaoxO3I6BrI7f3l2Jcny7JzZ190n88XkuVTIeelm/s1427/Ringed%20plover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1427" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CdMREPsJa1P0YR1sNjIvm7W5m7XWm38yR7sTjZdnCqeulB0MZ6pzLsb9E-_ay8zjGbMDUkBBS47G3pXjLeOPe5eemxyO84RuA3IJUOGlxiW0n_6jCzdtv5qr4Q6EvFN2zBZsEHAMqha6NRXJ4swwLaoxO3I6BrI7f3l2Jcny7JzZ190n88XkuVTIeelm/w640-h388/Ringed%20plover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The scenery was spectacular too, with huge shear cliff face on the opposite side of the inlet to the harbour packed with interesting geology and other features, like this more recent larva flow maybe a few millions of years old sitting over much older rock.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaO3RPRywU6OQG9n8mKPZkEsPU1oa8qJQEvyp22NAber_qQ0Dlg-zMnR1fzLfZ7Y9RUNOTzYMR6lbBiUVbONTnSj_4sbDCydR9hEdfCfqbqCcEqiA5u1V93xtB8fPrhRknVdM5lw5PC7Cyk35XqKSlNiW3zXgyQtpsHoG09nBwgF5TI68hCJ5WlAw9IJhe/s1594/Cliff%20with%20fault%20level.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1594" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaO3RPRywU6OQG9n8mKPZkEsPU1oa8qJQEvyp22NAber_qQ0Dlg-zMnR1fzLfZ7Y9RUNOTzYMR6lbBiUVbONTnSj_4sbDCydR9hEdfCfqbqCcEqiA5u1V93xtB8fPrhRknVdM5lw5PC7Cyk35XqKSlNiW3zXgyQtpsHoG09nBwgF5TI68hCJ5WlAw9IJhe/w640-h416/Cliff%20with%20fault%20level.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Or the singing cave where tourist boats moored up for the occupants to have a warble in the fantastic acoustics. Looking above the cave you can just make out a small house ands an overhang with some neets - we think this is probably a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffin</span></b> hunter's lodge. Sadly <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffin</span></b> is still very much on the menu for the locals and also in some more touristy restaurants. The Safari prefer's <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffins</span></b> alive and kicking rather than sat on a plate surrounded by spuds and gravy...even though despite being black and white they're not one of our favouritest birds, we can take em or leave em unlike <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mediterranean Gulls, Coots, Moorhens, Swifts</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Leach's Petrels </span></b>etc etc...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyPM91VIWq47x3WVHvoPvNFK_wJjDM9HZhAwm0DYZEp2cC6VH2PxkGU7lmOFav8Re_c8fNfw9Qp6gvvb5uD0tLubzxOU_wMMnY6XXPdY3YMeCvtRqOqkaRFt2AKlSeoWw1H324xCWHOMEtklv_FKmdQav7_9t_Tm-WLQ0uq9KlqLPy9X1_O7YGAiu5YkD/s1823/Singing%20cave%20and%20puffin%20hunters%20lodge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1823" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyPM91VIWq47x3WVHvoPvNFK_wJjDM9HZhAwm0DYZEp2cC6VH2PxkGU7lmOFav8Re_c8fNfw9Qp6gvvb5uD0tLubzxOU_wMMnY6XXPdY3YMeCvtRqOqkaRFt2AKlSeoWw1H324xCWHOMEtklv_FKmdQav7_9t_Tm-WLQ0uq9KlqLPy9X1_O7YGAiu5YkD/w640-h386/Singing%20cave%20and%20puffin%20hunters%20lodge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />To the left and towering above the back of the harbour is this impressive cliff with its weird hanging rock which is probaly very solidly attached! But look below it and you'll see a well made dry stone wall - what on earth is that for and how did they build it cos there's no stones nearby so they must have been specially carried up and then lowred down. We thought they maybe for a shelter for collecting seabirds from but as you can see the cliff has no guano so it's not used as a nesting site. How odd!!! Any ideas folks...<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iazIW61U5xgnBcOsEAbFac5ETWTnyTAierattutpLYKduTNZhMmk2eOPv-QMUEOpzJzeW2oLdPqSysDZ3bLenhQAs10KzXB6ABUZ92YhXPvpqzrHmF4xMzO7vbXv14zMaAkKG2Ix-UPhChlXnPDOoedyW0e8FhlH3Crb82FScMyeXcSo_VJPeyp6-F_2/s1665/Weird%20rock%20and%20well%20on%20cliff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="1665" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iazIW61U5xgnBcOsEAbFac5ETWTnyTAierattutpLYKduTNZhMmk2eOPv-QMUEOpzJzeW2oLdPqSysDZ3bLenhQAs10KzXB6ABUZ92YhXPvpqzrHmF4xMzO7vbXv14zMaAkKG2Ix-UPhChlXnPDOoedyW0e8FhlH3Crb82FScMyeXcSo_VJPeyp6-F_2/w640-h552/Weird%20rock%20and%20well%20on%20cliff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It was here that MS bumped into us and we ended up having a good old chat whilst showing her the wonders of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Great Skuas </span></b>and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous Gulls</span></b> passing up and down the channel and soaring over the hillside above.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV9B5vXYLX1rjliUhXBjGcOtTKyhwNDL45vr8ilo4hIxApgj0gTNXqnXiCXTehU6xwaoLZPXLTXil9dxqb7SZWBW9kikidSHqK-zmM9_lXXuI-6l-_wvD_TeeH2ac3lhhD7AK4ICgNR_PDsoPFX0t7hAeTIC7Ru6SRJbmYPetTknPWqDw0D7s_aAY1Lh2/s1081/Great%20skua%20over%20cliff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="1081" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV9B5vXYLX1rjliUhXBjGcOtTKyhwNDL45vr8ilo4hIxApgj0gTNXqnXiCXTehU6xwaoLZPXLTXil9dxqb7SZWBW9kikidSHqK-zmM9_lXXuI-6l-_wvD_TeeH2ac3lhhD7AK4ICgNR_PDsoPFX0t7hAeTIC7Ru6SRJbmYPetTknPWqDw0D7s_aAY1Lh2/w640-h416/Great%20skua%20over%20cliff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXjYVeOLThZHIzXge3DuSQ4DAtDvjn_REoPKq2K7Zx4UGmO7moj9UIuRGbvfZ6uLBy0AKCyKRqDvquFUvw8zjvtTLk8TmeYmtzGpa62l0TXEsTfOoGweQJZNJZqrmC5CUc2yAu0FHkfQxFLO9hWlFJPXOlwuogrKjSWloud_zWvgNMLEoZApyHn6hRrJY/s1049/Great%20skua%20in%20front%20of%20cliff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1049" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXjYVeOLThZHIzXge3DuSQ4DAtDvjn_REoPKq2K7Zx4UGmO7moj9UIuRGbvfZ6uLBy0AKCyKRqDvquFUvw8zjvtTLk8TmeYmtzGpa62l0TXEsTfOoGweQJZNJZqrmC5CUc2yAu0FHkfQxFLO9hWlFJPXOlwuogrKjSWloud_zWvgNMLEoZApyHn6hRrJY/w640-h410/Great%20skua%20in%20front%20of%20cliff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Back in the harbour we had marvelous views of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Guillemot</span></b> swimming in the crystal clear water right below our feet, a fantastic sight, well worth the whole trip just for those few minutes. Would ya look at those feet!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZ6UVy3W0Ecub12blt97jv1MVxA3rBId_50HPaBIfZlY4iIXf9-kohiDI-NKQhQXVYEqCfvTRM4fW_O-6YCta1dJTRKrA28ZHRnlnXg73_W_za6jve3s3LNh3ZSl0_Ikw1GJT-tjy7rhvWqpq3vmFkls39jTpT6tJ6WM5w9In5Pifjb38pKhSjond21_L/s1738/Black%20guillemot%20under%20water.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1738" data-original-width="1310" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZ6UVy3W0Ecub12blt97jv1MVxA3rBId_50HPaBIfZlY4iIXf9-kohiDI-NKQhQXVYEqCfvTRM4fW_O-6YCta1dJTRKrA28ZHRnlnXg73_W_za6jve3s3LNh3ZSl0_Ikw1GJT-tjy7rhvWqpq3vmFkls39jTpT6tJ6WM5w9In5Pifjb38pKhSjond21_L/w482-h640/Black%20guillemot%20under%20water.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEKaFzaWJLMq35w76HM6OWHiEQ-FTlJP6lCRN4U5lsVXEWFD30GoPug5rCpav7lDKwoqUGvb1n-QiFEyEyow_OxsgWQIsR_cIyhXtJ9CWQgHB23WeaMgJJZjOxwfCLYwkY5bzA5WLMDMkkaAOt_bLxCo3OtVmN7yJ0yhAf-5E32lpIAIqxRfD1GYKgv-X/s1540/Black%20guillemot%20under%20water%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="1491" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEKaFzaWJLMq35w76HM6OWHiEQ-FTlJP6lCRN4U5lsVXEWFD30GoPug5rCpav7lDKwoqUGvb1n-QiFEyEyow_OxsgWQIsR_cIyhXtJ9CWQgHB23WeaMgJJZjOxwfCLYwkY5bzA5WLMDMkkaAOt_bLxCo3OtVmN7yJ0yhAf-5E32lpIAIqxRfD1GYKgv-X/w620-h640/Black%20guillemot%20under%20water%201.jpg" width="620" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mSrAQ63eO3TOncNjKiKCPeaGtmlWS4vi8252dWEVWjLvG7wyP9UWHQiWqq4x3R_pNGCMOubPNc3733PMFJOH_Ge0AtWv_SCOARJQ8YYuwqOVU_XcLe5Ku7AZGKNxNZpfXxXhzkEh1g6KPFlvJaZOOBdEA8k5q6VvrGdHmHajzqWEHwAu0S5_y1TgGE4K/s1488/Black%20guillemot%20bubbling%20up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1488" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mSrAQ63eO3TOncNjKiKCPeaGtmlWS4vi8252dWEVWjLvG7wyP9UWHQiWqq4x3R_pNGCMOubPNc3733PMFJOH_Ge0AtWv_SCOARJQ8YYuwqOVU_XcLe5Ku7AZGKNxNZpfXxXhzkEh1g6KPFlvJaZOOBdEA8k5q6VvrGdHmHajzqWEHwAu0S5_y1TgGE4K/w640-h522/Black%20guillemot%20bubbling%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the outer harbour there was a well grown juvenile <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black Guillemot</span></b> too. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54YNSYxwgQyrgwJlDJjmM688GxTsogOtg7GW3zglAYgTKDA0cc2AwfGF7QmH3zkNTmNWX9XMvRbWHv4llcMk84qleTzQd0Df8mO3b9aK7cCrLTns1iGxsgnnWuBJRGx-4KFoEZJ57tmyutXkrt5Tq5RnQLmy9SUZSmlPGQ79RsHsTboOThfUaeoBA1_-Y/s1285/Black%20guillemot%20juvenile.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1285" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54YNSYxwgQyrgwJlDJjmM688GxTsogOtg7GW3zglAYgTKDA0cc2AwfGF7QmH3zkNTmNWX9XMvRbWHv4llcMk84qleTzQd0Df8mO3b9aK7cCrLTns1iGxsgnnWuBJRGx-4KFoEZJ57tmyutXkrt5Tq5RnQLmy9SUZSmlPGQ79RsHsTboOThfUaeoBA1_-Y/w640-h386/Black%20guillemot%20juvenile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Now time was pushing on and it was back to the ship we went for the sail out, which turned out to be spectacular. There's always an Elepahnt Rock, we've seen sevreral on our worldwide travels but this one has to be the pick of the bunch...it really does look like an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Elephant</span></b> right down to the wrinkly skin.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhh139GubLqzG5BDGzXqPkxyYMjGvmpSSMho_oLfrx1glnNbIkmaGWZryB9cU7lpAhb1VRmIUAGcT6mo0Cd2sA3Nb9Z0OqHZKwCLuiB5junpiAfjpThywiTGycEc9J0PWFaLWIS9YAhZR2lA7hm_HMahHRqYsgraDXuLzXfuXFXCJEfO_96vlKEV38Vs1/s1689/Elephant%20Rock%20portrait%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1689" data-original-width="990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhh139GubLqzG5BDGzXqPkxyYMjGvmpSSMho_oLfrx1glnNbIkmaGWZryB9cU7lpAhb1VRmIUAGcT6mo0Cd2sA3Nb9Z0OqHZKwCLuiB5junpiAfjpThywiTGycEc9J0PWFaLWIS9YAhZR2lA7hm_HMahHRqYsgraDXuLzXfuXFXCJEfO_96vlKEV38Vs1/w376-h640/Elephant%20Rock%20portrait%201.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj717M3vbyZStkGWm1n0_h9TbS1gESsa4-VlObMBlzIKP27whMSNM9EBMWYCEGyax6Qtu6Xlwte255YrfPWDXyu7nRGGernTCtlq08R3oKm2UOVf3TQWPubVq4VJeseb6z-RmR4-0I55BoeVYltHdwOw37GarwV9Kg-US1oY1TotS9f7tWR7A2u3PVjmHz9/s2200/Elephant%20Rock%20landscape.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="2200" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj717M3vbyZStkGWm1n0_h9TbS1gESsa4-VlObMBlzIKP27whMSNM9EBMWYCEGyax6Qtu6Xlwte255YrfPWDXyu7nRGGernTCtlq08R3oKm2UOVf3TQWPubVq4VJeseb6z-RmR4-0I55BoeVYltHdwOw37GarwV9Kg-US1oY1TotS9f7tWR7A2u3PVjmHz9/w640-h288/Elephant%20Rock%20landscape.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>One place we've always been fascinated by is the Island of Surtsey, it's one of our earliest memories watching black and white telly of it bubbling up molten hot from out of the sea forming new land way back in 1963 and as luck would have it we sailed right around it, well the best part of three sides anyway. Fabulous although it doesn't look much in my pic just being there was good enough for us as it's a place we've always wanted to see. The colours, random huge rocks scattered about and different strata in the rocks all told the story of a new land being formed, and new it is as there's still very little vegetation able to get a toe-hold on the there.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrKcmktEktOVq0HUwCIBsfs_SEf_Rjbz7FD76vcpTwGdwZRAuBE-PwnmP9pjYuudH-mn4xJmUyBqeB-cmh68OwHxfWK0kYCa-i_f3C0ZSRA62hF1mYU-90EYuUXGkOTvjdj6CAdO3xioJ8UtQiFt2fLvrRGiTD67QHRLXbRa8Yrm5zd5chkSEGxYcIzwv/s2200/Surtsey%20Island%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="2200" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrKcmktEktOVq0HUwCIBsfs_SEf_Rjbz7FD76vcpTwGdwZRAuBE-PwnmP9pjYuudH-mn4xJmUyBqeB-cmh68OwHxfWK0kYCa-i_f3C0ZSRA62hF1mYU-90EYuUXGkOTvjdj6CAdO3xioJ8UtQiFt2fLvrRGiTD67QHRLXbRa8Yrm5zd5chkSEGxYcIzwv/w640-h288/Surtsey%20Island%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Leaving Surtsey behind we sailed on past some other volcanic rock formations jutting out of the sea.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvCfDw6xOo8liObrLv5XA8cTHN-XgfZxhVAFKlQ6vAc-OlpQFA7-3qEWb_DvAgCmsJOf0Bud5DuEpSPDfnp8Ja84BF_sgEC-hFOFxsVv09etC0RfTR2KkQ74jiChi664JF2OluLE1IfA61kJmtHQjIR9Epzt4H2ZdjrZcZ7SjEB3LHiPpOWBeYDHRhIle/s4000/Iceland%20volcanic%20rock%20islands.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="4000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvCfDw6xOo8liObrLv5XA8cTHN-XgfZxhVAFKlQ6vAc-OlpQFA7-3qEWb_DvAgCmsJOf0Bud5DuEpSPDfnp8Ja84BF_sgEC-hFOFxsVv09etC0RfTR2KkQ74jiChi664JF2OluLE1IfA61kJmtHQjIR9Epzt4H2ZdjrZcZ7SjEB3LHiPpOWBeYDHRhIle/w640-h288/Iceland%20volcanic%20rock%20islands.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There still some daylight hours for us to watch the sea but it was fairly quite other than the Big Four seabirds, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kittiwakes, Puffins, Fulmars</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gannets</span></b>. AB managed to get his attendent passengers on to a couple of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blue Whales</span></b>, unfortunately our radios were having charging issues and one working one is no good really so by the time a runner had been sent to our side of the ship and we'd raced across there was nothing to see. Luckily there were plenty of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fin Whales</span></b> both sides of the ship for us to point out to the passengers. Not a dolphin nor a seal in sight though which we thought a little odd, where were they?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As darkeness fell it was time for some late dinner, a well earned pint and thought about tomorrow's port of call, Reykavik.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnAAvAKB_V0_aZM1wb-PKlhG_5fIbe6IlRsosNuEJGZape71DH_L6ChK3Ce0YWIrGLDuxSYx6W-twNcuIfHQaL3fR6Bm6mZtA403fnBDnA8JTvW6ezfWpFjcl2KIstuzR4xGrRQykp3D6vW31DpM0f7NsSjU6XUXQk3ZCGu_pq13kULn7eIh6-0HobE0-/s1688/Rejkavik%20cathedral%20from%20Borealis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1688" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnAAvAKB_V0_aZM1wb-PKlhG_5fIbe6IlRsosNuEJGZape71DH_L6ChK3Ce0YWIrGLDuxSYx6W-twNcuIfHQaL3fR6Bm6mZtA403fnBDnA8JTvW6ezfWpFjcl2KIstuzR4xGrRQykp3D6vW31DpM0f7NsSjU6XUXQk3ZCGu_pq13kULn7eIh6-0HobE0-/w640-h416/Rejkavik%20cathedral%20from%20Borealis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ship docked early and we had a little time to scan the harbour before disembarking for a wander round town.<br />The first birds you see from the ship are the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Eiders</span></b> in the harbour and these brightly coloured beauties.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklk7d7SvQDofFV4n5NqAbiDgysWvh5V_tpwX5LHVyUO_8CXg7vtj7p3Vabycu2FkLuOm0BFZTkrS2wbsgMW7RsEQ1tR6xdLgfPa6LCaAahkqRLzuoBcs6dshfjJc7DziskH4H5v7_RZxfhNfPBzpEM-_6tBZS67EDgTlOR8FI_IzIrCcxixylFXiqYvK0/s1320/Rejkavik%20mural.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="880" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklk7d7SvQDofFV4n5NqAbiDgysWvh5V_tpwX5LHVyUO_8CXg7vtj7p3Vabycu2FkLuOm0BFZTkrS2wbsgMW7RsEQ1tR6xdLgfPa6LCaAahkqRLzuoBcs6dshfjJc7DziskH4H5v7_RZxfhNfPBzpEM-_6tBZS67EDgTlOR8FI_IzIrCcxixylFXiqYvK0/w426-h640/Rejkavik%20mural.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Which are not to scale we hasten to add. Clockwise from the top <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Common Redpoll, Goldcrest, Wren</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redwing, White Wagtail</span></b>, and (we're guessing) <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Honey Bee</span></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ashore we did a bit of sightseeing, marveling at the impressive glass Opera House and somehow missed out on the Whale Museum which other passengers told us later was really good. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb5C4jGqo_Y67Lqe7UqffIGweosQY7mIMmcBgV0NCgJYjjrklEgBGm8vY-39yURptMPB6f3XT1ygElK-l1d_LRI0_zlLt3CIm7MmxiO21LE8yA7H6ZGevirWD7WKA_O4b77qdClMBzoInSwnPJPMKeLrLdcDvCd2SXGNlmigaZrokpZBPhzbLepuPxJfn/s2560/Rejkavik%20Opera%20House.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2560" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb5C4jGqo_Y67Lqe7UqffIGweosQY7mIMmcBgV0NCgJYjjrklEgBGm8vY-39yURptMPB6f3XT1ygElK-l1d_LRI0_zlLt3CIm7MmxiO21LE8yA7H6ZGevirWD7WKA_O4b77qdClMBzoInSwnPJPMKeLrLdcDvCd2SXGNlmigaZrokpZBPhzbLepuPxJfn/w640-h288/Rejkavik%20Opera%20House.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We found the lake in the centre of town and enjoyed splendid close up views of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Scaup</span></b>, never get point blank views of this species..and they had chicks.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1chcYVx8XRNfrrU1kOP9arFqdbsRXdzs4DNBFfVHChL5iLxrSwwUu0140Pzr-YHDTvnZTBSUG9-Wfrtgs0etsGZM62S6KF3u1hnr2-3LCwUTiSfi_FO_qIi619cGPMRpuGhBJlLD6EEfwPbU8qab21mUBLReQacVBmAyEEg89XFR7RiFnysNjKkAxWAG/s3555/Scaup%20close.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2895" data-original-width="3555" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1chcYVx8XRNfrrU1kOP9arFqdbsRXdzs4DNBFfVHChL5iLxrSwwUu0140Pzr-YHDTvnZTBSUG9-Wfrtgs0etsGZM62S6KF3u1hnr2-3LCwUTiSfi_FO_qIi619cGPMRpuGhBJlLD6EEfwPbU8qab21mUBLReQacVBmAyEEg89XFR7RiFnysNjKkAxWAG/w640-h522/Scaup%20close.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The lake held a good selection of waterfowl and we probably should have walked all the way round but sightseeing was on the cards too. We had families of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Tufted Ducks, </span></b>some<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Whooper Swans</span></b> being fed bread by the locals - why are they so wary here? - <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Mallard, Wigeon</span></b>, more <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Eiders, Grey Lag Geese, Black Headed</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Glaucous Gulls</span></b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Around town we saw numerous 'ordinary' <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Feral Pigeons</span></b> and several <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Starlings</span></b> but missed the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackbird </span></b>and<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> Redwings</span></b> other passengers spotted in gardens on their perambulations around town. We also got our only in focus shot of a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Puffin</span></b> of the whole trip how managed that we've no idea we saw thousands but mostly on the sea scuttering flightlessly away from the ship or distantly flying past with beaks full of <b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Sand Eels</span></b> we saw none close up on rocks or the sea; so this somewhat frightening thing will have to do.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5u3soHXwDZj2Axx3nAfg-dkbk1nYeNMs12zXG5SVFo1gegcMc62UV8ns49qBu9VONARNd0T3ZJTtQBNMSdyf-Lzbekni_OW1zKvFB_q-eP-Y3kQ-p4-qCg3KuR4P6NXQvKnuH_dGvszyQAia-WnYRTrz_2wzHQC-lAA7USRGUDsctK2LOISig9PYbqjfu/s1197/Puffin%20man%20toy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5u3soHXwDZj2Axx3nAfg-dkbk1nYeNMs12zXG5SVFo1gegcMc62UV8ns49qBu9VONARNd0T3ZJTtQBNMSdyf-Lzbekni_OW1zKvFB_q-eP-Y3kQ-p4-qCg3KuR4P6NXQvKnuH_dGvszyQAia-WnYRTrz_2wzHQC-lAA7USRGUDsctK2LOISig9PYbqjfu/w534-h640/Puffin%20man%20toy.jpg" width="534" /></a></div>Reykjavik cathedral is an impressive and striking piece of architecture.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2cdLHD0LZ5J_roJS1P5FLR9tbuuaEOUVD9vvwM6Jkpyy4GRDUoZFw6ldpZD-KDKQjlppuEbh4Mgkwaip5gGzI72RDe38DabfzuuPCe1-QCkAq7B5Csu4j-4OmPn8enc_0tyzyURUL4zqPfxfnS698pu5uPWn7ZhwdspH-OHBGOmidFXEDVkJlZ3xOHEx/s1500/Rejkavik%20cathedral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2cdLHD0LZ5J_roJS1P5FLR9tbuuaEOUVD9vvwM6Jkpyy4GRDUoZFw6ldpZD-KDKQjlppuEbh4Mgkwaip5gGzI72RDe38DabfzuuPCe1-QCkAq7B5Csu4j-4OmPn8enc_0tyzyURUL4zqPfxfnS698pu5uPWn7ZhwdspH-OHBGOmidFXEDVkJlZ3xOHEx/w426-h640/Rejkavik%20cathedral.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Along with (very) distant relativeLief Erikson, well we have some Viking blood in us but probably not any of this northern parts of the Viking world explorer's.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-3whPEkQxYtzllo8JSEKTzr8Ch4PvMUauQMD8FqK-BOueSp42r29LHA4f2YBFl2DrN_RffuI2CslHIkquOEWap5mEsISuVS9oNqoKspQYRCAyYrcvuQnN_xsp7XU_clIzLH76vuucSLQKMDh00hZFW6QSDaLPMzixTHMKNHFr4OKbtL1tUrXhWhDr85P/s1690/Leif%20Erikson%20statue%20s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1690" data-original-width="950" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-3whPEkQxYtzllo8JSEKTzr8Ch4PvMUauQMD8FqK-BOueSp42r29LHA4f2YBFl2DrN_RffuI2CslHIkquOEWap5mEsISuVS9oNqoKspQYRCAyYrcvuQnN_xsp7XU_clIzLH76vuucSLQKMDh00hZFW6QSDaLPMzixTHMKNHFr4OKbtL1tUrXhWhDr85P/w360-h640/Leif%20Erikson%20statue%20s.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>Down at the waterside we made our way to the arty Viking longboat known as the Sun Voyager.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQBuE3nzwmCchJoWZcGpZRwvI-S4UwOmU3Agy6E54QcpXGpxPIhWVNkjrM3T32ovcLN5EWfHr9wKCOfsQNCpnbcd3gtXso3YDURf9dLBuFRDBz1sLppMaw-uk0NtFQH_vnH9oyR-rrpffeb2Zt-uX1hjCoeRAEFRD_70gj4KdeoPlkR5PCCQME_szZ-vO/s1760/Sun%20Voyager.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQBuE3nzwmCchJoWZcGpZRwvI-S4UwOmU3Agy6E54QcpXGpxPIhWVNkjrM3T32ovcLN5EWfHr9wKCOfsQNCpnbcd3gtXso3YDURf9dLBuFRDBz1sLppMaw-uk0NtFQH_vnH9oyR-rrpffeb2Zt-uX1hjCoeRAEFRD_70gj4KdeoPlkR5PCCQME_szZ-vO/w640-h288/Sun%20Voyager.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>In the bay adjacent a small group of Arctic Terns fished andd further along towards our bus stop a Glaucous Gull probed the seaweed for whatever edible might be lurking beneath.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cLrbrfRKqkFSMFLelxysooT0wU-0OyhG5frNuxSq_WZ_D3T_vZ2ddpqEiJwlLjbksMlaQ7bWKRW3tFkCWVDa-FVjZMyLaQXGnbxuHgFZGvy1EOxeZpnBwapNB2e2bpece78r1YGsqrOlk20B7OixWB2ZPpWXGoqLWmet7shfq_xB1DQWPyEhAWDLSTiM/s2313/Glaucous%20gull.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2313" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cLrbrfRKqkFSMFLelxysooT0wU-0OyhG5frNuxSq_WZ_D3T_vZ2ddpqEiJwlLjbksMlaQ7bWKRW3tFkCWVDa-FVjZMyLaQXGnbxuHgFZGvy1EOxeZpnBwapNB2e2bpece78r1YGsqrOlk20B7OixWB2ZPpWXGoqLWmet7shfq_xB1DQWPyEhAWDLSTiM/w640-h378/Glaucous%20gull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And we discovered a new species of gull, one we really should have taken a second mortgage out to try.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvvH6RWUB7vAysSfqSwtoZzPycqsEuovUUfoTAq_6XHEsBR6wYzgJ3tSUOWxAmbHC1qnARJl2Xaezig-PqxT2Vu-8ybgOCiS3Vz789Wwf_ubZewiAC0CDa5kGgxuTxDu8Av8Ii3TLGvr_TgK4NONwUyL2-z7gA4989JRQGKRiN8_khTywJagEHDlsoMIz/s1285/Gull%20beer%20sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1285" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvvH6RWUB7vAysSfqSwtoZzPycqsEuovUUfoTAq_6XHEsBR6wYzgJ3tSUOWxAmbHC1qnARJl2Xaezig-PqxT2Vu-8ybgOCiS3Vz789Wwf_ubZewiAC0CDa5kGgxuTxDu8Av8Ii3TLGvr_TgK4NONwUyL2-z7gA4989JRQGKRiN8_khTywJagEHDlsoMIz/w640-h458/Gull%20beer%20sign.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There was one thing in Iceland we really didn't expect to see not that we had any expectations of what we might see anyway. Back on the boat after lunch and having a much round looking off Deck 3 the clouds behind us looked really ominous - it wor black o'er Bill's mother's or as black as the obs of hell as they say. We were half way through thinking if we saw that at home lightning would come from that part of the cloud...but before we could finish the thought lightning did indeed come from the part of the ccloud we would have expected it to. Now we don't know too much about the climate of Iceland other than it's cold, well colder than here and we don't get that many thunderstorms here so they probably get far fewer. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbZYG9L_diOBVn1E3yeu2Ak2YLlNvr8sxZiprSj7VcKtbEXFqwBem1U7qHzfYMjE-2crNA9xJgIZrJ0kM_Jh63bUlPiUt05YrkD6LX-r_hVgkb5PB2FQXcwqWl0EWRWHx0VmwUJECWciCwcLYdeU7ns_5A-vgCixPyQKRP_55YgB-4Rm26FX4Z6W_7Rxd/s1760/Thunderstorm%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbZYG9L_diOBVn1E3yeu2Ak2YLlNvr8sxZiprSj7VcKtbEXFqwBem1U7qHzfYMjE-2crNA9xJgIZrJ0kM_Jh63bUlPiUt05YrkD6LX-r_hVgkb5PB2FQXcwqWl0EWRWHx0VmwUJECWciCwcLYdeU7ns_5A-vgCixPyQKRP_55YgB-4Rm26FX4Z6W_7Rxd/w640-h288/Thunderstorm%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Earlier, at the park lake, we'd chatted to a local family about nearby birding sites and they told us it was a very hot (by their standards) day, it was comfortably t-shirt sleeves weather about 18 or 19C so maybe just warm enough to set off a thunderstorm. researching Iceland thunderstorms on the tinterweb back at Base camp we learned they only have between 250 and 600 lightning strikes a year and we saw five of them!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpvwtAv5eMlAkurfSF8Hh1f5k6NFxTijmQVB6RCxBYnqPx_iEctRm4ExHm6bPFJ0YSjYCJe67MV10wW3ICxK9G9no5QJT6xzj2-YpfuHDP529TnNf2l6U7_GmDz89NEt-TzL_2JlB-p4knw_3meEa-OyrZVMrO-mfO_PXXkX8pJWgu3bmw_msPUNGKqQ9/s1760/Thunderstorm%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpvwtAv5eMlAkurfSF8Hh1f5k6NFxTijmQVB6RCxBYnqPx_iEctRm4ExHm6bPFJ0YSjYCJe67MV10wW3ICxK9G9no5QJT6xzj2-YpfuHDP529TnNf2l6U7_GmDz89NEt-TzL_2JlB-p4knw_3meEa-OyrZVMrO-mfO_PXXkX8pJWgu3bmw_msPUNGKqQ9/w640-h288/Thunderstorm%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The area directly behind the long low bright white building to the lerft of the ship took the brunt of the storm. It was a good few minutes between strikes so even though we tried to video the action on our phone we missed the stikes by stopping recording too soon. We've never managed a pic of lightning, usually we're abroad when we try and get everything set up and then sleep through the storm before turning the camera on...worra numpty!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once again the ship set sail with plenty of daylight still to come and we were hopeful of coming across the local <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Orcas</span></b> which were being seen daily from a whale watching boat off the next peninsula to the north of us...right where we were headed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But it wasn't to be, the sail northwards was fairly quiet, we saw a distant single dolphin breach and a couple of passengers reported seeing a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Harbour Porpoise</span></b>. A non-blowing, or a missed blow, whale was put down as a possible <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Minke Whale</span></b>. Birdwise just the Big Four were still about. However, one of the passengers had struck lucky with a pod of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">White Beaked Dolphins</span></b> which we had totally missed...must have during our dinner break, honest!<br />A big shout out to John Riley from Yorkshire for letting us use his fabulous pics.<br /></div><div></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36-MBhPp_9vlNystrklLh0KRhzB1rwkx42ib3E_ST19yUIeNCXtvEmBrHlLbXx_UYF5fYmcDWU8vYIeBmSyY20CQWWSE1IWS7GtVUagBgsk9LSgD6kwSx1jIVG2sF8QBZsjHoZ_ExaOPHpVrxC7UtRyifFSQLXVn9cMqn0NK3CIwGy5yrmWW1s487tdhW/s2000/White%20beaked%20dolphins%20with%20fin%20whale%20John%20Riley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2000" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36-MBhPp_9vlNystrklLh0KRhzB1rwkx42ib3E_ST19yUIeNCXtvEmBrHlLbXx_UYF5fYmcDWU8vYIeBmSyY20CQWWSE1IWS7GtVUagBgsk9LSgD6kwSx1jIVG2sF8QBZsjHoZ_ExaOPHpVrxC7UtRyifFSQLXVn9cMqn0NK3CIwGy5yrmWW1s487tdhW/w640-h452/White%20beaked%20dolphins%20with%20fin%20whale%20John%20Riley.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Beaked Dolphins with a Fin Whale beyond<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8B-igw7UfeNKMy68yrWzxXjif_sEjJfleJK4NVUFyxqKglOGsCGzLzRTmCRK0vxQxEZpuaA-CbBZ3sUOl8ZJ7Sh8fRvXcEDqXCPGs_skmVZomoyDea8bxvVCohhT6xiAraDPNfE81c5u1uCx4wqIVZ9DUArRtBgyQYNhJ-qqeXbhLaUPyY8-FGvQsLRAV/s1348/White%20beaked%20dolphins%201%20John%20Riley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1348" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8B-igw7UfeNKMy68yrWzxXjif_sEjJfleJK4NVUFyxqKglOGsCGzLzRTmCRK0vxQxEZpuaA-CbBZ3sUOl8ZJ7Sh8fRvXcEDqXCPGs_skmVZomoyDea8bxvVCohhT6xiAraDPNfE81c5u1uCx4wqIVZ9DUArRtBgyQYNhJ-qqeXbhLaUPyY8-FGvQsLRAV/w640-h480/White%20beaked%20dolphins%201%20John%20Riley.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Darkness was falling now and a fog bank developed and we were still nowhere near the Orca area, we were going to pass righth by them in the middle of the night, how annoying but that's how it is on these cruises, they're set up to visit ports and places of interest for the passengers during the day and sail between them at night whereas we would probably prefer irt the other way round much of the time.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWu0FeX_rYFIiqYu4JQQoTI6C8rxAxmK7EI9QQb-oRtFoHgbUcUwSGho1JcUF4cDtv1jZPyQeXr5YJ_vei4Tkb5DVP8--vxQJ320fEdRmU2Q1EVMcC6pPbjMl_GatUatUnsNWDq0eB3avPJxQkTNM7psyVwDw87hCZAIL6oVMf6z8WN2xwI92c5iK0SLlC/s1285/Sunset%20over%20fog%20bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="626" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWu0FeX_rYFIiqYu4JQQoTI6C8rxAxmK7EI9QQb-oRtFoHgbUcUwSGho1JcUF4cDtv1jZPyQeXr5YJ_vei4Tkb5DVP8--vxQJ320fEdRmU2Q1EVMcC6pPbjMl_GatUatUnsNWDq0eB3avPJxQkTNM7psyVwDw87hCZAIL6oVMf6z8WN2xwI92c5iK0SLlC/w312-h640/Sunset%20over%20fog%20bank.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><b>Where to next?</b> In Part 2 we sail up to Iceland's remote northwestern fjords and then over to the southern tip of Greenland.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who the Big Four are in your outback. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-5171603181949774952023-08-01T14:45:00.000+01:002023-08-01T14:45:00.131+01:00Back into Cumbria for the scaly things<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari picked up</b> CR and we headed north up the motorway to our favourite private nature reserve. The clouds looked ominously full of rain as they had been for the last week or so but we needn't have worried because as we turned westwards the weather improved into what was to become a rather pleasant day. This was good as our main target for the day were reptiles. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Once on site we wandered down to the stream past the '<b><span style="color: red;">Adder</span></b>' wall. "Look how overgrown it's got since our last visit, we're not going to see much in that!" said CR. But only a few steps through the gate our beady eyes spotted something that looked out of place and sure enough there was the first <b><span style="color: red;">Adder</span></b> of the day basking in the weak sunshine on top of a moss covered hummock. Tricky to get pics of through the intervening overgrown vegetation but there it sat for several minutes looking very gravid. We had a white t-shirt on and it probably saw us move when we went another pace or two down the track to see if we could get a better shot. It slithered away into a hole in the bank.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZXwQ6vUHUoVS5HXUN1QgdP03FW4i3PACE9xKlkE9rqsk5Fq54ie8mIM8BO1EbaFGTPti0M8xdjS6djgLJaUUZCFpANHP6s1kh2EPg1Iw7-N_NF2exbif1Nc8wzrP0smifL5I3lXCzrDtjh_B9hOAPjdhETwVShkI_WntSvplirubpVJ3U_B3F9SaTZ5Q/s1910/Adder%204%20gravid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1910" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZXwQ6vUHUoVS5HXUN1QgdP03FW4i3PACE9xKlkE9rqsk5Fq54ie8mIM8BO1EbaFGTPti0M8xdjS6djgLJaUUZCFpANHP6s1kh2EPg1Iw7-N_NF2exbif1Nc8wzrP0smifL5I3lXCzrDtjh_B9hOAPjdhETwVShkI_WntSvplirubpVJ3U_B3F9SaTZ5Q/w640-h358/Adder%204%20gravid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We'd not got far over the bridge when JG from the Southside Gang appeared. They'd arrived at last and it was great to see them all again. But we could only regale tales of the <b><span style="color: red;">Adder</span></b> as it hadn't reappeared - they'd dipped and it was all our fault!!!<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Together we set off along the rickety boardwalk and across the moss. It was deadly quiet, not quite warm enough for invertebrates or reptiles yet. At this time of year although the woods are full of birds they keep very much hidden as they moult prior to migration or getting ready for the winter. We hoped for a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Cuckoo</span></b> to show but had to 'make do' with a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Buzzard</span></b>. A <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Black Darter</span></b> rose up from the bog by the track as we passed and settled in a nearby dead tree making for a rather arty pic.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71PmJMREPH9jgFb3zPG9iwmZxTxF_60kIJoXAmNVJJgUvfE2sx4kUpBrY1RX8lPuOBPWhennHiEtYtWOThytcbcKzu8Wcp4_jNHTWpuWEvWOmH6F2_r0q6JpRLvwgD5SBrnTlfBmJnvlM2OLu3G2q5RM-OCoig7mu0c-Ot_BYL0u82AkLPN8DCxLTfYjo/s1157/Black%20darter%20silhouette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1157" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71PmJMREPH9jgFb3zPG9iwmZxTxF_60kIJoXAmNVJJgUvfE2sx4kUpBrY1RX8lPuOBPWhennHiEtYtWOThytcbcKzu8Wcp4_jNHTWpuWEvWOmH6F2_r0q6JpRLvwgD5SBrnTlfBmJnvlM2OLu3G2q5RM-OCoig7mu0c-Ot_BYL0u82AkLPN8DCxLTfYjo/w640-h516/Black%20darter%20silhouette.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Over the second bridge we scanned through the woodland edge for any deer that might be lurking but our searches were fruitless. It wasn't until we got to the stream that we heard any birdlife at all, a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sedge Warbler </span></b>gave the briefest snatch of song to reveal its presence in the bankside rushes. An <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b> called a it flew over too. Continuing round and onto the next boggy area another dragonfly was found. At the time identified as a teneral <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darter</span></b> but back home later that evening CR was sorting through the days images and dicovered it was in fact a female <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Keeled Skimmer</span></b>, a new species for all of us. Top detective work from CR.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipesmQfBBFq3usrN6VP3U82h3mdmUK7YW8ayYrmRc2e_4pXKHmqylx-a7wulkVrEYF0ElMgNeM6hh9CLPQni6PJXb_VSkMBCaHvDtUzmCyDyGSy3zQQBQ7PVJDYW5-tbaOh6pSYa0ssHnNP9aJ79FVyZOTDiUmjkA219DRKjWqHAuIx1sM_gL-HgL12qaC/s1132/Keeled%20Skimmer%20Female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1132" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipesmQfBBFq3usrN6VP3U82h3mdmUK7YW8ayYrmRc2e_4pXKHmqylx-a7wulkVrEYF0ElMgNeM6hh9CLPQni6PJXb_VSkMBCaHvDtUzmCyDyGSy3zQQBQ7PVJDYW5-tbaOh6pSYa0ssHnNP9aJ79FVyZOTDiUmjkA219DRKjWqHAuIx1sM_gL-HgL12qaC/w640-h638/Keeled%20Skimmer%20Female.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The track became, shall we say "more interesting", as we neared the stream and a section of boardwalk adjacent the stream further on was only 'passable with care' both sections gave extreme risk of very wet and muddy boots, thankfully we all survived a ragained terra firma at the bridge. Calamity avoided it was now full steam ahead back to the car park and the butties/pies. Passing the wall again we saw the <b><span style="color: red;">Adder </span></b>had reappeared and everyone was able to get a good look at her.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKVB9xox6PYWSMTXrAj2VOkihLyqxZN-0P0NdCxnL9hMwwVX-hqwrrL7g_T_3vDTH-91fbSWmRlINTx_Z8BESCReo6udU1rD17iBZRoPWO8SXyKqYo_6AmuYAG7Gj46MI3UdOfS0IsrV4h907B50Baqp3qhdDiP0W2McVZJ49PGT6H6pY10bzSUwXe_4T/s1387/Adder%203%20close%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1387" data-original-width="1378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKVB9xox6PYWSMTXrAj2VOkihLyqxZN-0P0NdCxnL9hMwwVX-hqwrrL7g_T_3vDTH-91fbSWmRlINTx_Z8BESCReo6udU1rD17iBZRoPWO8SXyKqYo_6AmuYAG7Gj46MI3UdOfS0IsrV4h907B50Baqp3qhdDiP0W2McVZJ49PGT6H6pY10bzSUwXe_4T/w637-h640/Adder%203%20close%20up.jpg" width="637" /></a></div><br />Once again she slithered into the undergrowth and was gone. It was then that we saw something shiny a few feet away, looking closely wit hthe bins revealed it to be a piece of shed <b><span style="color: red;">Adder</span></b> skin. JG cajoaled/coerced us to go a few steps off piece to grab a abit for her collection...ever one to oblige...if you look closely you can make out some of the scales.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvwKzAHBJZYQNuxyDu97wnJA3JmzhMcyqAuaeuUoqm6h82JxbIbiG6xKSDZekpsJghHivPrgcex9hDYhIxINCoUpqK-uu9jjjEp8rNsD66oO_Wc95Z-BbzZjdWvsLkQlxeVeFsMIhsO1Qm_SpJ_HcWjgITEpqjDR5XqxbRVbgJkUBvauaN-Jjwwa08d0H/s1104/Shed%20Adder%20skin%20in%20moss.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvwKzAHBJZYQNuxyDu97wnJA3JmzhMcyqAuaeuUoqm6h82JxbIbiG6xKSDZekpsJghHivPrgcex9hDYhIxINCoUpqK-uu9jjjEp8rNsD66oO_Wc95Z-BbzZjdWvsLkQlxeVeFsMIhsO1Qm_SpJ_HcWjgITEpqjDR5XqxbRVbgJkUBvauaN-Jjwwa08d0H/w480-h640/Shed%20Adder%20skin%20in%20moss.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>Moments later a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Golden-ringed Dragonfly</span></b> landed really close by. These are impressive beasts that deserve to be photographed from all angles!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bfV9aZYBbXnqs0d8xEQVxeXDm2ujuTcQEMv7W2W6v8gbhD5LiIgfxGorh6CBGXVlWuHcgNiDLzc5ko3yOgY7ELsg8w7zfSU8mrjlr4FIXFM1DpoPU4JgOMSikv9mLf_QofDJQjJQ85XrCgo4fUW8UWmzjn5ofKzef-IY7MfjH5VE3CzTSnXp3qe1Qw8S/s1687/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1687" data-original-width="1603" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bfV9aZYBbXnqs0d8xEQVxeXDm2ujuTcQEMv7W2W6v8gbhD5LiIgfxGorh6CBGXVlWuHcgNiDLzc5ko3yOgY7ELsg8w7zfSU8mrjlr4FIXFM1DpoPU4JgOMSikv9mLf_QofDJQjJQ85XrCgo4fUW8UWmzjn5ofKzef-IY7MfjH5VE3CzTSnXp3qe1Qw8S/w608-h640/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%203.jpg" width="608" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4dCQswhvfAbh2ZUhx3HGKMAg1_Wr5X443fD5J03UeS7QgxAHFK3dqJsHP-kcGtBb7kP_W7r-4aA_UEGTV4_EXTPvHE5V6X1gYLcpBkCC03e1t_J13BVDxHusYh1hZ_HtnOdm4OFPLIdQ-D9XyvaNzKSzNnV0rAkQMD1Gi_lU2_jinx3Sdd8z9K1O0sdL/s1612/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1287" data-original-width="1612" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4dCQswhvfAbh2ZUhx3HGKMAg1_Wr5X443fD5J03UeS7QgxAHFK3dqJsHP-kcGtBb7kP_W7r-4aA_UEGTV4_EXTPvHE5V6X1gYLcpBkCC03e1t_J13BVDxHusYh1hZ_HtnOdm4OFPLIdQ-D9XyvaNzKSzNnV0rAkQMD1Gi_lU2_jinx3Sdd8z9K1O0sdL/w640-h510/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHH-g20b8mzU6sgg7weVTpwuHqRU3t1iXHl_my6K9GTu3YyyLnntlQpTdORc_4AJbgA59sLFCKLOJw3CMdPgbs7YHvJ43i8OwojiyjX2u3t4dyXCJ-QSDj5gwkAfczFCXBkO_cpoEwE-jcn5mqVAgbd1ogvFWEVJPKdaBavTWWbZbzKRo6A2PipqeB_eH/s1224/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHH-g20b8mzU6sgg7weVTpwuHqRU3t1iXHl_my6K9GTu3YyyLnntlQpTdORc_4AJbgA59sLFCKLOJw3CMdPgbs7YHvJ43i8OwojiyjX2u3t4dyXCJ-QSDj5gwkAfczFCXBkO_cpoEwE-jcn5mqVAgbd1ogvFWEVJPKdaBavTWWbZbzKRo6A2PipqeB_eH/w572-h640/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%201.jpg" width="572" /></a></div>Once again it was only looking through images back at Base Camp later that we saw it was tucking into some lunch. It was chowing down on what looks like an <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Ichneumon Wasp</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxEtLS0mVuTdXr3ffhMf-xPcI-aoM_fwjFa5P2Z1IkCvX7IPcP-C55mjKCk5fqX1SuDS3p4mkTCxbCUVQj7rf9fj8oqyghwE_DPlzg5SNrA1CvCqVEGjE9dwQwyxMpYWWKw5VmcFhzYIKRjfhzllvgjBwe7wEU0PzMuQY44pWZCPdVdmPSD4er2ZRbguq/s768/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%20with%20wasp%20prey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="714" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxEtLS0mVuTdXr3ffhMf-xPcI-aoM_fwjFa5P2Z1IkCvX7IPcP-C55mjKCk5fqX1SuDS3p4mkTCxbCUVQj7rf9fj8oqyghwE_DPlzg5SNrA1CvCqVEGjE9dwQwyxMpYWWKw5VmcFhzYIKRjfhzllvgjBwe7wEU0PzMuQY44pWZCPdVdmPSD4er2ZRbguq/w373-h400/Golden%20ringed%20Dragonfly%20with%20wasp%20prey.jpg" width="373" /></a></div>Our attention was dragged away from this beast when one of its lesser cousins, a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darter</span></b>, landed on the fence by our shoulder.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp0p-iob1d9OWU4t2_JxjH5ErmlvEkD0p28Ca-o2LgUOIJdTmaX-wBn-QiiU2eeUX58loNC56iuZyuDllV14otAQfd9ochODU2U8FLNONIYuUW2RAmZVAonfpPFzRgOzsz3nexJmtS3A3_6UVnThJowxG0mPwiE3-ziegplzEeLvHaBey_XBMCctYg0as/s1604/Common%20Darter%20Female%20face%20on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="1604" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp0p-iob1d9OWU4t2_JxjH5ErmlvEkD0p28Ca-o2LgUOIJdTmaX-wBn-QiiU2eeUX58loNC56iuZyuDllV14otAQfd9ochODU2U8FLNONIYuUW2RAmZVAonfpPFzRgOzsz3nexJmtS3A3_6UVnThJowxG0mPwiE3-ziegplzEeLvHaBey_XBMCctYg0as/w640-h252/Common%20Darter%20Female%20face%20on.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We think they're like <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bottlenose Dolphins</span></b> - no matter what they're thinking they always look like they're smiling. Walking back through the reserve yard we took the opportunity to get some pics of the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">House Martins</span></b> nesting in the eaves of the Warden's house for our Photo Challenge. The adults were back and forth far to quickly for us but ever eager to be fed nestlings regularly appeared at the opening, obviously trying to see if their next meal was about to be delivered - #143<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4X-YA5FisFBG_-JNihm_Y9uTFOOuMoP19BgP-IZDbmbyJ4CKSM1yb-tiOty_pRBH9IkPy4EYIMN-MGVgKWYJOZhsscUJh9F_s6U0RSDCJJA68IEo8IUsvBT6gjTfOAzHKkb2aXmAJB-AxoYUaLeWTJ18RG-wFAkbWpsG2tGCu4cLLJ5RXoxWKEBr1uY4i/s962/143%20House%20martin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="917" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4X-YA5FisFBG_-JNihm_Y9uTFOOuMoP19BgP-IZDbmbyJ4CKSM1yb-tiOty_pRBH9IkPy4EYIMN-MGVgKWYJOZhsscUJh9F_s6U0RSDCJJA68IEo8IUsvBT6gjTfOAzHKkb2aXmAJB-AxoYUaLeWTJ18RG-wFAkbWpsG2tGCu4cLLJ5RXoxWKEBr1uY4i/w610-h640/143%20House%20martin.jpg" width="610" /></a></div>More <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Ospreys</span></b> appeared while we were having lunch but we failed spectacularly to get any pics. Then CR spotted a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> hind come out of the small patch of trees below us, followed by a second and two youngsters. We failed to connect camera and 'Bambis' so here's one of the adults.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdPDicrS0GPLAj6eu9xML-IKSGDRpSXHbpPuEHSmp7m_L_cGkpKCOabhP93hpwGd_Ji0lO3reg2NK0WaxuB8aQXXmuS_DFPPzejCHgTj6gmKMVIT1UzI4fkKoz4qUtjEzgco6fEtN9WkVLwfSGIKWuUC1dSwo0Tadc9ThqCicCbQGtl4msJ8AEM_iAXq_/s1197/Red%20deer%20hind%20head%20half%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1197" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdPDicrS0GPLAj6eu9xML-IKSGDRpSXHbpPuEHSmp7m_L_cGkpKCOabhP93hpwGd_Ji0lO3reg2NK0WaxuB8aQXXmuS_DFPPzejCHgTj6gmKMVIT1UzI4fkKoz4qUtjEzgco6fEtN9WkVLwfSGIKWuUC1dSwo0Tadc9ThqCicCbQGtl4msJ8AEM_iAXq_/w640-h382/Red%20deer%20hind%20head%20half%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Not quite as close as last weeks shots of this species.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After lunch it was time to climb the 'hill of doom' but we hadn't even got to the car park to divest ourself of all the luncheon paraphernalia when one of the team spotted this <b><span style="color: red;">Slow Worm</span></b> basking at the base of the wall. A good find, although they are numerous here we don't often see them.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQi0IDJ3W_ONB0Vq2AqUloe__d9ZFEzzxCGF3YQkjw5BOUog9qj0jNpB5h5r1dx3B8PBWLd6ROAqDXh3IFsNkOnF-Y_cZOJjHK1NcJrMafIsY5ygQVeTAI5Gely7ks5OVHtn8Adhu58dSdkq69IliEz8cf41ULpLPrrjvHFVrmCW42F7acn6nIneaS0UA/s2604/Slow%20Worm%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="2604" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQi0IDJ3W_ONB0Vq2AqUloe__d9ZFEzzxCGF3YQkjw5BOUog9qj0jNpB5h5r1dx3B8PBWLd6ROAqDXh3IFsNkOnF-Y_cZOJjHK1NcJrMafIsY5ygQVeTAI5Gely7ks5OVHtn8Adhu58dSdkq69IliEz8cf41ULpLPrrjvHFVrmCW42F7acn6nIneaS0UA/w640-h362/Slow%20Worm%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Slightly behind us to our left is a large Howeed plant in full flower and now in the sun. It was timing with insects. Mostly they were <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Drone Flies</span></b>, <b><i><span style="color: #20124d;">Eristalis</span></i></b> sp but we also saw one of the big <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Bog Hoverflies</span></b> that did a bunk before any of us could lay a camera on it and this small, but even more gorgeous, <b><i><span style="color: #20124d;">Leucozona glauca</span></i></b> having a wash and brush up.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5y7aEKaRclpJqihwso-JJzP0FHOJgFNR4c34gSw2HBvMf_aamWydzAEuXSGLrLrYAbSjpM3U37ljtmVOS4qMHGkAFwqK-N4x0qQIUJVqYDdpgovqrFO-nUsFrpx-4EiSTi-ekf5Dkb9WBSpf1ui9Ogu5X7C7bEYzTJRsUNU1Mc66eWbAdE7Ytz1prQzGL/s1367/Hoverfly%20having%20a%20wash%20and%20brush%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1367" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5y7aEKaRclpJqihwso-JJzP0FHOJgFNR4c34gSw2HBvMf_aamWydzAEuXSGLrLrYAbSjpM3U37ljtmVOS4qMHGkAFwqK-N4x0qQIUJVqYDdpgovqrFO-nUsFrpx-4EiSTi-ekf5Dkb9WBSpf1ui9Ogu5X7C7bEYzTJRsUNU1Mc66eWbAdE7Ytz1prQzGL/w640-h508/Hoverfly%20having%20a%20wash%20and%20brush%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Wildlife interlude over we had to climb that hill. To be fair it's never quite as bad a feared, it's just the thought of starting up it straight after a hearty lunch...Not much to be seen along the track although with it warming up a bit with some sunshine butterflies were coming out to play, mostly in the form of <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Gatekeepers</span></b>. Probably the most intersting thing we found was this anthill which had been dug by a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Badger</span></b>. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxEp6SaK0NreAOZZM4Mg39Ic_mcXx1r15ntQnJAcCP7RyOYrxmRefT2BEApIJegek01M4G5lggnvUCe3SHzqv6Ad0q59iIZmXYl0Mtd45LTbJ8fjDj7kppI3ivkj1O3Qh-8JBg7FEC4I2KJdd7vaGtBNyQB2uHcg2vr_BecGSpR4jxTEZN6LrSgV5GYQd/s1200/Badger%20diggings%20in%20an%20ants%20nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxEp6SaK0NreAOZZM4Mg39Ic_mcXx1r15ntQnJAcCP7RyOYrxmRefT2BEApIJegek01M4G5lggnvUCe3SHzqv6Ad0q59iIZmXYl0Mtd45LTbJ8fjDj7kppI3ivkj1O3Qh-8JBg7FEC4I2KJdd7vaGtBNyQB2uHcg2vr_BecGSpR4jxTEZN6LrSgV5GYQd/w640-h426/Badger%20diggings%20in%20an%20ants%20nest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our destination was the pond by the entrance gate but to get there we had to pass Little Grebe Alley, the large tarn on the side of the road. As ever several were on show but as usual all were on the far side of the sizeable tarn.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the pond we immediately set about looking into the water to see what aquatic goodies we could find. Not a lot the view in was much obscured by reeds and Lily leaves now but above the surface there was a lot to see. An <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Emperor Dragonfly</span></b> patrolled below us refusing to stay still enough long enough for the auto-focus to lock on. Also buzzing about were lots of damselflies including several <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Emerald Damselflies</span></b> shimmering in the sunlight. <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darters</span></b> egg laying in tandem further out over the <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Lily</span></b> pads completed the Odonata scene.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6w8Yqo9lvnqJsfbuZ4SzyRUGH7yBHDBC2fwey_jKcoUFEQJW36XAt7KP2Qh-d3Ss8kkOKXIJGVoat05pfEAxt9YohUVNrjuomUS5BezqRqgzMEYO9EVLh0DKM2jwzqUqIIorUd2Td0gsmaCdns2vd9Z8xh19mf6hM76AdBzqmAesclBfYUQ5hhyna8JQx/s1421/Emerald%20damselfly%20on%20Water%20Lily%20wide%20angle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1421" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6w8Yqo9lvnqJsfbuZ4SzyRUGH7yBHDBC2fwey_jKcoUFEQJW36XAt7KP2Qh-d3Ss8kkOKXIJGVoat05pfEAxt9YohUVNrjuomUS5BezqRqgzMEYO9EVLh0DKM2jwzqUqIIorUd2Td0gsmaCdns2vd9Z8xh19mf6hM76AdBzqmAesclBfYUQ5hhyna8JQx/w640-h498/Emerald%20damselfly%20on%20Water%20Lily%20wide%20angle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycFj6NqPCnyaUrmZPvEW13Tj5dVowEq_HR06nq5N8-33RVrlKRvGjYDdp0cVPcNnQXmHzhHdu4PgIPhsGDTS5mKWIX2ExHE1x1FhJnDx4lxER-VdMYDuFxPQZzHuwPLwHLsZCnBxBlqq66LwioG36tI_Jmm-FWgVsZn_J8RDp5U7IqVcZAus9fJyLeVXB/s1607/Emerald%20damselfly%20on%20Water%20Lily%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1607" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycFj6NqPCnyaUrmZPvEW13Tj5dVowEq_HR06nq5N8-33RVrlKRvGjYDdp0cVPcNnQXmHzhHdu4PgIPhsGDTS5mKWIX2ExHE1x1FhJnDx4lxER-VdMYDuFxPQZzHuwPLwHLsZCnBxBlqq66LwioG36tI_Jmm-FWgVsZn_J8RDp5U7IqVcZAus9fJyLeVXB/w640-h458/Emerald%20damselfly%20on%20Water%20Lily%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRy6H6bGEf289JxvNDFJKYR5rTt3upqAsvASWOhEZtuAKQgJV7kO07W8iYCg4wPOmmyTHscXm7RTKuizoK5zRa0LHJXu_T3v-5SPhMvGoEYbZJyTCsgD4L4OOxUvCHujw37LlIh7W5gBZiuyKn_P_Jf8jojmVlnFm0DZaX2noSBRQxsZojvs_hngRNpUuD/s1446/Emerald%20Damselfly%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1446" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRy6H6bGEf289JxvNDFJKYR5rTt3upqAsvASWOhEZtuAKQgJV7kO07W8iYCg4wPOmmyTHscXm7RTKuizoK5zRa0LHJXu_T3v-5SPhMvGoEYbZJyTCsgD4L4OOxUvCHujw37LlIh7W5gBZiuyKn_P_Jf8jojmVlnFm0DZaX2noSBRQxsZojvs_hngRNpUuD/w640-h428/Emerald%20Damselfly%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The area around the pond held much of interest too. A Dor Beetle stumbled and staggered along a grassy track<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnHcIDubH7OzO5E8QX2MUYLRfyt9WWbDG2mH9vlSUCmcCdm9IW9tfdUCzfTVcBMFLDTKQk0FDE_7km6bbR_sFrTMwSEajB3SWaN_7xXANLqs0Ahuty06P9QzW34Z8WMuXdF6XQdgQCpGzUY4rA_L_YJUpUM73qmxqcB0iOoQdJNjQ9g41IMF9i_7HKgsq/s988/Dor%20Beetle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="988" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnHcIDubH7OzO5E8QX2MUYLRfyt9WWbDG2mH9vlSUCmcCdm9IW9tfdUCzfTVcBMFLDTKQk0FDE_7km6bbR_sFrTMwSEajB3SWaN_7xXANLqs0Ahuty06P9QzW34Z8WMuXdF6XQdgQCpGzUY4rA_L_YJUpUM73qmxqcB0iOoQdJNjQ9g41IMF9i_7HKgsq/w400-h253/Dor%20Beetle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Their undersides are spectacularly blue, even better when you show an in focus pic of one that's not wriggling around trying to right itself - like the one we had but manage to accidentally wipe off off the SD card - - what a numpty!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2g0OxyWoqCFgje8RVhb1QkA-3zXtVVsnKvsRcjv8I_hRGMm8y-FU--t_2OC2QU9q8z0-JqXEZl6Cdg-hxUuSrhjRCaTnC3IQaS3BaeUDJLL3aztzwbKDFZZJT8VUuBKrUHrWLEDIWqsxbNzDbBotZPlG3hHHLfADUspaiqd7hnwGaDkNfnjVTbrhryF9/s1196/Dor%20Beetle%20underside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1049" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2g0OxyWoqCFgje8RVhb1QkA-3zXtVVsnKvsRcjv8I_hRGMm8y-FU--t_2OC2QU9q8z0-JqXEZl6Cdg-hxUuSrhjRCaTnC3IQaS3BaeUDJLL3aztzwbKDFZZJT8VUuBKrUHrWLEDIWqsxbNzDbBotZPlG3hHHLfADUspaiqd7hnwGaDkNfnjVTbrhryF9/w562-h640/Dor%20Beetle%20underside.jpg" width="562" /></a></div>A <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Common Darter</span></b> was expertly rescued out of the wet grass holding it firmly to the ground by JG.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXm3Zqw5IUDt2qjxOMS7tgXnl9i3b-Oi6a9DewhoPbxMWowwFnc4aGS5LmfRt4cXp2W_QcR6rQxJa1xSKIyMQb1kVDov7rMjt-_11Re4G6g9JGDXIoSSHyYfwkll6RZv8CbeYJzDXynobFzycU34sWSb6RFipgxKDC83SUH0BOgdtS66BC5vTkC2Hn_pa/s1330/Common%20Darter%20Female%20on%20finger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="1330" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXm3Zqw5IUDt2qjxOMS7tgXnl9i3b-Oi6a9DewhoPbxMWowwFnc4aGS5LmfRt4cXp2W_QcR6rQxJa1xSKIyMQb1kVDov7rMjt-_11Re4G6g9JGDXIoSSHyYfwkll6RZv8CbeYJzDXynobFzycU34sWSb6RFipgxKDC83SUH0BOgdtS66BC5vTkC2Hn_pa/w640-h638/Common%20Darter%20Female%20on%20finger.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And then came the best action of the day and certainly the most bizarre. A tiny <b><span style="color: red;">Common Lizard</span></b> was seen at the base of a tree. Once it realised it had been seen it darted into cover. While waiting for it to come back into view all mannner of creatures started to climb the tree starting with a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Grasshopper</span></b> that had been jumping around in the grass by our feet.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh2F9-341rVLq3yqsn2GhVUTkmmRZ3AZjlp2gO0iwVd6AHgr268lHVyvOA1XAItV9IM5xDdZndrsEfwA9vY0TO_7ZHbviZWQcEus91cOEQsYodUonzLuP2lhVOzrL2x5tV9M2PU8UUrTv1Q3ZxxlPem26dz6s53hn6Rro3Xn3QTAR5xNHVkngasIHPHJt/s1022/Grasshopper%20on%20ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="916" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh2F9-341rVLq3yqsn2GhVUTkmmRZ3AZjlp2gO0iwVd6AHgr268lHVyvOA1XAItV9IM5xDdZndrsEfwA9vY0TO_7ZHbviZWQcEus91cOEQsYodUonzLuP2lhVOzrL2x5tV9M2PU8UUrTv1Q3ZxxlPem26dz6s53hn6Rro3Xn3QTAR5xNHVkngasIHPHJt/w359-h400/Grasshopper%20on%20ground.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w_RZfl1lSPZzhrCqS116exHaxFRDmqFjmTJkfzKWiT69aqSMnuHHIXBZTdW9MsWRIQs9U-tPhj709fyZG_--umKS8Zl63h2sJBIVhhleQI-uPTajPWoiYZSaU5qzXo2rKQ3n9n8P6LSX-hMPT64RCJPKgO9sNFvYpa6qfJE57LD7yIRgqqVEFnWMaawY/s959/Grasshopper%20up%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="681" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w_RZfl1lSPZzhrCqS116exHaxFRDmqFjmTJkfzKWiT69aqSMnuHHIXBZTdW9MsWRIQs9U-tPhj709fyZG_--umKS8Zl63h2sJBIVhhleQI-uPTajPWoiYZSaU5qzXo2rKQ3n9n8P6LSX-hMPT64RCJPKgO9sNFvYpa6qfJE57LD7yIRgqqVEFnWMaawY/s320/Grasshopper%20up%20tree.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>This was followed by a tiny <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Common Toad</span></b>. It was like an all-comers race to the top.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKFhwTi6iMcTDpQQozg026bcocDoKwn3jZwolLpNRclzVYiFYPzd1WwjEvTHaurTlcGFqhOsfDSEYWxZw5PDDdrZFp-vrdL93vFPQT-dWjT0-jWy8Kc_tnD7_S-0VU8u55QgD3gDPHRL99Oc6q10C7y1vde4fuXMclih7ZNMB_oAzDON96XSXeAfSmjLP/s1108/Toadlet%20climbing%20tree%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1108" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKFhwTi6iMcTDpQQozg026bcocDoKwn3jZwolLpNRclzVYiFYPzd1WwjEvTHaurTlcGFqhOsfDSEYWxZw5PDDdrZFp-vrdL93vFPQT-dWjT0-jWy8Kc_tnD7_S-0VU8u55QgD3gDPHRL99Oc6q10C7y1vde4fuXMclih7ZNMB_oAzDON96XSXeAfSmjLP/w640-h558/Toadlet%20climbing%20tree%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>But the toad decided to have a snooze a metre or so into its climb.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXORc6Zwti18cDjsvrOhdyFXkZomo0KqpXtdB8ylhBZAzRLWxi_dsyX6EH03mXHj60c9TcDGHJITh2uf_FuFafLrYLF4dZ34QGPB3an3JUGkMNIXbPcmlmVPnMzuWQKZVTuzfk-GVgwMTg8KpvANAYLG2sJHJbcC1w_ZSFRSJRgmNGy0H1MsOwArYuVT4Q/s1137/Toadlet%20snoozing%20in%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="890" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXORc6Zwti18cDjsvrOhdyFXkZomo0KqpXtdB8ylhBZAzRLWxi_dsyX6EH03mXHj60c9TcDGHJITh2uf_FuFafLrYLF4dZ34QGPB3an3JUGkMNIXbPcmlmVPnMzuWQKZVTuzfk-GVgwMTg8KpvANAYLG2sJHJbcC1w_ZSFRSJRgmNGy0H1MsOwArYuVT4Q/w500-h640/Toadlet%20snoozing%20in%20tree.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Even a <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Harvestman</span></b> joined in for a while but spent more time going round the trunk than upwards. After a while the lizard did reappear although there was some discussion as to whether or not it was the same individual as the earlier one was said to have had a brighter more colourful pattern.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWAFTyf_svMgsZalons0sI9GBpVeQrgUJbYXLhKn7zVFXDCs2HF-VP2QLXO_Pc46pwWTf2RmxhcE6nA9IMy1woxAPPmLXMFKkJL8f8t6sFRnZLORz9-zwE34GXjj85xDXdbDz1gP0oug5B8f-1MkGHh5okZs0ZBtOs-4FyaB1n5quuZFhU8v-Iv6hMLKF/s1458/Common%20Lizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1458" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWAFTyf_svMgsZalons0sI9GBpVeQrgUJbYXLhKn7zVFXDCs2HF-VP2QLXO_Pc46pwWTf2RmxhcE6nA9IMy1woxAPPmLXMFKkJL8f8t6sFRnZLORz9-zwE34GXjj85xDXdbDz1gP0oug5B8f-1MkGHh5okZs0ZBtOs-4FyaB1n5quuZFhU8v-Iv6hMLKF/w640-h466/Common%20Lizard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It even looked as if it was going to join the tree climbing race.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicxdAWVAbMNJXwcX9LD6AOSA9U9fV-PAgoerBZNQzVp_kV6BbZ5iXGnkqaehxkzgolcyipbG_r_JYwpz1V9k-X3p_fBrLFREoWb6KutSEOOEmOb8eL3uOZwFKnGMfVASDC1X1xL6AYs9hI2Zdc7bofpxtpGsa3-3jNaX6JPcJ57cxFMEHl_6nSwC-Xxbl/s1290/Common%20Lizard%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1290" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicxdAWVAbMNJXwcX9LD6AOSA9U9fV-PAgoerBZNQzVp_kV6BbZ5iXGnkqaehxkzgolcyipbG_r_JYwpz1V9k-X3p_fBrLFREoWb6KutSEOOEmOb8eL3uOZwFKnGMfVASDC1X1xL6AYs9hI2Zdc7bofpxtpGsa3-3jNaX6JPcJ57cxFMEHl_6nSwC-Xxbl/w640-h468/Common%20Lizard%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Our final finds here were unusual. A Gatekeeper with a single white spot on its upperwings but sporting gtthe 'normal' double white spots below. Can't say we've ever noticed one like that before.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDM9N5Ava0GoQft0huAWJ0T-3xDrmqWttKOX_7pTqHxLXc0EnGZEVOzxklUxJba8lynjH5nC9Lvxd2fLIJaBJovU_MOK0NG8Ee5oZmHDzklPPQrgWgO0_v4kNXVLeSCA67XowAft7y3wmJAR_JsnWlgmKCYr0db1SvtR5GI-JCzqPqNT-XXJ265fJ197D/s1169/Gatekeeper%20upperside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1169" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDM9N5Ava0GoQft0huAWJ0T-3xDrmqWttKOX_7pTqHxLXc0EnGZEVOzxklUxJba8lynjH5nC9Lvxd2fLIJaBJovU_MOK0NG8Ee5oZmHDzklPPQrgWgO0_v4kNXVLeSCA67XowAft7y3wmJAR_JsnWlgmKCYr0db1SvtR5GI-JCzqPqNT-XXJ265fJ197D/w640-h572/Gatekeeper%20upperside.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWRow_R6yC3PlUKm9p6xm_sCs0hENL5vc-BLfX1-SsGBGO1Ld7HJh2VtCE5qsCfVJIBdFX5I-54eVDP5OUNIv1dolufcUgDpsXx_PUuhi_AUDs3GA6BSQ6rxm9vFf62lj3IW5WtrlVBVFtRofWlwz1xYlr4Jxpzjj3RUWW_vGePAN_BM6fYM3tX05GWdF/s1214/Gatekeeper%20underside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1214" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWRow_R6yC3PlUKm9p6xm_sCs0hENL5vc-BLfX1-SsGBGO1Ld7HJh2VtCE5qsCfVJIBdFX5I-54eVDP5OUNIv1dolufcUgDpsXx_PUuhi_AUDs3GA6BSQ6rxm9vFf62lj3IW5WtrlVBVFtRofWlwz1xYlr4Jxpzjj3RUWW_vGePAN_BM6fYM3tX05GWdF/w640-h522/Gatekeeper%20underside.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And the other was a cracking looking red and black <b><span style="color: #20124d;">Ichneumon Wasp</span></b>, later found out to be one of the <b><i><span style="color: #20124d;">Dusona</span></i></b> species.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvVHG9dMlvPx1wdR3qRIUqy4zxsvrm0WzIIXUUKdLiIBskMqVCUVQZp0U4QLuoKYLSWnLS6iHAL0TQYJw1CVsfcKD-Q3fX0VXuUs_9Z4tQqXBRGYSgpcZi6QIq5gn9FmwiR1_j8xmn4qaHPw_wtmYs3yGwTw7orD4vSTy3RjIuT5PqTH3nNe2tJLnOWJO/s1390/Ichneumeon%20wasp%20Dusona%20sp%20Campopleginae%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1390" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvVHG9dMlvPx1wdR3qRIUqy4zxsvrm0WzIIXUUKdLiIBskMqVCUVQZp0U4QLuoKYLSWnLS6iHAL0TQYJw1CVsfcKD-Q3fX0VXuUs_9Z4tQqXBRGYSgpcZi6QIq5gn9FmwiR1_j8xmn4qaHPw_wtmYs3yGwTw7orD4vSTy3RjIuT5PqTH3nNe2tJLnOWJO/w640-h396/Ichneumeon%20wasp%20Dusona%20sp%20Campopleginae%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And even later discovered to be either quite a scarce beastie or terribly under-recorded. There are only 169 records for this genus on the NBN Atlas of which none are in England north of a line between Lancaster and Scarborough and then only one confirmed and one unconfirmed record in the whole of Scotland - so a new dot on the map for Cumbria courtesy of the Safari and gang.<br />With time now pressing it was time to make our way back to the car park and say our goodbyes to the Southside gang. But not before another look at the <b><span style="color: red;">Slow Worm</span></b> and <b><span style="color: red;">Adder</span></b>...of which there were now two out basking a few feet apart.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FD_9Iiu910MtG7P3xK6_7zsWRg8J4F4bbHbMQ65zRHnZnebL6tvmlf9vsM9iW3vrdVnHtyR-hHUu_SsRvNJ51F-z8NrElVcm05ZZX-hc-p7vjt4SA7qW9MGRf9kqTFslKEygxWKQYzPh84ixUunDt2ngUUiLPuKG3Wo0iejOd2jX7XHt2_p7TPBOSbiL/s1539/Slow%20Worm%20head%20out%20of%20hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1539" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FD_9Iiu910MtG7P3xK6_7zsWRg8J4F4bbHbMQ65zRHnZnebL6tvmlf9vsM9iW3vrdVnHtyR-hHUu_SsRvNJ51F-z8NrElVcm05ZZX-hc-p7vjt4SA7qW9MGRf9kqTFslKEygxWKQYzPh84ixUunDt2ngUUiLPuKG3Wo0iejOd2jX7XHt2_p7TPBOSbiL/w640-h448/Slow%20Worm%20head%20out%20of%20hole.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQirdK2BhDOUz2qJWcTSbO6BlD7JBtVcdsvxFqRIpbttwOW7eoIpx1TajDjm1-SGE9EsP3HlTaBWGLLwuJQs8P81g8wyv5G33mDr_6gWGKe4RJ4woURZrgcUuSpOx5RqoGBRCJSLAZ0jsnYUb-caap87izhCvPfs59_4HG-7-hjrji6O8FCjXeEqXKepQ/s3085/Slow%20Worm%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="3085" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQirdK2BhDOUz2qJWcTSbO6BlD7JBtVcdsvxFqRIpbttwOW7eoIpx1TajDjm1-SGE9EsP3HlTaBWGLLwuJQs8P81g8wyv5G33mDr_6gWGKe4RJ4woURZrgcUuSpOx5RqoGBRCJSLAZ0jsnYUb-caap87izhCvPfs59_4HG-7-hjrji6O8FCjXeEqXKepQ/w640-h278/Slow%20Worm%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj-hdZ7mfqZxicIKpXuuYm1UJH_SvICCf4ZSXMmOK3aOyrheDfULfNQALuVhMP9jpkWAnwIdL0BT-OPHH2uUYmuxOBYmCBNVz37IGHDKXZrCDwtL45hguU1fFBeLpMZ1fSNg7UsVNKDtPWBH37rjQm3uoIpFMX_6Y-itq1bUSCYKZWfEevqkxP54Ge-R5/s1277/Addder%20looking%20menacing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="1243" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj-hdZ7mfqZxicIKpXuuYm1UJH_SvICCf4ZSXMmOK3aOyrheDfULfNQALuVhMP9jpkWAnwIdL0BT-OPHH2uUYmuxOBYmCBNVz37IGHDKXZrCDwtL45hguU1fFBeLpMZ1fSNg7UsVNKDtPWBH37rjQm3uoIpFMX_6Y-itq1bUSCYKZWfEevqkxP54Ge-R5/w622-h640/Addder%20looking%20menacing.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-spUJsu4FsoJ8hJJoisw9hfu7ZTbm1wO_DNr9s5ymdx47SQo9RviXwHcKvd1R0KzXzJ6ye0ZAn__LR78V-BS6p0KgLMVBDjIampKD0frgsYJ2eXLEJ93GOxP2zWf9iDrTkU0-Z0tahF2usUHECPZdm-LJlC1q1XY79rhnpav0MEcKo3pHX5NPKkJ1O-o/s1554/Addder%20head%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1174" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-spUJsu4FsoJ8hJJoisw9hfu7ZTbm1wO_DNr9s5ymdx47SQo9RviXwHcKvd1R0KzXzJ6ye0ZAn__LR78V-BS6p0KgLMVBDjIampKD0frgsYJ2eXLEJ93GOxP2zWf9iDrTkU0-Z0tahF2usUHECPZdm-LJlC1q1XY79rhnpav0MEcKo3pHX5NPKkJ1O-o/w484-h640/Addder%20head%20up.jpg" width="484" /></a></div>Then right at the end of the day we got our <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Osprey</span></b> shots...and there were two...just like the <b><span style="color: red;">Adders</span></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-rPihwHUEnO_1VTv5lR3IkkG355fOOdQWm8P_kYdaq02GIkEq30SvHNu4Mf5UGU-B0jtqYsblJ9fSfX_HgNr1KeqBFv82VFUQYFUcF182sJRMka9NY0Ah44UxETcijKHnX7WyYxU88n11OIM996a2f5RtBnwwebxWxSCARaYaPbV2gk20itPXP7rvyU6/s1307/Two%20ospreys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="1056" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-rPihwHUEnO_1VTv5lR3IkkG355fOOdQWm8P_kYdaq02GIkEq30SvHNu4Mf5UGU-B0jtqYsblJ9fSfX_HgNr1KeqBFv82VFUQYFUcF182sJRMka9NY0Ah44UxETcijKHnX7WyYxU88n11OIM996a2f5RtBnwwebxWxSCARaYaPbV2gk20itPXP7rvyU6/w518-h640/Two%20ospreys.jpg" width="518" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg35qNeurCD3bp4R8VgqVG2awc4F6aFft-2W99hl-WheSZheSczxfL0WK-t0TDf_TLFjY6sySXZXhvuLZ_TSp-ajiGzNYboRptQkEeGXSBcMrk-oInnKtgP31lsjEuktTlLPEP5WUQBfWK1nyEuOCMolxh0AMzLpjrzYr_JfO_2rBOHUqfgr16cE9YA9M9/s1053/Osprey%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1053" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg35qNeurCD3bp4R8VgqVG2awc4F6aFft-2W99hl-WheSZheSczxfL0WK-t0TDf_TLFjY6sySXZXhvuLZ_TSp-ajiGzNYboRptQkEeGXSBcMrk-oInnKtgP31lsjEuktTlLPEP5WUQBfWK1nyEuOCMolxh0AMzLpjrzYr_JfO_2rBOHUqfgr16cE9YA9M9/w640-h366/Osprey%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDlYQQcsQ92iea_wWipwocKPx76R895xMZvnZ15JObcf_LFhM3OzsUfiOvqZ1CNY1XFBJmee75T47MiajAJVuAdys2BBXb7KMmC0P2yHPFxkyKZJxuCgdUGeOe41mrnVSaceuMCjVvWELYs7GJN4dN9wfUxWlUBkcyFAYTR8DpwsUNqSUx5IQv5gKLaJe/s1057/Osprey%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1057" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDlYQQcsQ92iea_wWipwocKPx76R895xMZvnZ15JObcf_LFhM3OzsUfiOvqZ1CNY1XFBJmee75T47MiajAJVuAdys2BBXb7KMmC0P2yHPFxkyKZJxuCgdUGeOe41mrnVSaceuMCjVvWELYs7GJN4dN9wfUxWlUBkcyFAYTR8DpwsUNqSUx5IQv5gKLaJe/w640-h438/Osprey%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BmCRQGa1JgV5z_ijL_Hrwy-sPraEnl0uPfuyS_SK1ll9ADLzsCWLi6EIdOtLMYm6goLg36-fijftNCwosYqaPjqoPaqvttN2vTyLuIKaGt1_B01rxR9z915K09mRCEW285vB0y6Jt7ifIR4FFN5iJINiVohMuzad9KpRgACoEcu9WO2fNQ4jD2mkfEWE/s1247/Osprey%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1247" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BmCRQGa1JgV5z_ijL_Hrwy-sPraEnl0uPfuyS_SK1ll9ADLzsCWLi6EIdOtLMYm6goLg36-fijftNCwosYqaPjqoPaqvttN2vTyLuIKaGt1_B01rxR9z915K09mRCEW285vB0y6Jt7ifIR4FFN5iJINiVohMuzad9KpRgACoEcu9WO2fNQ4jD2mkfEWE/w640-h432/Osprey%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Always a little high but hey beggars can't be choosers and what a brilliant end to a brilliant day, lots of fun, lots of laughs and lots of wildlife - top banana!<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> We've got a bit of a boaty ride coming up next week - watch this space.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's winning the Inter-species Tree Climbing Championships in your outback<br /><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-68067145146156659052023-07-30T22:00:00.008+01:002023-08-01T10:35:41.116+01:00Underwater moth trapping...in Witch country<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b> The Safari has been</b> trying to do some moth trapping both at Base Camp and further afield.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our first attempt was for the Royal Society of Biologists at a nearby Country Park. Good pal CP did a fantastic warm up act for us with a great talk on bats that had one of the attendees in stitches laughing at the thought of Bat Ladders. Then outside as dusk drew darker the bats came out to play and put on a great show for us sending our bat detectors into a heated frenzy of sound...a superb start to the evening. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were supposed to put the moth trap up on the green by the gardens once the bat excitement was over. Then everyone could sit round the sheets armed with a pot with which to catch the moths for us to identify as they came to the light. Well that never happened cos down came the rain by the bucketful. So 'indoor' moth trapping it was. The centre has a covered outdoor classroom at the back so it was in there that we set up out of the rain. The trouble with heavy rain is the moths don't like it and won't venture out - and who would blame them? A small number of hardy indivuals did appear, mostly <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Large Yellow Underwings</span></b> and a few mico-moths. But we were trapping close to an <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Apple Tree</span></b> which had attracted a goood number of <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Common Wasps</span></b>. Fortunately we were using the sheet and light technique so could easily see them - it might have been a case of watch where you put your hands had we been coming to empty a box full of cold sleepy ones in the morning.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A few evenings later, after the rains had finished, we set the trap up at Base Camp and caught the grand total of ZERO moths - that's not in the rule books! The following night we tied again, rain wasn't forecast but we heard it lashing it down during the night - not a good omen -- just 6 soggy moths were in the trap come the morning. Things have got to get better, it's July for crying out loud!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For our next event we'd been invited by DSW, Community Engagement Officer for the Forest of Bowland AoNB Connecting People and Nature Project to lead a moth trapping and other wildlify bits n bobs event for one of her community groups...no way we could say no to that so with a car loaded up with all kinds of kit n kiboodle we headed off for the furthest reaches of East Lancashire aand the famous Witch country round the back of Pendle Hill.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were taken to <b><a href="https://www.roughlee.org.uk/clarion-house/" target="_blank">Clarion House</a></b>, a community centre up in hills above the tiny village of Roughlee. To be honest the Safari has been to Australia more often than this part of east Lancashire so it's not surprising we'd never heard of the place until now. But what a lovely place and what a gorgous setting up on the hill overlooking the town of Colne down across the valley...that's if we could see that far, it was a grim old day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptd8DrPe9OWEMbR8-5FAEr_vbdx9iuGuyFyitPhgp-iTjwiH_jaFDPuluKjjQ-CIBqOvgaEJHFK2YydWOV7Z61d4IxPVRRq0Jj3Z1xTJRaWQmWsuasVEOeY31xz6R6FOHnkDcldyeiFlIz0FzhvNij6xos6ivR8ONL2OsNaUTKwey0b9jY-jaD3sfqjFw/s1760/Misty%20view.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1760" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptd8DrPe9OWEMbR8-5FAEr_vbdx9iuGuyFyitPhgp-iTjwiH_jaFDPuluKjjQ-CIBqOvgaEJHFK2YydWOV7Z61d4IxPVRRq0Jj3Z1xTJRaWQmWsuasVEOeY31xz6R6FOHnkDcldyeiFlIz0FzhvNij6xos6ivR8ONL2OsNaUTKwey0b9jY-jaD3sfqjFw/w640-h288/Misty%20view.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ever the optomists DSW and us set about putting up the moth trap. We decided the most sheltered area behind the building and under a substantial <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Birch</span></b> tree was going to be the best option. Heavy rain and strong winds were forecast for overnight so we took the extra precaution of erecting a gazebo over the trap and tying that to the tree to stop it flying off over the hills towards Cheshire. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab5VaqSIL1WfCnqm0U2nCGid80tQM8GZQeX62L7rcPpRFS6c8xTX2YYPt6kvYU0w9WTdlnxNRkgL3pjF9_HCiIhZ9Pu1WmnNBdqPtBCoTfwZoPRerjju5BMfQXQI4IQrCaws-NQGuzffP05YTwcxHQ5T3L8Iob5Sg8jfnbBEpTu1wIMPT3fVJTCa05o7M/s1237/Moth%20trap%20set%20up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1237" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab5VaqSIL1WfCnqm0U2nCGid80tQM8GZQeX62L7rcPpRFS6c8xTX2YYPt6kvYU0w9WTdlnxNRkgL3pjF9_HCiIhZ9Pu1WmnNBdqPtBCoTfwZoPRerjju5BMfQXQI4IQrCaws-NQGuzffP05YTwcxHQ5T3L8Iob5Sg8jfnbBEpTu1wIMPT3fVJTCa05o7M/w640-h440/Moth%20trap%20set%20up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back at Base Camp we were woken in the small hours by torrential rain lashing against the window driven by a howling gale. We spent the rest of the night worrying about the electrics-water and hot bulb-cold raindrops combos. Luckily we needn't have worried as in the end all was fine when we arrived back on site in the morning. And now with the group eager to see what had been happening overnight it was time to empty the trap. But before that we had a look on the laptop to see if the trail camera we'd set up overnight had caught anything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5xTcpfTB7UuyO9F6QfZO5kJKcBJR9b_QnrWRQtulJBY5fTAPEUUvAfJ-XqFOitACYOJNsceUe-kzUe5QMrf-nDrEPo-lUEAMXamcJiWYMsvnA1ULHMPHcmJYym28s8MtBHHyQOpQQt3VLJJNvyEwY9piQ1-uVeKmoX6uUOHPPxO7Bb9dvEBy3jMGbCag/s880/Trail%20cam%20in%20position.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="411" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5xTcpfTB7UuyO9F6QfZO5kJKcBJR9b_QnrWRQtulJBY5fTAPEUUvAfJ-XqFOitACYOJNsceUe-kzUe5QMrf-nDrEPo-lUEAMXamcJiWYMsvnA1ULHMPHcmJYym28s8MtBHHyQOpQQt3VLJJNvyEwY9piQ1-uVeKmoX6uUOHPPxO7Bb9dvEBy3jMGbCag/w298-h640/Trail%20cam%20in%20position.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We'd placed it along a track beside a woodland shelterbelt and close to a compost heap, something was bound to wander by, hopefully a deer, a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fox</span></b>, a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Badger</span></b>, or maybe a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Hedgehog</span></b> or even a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rabbit</span></b>? Nothing! Our fingers were well and truly crossed there wouldn't be a re-run of our zero moths escapade at Base Camp a few nights earlier given the weather was much worse this time. Thankfully there were moths and we got off to a flying (pun intended) start with a few on the sheet outside the trap.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GUFFkfectCOblGAIPVEmox226Z22Lz7UgM_6A7kkQNIR0e_Y6RRButyg7AhENs3Xo6Y34a6Ex8ReHn-_xDfdTPkK1lL758zgGAxefDkJs26LMGp1qEZzpTFm4jDVpnDuEwTFnKIbDhu8_8WS74BMlhG3wkCKnM2bXkXRqn5QWHyfmaLSpRohsIISbWRL/s880/Scalloped%20oak%20on%20finger.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="411" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GUFFkfectCOblGAIPVEmox226Z22Lz7UgM_6A7kkQNIR0e_Y6RRButyg7AhENs3Xo6Y34a6Ex8ReHn-_xDfdTPkK1lL758zgGAxefDkJs26LMGp1qEZzpTFm4jDVpnDuEwTFnKIbDhu8_8WS74BMlhG3wkCKnM2bXkXRqn5QWHyfmaLSpRohsIISbWRL/w298-h640/Scalloped%20oak%20on%20finger.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #4c1130;">Scalloped Oak</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnJNaFc_FQLXAeYxbcvDxBujBvBH0OX1s06Z-eWLST3aIDDTUfibRdsE5HPBGK4fnYe_KsTP4NzpD3BiS1BprN-8csE2zB8cM4eJNm6jV8FBP9DPeeheUvkiEwPl1uLoIUEsfjbies9oaSBzkISQCHfhx8pHfCSakj6p6Q-4NmBAe7b_72eYyBLXAUj6m/s828/Photographing%20a%20moth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="616" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnJNaFc_FQLXAeYxbcvDxBujBvBH0OX1s06Z-eWLST3aIDDTUfibRdsE5HPBGK4fnYe_KsTP4NzpD3BiS1BprN-8csE2zB8cM4eJNm6jV8FBP9DPeeheUvkiEwPl1uLoIUEsfjbies9oaSBzkISQCHfhx8pHfCSakj6p6Q-4NmBAe7b_72eYyBLXAUj6m/w476-h640/Photographing%20a%20moth.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YqEj6BUC9tTxoT6vCWpW5sdKHAB2804vlECIujTN6CCHMXo33-6lo5fMFxR9baoe0ULd9AEn6NsXHzxFQXYvpPDlCZJz5rGThUN8_S1GIdyBt7pgy5hBTgtLoze3XgqblSKVoQWWCE-x82lPaqvufre1u6L8o2OYTYIdeqkM_ALIL7k6v_nUCF12SzdG/s1500/Opening%20the%20moth%20trap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YqEj6BUC9tTxoT6vCWpW5sdKHAB2804vlECIujTN6CCHMXo33-6lo5fMFxR9baoe0ULd9AEn6NsXHzxFQXYvpPDlCZJz5rGThUN8_S1GIdyBt7pgy5hBTgtLoze3XgqblSKVoQWWCE-x82lPaqvufre1u6L8o2OYTYIdeqkM_ALIL7k6v_nUCF12SzdG/w640-h300/Opening%20the%20moth%20trap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCW-kxlfnhE281fKi0zOkaawRcNQkbVmeEHZNF46iov90WaP6IDy5pBO3ndhZ9f4TYb_iAFwGi44Kqm6wW1immp_HX8Yj2IvOZQqORWedLcSybpswCAb9Vg9J361yBO4BzDTwvaKEl-1WGxgjLjJS6gtqLoHssUgqv5j7PyzL78F3o4qQmxoJMaSZGJk4/s1500/Opening%20the%20moth%20trap%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCW-kxlfnhE281fKi0zOkaawRcNQkbVmeEHZNF46iov90WaP6IDy5pBO3ndhZ9f4TYb_iAFwGi44Kqm6wW1immp_HX8Yj2IvOZQqORWedLcSybpswCAb9Vg9J361yBO4BzDTwvaKEl-1WGxgjLjJS6gtqLoHssUgqv5j7PyzL78F3o4qQmxoJMaSZGJk4/w640-h300/Opening%20the%20moth%20trap%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKXaGOupUkZL3QnnrnZklvJwJP3GPEdyY6vdZd4IkVZxzhXK8sVZasZEBnhqU41qMkUEABfNkOrMXNC2L_h66wjTAvj4NX-msmgu9KybMq_LueIMw3wibshpT4QG0xy4L--r0UwjWdM9AxGwDpwp-Nk2cGuJ74zZJ42284kpJzZyxstqS6PXIj-3R1Glr/s1320/Moth%20ID.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1320" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKXaGOupUkZL3QnnrnZklvJwJP3GPEdyY6vdZd4IkVZxzhXK8sVZasZEBnhqU41qMkUEABfNkOrMXNC2L_h66wjTAvj4NX-msmgu9KybMq_LueIMw3wibshpT4QG0xy4L--r0UwjWdM9AxGwDpwp-Nk2cGuJ74zZJ42284kpJzZyxstqS6PXIj-3R1Glr/w640-h298/Moth%20ID.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhGR6EpuxwmOCroh0HQ9p_-kwT4BPz7snQuTWOXeV5ia_rDIEWG968P7c7VAvAk1AphG9Ac7t4ylZUwg1K7kNE-F7x6pcxmImsLvbcBs5p2F7jk29qKfaMhYIX253cqAT6VPHZxcq35cVfeZBjCDB4QbBxmjlfoWjM7cprDN_IzOh_jf8mwuC4dfcZR_o/s753/Lesser%20swallow%20prominent%20on%20finger.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="710" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhGR6EpuxwmOCroh0HQ9p_-kwT4BPz7snQuTWOXeV5ia_rDIEWG968P7c7VAvAk1AphG9Ac7t4ylZUwg1K7kNE-F7x6pcxmImsLvbcBs5p2F7jk29qKfaMhYIX253cqAT6VPHZxcq35cVfeZBjCDB4QbBxmjlfoWjM7cprDN_IzOh_jf8mwuC4dfcZR_o/w604-h640/Lesser%20swallow%20prominent%20on%20finger.jpg" width="604" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #4c1130;">Lesser Swallow Prominent</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EVetJIpqzAps1-EAB05XXFuObdlsiTsFKVKVNJ4T2VteHKbgWKepCqZRaHLk45CJQklnPqOwyLgfQHcAZo3i-5YMlhM6iMLIzXYcnW0lmUKCC8eF8Kh3zztm_7W2NreSIU8amQejsKCSYf80sOYDHmo851AoYy_rin5_7FN3XpafDyxWdsZ11o0qvl5g/s880/Sorting%20through%20moths.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EVetJIpqzAps1-EAB05XXFuObdlsiTsFKVKVNJ4T2VteHKbgWKepCqZRaHLk45CJQklnPqOwyLgfQHcAZo3i-5YMlhM6iMLIzXYcnW0lmUKCC8eF8Kh3zztm_7W2NreSIU8amQejsKCSYf80sOYDHmo851AoYy_rin5_7FN3XpafDyxWdsZ11o0qvl5g/w480-h640/Sorting%20through%20moths.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5yrtxqtaQ9N4IIOILzMESP2u_3jUSMRmoCL9pCDQHwHQ_ttlEgJ8d4fG6qlqquc-42TmqXGQWVteXx1yqpDYDnwfh1a8b9oPUU7mDK1aJ4x8YCY0rafiwJOR1bPCpIqxENy6xS2BZxnMYNk4q9Ca07fO5VTyLW2P1_LPuU8FI27gZaFuEc80IT_HWMv6/s880/Studying%20the%20moths.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5yrtxqtaQ9N4IIOILzMESP2u_3jUSMRmoCL9pCDQHwHQ_ttlEgJ8d4fG6qlqquc-42TmqXGQWVteXx1yqpDYDnwfh1a8b9oPUU7mDK1aJ4x8YCY0rafiwJOR1bPCpIqxENy6xS2BZxnMYNk4q9Ca07fO5VTyLW2P1_LPuU8FI27gZaFuEc80IT_HWMv6/w480-h640/Studying%20the%20moths.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pick of the bunch for us was this <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Gold Spangle</span></b> which never having mothed up hill before was a new species for us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkid1S9n4JB50HP2lkOMJyXtQuTQYr3ihH5isRN9mVXsx8O1jtnbYfobDk-p7hTQ5Y5_ZFLWUbvA9lKrrWgw9joZOA8DhUh6qZLlt0Ht8f2mgmv5oT6hbwAdj2AkqGJ_ZHN1b6NVRuRybDXKX7D5huM3otUIBuge3iMGuqlRjGFytQQehGLGq8NOmsCQ4K/s705/Gold%20Spangle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="705" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkid1S9n4JB50HP2lkOMJyXtQuTQYr3ihH5isRN9mVXsx8O1jtnbYfobDk-p7hTQ5Y5_ZFLWUbvA9lKrrWgw9joZOA8DhUh6qZLlt0Ht8f2mgmv5oT6hbwAdj2AkqGJ_ZHN1b6NVRuRybDXKX7D5huM3otUIBuge3iMGuqlRjGFytQQehGLGq8NOmsCQ4K/w400-h300/Gold%20Spangle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The final tally was a small but better than expected given the weather 21 moths of 14 species plus a few unidentified micro-moths and a couple of escapees.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We'd also taken our bat kit so had a little talk about bats, their biology especially their hunting echolocation and bat detectors and the fact they are predators of moths.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9lYTcHf19iJHscss-cHN5UNlaE0LTsM_ZbNk0zrLlZY-ZGQjvFhQbvv11YSypvojP7ZI7K48roIlC-hhj0wjM42XYd90JV5botnPDo0W0G7xqmEbt0Wdu-SdUCDmj5gfej2URnzAq9BZ8iR-yP9-J5FPH79ZyBIC4FcBvYmVHYCisr1TTRxgYPANDzb5/s880/Me%20with%20plastic%20bat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9lYTcHf19iJHscss-cHN5UNlaE0LTsM_ZbNk0zrLlZY-ZGQjvFhQbvv11YSypvojP7ZI7K48roIlC-hhj0wjM42XYd90JV5botnPDo0W0G7xqmEbt0Wdu-SdUCDmj5gfej2URnzAq9BZ8iR-yP9-J5FPH79ZyBIC4FcBvYmVHYCisr1TTRxgYPANDzb5/w480-h640/Me%20with%20plastic%20bat.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>As well as the real live plastic bat we'd brought along a long dead real live dead <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Pipistrelle</span></b> for them to hold and get a feel of how tiny they actually are.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-W3H9891KII5nDPvcCY9uD1UpyiDFvC7IsoYrorGnD-i-vAqh_lM4nJiHvTLW45G_-k0L09bFgfPywI1Cg-HvvtbxdZVsiw6UELl3hsQyOI1YHQEAI2_MI_xn2EhZCFuCLl3kaRtRTETXBU9ahtMFHI3qrw-gOSOebkxgpVozs2XwA6FZ_T0kZpTSDSjY/s1291/Dead%20Pipistrelle%20in%20hand.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1291" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-W3H9891KII5nDPvcCY9uD1UpyiDFvC7IsoYrorGnD-i-vAqh_lM4nJiHvTLW45G_-k0L09bFgfPywI1Cg-HvvtbxdZVsiw6UELl3hsQyOI1YHQEAI2_MI_xn2EhZCFuCLl3kaRtRTETXBU9ahtMFHI3qrw-gOSOebkxgpVozs2XwA6FZ_T0kZpTSDSjY/w640-h364/Dead%20Pipistrelle%20in%20hand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This one was found dead trapped in a chimney many years ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we were told that Clarion House had a pond there was nothing else to do but put a load of nets and trays in the car. Never one to waste an opportunity for some pond dipping are we?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4sPJb1fJgtDl5z8raxkTusfdBHu5Yaj9s_tcPWJnDObbDYB_9OQA0zG5wkvcU8avoBGYhTOE1T8aTPRlOZO0hz2rvClbTX6hxjvG-heaPip2qXschxFYnWpiE6686m_yvVhMIkdr2LKGCR_hNtGF6z0F_Ce-vmGVfnJrx25JrXXqmP0F1N0i7ar1xQci/s880/Clarion%20House%20pond.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4sPJb1fJgtDl5z8raxkTusfdBHu5Yaj9s_tcPWJnDObbDYB_9OQA0zG5wkvcU8avoBGYhTOE1T8aTPRlOZO0hz2rvClbTX6hxjvG-heaPip2qXschxFYnWpiE6686m_yvVhMIkdr2LKGCR_hNtGF6z0F_Ce-vmGVfnJrx25JrXXqmP0F1N0i7ar1xQci/w480-h640/Clarion%20House%20pond.jpg" width="480" /></a></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfR8bpoiRKRgGw8Zfxqhqx5wGMLv2oE9sIxQFm_L_ooIxb5asl-5jtI7GgC89Z7ssQBSK6gcQamkNylKbm0Tai_mrEB0ZlC0CO5Aj5FkIgHN7ySau1ZAGZmhFom9naxQlXO5cRqQfUYYigYRexfsxFF2EgUTOnr26tHl8voDKsTA2I6FcacDaOQ06iu5E/s1320/Me%20showing%20pond%20stuff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1320" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfR8bpoiRKRgGw8Zfxqhqx5wGMLv2oE9sIxQFm_L_ooIxb5asl-5jtI7GgC89Z7ssQBSK6gcQamkNylKbm0Tai_mrEB0ZlC0CO5Aj5FkIgHN7ySau1ZAGZmhFom9naxQlXO5cRqQfUYYigYRexfsxFF2EgUTOnr26tHl8voDKsTA2I6FcacDaOQ06iu5E/w640-h298/Me%20showing%20pond%20stuff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We found waterboatmen, diving beetles and lots of what weassume from the location to be <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Palmate New</span></b><span style="color: #ffa400;">t</span> efts (newtlets) still with their gills<br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqdgRwVijprR23mPN-p1VVM6P-5OqoMfpgO2O88b62j-h2l4dplO7McDeJ9AwfyUrMBynuKQM3T_Pb7Xob87FpbRiYKPTdz9zWaiieHanIlBOTlyA93KvzeBP0VpP2gtGM10UvR2RdAXEBUDp1rPBc-FjgY_8kCgw6SS48vgyPkoFxRqYqSS8PlTXPLTo/s788/Palmate%20newt%20eft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="701" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqdgRwVijprR23mPN-p1VVM6P-5OqoMfpgO2O88b62j-h2l4dplO7McDeJ9AwfyUrMBynuKQM3T_Pb7Xob87FpbRiYKPTdz9zWaiieHanIlBOTlyA93KvzeBP0VpP2gtGM10UvR2RdAXEBUDp1rPBc-FjgY_8kCgw6SS48vgyPkoFxRqYqSS8PlTXPLTo/w356-h400/Palmate%20newt%20eft.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFh4p-cRWmIFJ-hGXScSNDQkliJr_AevLVLmpuIQpfFpZpOOIbKIyAQ6if0tZZwtQfBZnlB9wG9EgCmkwFkIpUB_Yqu8VvwG0Av50EEyqxDu_T__f6AX_U7JePd1Uyn05f2njIHqTB35ESOlXd57IMmHJhWxEomIepeDQcmBI0aFEDPZJ4HEASi7L2BMzo/s845/Water%20boatmen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="616" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFh4p-cRWmIFJ-hGXScSNDQkliJr_AevLVLmpuIQpfFpZpOOIbKIyAQ6if0tZZwtQfBZnlB9wG9EgCmkwFkIpUB_Yqu8VvwG0Av50EEyqxDu_T__f6AX_U7JePd1Uyn05f2njIHqTB35ESOlXd57IMmHJhWxEomIepeDQcmBI0aFEDPZJ4HEASi7L2BMzo/w466-h640/Water%20boatmen.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The grounds of Clarion House have a mix of habitats, rough grass, well mown grass, wildflower meadow with <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Heath Spotted Orchids</span></b>, wet meadow and a bit of <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Heather</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #04ff00;">Bilberry</span></b> moorland as well as a small formal garden.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpcNHRwenNqRzLYW-L4km-Kgiyht6__E0nlacK1Rmv_z9viNA3IR7wAIng9eUoBY5nRRINUnGTjkTD0yPNJUFlNU2v_eyKlWuRI7SaFokn34kjWIJ-UOx5mfX3Bn8lDojB1ga6kynFpduvqSx8sbZnn0nm3nL-b9kjmgr87wzN-CUIeBEI-VAqd9Ujx1v/s1320/Clarion%20House%20habitats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1320" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpcNHRwenNqRzLYW-L4km-Kgiyht6__E0nlacK1Rmv_z9viNA3IR7wAIng9eUoBY5nRRINUnGTjkTD0yPNJUFlNU2v_eyKlWuRI7SaFokn34kjWIJ-UOx5mfX3Bn8lDojB1ga6kynFpduvqSx8sbZnn0nm3nL-b9kjmgr87wzN-CUIeBEI-VAqd9Ujx1v/w640-h298/Clarion%20House%20habitats.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>All this attracts a great variety of wildlife even on rainy days.<br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY83x_y4mj6anlDYKmFa6o0OUudO6nVaIJMVbLY_yz0UwmWNbxuUEi0qVIDbfGqQ0azSVqhEwMdcc0MNROBF2yEdm6thkarBctx_3ukNfObYZIgP7J6hCz1N65_Q7md2vZmt5Gpa5y1l6Umw5odcPzFjk8w2_WwN64YGxJUu-A3_XLthosSRCA4IMJJUO/s859/Heath%20spotted%20orchid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="435" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmY83x_y4mj6anlDYKmFa6o0OUudO6nVaIJMVbLY_yz0UwmWNbxuUEi0qVIDbfGqQ0azSVqhEwMdcc0MNROBF2yEdm6thkarBctx_3ukNfObYZIgP7J6hCz1N65_Q7md2vZmt5Gpa5y1l6Umw5odcPzFjk8w2_WwN64YGxJUu-A3_XLthosSRCA4IMJJUO/w324-h640/Heath%20spotted%20orchid.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #04ff00;">Heath Spotted Orchid</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylUMnUzCIv4ydMOoPX1UZj4t04Lu_ot8ebabWe024fUn1JsS-o0DqrlGkjbfpK57wxLTH7D4uc3P1FdDqcLVnCkoBcbzqDqCR_2lEp8vulBF5_Hkzn2II-6in-luh7pwWJSeedKC1W-Gcgyyg0sJBMbjnNJDhr99_N61NrWcloUSOqo5c1yFIQmCR_k1z/s819/Colletes%20bee%20on%20Doronicum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="819" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylUMnUzCIv4ydMOoPX1UZj4t04Lu_ot8ebabWe024fUn1JsS-o0DqrlGkjbfpK57wxLTH7D4uc3P1FdDqcLVnCkoBcbzqDqCR_2lEp8vulBF5_Hkzn2II-6in-luh7pwWJSeedKC1W-Gcgyyg0sJBMbjnNJDhr99_N61NrWcloUSOqo5c1yFIQmCR_k1z/w400-h320/Colletes%20bee%20on%20Doronicum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aLlljrqojlTlUHfrsW4tHSnhFuOkX7hdax_An0aY0BDkrSx1y8NM0YhcZa3IWwxn1UrksRtHEaAD7ke79-PcMQe45_UHKkbGdhkcWCLar5XGCxbO7yJYRrU08XAKhWfhsmWle_Fbq0AQ3M-hFPobyTUVEPaDzoLsOcgdqrrBFGEJqD3RnscCqDMh0MPk/s654/Greenbottle%20fly%20on%20Doronicum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="654" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aLlljrqojlTlUHfrsW4tHSnhFuOkX7hdax_An0aY0BDkrSx1y8NM0YhcZa3IWwxn1UrksRtHEaAD7ke79-PcMQe45_UHKkbGdhkcWCLar5XGCxbO7yJYRrU08XAKhWfhsmWle_Fbq0AQ3M-hFPobyTUVEPaDzoLsOcgdqrrBFGEJqD3RnscCqDMh0MPk/w400-h400/Greenbottle%20fly%20on%20Doronicum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7N_URfzDPQTSMuTO1LkbWstZfz1291ax6WG0FYIU4clHYpKL7_YJ058R1ral6FjniMOURuUvpo0Yx25e_ftKv9WEo-n4CTfdqksTCzW-LWqGyrkyQ3IkBsf8alExlXJaTl5SWBOsx4QrWYpqZLcZ4J8fZ7pISiYm7lfpZF8yOJZbKYZRcfGR42Ijkj7Y/s880/Heather%20at%20Clarion%20House.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7N_URfzDPQTSMuTO1LkbWstZfz1291ax6WG0FYIU4clHYpKL7_YJ058R1ral6FjniMOURuUvpo0Yx25e_ftKv9WEo-n4CTfdqksTCzW-LWqGyrkyQ3IkBsf8alExlXJaTl5SWBOsx4QrWYpqZLcZ4J8fZ7pISiYm7lfpZF8yOJZbKYZRcfGR42Ijkj7Y/w480-h640/Heather%20at%20Clarion%20House.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #04ff00;">Heather</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX0l-DKI1e6hXBLN-godULHAgoy0TFatEloCk5ANpYO9oIgv_dRJE0kPCl5gLyPH9o2teO3tmwqweZ_8F3QbtfLKgedst5_fbabmlbWu8bqLXCMr9WJicepQkiLvMON94TPOuqko9iI0rvGZuSHtjvzPLQvsv_8LvgXBPQNyEikeiR9ZJxa9HI1SBwNkL/s737/Red%20Admiral%20on%20Buddleia.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="695" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOX0l-DKI1e6hXBLN-godULHAgoy0TFatEloCk5ANpYO9oIgv_dRJE0kPCl5gLyPH9o2teO3tmwqweZ_8F3QbtfLKgedst5_fbabmlbWu8bqLXCMr9WJicepQkiLvMON94TPOuqko9iI0rvGZuSHtjvzPLQvsv_8LvgXBPQNyEikeiR9ZJxa9HI1SBwNkL/w378-h400/Red%20Admiral%20on%20Buddleia.jpg" width="378" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #4c1130;">Red Admiral</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U5d4Y2UWzl1cHusbuMT95NoSZqhXsJFpWe2AfcMqjlZcbZGyXkUMQzojiENARNnwxV-2cF3Zhx7DuBnRX_nhD_EcJf1XsmfGs6Xf_lxlGrmif1jxeDXZ8Kq5JpSiIU0dHI_NgYKSIU3rRFhYuyd0YnyZAezAVGFmUKgjcQuRAd0LHpyq9tngnsHEXBbH/s720/Ringlet%20in%20wet%20grass.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U5d4Y2UWzl1cHusbuMT95NoSZqhXsJFpWe2AfcMqjlZcbZGyXkUMQzojiENARNnwxV-2cF3Zhx7DuBnRX_nhD_EcJf1XsmfGs6Xf_lxlGrmif1jxeDXZ8Kq5JpSiIU0dHI_NgYKSIU3rRFhYuyd0YnyZAezAVGFmUKgjcQuRAd0LHpyq9tngnsHEXBbH/w300-h400/Ringlet%20in%20wet%20grass.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #4c1130;">Ringlet</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8rCaeKfKXTd8rMpzHGTkENievf1FwrxTiAUWncBDuPKKTBspfpIZnNJl7mS_9FeQje71X2q1QQrZfLa7rarf0NMT-kCCwINd73-nR6q6nXHTdICaoLRdEWKktdQIIkbmQh1ELYNQSHz4H5HTLS1GnGYe1hmvTtSEdunbUX5OhRcCx0OzJQwCnSVJkdDy/s720/Small%20tortoishell.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8rCaeKfKXTd8rMpzHGTkENievf1FwrxTiAUWncBDuPKKTBspfpIZnNJl7mS_9FeQje71X2q1QQrZfLa7rarf0NMT-kCCwINd73-nR6q6nXHTdICaoLRdEWKktdQIIkbmQh1ELYNQSHz4H5HTLS1GnGYe1hmvTtSEdunbUX5OhRcCx0OzJQwCnSVJkdDy/w300-h400/Small%20tortoishell.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #4c1130;">Small Tortoiseshell</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The bee we think could be <b><i><span style="color: #4c1130;">Colletes succinctus</span></i></b>, <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Heather Colletes</span></b> by vitue of its presence in an upland habitat but we could be wrong. And we added the Greenbottle fly in to show that flies are very important pollinators but often overlooked or even disregarded in favour of bees and hoverflies. This week is Big Butterfly Count Week (that's probally why it's so cold wet n windy!) so we've put some butterfly pics in for you too.<br /></p><p>To close here's a lovely arty shot that sums up the day very well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSJEo03iQGzpXB_qb9WSk8lLN5Te640ihkl_zullHz5MXfr_N-NkSMaVCF6joxwo0mRpquC7Mu95HGsMdxE1UQKZV2lYpajSmB6FLCLZzB6QhrsgQgTbmf9y3M6eR5RUwujdrCHsn8KMnuAcRq-v9WO23rTciuGEHb3zOk1n09WeV3xBPSx-lwRZymZWJ/s880/Raindrops%20on%20fallen%20grass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSJEo03iQGzpXB_qb9WSk8lLN5Te640ihkl_zullHz5MXfr_N-NkSMaVCF6joxwo0mRpquC7Mu95HGsMdxE1UQKZV2lYpajSmB6FLCLZzB6QhrsgQgTbmf9y3M6eR5RUwujdrCHsn8KMnuAcRq-v9WO23rTciuGEHb3zOk1n09WeV3xBPSx-lwRZymZWJ/w480-h640/Raindrops%20on%20fallen%20grass.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>A fantasic safari at a superb location we hope to visit again with a great bunch of people we hope to meet again soon. Huge thanks to DSWfor inviting us and providing some of the photos as we forgot our camera, although were too busy to take pics anyway, and to group member B for the use of her pics too - thank you very much.<p></p><p></p><p><b>Where to next?</b> The Safari will be heading north into the wilds of South Cumbria.</p><p>In the meantime let us know who's underwater in your outback.<br /><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-35899709681397345392023-07-24T17:39:00.003+01:002023-07-24T17:39:27.869+01:00Back in the land of Bloggersville with a safari up north<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari has had</b> rather a long hiatus but that doesn't mean we've not been out enjouying wildlife here there and everywhere...we even got to eastern Canada last autumn!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This week however we've only been a few miles up the road to Leighton Moss RSPB reserve with good friend CR. On arrival we were told that an <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otter</span></b> was showing well from the nearest hide. By the time we got there it was still showing but you wouldn't call it well, more like distant so no chance of any pics. It did remain in view for some time before disappearing up a channel in the far corner of the reedbed.Other than the Otter it was pretty quiet on the pool, a few dozen <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Mallards</b></span>, 3 <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Little Grebes</b></span>, a lone moulty <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Pochard</b></span> and a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> was about the size of it. A distant <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span> </b>mooched about and a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Great White Egret</b></span> flew across the far side of the reserve and landed in a bush.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Time to move on and see if we could get closer views of the mooching <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b>. As soon as we arrived at the next hide looking out of the side window we spotted a <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> hind moving through the reeds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GRXkbnf596BpUnmhlBWgI5Mnf9Lncvj7Q2FC3AocE61QybEcTWTQaz6E3r4Tyln-pAqPFxT8Wwb-gpthFeBczMhuuC6Ag8ovRLOPig_k53UTMtzVGe8fbyTooPtvAfvnGVjHBsplbD-bCvPjzHnMqNU52koFlUu9a1qXi3La37D1KNJqvpRN_ryisake/s1255/53063496329_0c2763f126_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1255" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GRXkbnf596BpUnmhlBWgI5Mnf9Lncvj7Q2FC3AocE61QybEcTWTQaz6E3r4Tyln-pAqPFxT8Wwb-gpthFeBczMhuuC6Ag8ovRLOPig_k53UTMtzVGe8fbyTooPtvAfvnGVjHBsplbD-bCvPjzHnMqNU52koFlUu9a1qXi3La37D1KNJqvpRN_ryisake/w640-h548/53063496329_0c2763f126_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />And not many minutes later two more followed the same track<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECmpyU59xOhw_yIa37-N6F-xB3ZiaGW2aDs9C4dwYI5NatnI7TKDLYOIPGD85PquZhn-pi7VOfB4Ow637pB9EO6Ff061548ZbqSoPtWgK_4-kzX4NQY2VO7xDxoqyRTmeM53hENo0-zYQ783MpJw4wGZsjX9EiUQAKpGQCu4m10ewoNaP5Y5W4myuvVBa/s1335/53062729767_bda83e1549_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="922" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECmpyU59xOhw_yIa37-N6F-xB3ZiaGW2aDs9C4dwYI5NatnI7TKDLYOIPGD85PquZhn-pi7VOfB4Ow637pB9EO6Ff061548ZbqSoPtWgK_4-kzX4NQY2VO7xDxoqyRTmeM53hENo0-zYQ783MpJw4wGZsjX9EiUQAKpGQCu4m10ewoNaP5Y5W4myuvVBa/w442-h640/53062729767_bda83e1549_o.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><br />Two mammal species in just a few minutes - nice! There were two mooching <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Marsh Harriers</b></span> too, a male and a female. The male did more mooching than the female which repeatedly went to sit in a dead tree to our left and called, a pathetic whinny little call for such a large impressive bird. During the course of the next hour or so they gave repeated fly-bys which was good.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jCWOgQZLeF9KPtHJSyHio5spUX3XoI4D90YKzzWeinVYvrmJoMrxxd7pXipQi0OsPDYxS6E3EVlQn5BvPtHS04yJbnXG93I8wf5robFJ5xQTl2Tt4zbbx_FwhJzjLsTEanfuGKh4Hx4MtPBwCfoOfXCJMsBBCibX5qRzix22Df7_MnXbRxIV5POoDJwh/s2374/53063312536_1e7981a138_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="2374" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jCWOgQZLeF9KPtHJSyHio5spUX3XoI4D90YKzzWeinVYvrmJoMrxxd7pXipQi0OsPDYxS6E3EVlQn5BvPtHS04yJbnXG93I8wf5robFJ5xQTl2Tt4zbbx_FwhJzjLsTEanfuGKh4Hx4MtPBwCfoOfXCJMsBBCibX5qRzix22Df7_MnXbRxIV5POoDJwh/w640-h370/53063312536_1e7981a138_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>In the pool a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Heron</span></b> hunted with their usual stealth but failed to lock on to anything worth having a stab at. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_B5PaVKhPo6YlSXY8M50iUze4oiyRiXz5seyzmIPi4TK24ii0Pd93-gZZ3UA30LFcgSIRwM3GDavCUZIIwtk-kbsPJvsFQ97ib_057k_MBglhDuGPBRyualO4wUbAQIwDReNAdSjmqcWVHzdlDhRrFLSGGDknzVMkZG3s7shGG2rOYJ8WbDEM_9PjTeY/s1953/53063702135_71424e2802_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1953" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_B5PaVKhPo6YlSXY8M50iUze4oiyRiXz5seyzmIPi4TK24ii0Pd93-gZZ3UA30LFcgSIRwM3GDavCUZIIwtk-kbsPJvsFQ97ib_057k_MBglhDuGPBRyualO4wUbAQIwDReNAdSjmqcWVHzdlDhRrFLSGGDknzVMkZG3s7shGG2rOYJ8WbDEM_9PjTeY/w640-h510/53063702135_71424e2802_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Butties and pies beckoned and we decided to eat them at the nearby hide. A good move!!! There were two <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Red Deer</span></b> hinds and their calves right out in the open. Such good views, in fact the best views of this species we've ever had in the best part of 50 years visiting this reserve. We filled our boots before our belly - and let me tell you that doesn't happen often! The youngster looked like they were having a game of tag before getting tired and needing sustenance from mum.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIxgUEKQTUq4QvLuttAs2rz8-dlydMa_yg5b_idNXuo51VhvaQHuKwEfcH6IrcfjlG3qEFvZgGpDYAHNTATScGfb9MSjgqZ3U6GRIHb0xeSRUAQUDOhPzH2S0gD5HP_UTtBKGYB1BWOhQpCSAKsr5Me-xacfOwoI-WG4-zO0oOj9HoZd9rOlkzBkxOq5a/s1654/53063701640_c021a64aec_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1441" data-original-width="1654" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIxgUEKQTUq4QvLuttAs2rz8-dlydMa_yg5b_idNXuo51VhvaQHuKwEfcH6IrcfjlG3qEFvZgGpDYAHNTATScGfb9MSjgqZ3U6GRIHb0xeSRUAQUDOhPzH2S0gD5HP_UTtBKGYB1BWOhQpCSAKsr5Me-xacfOwoI-WG4-zO0oOj9HoZd9rOlkzBkxOq5a/w640-h558/53063701640_c021a64aec_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet8SMm2M-yeHxwbDChJ-DujRC-mRYlLMeSA8gtDS2PWCOqf0x8mUrKT5Bd4hr3B22mCTi1uG-KJRp8q9FfK3S5N8TFyhDmWLwnH2FWYtLDqUUQWVG7aBc1Oun901bUdmO9Jir260I7DLq96w3ATK56X_GpHS9FXhirsoVEnfw2pCrqPN6sj2abdLfO7ih/s1252/53063701420_a09317b1ff_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1252" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjet8SMm2M-yeHxwbDChJ-DujRC-mRYlLMeSA8gtDS2PWCOqf0x8mUrKT5Bd4hr3B22mCTi1uG-KJRp8q9FfK3S5N8TFyhDmWLwnH2FWYtLDqUUQWVG7aBc1Oun901bUdmO9Jir260I7DLq96w3ATK56X_GpHS9FXhirsoVEnfw2pCrqPN6sj2abdLfO7ih/w640-h634/53063701420_a09317b1ff_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEJzVK1onfXhRl3iqn1HVmcLgWbQlP3smoMRuG94NbwBDqZfZwYGkCustpJt5B6NsyJFJEPk88OOujDBxc5Ums_M2kwv4wP4wy1m-jOqd4A-yWraJPlHCNMnz8v8A1pXANpQ0ZgNqZDZ0ytBHaT722u8Bcxoh4cPFGIH2nXZurL_KkWAMMUcqXpBMx7_D/s1961/53063497219_8f25e17e3e_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="1961" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEJzVK1onfXhRl3iqn1HVmcLgWbQlP3smoMRuG94NbwBDqZfZwYGkCustpJt5B6NsyJFJEPk88OOujDBxc5Ums_M2kwv4wP4wy1m-jOqd4A-yWraJPlHCNMnz8v8A1pXANpQ0ZgNqZDZ0ytBHaT722u8Bcxoh4cPFGIH2nXZurL_KkWAMMUcqXpBMx7_D/w640-h532/53063497219_8f25e17e3e_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS_zlM5hjF36GoP2J8KeS2-JDGtBr4IC7LNAGmiVhYtm598GzZEF86oxU26srfcS8TG8UkjTA2PTfyVNGmwBJVv36PjA8wsCv6CXqHb_2ZmgH0f_EVxb_z68E_2mSpUPR7-5P3J50ePGY9-1B68SxzNdd6woBzQpkUr5ugLcMKQ69cg3WFOXVsQEVBam0/s1924/53063497119_190fe1d093_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1924" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS_zlM5hjF36GoP2J8KeS2-JDGtBr4IC7LNAGmiVhYtm598GzZEF86oxU26srfcS8TG8UkjTA2PTfyVNGmwBJVv36PjA8wsCv6CXqHb_2ZmgH0f_EVxb_z68E_2mSpUPR7-5P3J50ePGY9-1B68SxzNdd6woBzQpkUr5ugLcMKQ69cg3WFOXVsQEVBam0/w640-h428/53063497119_190fe1d093_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DU5m98IP2nESCyomIgWouG-JJYSleAQ8NDtu5b6RFwkT5J8mlT7qt2u0BLdwkuasj-K5dfL_lJM6ChTPafqkruzK5xdEuT6xf9pwbacUWXrc7XsRrsgOJBciUT9ZEried5SSYPJqn5Yr8Jc5pQF7h4fwfM2kw7vUL6-IA-Kn-A6S5buvuOXwuz1lg-6l/s2101/53063496804_2250850e8a_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="2101" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DU5m98IP2nESCyomIgWouG-JJYSleAQ8NDtu5b6RFwkT5J8mlT7qt2u0BLdwkuasj-K5dfL_lJM6ChTPafqkruzK5xdEuT6xf9pwbacUWXrc7XsRrsgOJBciUT9ZEried5SSYPJqn5Yr8Jc5pQF7h4fwfM2kw7vUL6-IA-Kn-A6S5buvuOXwuz1lg-6l/w640-h366/53063496804_2250850e8a_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5SjqLBFBg3w1xJ0r9ik3b4-Yh6Tmv-La-DbWAhq2EZ8z94S-niojiuLDcvm2ToStI_4lWHQzoXmxy391AuC9xxmW03usbkMuE2vW3Zj18rtULVbdV28xN894XolMZxwyIcXH3Hdozeaxh5zeFO3-coOchstOaw9UMhL0tqz0Vxnyeo40-LBsdrjlqZEV/s1939/53063496749_8b3fcaef89_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1939" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5SjqLBFBg3w1xJ0r9ik3b4-Yh6Tmv-La-DbWAhq2EZ8z94S-niojiuLDcvm2ToStI_4lWHQzoXmxy391AuC9xxmW03usbkMuE2vW3Zj18rtULVbdV28xN894XolMZxwyIcXH3Hdozeaxh5zeFO3-coOchstOaw9UMhL0tqz0Vxnyeo40-LBsdrjlqZEV/w640-h356/53063496749_8b3fcaef89_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMV9YboUAR7GC8Tnpu4vErxWI0ipryEz0YcupZpT68y8papJQLRs2m_rtIvZGRuTo8lu74spSTbUpAjSZdSyaUwFAms147Vfv4z30Q6jIuIIh9vZ-oxdklccfgdBkopHkQWtYFTfuiOYV72f3WBkch6KG_otJO91Ga296iv3mbO8QxvvBCzKBaUZygYlq/s2020/53063496644_b6b47a61b8_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2020" data-original-width="1840" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMV9YboUAR7GC8Tnpu4vErxWI0ipryEz0YcupZpT68y8papJQLRs2m_rtIvZGRuTo8lu74spSTbUpAjSZdSyaUwFAms147Vfv4z30Q6jIuIIh9vZ-oxdklccfgdBkopHkQWtYFTfuiOYV72f3WBkch6KG_otJO91Ga296iv3mbO8QxvvBCzKBaUZygYlq/w582-h640/53063496644_b6b47a61b8_o.jpg" width="582" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUYG03Yk1yZdpHlxojOPwxmntlCrNDhGY1qDF3dEr9DhM1GVDtK3L9qkV9wohx98ppWquW3hzb3pRyRM3DUlEmE-0F_RimQcjWwIFSerQnuRSbj39iW4Jo_wfhAyZGi1LT2TIe0ufmsdmdpuctrNXZVhom-8NDPriN9UbmOJ9IPHjMIGdlM7bg4mKjcxy/s1675/53063496539_83c672cf51_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="1675" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUYG03Yk1yZdpHlxojOPwxmntlCrNDhGY1qDF3dEr9DhM1GVDtK3L9qkV9wohx98ppWquW3hzb3pRyRM3DUlEmE-0F_RimQcjWwIFSerQnuRSbj39iW4Jo_wfhAyZGi1LT2TIe0ufmsdmdpuctrNXZVhom-8NDPriN9UbmOJ9IPHjMIGdlM7bg4mKjcxy/w640-h526/53063496539_83c672cf51_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHU0I9US4hux1HNWexL14QOZw0cJjDq1i5sbpqRHMHzsaEOd8t6dvENWfBHNBGWY71sPEfuJLGB9ga6Dsn90bV1Qfvsd2i5UjC3cJxkOxgWSHqeHus9GMn-cDJzM-gYjJXZFtWrV2Y1fCCNFl64_ls-UdqUz93wzaUDhDkcyyTtISm8A4B14z6IIh7cJ5/s1778/53063312411_700b6c63df_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1778" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHU0I9US4hux1HNWexL14QOZw0cJjDq1i5sbpqRHMHzsaEOd8t6dvENWfBHNBGWY71sPEfuJLGB9ga6Dsn90bV1Qfvsd2i5UjC3cJxkOxgWSHqeHus9GMn-cDJzM-gYjJXZFtWrV2Y1fCCNFl64_ls-UdqUz93wzaUDhDkcyyTtISm8A4B14z6IIh7cJ5/w640-h416/53063312411_700b6c63df_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs7PEVJrN5mTBlDeBNRxHA9WapwimdakP17396u7Kx19cUWvrk-rUtnHBIgM0w1u6QQS8YZ8DP7vjeEcXxcLokRInnWablwrboYnxn3sixmWCjcMq0YmC_lunao49jQm_7ek8ZBanitYfZnwA8QzeakiMgDTyVfpRiHUWT1Va8e54Ewr66YsOMFyqHHfx/s2124/53062730707_1db3089d88_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="2124" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs7PEVJrN5mTBlDeBNRxHA9WapwimdakP17396u7Kx19cUWvrk-rUtnHBIgM0w1u6QQS8YZ8DP7vjeEcXxcLokRInnWablwrboYnxn3sixmWCjcMq0YmC_lunao49jQm_7ek8ZBanitYfZnwA8QzeakiMgDTyVfpRiHUWT1Va8e54Ewr66YsOMFyqHHfx/w640-h424/53062730707_1db3089d88_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />What an absolute treat that was. Once the deer had sauntered off into the undergrowth we took our leave and retraced our steps and beyond to the Causeway Hide. Here rain had forced down a mixed bag of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Swallows</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sand Martins </span></b>and a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">House Martins</span></b> but as soon as the rain eased off they were up up and away. We hoped to see <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bitterns</span></b> and maybe more <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Otters</span></b> but neither were forthcoming. In fact there wasn't much doing at all and most of our attention was taken by a <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Garden Cross Spider</span></b> repairing the rain damage to its web. Fascinating to watch how it manipulated the new silk with its legs but tricky to photograph. This is the best one of dozens we took.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQAEC6so_Ce2CVAJpDU_wc5_mzsSk22-V17CdZ2IsCJao5_sE5e4vm50myWM4U6YwRePuDCAiIJaF4MWx60wxZHxJn2fEuo-PtvaYTGbiNssL00hNS2Msl5CRm-BWek1jyC2jO10DZX4u6-0vMDJAH940qYAdQUSF2AbsqwsqpEldu_RSyytQ59KoDL9f/s1864/53063702105_63f6fb5718_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1864" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQAEC6so_Ce2CVAJpDU_wc5_mzsSk22-V17CdZ2IsCJao5_sE5e4vm50myWM4U6YwRePuDCAiIJaF4MWx60wxZHxJn2fEuo-PtvaYTGbiNssL00hNS2Msl5CRm-BWek1jyC2jO10DZX4u6-0vMDJAH940qYAdQUSF2AbsqwsqpEldu_RSyytQ59KoDL9f/w640-h556/53063702105_63f6fb5718_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>By now it was getting towards high tide and our thoughts moved on to the hides overlooking the saltmarshes. The Allen Hide was devoid of life, although a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Kingfisher</span></b> did zap past the window at about 100mph; the Eric Morecambe Hide offered much more. Sadly both the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Long-billed Dowitcher</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Wood Sandpiper</span></b> that had been present earlier in the week had heard of our imminent arrival and done a bunk. There were plenty of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black-tailed Godwits</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshanks</span></b> to search through, just in case but all the latest news and gossip was negatory, no sign of either of the goodies today.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Greenshank</span></b> called in the distance then three dropped in in front of CR. This wass a species we needed for our International Bird Photo Challenge, now in its seventh year. Very obliging the nearest one was too and become the 141st species of bird we've photographed this year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecXQzcHZoGD9gV5GXyhEcIUhXaSnvOriKGVLQPeD_INK6_xrtX5OeJN1UBnw7QjTo-t548lg-4-3l8xwHX7FZBwf_qkyZarIS7rZJpJ9OK1k7P4S0Qv3uVatnMzbswDJUQyy7emPB-vckk_aaDIRBDrF9gSd6QDKuKdDSXwby9TpXiFteQPdl8SezUplF/s1615/Greenshank%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1615" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecXQzcHZoGD9gV5GXyhEcIUhXaSnvOriKGVLQPeD_INK6_xrtX5OeJN1UBnw7QjTo-t548lg-4-3l8xwHX7FZBwf_qkyZarIS7rZJpJ9OK1k7P4S0Qv3uVatnMzbswDJUQyy7emPB-vckk_aaDIRBDrF9gSd6QDKuKdDSXwby9TpXiFteQPdl8SezUplF/w640-h454/Greenshank%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Redshank</span></b> obliged by landing nice and close too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIO8PNe8qQdK6xq6pK1XBWCcGAJpEy1Lb3RkpZtuv3AURZ5eEWYIPZHH9onjlfljFM3JM-uadB0UFl8XKdKgYth7jDYaFrQbf01sx9xT7nUS87Nhxo_tIibh18RzAT6eDyXI43NTKrWBjYwwgBnFnIwvhz1B5rLKvk0_B__-guJM2eM3pdRD5FWSJEevx/s1229/Redshank%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1229" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIO8PNe8qQdK6xq6pK1XBWCcGAJpEy1Lb3RkpZtuv3AURZ5eEWYIPZHH9onjlfljFM3JM-uadB0UFl8XKdKgYth7jDYaFrQbf01sx9xT7nUS87Nhxo_tIibh18RzAT6eDyXI43NTKrWBjYwwgBnFnIwvhz1B5rLKvk0_B__-guJM2eM3pdRD5FWSJEevx/w640-h494/Redshank%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And a trio of Dunlin probed the mud to our right. Try as we might we couldn't get a pic of all three of them with their heads up at the same time.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXDUuRdtlerNqZvWOiA5G9De2JBBo99kMLre9duHEpbb-SokbQtoKi96MJREWmKT4mqYKvCEY3jRsRZZ_Wb1AAonf9UpjuExM8C156xFfUSje8DGlwW9CGwA86hPa7_tXfYUtV_zUQByGiTOK63_JZ7vBWmw-5Mf17W2pc95oOuT7zQvnBe9PwjEVOmKZ/s1350/Dunlin%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1350" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXDUuRdtlerNqZvWOiA5G9De2JBBo99kMLre9duHEpbb-SokbQtoKi96MJREWmKT4mqYKvCEY3jRsRZZ_Wb1AAonf9UpjuExM8C156xFfUSje8DGlwW9CGwA86hPa7_tXfYUtV_zUQByGiTOK63_JZ7vBWmw-5Mf17W2pc95oOuT7zQvnBe9PwjEVOmKZ/w640-h418/Dunlin%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Meanwhile CR was watching a positively dormant one on the Allen Pool. It barely did more than a blink and a half-hearted shuffle all the time we were there.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB03QBQ9Wx7418sJN4kOHOxyopSv1U6ieKNg9w7WU15zTbrcjbYMhKfdAVBrlEGxg5iTlNs07ixsj3dcVE1Zaf8iNj-DTuoSG6bnHAHaDMn4Q1vsM5aa6ws-mkoBNsqhGCsXOE-pj_1uQG7HlhevNtkuI-A1jIVro_hDhzkx6KM0X_iqB4saiCCEFHC-Fy/s1041/Snoozing%20Dunlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="784" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB03QBQ9Wx7418sJN4kOHOxyopSv1U6ieKNg9w7WU15zTbrcjbYMhKfdAVBrlEGxg5iTlNs07ixsj3dcVE1Zaf8iNj-DTuoSG6bnHAHaDMn4Q1vsM5aa6ws-mkoBNsqhGCsXOE-pj_1uQG7HlhevNtkuI-A1jIVro_hDhzkx6KM0X_iqB4saiCCEFHC-Fy/w482-h640/Snoozing%20Dunlin.jpg" width="482" /></a></div>Back on our side of the hide a <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Little Egret</span></b> provided some interest. A shoal of small fish was swimming in the shallows and we were certain it would spend time picking these off one by one but no - it caught one and then had a few stabs at them missed each time and wander off looking rather sheepish, the fish had out-foxed it.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0HGmm-eolXB0YwLPicXP0Sw2IxzgXj-2B7ulTmXFNi7gOpyhxQFzwvbejRZvUE-cktaP2oKKyGX5DPKmpzwK5898bcNy4Qe-9izG7uetNJByk5DBSRD2nxQj4f2hDyi7dTlmdZCVEFeePuxusMzgQxXNq3usb_ONp8tfGFzf_4cUjKS7Yk6jUrtSCe9i/s1691/Little%20Egret%20with%20prey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1691" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0HGmm-eolXB0YwLPicXP0Sw2IxzgXj-2B7ulTmXFNi7gOpyhxQFzwvbejRZvUE-cktaP2oKKyGX5DPKmpzwK5898bcNy4Qe-9izG7uetNJByk5DBSRD2nxQj4f2hDyi7dTlmdZCVEFeePuxusMzgQxXNq3usb_ONp8tfGFzf_4cUjKS7Yk6jUrtSCe9i/w640-h382/Little%20Egret%20with%20prey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJkDx8z7VSgH9yjLmkaZ1XzL7hS1alUbW3IXOxZx0PLUYUrtHVLh6Cro8qC-b_ShFotozD8jj-qZK9h45o-dNw9c-ZWuBA0le0kkgFRzesnAVSunN5zIetHK6N0BXvF3qX_87duYwbrfF9UmBzscMf90EIbOWKOsXtkFuPAp481fUUMvLZh3O2eMspYj5/s1810/Little%20Egret%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1810" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJkDx8z7VSgH9yjLmkaZ1XzL7hS1alUbW3IXOxZx0PLUYUrtHVLh6Cro8qC-b_ShFotozD8jj-qZK9h45o-dNw9c-ZWuBA0le0kkgFRzesnAVSunN5zIetHK6N0BXvF3qX_87duYwbrfF9UmBzscMf90EIbOWKOsXtkFuPAp481fUUMvLZh3O2eMspYj5/w640-h484/Little%20Egret%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfjjzm98VOaOfjazd2hJAMnYSmw2VwmrCsw5oDOi3KRpXecHmGu1cVzj79FQtSdwiADNOwmIf1kPujBWO3_neCVKWvrFU-_2kBFlYku01Zow60wpemypcqMkPxH7AU6G-3Rbz5dtfKLwy3S0eM4q0WdtiyWvLcxVFZ6gj0O220cSDUNsR-3V-Z38K3a9u/s2037/Little%20Egret%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="1905" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfjjzm98VOaOfjazd2hJAMnYSmw2VwmrCsw5oDOi3KRpXecHmGu1cVzj79FQtSdwiADNOwmIf1kPujBWO3_neCVKWvrFU-_2kBFlYku01Zow60wpemypcqMkPxH7AU6G-3Rbz5dtfKLwy3S0eM4q0WdtiyWvLcxVFZ6gj0O220cSDUNsR-3V-Z38K3a9u/w598-h640/Little%20Egret%201.jpg" width="598" /></a></div>A passing male <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Marsh Harrier</span></b> put the wind up the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Black-tailed Godwits</span></b>, and all the other waders, and scanning through the panicked flock we spied at least a couple of <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Bar-tailed Godwits</span></b>. We needed them for our Challenge but finding them on the deck amongst 700 or more '<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Blackwits</span></b>' in challenging light was always going to be nigh on impossible. There was only one thing for it - wait for the flock to be flushed again and then hold the shutter button down as long as possible, hope one or more frames have a result that is in at least reasonable focus and spend all Saturday morning sifting through the images with fingers crossed...is that tactics or cheating???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V1W_EqBTvCiEKvbr9Z0zgQUs6R0L4-tq_FL_CmJsOV5SZDXpEX89UbNP-cBIB5-ereULB_SeUDJoZEkr0lpbOorPbD3-I2q6ELc5NkRoFgSdyLAlFUuJ2M2G55Mbg8OWTotJW5mFHnHFeXt74YqaguKNujwUkC41P-lu2IH8pqSigeE91mv38sRltoms/s1883/Black%20tailed%20Gowit%20flock%20in%20flight%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="1883" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V1W_EqBTvCiEKvbr9Z0zgQUs6R0L4-tq_FL_CmJsOV5SZDXpEX89UbNP-cBIB5-ereULB_SeUDJoZEkr0lpbOorPbD3-I2q6ELc5NkRoFgSdyLAlFUuJ2M2G55Mbg8OWTotJW5mFHnHFeXt74YqaguKNujwUkC41P-lu2IH8pqSigeE91mv38sRltoms/w640-h378/Black%20tailed%20Gowit%20flock%20in%20flight%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpqsxz2HTwLpPWhLWtc2R78AxqPjLDnBz7f0c9zqFWr8z4hLrrHvvaeZslQbRElLc1EZSlQ-NjBivjv7zy385kPnFQFokx4OinEr-j861ti45und-hKyHLY7qlZLve1U-qoayUJn0vT_u67ldkD91roM2Ac8hQ3PDbZvZeiNItDlsaTxF3BDLqGI1uCLV/s1942/Black%20tailed%20Gowit%20flock%20in%20flight%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1942" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpqsxz2HTwLpPWhLWtc2R78AxqPjLDnBz7f0c9zqFWr8z4hLrrHvvaeZslQbRElLc1EZSlQ-NjBivjv7zy385kPnFQFokx4OinEr-j861ti45und-hKyHLY7qlZLve1U-qoayUJn0vT_u67ldkD91roM2Ac8hQ3PDbZvZeiNItDlsaTxF3BDLqGI1uCLV/w640-h378/Black%20tailed%20Gowit%20flock%20in%20flight%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRv4uSBV0d6zjX_tI9zxJWXY5g5FpUJ5VRX0swulaXLNtAGQMtlwE6q9TMrDaGQtXQDytghVy_hm_zOR4kDwDe9Burmr3t8fvCPOuvGDVqvXKJKtwVF94MQpsf0AsjeUOgyQzYxShCJNzG3BhXS2vrWzo0uySpUV2GJSuqcda43nvuqPAV61_NZBcIo7y/s1243/Bar%20tailed%20Godwit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1243" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRv4uSBV0d6zjX_tI9zxJWXY5g5FpUJ5VRX0swulaXLNtAGQMtlwE6q9TMrDaGQtXQDytghVy_hm_zOR4kDwDe9Burmr3t8fvCPOuvGDVqvXKJKtwVF94MQpsf0AsjeUOgyQzYxShCJNzG3BhXS2vrWzo0uySpUV2GJSuqcda43nvuqPAV61_NZBcIo7y/w640-h436/Bar%20tailed%20Godwit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Gotcha...#142. There were <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Avocets </span></b>too but largely ignored today for being too distant.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgherddXI0iNFC-uIzigssX_ChYyW2T-XpG5WULbgYzKz5ZbHht36ehd9ufY9SgUFWmc8o_G2oYYUfH9nN1wjLR-c_bPB_ix3RxrlfeJdrowKITbOKo8xchKEVtosZrXQwaghdceGyC77jAkexD5To5MmK9hRH96KKIuSGUiChSWNckrxqqDY1Q58JwtJZR/s1812/Avocet%20in%20with%20Black%20tailed%20Godwits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1812" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgherddXI0iNFC-uIzigssX_ChYyW2T-XpG5WULbgYzKz5ZbHht36ehd9ufY9SgUFWmc8o_G2oYYUfH9nN1wjLR-c_bPB_ix3RxrlfeJdrowKITbOKo8xchKEVtosZrXQwaghdceGyC77jAkexD5To5MmK9hRH96KKIuSGUiChSWNckrxqqDY1Q58JwtJZR/w640-h460/Avocet%20in%20with%20Black%20tailed%20Godwits.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />All too soon it was time to go and head back to the motor for the journey home. As we stood up to leave the Kingfisher (or a different one) tazzed by the window at 100mph - darn that bird that would have made #143 hads it had the courtesy to sit atop a nearby post or better still on the stick stuck in the water's edge right outside the window specifically for that purpose. Never mind, better luck next time, it was still a grand day out on safari with great company and fantastic wildlife.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> We've got some mid-week moth-trapping to do, at Base-Camp and much further afield, the latter site very much weather permitting as the forecast is looking a bit ropey, fingers crossed it goes ahead.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's playing tag in your outback.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-26694791081749856302022-09-07T14:20:00.000+01:002022-09-07T14:20:06.888+01:00A change of ID and a sneak across to the SouthSide<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari got a txt</b> from old friend TS the other morning telling us that the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> we'd seen reported on the local birders' WhatsApp group at Marton Mere was still there. Not having seen one there for many years, and not anywhere else for only slightly fewer and not hardly having been there at all this year we decided to go and have a look, it shouldn't be too busy as the schools have gone back to the annoying adjacent caravan site would be a lot quieter.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The walk in was very quiet, just a calling <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Chiffchaff</b></span> and <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Blackcap</b></span> breaking the warm silence. We soon found out where to look as a couple of other birders were stood half way down the main drag looking towards a particular bush. We stopped and scanned and saw the unidentifiable silhouette of a small falcon perched on the edge of said bush. Joining the others, who were unable to see it on the far side of the bush, we stood waiting and chatting until it decided to hop around a bit - which eventually it did.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdBY3chaOHneNbbBx8yf8zshRSw2IgaKUbktikEm04kbucROADvPRpI4yS0e2yBJX5kigsiulaBFmxa-uRb3l6mwbQr7CQ75y1s_qsI6lsls5SmO6DgFPuIXfKr6vWj5hW_l0hK6yIZRssJnA1DYa5lDpHxnzKH2MVYveo0DvREGrqwgcTvH1kkbUZw/s681/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20mere%20310822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="681" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdBY3chaOHneNbbBx8yf8zshRSw2IgaKUbktikEm04kbucROADvPRpI4yS0e2yBJX5kigsiulaBFmxa-uRb3l6mwbQr7CQ75y1s_qsI6lsls5SmO6DgFPuIXfKr6vWj5hW_l0hK6yIZRssJnA1DYa5lDpHxnzKH2MVYveo0DvREGrqwgcTvH1kkbUZw/w400-h309/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20mere%20310822.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The light wasn't brilliant, looking towards the sun but we got a couple of snaps. It did a little fly around chasing dragonflies too. It was then that top local birder PE when reviewing his pics realised something wasn't quite right and the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> might not be a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> after all. After a phone call he rejoined the small group and announced the bird was in fact a juvenile <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Red-footed Falcon</b></span>. So one off our list and one on our list! Still not seen a Hobby at that site for many years! But a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Red-footed Falcon</b></span> makes up for not being able to get to the one not too far away a tad over 30 years ago. The rubbish pic above is also a much better view than the very poor flight views we had of one at Spurn well over 25 years ago too. The big question is had we come across it on our tod would we have questioned the original ID or like PE twigged something was amiss, sadly it'd mostly likely have been the former.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">All too soon we had to leave but came back for another look later in the afternoon when we hoped the light would be better. It was but now the little falcon was performing at the western end of the reedbed hawking dragonflies so for viewing purposes the light still wasn't great. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24Hb1M0EGViAwJfIFOVXiiMpAsJU5AHSzGfB4O3K0wwAWntrOlMNvPh1-TzuyDmhUEY67C9hQ3qRx-RkpDAzBFg5KQYk1exd0EMMxJYcJO6kNWE28JKBA71d09jVsgdozoSCFcCPqwbDKvqlkJS7QfccIddFbsPcYffAJH9HpQfs_9K_A5vzeb4nCYA/s1257/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20flying%20towards%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1257" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24Hb1M0EGViAwJfIFOVXiiMpAsJU5AHSzGfB4O3K0wwAWntrOlMNvPh1-TzuyDmhUEY67C9hQ3qRx-RkpDAzBFg5KQYk1exd0EMMxJYcJO6kNWE28JKBA71d09jVsgdozoSCFcCPqwbDKvqlkJS7QfccIddFbsPcYffAJH9HpQfs_9K_A5vzeb4nCYA/w400-h304/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20flying%20towards%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNwFm4wkiJ-mPGtQBxn6K-Nw8sbFkDAtGqxWx_McGNFwfd3plxbDak88HbEHdOLwII1N5s9u8EQRisHQ6MxlkMaqf_5iff67Sdmk7nQuXCEajQdiDGI0s90xOf6Tu1TWp1AQrFlwIS0btEylaLB2lqU6EH0tB-kmhIbZisy4z8F8Xbi6GHuyZNFJElQ/s2163/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20flying%20towards%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="2163" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNwFm4wkiJ-mPGtQBxn6K-Nw8sbFkDAtGqxWx_McGNFwfd3plxbDak88HbEHdOLwII1N5s9u8EQRisHQ6MxlkMaqf_5iff67Sdmk7nQuXCEajQdiDGI0s90xOf6Tu1TWp1AQrFlwIS0btEylaLB2lqU6EH0tB-kmhIbZisy4z8F8Xbi6GHuyZNFJElQ/w400-h269/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20flying%20towards%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When it was in better light it was back at its favoured bush but that was now miles away from our new position.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdOXOUHQCg97pRL4boTE7-cRNCCdevlM7luSHeNdlFzOueApNto6-qa96axV0qe4IGPLmGBLvTA7cWhCwy2rtJ-TXIjtdb_aszP5pu0q_oWX1cp2T5vxHvafohxel0p4jFG9pgIGux6yMXgov407YiAuU_39EMYyvEhsoDJqZmm5Nz0S9oMx5NBCkWw/s808/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20flying%20towards%20hawthorn%20bush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="808" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdOXOUHQCg97pRL4boTE7-cRNCCdevlM7luSHeNdlFzOueApNto6-qa96axV0qe4IGPLmGBLvTA7cWhCwy2rtJ-TXIjtdb_aszP5pu0q_oWX1cp2T5vxHvafohxel0p4jFG9pgIGux6yMXgov407YiAuU_39EMYyvEhsoDJqZmm5Nz0S9oMx5NBCkWw/w400-h310/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20flying%20towards%20hawthorn%20bush.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At least this distant shot shows the barred tail confirming it's not a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span>. None of the flight shots of the underwing we got were very good unlike others we've seen on Flickr/Twitter etc which should the underwing coverts are buff coloured so it's not the very closely related but much much rarer <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Amur Falcon</b></span> either.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With news of it still present we went down the next day too and watched it catching dragonflies. But still very much against the light.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX4VgZbEJqgcfyli_Xu3uexMecBD3yYyYHeZaatZBZK5bLOak7u5VvL2T05A66P_BbspMhi1-3dOlVovySYf5VXDDACd3Y9XWvGUdanaYcZLPCMas9AF7DBPRRfybl7GByA1sKcanzY1N68ad77csdMWR2zZ0_BQ6TSQA_onZT-N5FW4_FvqHAFYZFQ/s1094/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20on%20wing%20with%20dragonfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1094" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX4VgZbEJqgcfyli_Xu3uexMecBD3yYyYHeZaatZBZK5bLOak7u5VvL2T05A66P_BbspMhi1-3dOlVovySYf5VXDDACd3Y9XWvGUdanaYcZLPCMas9AF7DBPRRfybl7GByA1sKcanzY1N68ad77csdMWR2zZ0_BQ6TSQA_onZT-N5FW4_FvqHAFYZFQ/w640-h396/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20on%20wing%20with%20dragonfly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It did perch up in nearby <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Willow</b></span> tree for a while too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdqojH4ohWiqx7dwKiCggTIk-nkNufD8zcnEPf6L9ZTjEYQZJkVnKsjEd-8IulFgtlcUSG4Pa_tbo3FExZPKmOE_yxuDpahnxYpZ0vEmF1HfXs40MoF3-rM4Y_48iUxRKziq33GDk9sSu4n1a61T0VudB4qLNKHDAEpv-iITnoIxLFLcWit7n2lHu7Q/s684/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20sitting%20in%20willow%20tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="572" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdqojH4ohWiqx7dwKiCggTIk-nkNufD8zcnEPf6L9ZTjEYQZJkVnKsjEd-8IulFgtlcUSG4Pa_tbo3FExZPKmOE_yxuDpahnxYpZ0vEmF1HfXs40MoF3-rM4Y_48iUxRKziq33GDk9sSu4n1a61T0VudB4qLNKHDAEpv-iITnoIxLFLcWit7n2lHu7Q/w335-h400/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20sitting%20in%20willow%20tree.jpg" width="335" /></a></div>And so onto Day 3, gosh - hardly been to the reserve all year and now thrice in three days! This time we had CR as company. But we couldn't find it anywhere, then TS came along and told us it had been favouring the NE corner the previous evening, so we had a look there and met other birders looking too but to no avail - had it moved on after an earlier shower? We took the opportunity to do a circuit of the reserve, noting not a lot apart from a few <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Cetti's Warblers </b></span>singing half-heartedly from unseen perches deep in the reeds. As we come towards the NE corner along the embankment we could see a bigger pack of birders and they looked to be looking at something - sure enough when we approached there was the Red-footed Falcon sitting almost directly over the path in a tall <span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Willow</b></span> tree.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndYy6fuNRHqQc9h4sIZf3FAMtqFhXG952mNBwU-cAwRTGGd65Dm83Gn6TaiNXuX4SnytKvVcGLuJ4uMAP_x0bdyTYv4_nhAVVqk1OQn_bz0anziU84xYhDdw5LTX_bEGnUeJSXm0cAlYUp8BJ_3BQMXc4zusYH8jlNNhzxpb5oHlDRJL6Ym5P8XpIJA/s1167/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20in%20willow%20tree%20best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="854" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndYy6fuNRHqQc9h4sIZf3FAMtqFhXG952mNBwU-cAwRTGGd65Dm83Gn6TaiNXuX4SnytKvVcGLuJ4uMAP_x0bdyTYv4_nhAVVqk1OQn_bz0anziU84xYhDdw5LTX_bEGnUeJSXm0cAlYUp8BJ_3BQMXc4zusYH8jlNNhzxpb5oHlDRJL6Ym5P8XpIJA/w468-h640/Red%20footed%20Falcon%20in%20willow%20tree%20best.jpg" width="468" /></a></div>At last a decent view in decent light but we still couldn't manage any half-good flight shots...and still nothing else to point the camera at. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other birders told us that a proper <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> had been seen too as well as a juvenile <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Cuckoo</b></span>, that would have been good to bump into, the last one we saw here was being fed by every passing species of small bird while it sat in its <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Sedge Warbler</b></span> foster parents' diminutive nest many years ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We didn't get a fourth day as the Saturday was earmarked for a safari over the river to meet up with the old gang at the 'other' place we don't mention by name.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As we approached the entrance we could see a shiny white patch in the field opposite - looked like about 2-300 gulls..."hmm that bodes well must be a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Mediterranean Gull</b></span> on the cards today", we thought.<br />Another white bird was first up though, we'd passed through the check-in desk and through the facing window we could see an egret sat on a pontoon in middle of the lake. A telescope was set up in the window too, manned by a volunteer - not seen that before. Well it was a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Cattle Egret</b></span> hence the excitement, they're sort of regular just inland of the Ribble estuary now, more so on the south side but there may be not so many records from this site which is a little further inland still but does have the herd of <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Longhorn Cattle</b></span> grazing sort of naturally on the wet fields so <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Cattle Egrets</b></span> might be expected to turn up there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBW2n0Fi-j7Pf7Ip60BdbDies1iDhOl6N_Xp5S4lcerAskNh_6DDGedG0getSVsHC8EBjjJ8Cz_tLynRuZWBMc0Oa7x0i8c_cJYu4eBVJoxTpE5UImJ8I-YewRPZd7Z7o3gEaRXo_9op7xui-0Pl3VY_xXBuBpNuQv6M86HKm9Vva9AkcxX2ZJcFGRw/s884/128%20Cattle%20egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="756" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBW2n0Fi-j7Pf7Ip60BdbDies1iDhOl6N_Xp5S4lcerAskNh_6DDGedG0getSVsHC8EBjjJ8Cz_tLynRuZWBMc0Oa7x0i8c_cJYu4eBVJoxTpE5UImJ8I-YewRPZd7Z7o3gEaRXo_9op7xui-0Pl3VY_xXBuBpNuQv6M86HKm9Vva9AkcxX2ZJcFGRw/w343-h400/128%20Cattle%20egret.jpg" width="343" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">When we started birding you had to go to the Carmargue in southern France, the Ebro delta in SE Spain or SW Spain and southern Portugal to see these - how times change! </p><p style="text-align: justify;">JG was already in the Discovery Hide when we'd finished gawping at the egret and pointed out a few <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Ruff </b></span>and a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> on a post, there's always a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> on a post at this reserve. Something put the Lapwings and gulls up and in the throng we picked out a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Mediterranean Gull</b></span> but it must have left the reserve with most of the other gulls as we never saw it again all day despite concerted efforts whenever the gulls were in view.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Moving round to the screens before the rest of the crew arrived at the first one we had great views of a snoozing juvenile <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Shelduck</b></span>, a stunning pair of <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Lesser Black-backed Gulls</b></span>, iridescent <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Lapwings</b></span> and a deep wading <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Snipe</b></span>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKbAJol5HHJnJS1OZA8OK-zma-6TSRXV8yDcNlMKYFuUyBGXozvv3uFyFRNUfnWr_oMjHct0o9athyQ5vDLb2UH3kNb1hToymwM62mqQKWoMKad57qSc3t6cp5OofYHq218sQZhok7p_1goYoDaM676vzcLC4d758INdRHzcJYA69wJc2UBpn9pY3FQ/s1354/Snoozing%20Lapwing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1354" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKbAJol5HHJnJS1OZA8OK-zma-6TSRXV8yDcNlMKYFuUyBGXozvv3uFyFRNUfnWr_oMjHct0o9athyQ5vDLb2UH3kNb1hToymwM62mqQKWoMKad57qSc3t6cp5OofYHq218sQZhok7p_1goYoDaM676vzcLC4d758INdRHzcJYA69wJc2UBpn9pY3FQ/w400-h319/Snoozing%20Lapwing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisINW3LsWJ260O8DqRVpM4U7kmfyjc24vZFUPPqzoBzJQaMju675z11lJj1LQlrkW4jWUq9rRFOai36IcpDBBHFJlR7UZj8TWK_B7U6LXgKdLq3JifPjA4r6vfC5CV2Ps1CXkS4481kpfll2mE8gsBb-7JZu6RRvMNRtwWYoVbbceoStzc5mFtDyHHwQ/s1222/Snipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1222" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisINW3LsWJ260O8DqRVpM4U7kmfyjc24vZFUPPqzoBzJQaMju675z11lJj1LQlrkW4jWUq9rRFOai36IcpDBBHFJlR7UZj8TWK_B7U6LXgKdLq3JifPjA4r6vfC5CV2Ps1CXkS4481kpfll2mE8gsBb-7JZu6RRvMNRtwWYoVbbceoStzc5mFtDyHHwQ/w400-h350/Snipe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo56wIYNsFY2L5HyQVRrabINqxruV4zfc3-HHzWWm7Cze3XWpNXKhgQFVse5KrLu4RFmNTiQWG_uhqaAK10tfLfsXzucv5TPSZ3pab0NJFvljJ47TC-yNr_QMCZZtcfqWk-Ys9Iz-frT-_kculkCUjL-PdtZjzkR2KYq6RNhC64gev5yVI0pmkND-XJQ/s1962/Lesser%20Black%20backed%20gulls%20pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="1962" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo56wIYNsFY2L5HyQVRrabINqxruV4zfc3-HHzWWm7Cze3XWpNXKhgQFVse5KrLu4RFmNTiQWG_uhqaAK10tfLfsXzucv5TPSZ3pab0NJFvljJ47TC-yNr_QMCZZtcfqWk-Ys9Iz-frT-_kculkCUjL-PdtZjzkR2KYq6RNhC64gev5yVI0pmkND-XJQ/w640-h450/Lesser%20Black%20backed%20gulls%20pair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The second screen provided a lone <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Black-tailed Godwit</b></span> and a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Green Sandpiper</b></span> obliged by flying in and running round in the gloopy mud in front of us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1tlTQbbiGIK_-A8aNFqDMkrRV-qTQVQLB49DQGoAEMblHCiImFgrSgBlY7ZIM_DtShBx9AIJElJ-me3OWHuU0W0RDAcmW5_L58X_MDKS1eYo1fZ3sPs54cjszGe124cwbeFrnmRW1Plkz3GfhbjywFCfpNQaJB2Ml5tRthuFiouV22ndhFYeM9H_KA/s897/129%20Green%20sandpiper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="897" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1tlTQbbiGIK_-A8aNFqDMkrRV-qTQVQLB49DQGoAEMblHCiImFgrSgBlY7ZIM_DtShBx9AIJElJ-me3OWHuU0W0RDAcmW5_L58X_MDKS1eYo1fZ3sPs54cjszGe124cwbeFrnmRW1Plkz3GfhbjywFCfpNQaJB2Ml5tRthuFiouV22ndhFYeM9H_KA/w400-h288/129%20Green%20sandpiper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjyAop3ii7SgQAAXGjBvOu2SO65apG-wRwRgirpudvDhYZBwvPchGzKPOZEBfZ8w6VZqZ9WyfZMq7PfSRbGg-7x70YZ8UDudJaZHSg2CoZ6U_lXTeEXLl6koRQn84E4rUOwtLC9VJbdHP16FGt8CVDTK5M3jsJ9sYexpmQ_q0WC-PMeQuxDXFlv1Qxw/s853/Green%20sandpiper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="853" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjyAop3ii7SgQAAXGjBvOu2SO65apG-wRwRgirpudvDhYZBwvPchGzKPOZEBfZ8w6VZqZ9WyfZMq7PfSRbGg-7x70YZ8UDudJaZHSg2CoZ6U_lXTeEXLl6koRQn84E4rUOwtLC9VJbdHP16FGt8CVDTK5M3jsJ9sYexpmQ_q0WC-PMeQuxDXFlv1Qxw/w400-h314/Green%20sandpiper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOov9o1z81Ay5Lj4ZMxyz7y8lpwisKiHDG9MVN-dQJBkx-AaZ9WLIpIG_rh1cTPMQR6Al2bNuAyBWGccmW9iYTEqS5_Xgai0eVatUvyIoYkl7HlbtgThGhpHnFuGcjE2wPzA5dGow-zCJ0eMwhpwEJSY-Vgox6k2HSTpU1Myz3yyqRz4Fk8xCYMYC-rA/s1516/Black%20tailed%20godwit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1516" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOov9o1z81Ay5Lj4ZMxyz7y8lpwisKiHDG9MVN-dQJBkx-AaZ9WLIpIG_rh1cTPMQR6Al2bNuAyBWGccmW9iYTEqS5_Xgai0eVatUvyIoYkl7HlbtgThGhpHnFuGcjE2wPzA5dGow-zCJ0eMwhpwEJSY-Vgox6k2HSTpU1Myz3yyqRz4Fk8xCYMYC-rA/w640-h394/Black%20tailed%20godwit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We arranged to meet the late arriving remainder of the gang at the Feeding Station so sat up there for a while enjoying the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Brown Rats </b><span style="color: black;">(always a star attraction for us)</span></span>, <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Greenfinches</b></span> and <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Goldfinches</b></span> on offer. No sign of any <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Willow Tits</b></span> this morning although there were very few of the regular <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Blue</b></span> and <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Great Tits</b></span> knocking about.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The gang arrived and had a quick look before moving on to the Harrier Hide with it's throngs of feral <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Canada</b></span> and <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Greylag Geese</b></span>. A couple <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Little Grebes</b></span> and <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Gadwall</b></span> broke the gooses' monopoly on the water while overhead a small number of <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Sand Martins</b></span> tazzed about. The most exciting wildlife wasn't a bird though, a tiny orange beetle was clambering about the shelf and AB's camera, on closer inspection by AB he declared it to be a type of <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Leaf Beetle</b></span>. A few photos and a bit of research later it was identified as one of the <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Sphaerodermas</b></span>, of which there are two species to choose from in Britain. All the info about them is <b><a href="https://www.ukbeetles.co.uk/sphaeroderma-spp?fbclid=IwAR2dOqe1CHqHXKwA1mmev9LVdnj27wQZGVN41XEoN-PyFmtVdELAltrrLWU" target="_blank">here</a></b>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Time to move on - we hit the UU Hide to enjoy distant views of not a lot. Easily pick of the bunch was an arriving but immediately disappearing <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Kingfisher</b></span> which put in a second brief appearance a few minutes later and a quality <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Kestrel</b></span> hovering not too far away. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie563TtmFoyQjT4wGcAhTHINIGWl_903stqEdxcDxmM18ajMBTgPnR05h_QzD5JWaOzTPxBv-HlG5g_vwj0F2X_kRa-7XKXUu-h7HkzQ3Zqj0dBG3H-dwHVxItGeSeqBtyDd3YmNMvFZ5Tw76hoJBb-6crQoaS-jBLg26w9VeMbsSVZn3HsHnDqcoDqg/s1091/Kestrel%20hovering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1091" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie563TtmFoyQjT4wGcAhTHINIGWl_903stqEdxcDxmM18ajMBTgPnR05h_QzD5JWaOzTPxBv-HlG5g_vwj0F2X_kRa-7XKXUu-h7HkzQ3Zqj0dBG3H-dwHVxItGeSeqBtyDd3YmNMvFZ5Tw76hoJBb-6crQoaS-jBLg26w9VeMbsSVZn3HsHnDqcoDqg/w400-h280/Kestrel%20hovering.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Another <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Green Sandpiper</b></span> flew in but landed on a muddy pool miles away. They do remind us of giant - well not that giant - <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>House Martins</b></span> when they swoop across the water. Scanning around we found a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> on a post, a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> on a stick, a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> on a gate and a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> on a bonfire with a distant <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Marsh Harrier</b></span> to break the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzard</b></span> monotony. With not a lot else happening we soon moved on to the next hide. Well would you believe it we couldn't get in - the ginormous camera brigade were in there and not for sharing the space so we didn't stay. Lunch beckoned anyway so it was no hardship turning back and we got great views of a bright <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Comma</b></span> butterfly on the path outside the hide.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Back at the reception area we met our remaining late arriving gang member and aimed for our butties in the boot of the car while noting that the earlier <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Cattle Egret</b></span> was no longer on its pontoon. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a selection of butties, chips, salads and more were eagerly scoffed it was time to hit the trail again. T'other way this time to the as yet unvisited hides. Nowt doing in the first three but that's only to be expected at this stage of the autumn as the wintering ducks and geese from the northern latitudes haven't arrived yet, another week or so and they'll start steaming in. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">From the elevated Kingfisher Hide we watched a juvenile male <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Marsh Harrier</b></span> cruising around and the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Cattle Egret</b></span> appeared landing among the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Longhorn Cattle</b></span> where the scene was looking decidedly primaeval.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">No <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Tree Sparrows</b></span> were on the feeders nor were there any on the walk up - where are they we wondered, they're always along this stretch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the approach to the final hide there's a pool, sheltered by some tall <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Willows</b></span> and a hedge, this sheltered area was absolutely hooching with dragonflies, mostly <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Migrant Hawkers</b></span> with a few <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Common Darters</b></span> thrown in for good measure. It was like a scene from a tropical documentary they were everywhere, dozens of them, absolutely awesome. And looking good for a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> slicing through in search of an easy meal or two. But when a passing cloud obscured the sun they disappeared. Well not quite they were spotted roosting up high in the tree tops of the hedge waiting for the sun to come back out. Some trees had good numbers - here's a couple of twigs with seven <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Migrant Hawkers</b></span> on them.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6xaADBXXqRviJ93_w8o3xczqr88Qv1c4brDwgdY0b_w9DrgsUrHKgIUcowkU1vww8FRacXLGhC08klh08-jPTfQWCVLSm4DE1TViMnWmCxMU8v9Bij-jqKudcInTyr_NC11p0oa12YszvVQk_DOLqfZuIzKUW_qn1zggxBJapQx3AvrQVAotULYjxw/s1897/Seven%20roosting%20male%20Migrant%20Hawkers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1897" data-original-width="1260" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6xaADBXXqRviJ93_w8o3xczqr88Qv1c4brDwgdY0b_w9DrgsUrHKgIUcowkU1vww8FRacXLGhC08klh08-jPTfQWCVLSm4DE1TViMnWmCxMU8v9Bij-jqKudcInTyr_NC11p0oa12YszvVQk_DOLqfZuIzKUW_qn1zggxBJapQx3AvrQVAotULYjxw/w426-h640/Seven%20roosting%20male%20Migrant%20Hawkers.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>The hoped for <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby </b></span>didn't show up, neither did the<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b> Kingfisher</b></span> or <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Stoat</b></span> that fairly regularly hang around the bridge. A distant small raptor circling with a couple of <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Buzzards</b></span> could have been a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> but could easily have been a <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Sparrowhawk</span>. With all the hirundines over the adjacent farm and all those dragonflies behind us there just had to be a <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Hobby</b></span> somewhere close by, all we had to do was wait. A <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Peregrine</b></span> flew over high up and didn't bring about a panic, several <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Ruff</b></span> fed on the mud including a couple of nice bright white males, along with a few <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Teal</b></span>. It was during that wait that we ran out of time and had to head back to the car for the drive back across the river.<br />We stopped at the Discovery Hide on the way to the car just to check the gulls but alas very few gulls were visible. The couple in there had seen a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Stoat</b></span> or a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Weasel</b></span> a few times hunting among the rocks but it refused to show for us. Then just as we'd got through the door it reappeared - black tipped tail they said so a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Stoat</b></span>. <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And that was that, time to go after a great day with great company, lots of laughs catching up and reminiscing and lots of fantastic wildlife too.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where to next?</b> Not sure yet, new Base Camp is having some modifications so we mightn't be very far afield for a while but you never know what we might find on the garden or a cuple paces from the front door - it's all out there just waiting to be seen.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime let us know who's been tazzing through your outback. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886405372601892892.post-55366668216721887582022-08-26T11:43:00.002+01:002022-08-26T11:43:26.703+01:00Base Camp has moved!<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Safari upped sticks and shifted Base Camp</b> a couple of miles to the north a couple or so months ago. What a palaver that was; we found things that were lost, things we didn't know we'd lost, found things we didn't know we had, moved boxes that hadn't been unpacked since our last move 18 years earlier (they have been unpacked and sorted now) and lost things we know we've seen in the new place...how does that happen?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And then only two weeks after moving in we had yet another hand operation that kept us out of action for over a month. That meant the race was on to get the 'blank canvas' of a garden something like before the surgeon got his hands on us. Luckily we'd brought a load of pots from our previous garden so we weren't starting from total scratch. A bare patch where a giant kiddies trampoline had stood was sown with perennial wildflower seeds and another from where we removed a chunk of rotten decking was sown with cornfield annuals. The latter proving us with brilliant views of a pair of <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Goldfinches</b></span> while we recuperated from our op. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBmT2ufRlMCYysxYGYEu2dXSHAG211UvEDsbBnF3Ll7brxzfqgLSTd9Bp5nYnt6NaQfMkpVkZYAsP6UZSXN2qAqx5Ch9sCVwYZJh1KmP2OpBdjINZNAyOiNYtvzEJJmw5RrmThRg6N_8Zs_Y1eIxLOJiNF34GpMzd1dveqVBPOmpk6aJwb_JfpLvyvg/s1501/Goldfinch%20in%20home%20wildflower%20meadow%20210722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1501" height="517" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBmT2ufRlMCYysxYGYEu2dXSHAG211UvEDsbBnF3Ll7brxzfqgLSTd9Bp5nYnt6NaQfMkpVkZYAsP6UZSXN2qAqx5Ch9sCVwYZJh1KmP2OpBdjINZNAyOiNYtvzEJJmw5RrmThRg6N_8Zs_Y1eIxLOJiNF34GpMzd1dveqVBPOmpk6aJwb_JfpLvyvg/w640-h517/Goldfinch%20in%20home%20wildflower%20meadow%20210722.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We now have two local patches to enjoy and work too; Patch 1 is the Promenade with its too often too close mown grassy area and the sloping remnant dunes, beach and sea. and Patch 2 is a small woodland plantation just a few streets inland that we had a tiny part in setting up about 10 years ago.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Already Patch 1 has given us <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Bottlenose Dolphins</b></span>, unfortunately our new upstairs windows have such a limited sea view we are unlikely to get them on the 'Garden' list. We've also had our best ever <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Arctic Skua </b></span>action from along the Fylde coast so there's going to be plenty of excitement to look forward to.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After we had sufficiently recovered from the surgeon's handiwork LCV took us on a couple of days glamping trip to the east coast primarily to have a look at the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Black-browed Albatross</b></span> that had made its home on the cliffs there with the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Gannets</b></span>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1j4fdqm1_Sk-teScKmrIqvQgdys1Ql4hH40fokfGvvDnGoDY66v4SxARZUPLXKub_Co-b0B63gRqS6R2NNkaAb_YLMj_exBzoyYItPUTTKRh-9G_BiZvk_oLwR44Meb9Sod0etVIyHVCJv_QjzoL1DXpHe0SCi6Foc2tFt6l26htS8-v_Um7otlCvzw/s1405/Gannet%20face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1405" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1j4fdqm1_Sk-teScKmrIqvQgdys1Ql4hH40fokfGvvDnGoDY66v4SxARZUPLXKub_Co-b0B63gRqS6R2NNkaAb_YLMj_exBzoyYItPUTTKRh-9G_BiZvk_oLwR44Meb9Sod0etVIyHVCJv_QjzoL1DXpHe0SCi6Foc2tFt6l26htS8-v_Um7otlCvzw/w640-h574/Gannet%20face.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>An 8 1/2 hour wait ensured for the albatross to fly and when it did it went well out to sea and didn't give us the hoped for cliff-top fly-by, only passing fairly close low over the water.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiEgFL3AmASZzrgu48Q00jqedo5Ud__oKHc8N5cujsydc3RIDylOd4pyJU5SIh6MAeUGitGoo0VgCqeWVWl3dmzR3wtmT4mBZ9cQJIYrdhXPAxvQKoqveXpg7nkDIcwZzsYbaANlLQN2oWEuJYKNY619XJk40pAn1jkw9_YqccB49P5EN8yuF6u4jAw/s1376/Black%20browed%20albatross%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1376" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiEgFL3AmASZzrgu48Q00jqedo5Ud__oKHc8N5cujsydc3RIDylOd4pyJU5SIh6MAeUGitGoo0VgCqeWVWl3dmzR3wtmT4mBZ9cQJIYrdhXPAxvQKoqveXpg7nkDIcwZzsYbaANlLQN2oWEuJYKNY619XJk40pAn1jkw9_YqccB49P5EN8yuF6u4jAw/w400-h248/Black%20browed%20albatross%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At least we saw it and were able to get lots of other birders and non-birders onto it while it snoozed very inconspicuously on the cliff face amongst the Gannets.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">A later trip to the south Lakes with CR gave us the hoped for <span style="color: red;"><b>Adder</b></span>. About to slough its skin judging by that cloudy eye.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8tUfovQiZUVWuJHeZY2eSnh1kVCCveUuJ9vQkW60_l4vnidnUpOKoi00eGbPZcrnBll9hIZiCOptX7wQDu5pOjGIlo-vfQHfEa5xLLurgX-6gD_9V5qGzNNT3GwpiTeM4U3ermke5kgrisxbSO1P5Yg7j77_kGPQkQ9edSBvkfn3hlzQ6TYFiwTWow/s1816/Adder%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="1816" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8tUfovQiZUVWuJHeZY2eSnh1kVCCveUuJ9vQkW60_l4vnidnUpOKoi00eGbPZcrnBll9hIZiCOptX7wQDu5pOjGIlo-vfQHfEa5xLLurgX-6gD_9V5qGzNNT3GwpiTeM4U3ermke5kgrisxbSO1P5Yg7j77_kGPQkQ9edSBvkfn3hlzQ6TYFiwTWow/w640-h420/Adder%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Lots of dragonfly action too, with <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Golden-ringed</b></span> being the highlight. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI_MrqWwV_xselevfSUQK4hbuoobmD-rCV17r_8cdfclfvH3unH1KyYnYsM1zqigHCH9TzkFvVe2XJ2APn3pasNRbx1FjrDq4scElljjJRyBsM962ISbsaWZq2v2f4mc37QtkU2M4RwJu2TVjt6_iYkctd_c_gLn9hgP1EpvwZSZmVPyODdrkQoN4QA/s1041/Golden-ringed%20Dragonfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1041" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI_MrqWwV_xselevfSUQK4hbuoobmD-rCV17r_8cdfclfvH3unH1KyYnYsM1zqigHCH9TzkFvVe2XJ2APn3pasNRbx1FjrDq4scElljjJRyBsM962ISbsaWZq2v2f4mc37QtkU2M4RwJu2TVjt6_iYkctd_c_gLn9hgP1EpvwZSZmVPyODdrkQoN4QA/w640-h564/Golden-ringed%20Dragonfly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Both <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Roe </b></span>and <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Red Deer</b></span> performed well for us.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQe_W8Lgx-Y_BoA6rUh_MzYt1uUdy1FmcouMTO0R0B7AAVPSvDa4RDI-CWdQAw779idiumh-lutH8VOSvx1aFWhLrdFLVEYu8-zLtRN1UZLzqojhRw5sOzQs2vSm3FzOEcoarimDoND2IFS7RBxvCH9pcnXQ0Xx50fmreRUCy-VVqW7YtpXKC-emK2fg/s1941/Roe%20deer%20doe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1941" data-original-width="1887" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQe_W8Lgx-Y_BoA6rUh_MzYt1uUdy1FmcouMTO0R0B7AAVPSvDa4RDI-CWdQAw779idiumh-lutH8VOSvx1aFWhLrdFLVEYu8-zLtRN1UZLzqojhRw5sOzQs2vSm3FzOEcoarimDoND2IFS7RBxvCH9pcnXQ0Xx50fmreRUCy-VVqW7YtpXKC-emK2fg/w622-h640/Roe%20deer%20doe.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRDh9S5TmQcxeneVPZBhiadnm32n_tySTPve33uGkw_UPQ7uQZKrlmWLQOEOqbHDrXhd9qtVptyhJ0trmgPJwa_AUpye3DrfinNdm6LTPOI5L2RU2nurzYWtS4Qq1SYoxL4o-zIlKAkAADxOeBDjROmYq2sMq5mdeWeAAsDwfSHwwXFewYHhQS0fSgg/s792/Red%20deer%20hind%20staring%20at%20camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="770" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRDh9S5TmQcxeneVPZBhiadnm32n_tySTPve33uGkw_UPQ7uQZKrlmWLQOEOqbHDrXhd9qtVptyhJ0trmgPJwa_AUpye3DrfinNdm6LTPOI5L2RU2nurzYWtS4Qq1SYoxL4o-zIlKAkAADxOeBDjROmYq2sMq5mdeWeAAsDwfSHwwXFewYHhQS0fSgg/w622-h640/Red%20deer%20hind%20staring%20at%20camera.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">A good day out on safari!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Patch 2 came into its own during the Big Butterfly Count where we had some high scores of <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Gatekeepers</b></span> and <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Meadow Browns</b></span> but the highlight was this dodgy looking butterfly that the Twitterati plumbed for as a <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Ringlet</b></span> in the end. They aren't regular round here indeed this is the first one we've seen on the Fylde coast or anywhere near it for that matter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekak8Wu8nfIYEM61JGbihs76xEcxPeQMVm7vmIlIItyEtFhsIZ5MFXD7OyrNSb8Me74EiaS_3DQR0-ij1Rf7hhhukcw_97PvqzLwkJGz47EqVDVW95zNkW30lY6FSMHw2pI2NA4BkOt9QlOHoEf7mJWAdJvnDraHu64SO4TyH3QH7u09VWTp3ndeouA/s839/Ringlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="839" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekak8Wu8nfIYEM61JGbihs76xEcxPeQMVm7vmIlIItyEtFhsIZ5MFXD7OyrNSb8Me74EiaS_3DQR0-ij1Rf7hhhukcw_97PvqzLwkJGz47EqVDVW95zNkW30lY6FSMHw2pI2NA4BkOt9QlOHoEf7mJWAdJvnDraHu64SO4TyH3QH7u09VWTp3ndeouA/w400-h323/Ringlet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Perhaps even better was this <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Brimstone</b></span>, nectaring only a few feet away from a row of <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Alder Buckthorn</b></span> plants we had asked the planting scheme to include all those years ago...the big question is is it a female and did it find those bushes for its eggs?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Pl20mJ6p08P9f6MRXwDwkZpXgZV9_hXS9brp8oWPfEv_AdOD1wEj_IJEm7JnMTxr3ZEeH3koDwtTCadlBPvRdx1xwUFpPANgfGO-0maS04Xh5-BmKj7llTWteGewGRZ_t1HO1zSRkuklathAIgEbfZZoNQPj-psIA2nfNwhGdegGxIlcYUV3i6GbwQ/s816/Brimstone%20on%20thistle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="620" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Pl20mJ6p08P9f6MRXwDwkZpXgZV9_hXS9brp8oWPfEv_AdOD1wEj_IJEm7JnMTxr3ZEeH3koDwtTCadlBPvRdx1xwUFpPANgfGO-0maS04Xh5-BmKj7llTWteGewGRZ_t1HO1zSRkuklathAIgEbfZZoNQPj-psIA2nfNwhGdegGxIlcYUV3i6GbwQ/w486-h640/Brimstone%20on%20thistle.jpg" width="486" /></a></div>A couple of things we had noticed this summer were a) it took us until early August to find a <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Common Blue</b></span> butterfly - have they been hard to come by everywhere or was it just us missing the first brood while out of action? and b) we hadn't seen any butterflies on a <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Buddleia</b></span> bush anywhere until we hit the south Lakes and locally we only saw our first a couple of days ago this lovely <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Painted Lady</b></span>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoOAF9ylqO-WCuMBZF2iHB6sJgT9G_B1lkTLuskO_X3jKZ8XrrCLLJG4DNomKX_xKWbQuBx1tpVtwHclCueUrQDJnXpvIEtLcirlWr9EKwFAYWHMVbtH5S1fYCMybxsyTxRE4gNwBVbqkz9CiwZMckGYxL_W_AWm234cONpueEt3xjwfedPnpgKD1VQ/s1000/Painted%20Lady%20underside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoOAF9ylqO-WCuMBZF2iHB6sJgT9G_B1lkTLuskO_X3jKZ8XrrCLLJG4DNomKX_xKWbQuBx1tpVtwHclCueUrQDJnXpvIEtLcirlWr9EKwFAYWHMVbtH5S1fYCMybxsyTxRE4gNwBVbqkz9CiwZMckGYxL_W_AWm234cONpueEt3xjwfedPnpgKD1VQ/w480-h640/Painted%20Lady%20underside.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>A trip out east aways to the hills with old chum AH suggested that the lack of water might be a reason, the bushes were full of scent but held no nectar so the butterflies were avoiding them. The reservoir on our walk was well down like all the others in the region.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0cuZKW9govgnVPJ-cpL0ynNhzxxZJAWoXNYumrdqN2-Hnj61r9qnOPFdQtmyyFSaJ5tLeOQutSAN6wE-L71b6BWOFOd3_YLx7N3KNHqxMNO9sy7Ck9QwXyAO8TTeyag6yUELXb5bgw9d-y9uK7wutsW8jxY8LxKhypi88Yft2LK2Y6Ta4-ZrTOlK0w/s1077/grizedale%20res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1077" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0cuZKW9govgnVPJ-cpL0ynNhzxxZJAWoXNYumrdqN2-Hnj61r9qnOPFdQtmyyFSaJ5tLeOQutSAN6wE-L71b6BWOFOd3_YLx7N3KNHqxMNO9sy7Ck9QwXyAO8TTeyag6yUELXb5bgw9d-y9uK7wutsW8jxY8LxKhypi88Yft2LK2Y6Ta4-ZrTOlK0w/w640-h480/grizedale%20res.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>That's a lot of water to make up, a dry winter isn't an option!<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And finally with a new garden comes a new moth list. So far so good and as we get more plants growing there should be some interesting finds coming along. Pick of the bunch so far, <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Elephant Hawkmoth</b></span>, always good to see in the bottom of the trap especially as they went missing for the last few years at the old place. And a pristine fresh male <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Antler Moth</b></span> was a very nice surprise one morning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTeHCZGT6cwLPyk6NEhYj-mIDh7GFOGL4ASDKcHudzMW0rIW3p00J_yfNSP0CwQiP8FV_-8xF1AS3RS2BPE2pHVNvd2RycmzI5R528Tj2k5_YFmgsYKWEfBylJdSLPPb7GknTpW7mBx5BMxV-m5nNuGLSWpEcCeyRCdZSWylJZc_oE3LeIKGWIs6yZg/s837/Elephant%20hawkmoth%20kirkstone%20190722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="837" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTeHCZGT6cwLPyk6NEhYj-mIDh7GFOGL4ASDKcHudzMW0rIW3p00J_yfNSP0CwQiP8FV_-8xF1AS3RS2BPE2pHVNvd2RycmzI5R528Tj2k5_YFmgsYKWEfBylJdSLPPb7GknTpW7mBx5BMxV-m5nNuGLSWpEcCeyRCdZSWylJZc_oE3LeIKGWIs6yZg/w640-h578/Elephant%20hawkmoth%20kirkstone%20190722.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpkgbOLpqTLqzusK6bkZd1PfbJwVZq76T-OhmC3Yauwf_hAFq8CrMOLwlOJkct7kB0sE1PscLwLRpMdYvfBvQG-pvFL4opAzuYweab6om-HQhWCFkYUL5_NKgCRLUzy5VTsVL_J8FFxo4soD4sgfB3V-pgSXY-ojZrNJL3u4e8Ge0tzAOabuVkZO7YQ/s1019/Antler%20moth%20Male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1019" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpkgbOLpqTLqzusK6bkZd1PfbJwVZq76T-OhmC3Yauwf_hAFq8CrMOLwlOJkct7kB0sE1PscLwLRpMdYvfBvQG-pvFL4opAzuYweab6om-HQhWCFkYUL5_NKgCRLUzy5VTsVL_J8FFxo4soD4sgfB3V-pgSXY-ojZrNJL3u4e8Ge0tzAOabuVkZO7YQ/w640-h606/Antler%20moth%20Male.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />That's all for now folks, get out and have a look for the amazing wildlife in your outback.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully we'll be back with tales of more adventures on safari shortly...we'll try not to leave it nearly a year this time!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">TTFN.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></p>Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safarishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14531370350323901851noreply@blogger.com0