Well here I am at last. It has been a while I know. Many of you have been asking about my lack of blog postings but I have not had that much to post of late and did not wish to become too repetitive. The last 10 days or so have improved somewhat with a few common and green sandpipers, greenshank and quite a few black tailed godwits beginning to pass though. Plenty of curlew and and a few lapwings are on the river. A nice surprise 1 day were 4 stoats on the tramline near the tower hide playing in the long grass. Unfortunately the grass was cut the next day and we did not see them there again but they were so energetic and playful and such a joy to watch.
There are a few kingfishers being seen including this rather waterlogged one
and this very smart one
This stand off between the oyster catcher and the grass snake went on for sometime. The snake was trying to escape the water but the oyster catchers, a pair of shell ducks and a little grebe were having none of it. It was fascinating to watch but in the end the snake shot passed the oyster catcher at some speed into the undergrowth.
A fox one morning from the tower hide
and also this young pereguin
This reed bunting has probably been the most photographed ever as it has just sat right next to the path singing for weeks without any fear of people. Here he is having a wing stretch.
The oyster catcher family are growing fast. They lost one chick but have so far been successful with the other 3 although one is currently limping but seems OK at the moment.
A pair of swans had 2 cygnets on the Borrow Pit though they are quite large now. This was taken a few weeks back.
I was delighted earlier this year when a pair of house martins took up residence in an old nest that has not been used for 5 or 6 years. I don't know how many young they had but I collected enough egg shell halves from under the nest for there to be at least 4 possibly 5. This little one (not a very good photo I'm afraid) was the last out the nest. In fact the adults spent most of the day trying to coax it out and I even saw them trying to push it from behind! It didn't work. However by late afternoon it had finally gone. I could only watch for a short time at longish intervals as did not want to upset the adults so didn't actually see it go.
The next day (last friday evening) there were about 20 house martins collecting mud from Black Hole Marsh. Perhaps getting ready for a second brood.
And finally yesterday I was fortunate enough to see these 4 young swallows being fed on Black Hole Marsh.
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