The trouble with sneaking into someone elses patch

The Safari visited a place we've heard a lot about and had high hopes for - we've not been there before.

We've followed the development of the scrape for a couple of years or more

120 deg panorama

Sadly it was fairly empty, just a few ducks of several species; Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal and a family of Grey Lag Geese. 

The place is reputed to be a wader heaven, and indeed only a few days ago played host to a Lesser Yellowlegs, a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Wood Sandpiper with a supporting cast of several White and Yellow Wagtails. Our only wader was a Lapwing which didn't stay long...the good stuff must have heard we were on our way!

Moseying down the track we passed Wren city, don't think we've ever heard so many chuntering at each other in one plsce before. Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were in song too.

Several Swallows and Sand Martins skimmed low over the water of the next pool with a couple of House Martins. The reeds were alive with Reed and Sedge Warblers.

One of the Swallows swooped in and landed on the nearest patch of reeds and started to sing.

A brown blob in the tram-lines of the crop in the field at the back of the pool jumped into the crop- a Brown Hare; we'd already seen one hopping along theside of the road and five together in a field on the drive in. 

All of a sudden there was a commotion from the Mallards and Shovelers as a female Marsh Harrier wafted over the reeds in the far corner before settling down on the tops of them - lusy pics it was still almost dark well after sun up on a cold miserable May morning.

Goldfinches plucked seedsfrom the plants in front of the hide, a male Reed Bunting landed in one of the trees along the far bank, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes sang but all in all it was pretty quiet.

Then the rain came down and it was ti me to beat a retreat back to tBC and get Wifey's birthday breakfast cooking.

So this lad's patch didn't produce for us but having said that anyone could turn on any of our patches just on the off chance and not see much...it boils down to regularly covering the ground and having the experience of when the best conditions for your few square yards are and getting out and having a look.

Later in the afternoon we had a drive down the coast and from the bleak beach we could see the island the Roseate Terns nest on in the distance but all the terns we could see with the bins were Sandwich Terns.

While waiting for out take-away dinner to be cooked we took a walk down to the harbour to check out the seascape. On the way back we found a chilled out urban duck just enjoying the sunshine in the middle of the pavement - well it's gotta be done when and wherever the sun shines there's been precious little of it so far this week.

Where to next? More early morning out n about somewhere.
In the meantime let us know who's wafting around your outback