A couple of days driving around the south-east of England gave an occasional opportunity for some birding, with mixed results (you could say the sublime to the ridiculous).A quick look at the sea the blustery Seven Sisters produced only gulls over the waves......
...but just inland the Hume's Leaf Warbler again gave good views, and seems to ignore our intrusion.
Meanwhile the Great Tits have started calling, which will drive me to distraction over the next couple of months. It seems that they start with a wide range of calls at the beginning of the season, but end up sounding the same, all consolidating on to the 'teacher, teacher' style.
A brief look at a municipal lake to check if the Kingfisher is around - it isn't but four Black Swans are. Not a justifiable tick, unfortunately.
And the ridiculous? Grown men scanning an expanse of distant mud for brief views of little birds which may be Water Pipits at the Marsh Hide between Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry. At least a trusting Snipe kept us company, but Bitterns, Water Rails and Hen Harriers kept away.
3 comments:
Excellent snipe pics steve. Were they taken through a scope?
Thanks Mr Baker - the first two were just with my usual pocket camera (Panasonic FZ7 - at 12x magnification which is apparently 432mm equivalent), and the last was digiscoped.
I have a coolie to carry the 'scope (as it is his) and I occasionally use it, though rarely to any great effect. I prefer to travel light.
In this case, the snipe kindly landed at the base of the hide.
Unlike the blasted water pipits.
Lovely pictures! I enjoy seeing birds that don't live anywhere near me. The variety never ceases to amaze :-)
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