Bittern shows well at Barnes WWT

15 January 2010

The bittern finally showed well at Barnes for me. I saw nothing from the Dulverton hide where it had been seen recently so I made my way up to the Wildside. My approach was greeted with the appreciative 'ooohhs' of those already inside who were onto the bird. It was on the other side of the lake but the nearest I had ever seen one. The lake was still frozen so the poor bird was reduced to stalking the edge of the ice shelf and fishing in the negligible strip of water at the edge of the reeds. He didn't go hungry. I was told he'd already caught four fish and he caught another three in the hour or so that I watched him. Here's the sequence:


Hmmm. Stretch up high. Then stoop down low....!



Ha! Gottcha!





Mmm. Fish for lunch.


Gulp!! AAhh!

Water pipit at Staines Moor, redpolls at Barnes WWT

First thing today I went to Staines reservoir to see the black-necked grebe and female scaup. It was still freezing but managed to see both as well as some smew.

Then went to Staines Moor, not so much to see the brown shrike (which hasn't been seen now since 2 January) but more for the water pipits. I decided to walk up from the southern end so as not to have the sun in my eyes. A dog-walker told me the way but it wasn't quite as direct as I was expecting. I got to the river and started taking pictures of a little grebe in the reeds.

Little grebe, Staines Moor

A large flock of fieldfare flew overhead. Another photographer (Ian, alias Fungus McBogle) came along and we talked for a while before Ian noticed a small bird fly along the river, a water pipit. We were able to take quite a few pictures before it flew further upstream.

Water pipit, Staines Moor

As it was only about two o'clock, I decided to go to Barnes to see the bittern. I met Corinna Smart coming out as I went in. She advised me to go straight for the flock of redpolls that were feeding on the Wild Side. I went in and managed to find the birch tree where there were one or two other birdwatchers waiting. The redpolls soon returned and allowed very close approaches for some lovely pictures in the warm light of the late afternoon sun. I did see the bittern briefly and distantly from the Dulverton hide but it was very skulking. However, a jack snipe was another welcome bird for my year list from the same hide. I went home very pleased with the redpoll photos which I knew would take me hours to sort out. Ah Well! It's always nice to get at least one good photo!

Lesser redpoll, Barnes WWT

Lesser Redpoll, Barnes WWT

A good weekend photographically

The bad weather this last week brought many good migrants to ground. Sadly, I had to work so missed them all! Aaahh!

Well, on Saturday, I went to Beddington where ring ouzels, and all manner of rare migrants had been seen in the week. I saw none of them! After a walk round the whole site, I decided to go to Barnes WWT. Here I saw sand martins, sedge warblers and reed warblers. Also, a kestrel caught something and came down on a nearby post to eat it. I never got to see what it had caught, but I managed to fire off some of the closest and best shots of a kestrel before he flew off. Here is the best picture:

Male kestrel, Barnes WWT.

On Sunday I went to Elmley Marshes on the Isle of Sheppey and then to Oare Marshes near Faversham. Elmley is great because during the 1.25 mile drive from the road to the car park you often see more than at the hides (which involve another 1.25 mile hike). Also the car is a perfect hide. By waiting patiently, I got a lovely yellow wagtail at close range....

Yellow wagtail (male), Elmley marshes.

.....and a pair of skylarks - one shown here, displaying .

Skylark, Elmley.

Shortly afterwards, a redshank appeared. With the sun behind, his red legs appeared an even more vivid red.

Redshank, Elmley

I started on my walk to the hides but, after about 500-600 metres I met another birdwatcher who had already been down there and pronounced that there was very little apart from avocets and shellducks. I decided not to put in the effort of a long walk and turned back to go to Oare. On the way back I heard the distant call of a corn bunting. Scouring the middle distance revealed it on a gatepost, but too far for a shot that I could dare to post on this blog.

At Oare, there was a single little stint and a whimbrel on the mud in the Swale, again too distant for any decent shots. There was a nice drake garganey at the back of the lake, and I managed some practice at flight shots when a mute swan made a couple of circuits of the lake.

A little egret afforded some close views while touring the lake in search of fish.

Little egret, Oare Marshes.

All in all, an enjoyable weekend photographically even if I didn't make much headway into David Campbell's formidable lead in the year list.

Now, here's a riddle for you. Whose face is this Disney looking character? Those Goofy eyes, that black hair, that funny bearded mouth like the bully in Popeye (I can't remember his name). Who can it be?? Answers on a postcard please...... Well, you can email the answer to me if you can guess. Answer in next week's posting.

Whose face???