Down at t'marsh

A quick drive-by.

I am afraid you may need to go to other blogs for those super, super photos of birds and wildlife. This site isn't about that.  How often do you see something so close, or is it a glimpse here, a glimpse there, and seeing what things look like in all conditions,  for me shape, activity and behaviour, sometimes I would like to try and capture that too.

Here are a few Godwits feeding and Grey Partridge, going to ground so I didn't hang about too long... couple of shots. I can't help but feel there were some youngsters about somewhere, but at the time I didn't look long or hard enough.

Quite a few Small Tortoiseshell were about feeding on the thistle. 

On the marsh

As the sun sets, the shadows lengthen.

Black Tailed Godwits in the evening sun.

The light becomes flat.

This young Lapwing had a parent in constant attention, while brothers and sisters were less adventurous. It makes you wonder, who made it, as it will be unlikely they all survived adolescence.

With the lack of rain, the water levels have dropped allowing further food sources to become accessible and available.

A Godwit or Two

Another early start, before the sun was up properly, but grey and overcast, so flat light again just for a change.

At least now I know why they are called Black Tailed Godwits. She doesn't look very happy (or well) at all. He was strutting his stuff and 'looking after her', on patrol. A Little Grebe disappeared off into the reeds on arrival, then again, they always do. A pair of dunnock called by and the Shelduck were in evidence. A Grey Heron feeding at the margins. Redshank too and one female mallard has eleven young with her. The ever present Coot was feeding a newborn. The 'cow' image gives one some idea of scale! A male Linnet keeping a lookout from the vantage point and declaring his territory by song.

Marshide – Sedge

On a passing visit, from the road.

While this article is primarily about the Sedge Warbler, these Godwits seem to capture the nature of the environment.

Singing from a high point — this is MY patch.

Defending territory from all-comers.

It was his singing that gave the game away and allowed me to focus on this individual.

While it may appear these are all consecutive images, the sedge was up and away, here and there defending his patch, but returning to a favourite site to sing — a waiting game until he returned.

Unfortunately a leaf was casting a shadow over his head and face.

A constant song – no complaints.

On t'marsh again Godwit and co

Another early start in the marsh to see if anything was about. Nottalot!

Two Godwits, a pair of Redshank, a male Gadwall, Little Grebe while the Coot were looking after the family, each parent appearing to take two young to feed and look after. Bad tempered at the best of times and territorial Coot can get a bit 'stroppy' and fights frequently break out – with anyone who gets too close. An Oystercatcher looking for worms and in the hedgerow a Linnet and a Whitethroat. Overhead Canada Geese and the every present Shelduck. I included the Godwit on the bank as seeing the bird against the dry mud makes you realise why their plummage is as it is, not always easy to pick out at distance.

Later that day a sedge warbler was giving me the runaround at Carr House Common singing from deep within the reeds and dry grasses. A reed bunting sat up in a tree singing while at Brock Bottom a Nuthatch appeared adjacent to the car park on the feeders.

RSPB Marshside

The sun was out! It seemed rude not to stop!

Avocet, Godwit, Redshank, Gulls... see the photos.

Newton Marsh – Wigeon and Godwits

It was in fact a cold frosty morning before the sun rose, then it was just cold. While it may appear there is open water, this was limited and restricted by the ice that had formed and taking a long time to clear. What always surprises me is how various species get along quite happily with each other, to a point, as long as 'my space' isn't violated, yet others simply invoke aggression. Here Teal and Wigeon relax happily together... safety in numbers and always someone on watch... while a small number of Black-Tailed Godwits moved through feeding on whatever they could find.

One reason there are so many images of Wigeon is because if you look carefully there is a male with far more green showing around the eye than others. There have been various discussions about this, but no real answer that I know of to date ... some birds do, some birds don't. Any comments welcome.