Monday 6 August 2012

Banded Demoiselle

Visited Big Waters on Saturday and as the BBC and forecast it would tip down on Sunday which was backed up by Warnings by the Met Office I decided to have a good walk round as I suspected that our Sunday walk might not take place.  Wandering round I did manage to come across the Redstarts feeding at quite a distance so out came the camera.


Visitors landing on the pond on Saturday  included 29 Canada Geese and 42 Greylag with 39 Lapwing doing a couple of Loops then departing South.


Alan J arrived and we had a look from the hides for an hour although nothing unusual but heading back to the car Alan took me on a mystery tour to pick up a nest he had found and wanted some advice  on what kind of nest it was.  Not wanting to give him the easy way out and tell him what it was I did suggest that it was not a Blackbirds.  He did go home that afternoon, did a bit of measuring and eventually found the answer.


Sunday, again an early start and first person on the track normally gets a great view of the birds and this morning was stunning.  Lots of Goldfinch,  Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Tree Sparrows and a couple of stunning looking Yellowhammers. Just stood there for 10mins, clicked my shutter a couple a
times but nothing can capture the moment.  Into the hides but nothing on the scrapes so a wander back to the  public end and waited the arrival of the walkers.  Off we went and once again distant views of the Redstarts and then the highlight of the day, a Banded Demoiselle but no matter how I tried I couldn't get a decent pic (how unusual).


To the hides and the only thing of any note was the shout of Marsh Harrier by a certain person as he caught glimpse of a large bird flying low over the Reeds, "oh, you mean that Buzzard" said Alan and Howdon Blogger looked around for a Goldcrest's nest to hide in.   Whilst sitting in the hide and watching the rain falling we noticed that at the other end of the pond it wasn't raining and people just sat around for 5mins before they started putting brollies up.  At least it proved right what the BBC forecast said earlier that morning that the rain clouds would be slow moving.


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