(
Click photos to enlarge, click again to move through them)
 |
| an inviting prospect |
It's not often I can visit the Reserve in the mornings, but on Monday I was there by 9.30 on a very bright and breezy day. And I really hit the jackpot! Already thrilled to see my first Redwings of the season from the hide, I thought "I just need the Water Rail now to make it perfect" and instantly it appeared! I think it caught a movement from me though, as it immediately turned tail and went back into the reeds. However about 5 minutes later it reappeared and crossed directly across in front of the hide in a series of rapid short runs. It began feeding briefly along the right hand edge of the pond where it was difficult to see for intervening foliage then headed off down the stream towards the other reed bed. I just managed a photo before it vanished. Here is my full list:
Birds:
SC209694 ( hide) 7 x Redwings taking hawthorn berries opposite the hide.
Water Rail
2 x Chaffinch
Robin
2 x Goldfinch taking seed from Willowherb
male and female Blackbirds
Blue tit
large flock of Goldfinch flying over.
SC210694 ( entrance) Magpie flying over
SC209693 I missed a very "cute" photo of a Robin sitting on the wheel of an upturned barrow.
SC208694 ( compost area) Robin; Goldcrest.
SC209694 ( end of willows path) female Blackbird; Song Thrush; Dunnock; Robin
Other:
SC210694 Ivy attracting flies and wasps
SC208694 Noon and other flies on wooden hand rail
SC208694 Flies and wasp on oak leaves in sunshine.
SC209694 Lots of fungi still on the woodchip path.
 |
my patience rewarded!
Water Rail. |
 |
| Redwing taking Hawthorn berries |
 |
| one of 7 |
 |
| I just kept on clicking |
 |
| spoilt for choice |
 |
| autumn colour from the birch trees |
 |
| Robin checking out the new compost heap |
 |
| and another in the willows |
 |
| Song Thrush |
 |
| Goldfinch with Great Willowherb seed head |
 |
| fungi in the woodchip |
 |
| Gorse Shieldbug |
 |
flies enjoying the sunshine
Noon Fly and friend |
 |
| another Noon Fly on oak leaf |
 |
| spider in the gorse |
 |
| a closer look at spider and web |
 |
| wasp on Oak leaf |
 |
| oak turning colour too |
 |
| our recently mown and raked meadow |
 |
| morning sunshine |
 |
| Phragmites reeds looking silvery, back-lit by sunshine |
 |
| sadly, time to go. |
