Sunday and a drop into Arcot where Mr Liverbirder was watching an empty pond where only the presence of Swifts, Swallows and Martins were the only thing visible then a gadwall dropped in (WOWish). A 10 minute whinge about dipping on the Bluethroat then Gordon left for Breakfast (or did I drive him off). I hung around listening to the 2 Sedge Warblers which were having a "Whos Got The Scratchiest Call Competition" and watched them moving around in the open looking for the best position to outcall each other. This enabled me to get a couple of pics.
On the way out I heard a Whitethroat and managed to get a snatched shot as it flitted around
Off to Big Waters for the Sunday Walk and the wind was really getting up now. Alan J, Ian D, Keith and myself set off and literally did our fastest walk ever as not a great lot was spotted. A few Linnet, a Kestrel, several Whitethroat heard but not seen, a pair of Partridge in the same place we have seen them the last 3 times we looked and the Lapwings then Alan J spotted a couple of young Lapwings moving around in the long grass then another 2 were discovered. Back to the 1st Hide where on opening the shutters not a great lot to be seen apart from water, water everywhere although Ian insisted it had gone down from yesterday. The only thing visible were a couple of Common Terns, 10 Mute Swans, 1 Mallard, a Grey Heron and I think that was it. There were a couple of other things in the form of 2 abandoned Swan nests both with eggs in which have been like that for nearly 2 weeks now.
The island is nearly covered although the 2 Terns are seem to be there for the Duration.
Finally, just as were about to leave a Sedge Warbler which had been scratching away was finally spotted so as I positioned myself for a pic of a year patch tick Alan J picked up my camera pointed it in the general direction (it was a good 40m away) and pressed the button, I then took a carefully prepared shot (by this time though the light had gone) and when I got home to check I must admit Alans snatched shot was a lot better than mine even after severly cropping them both and "Sharpening Them Up A Bit". Basically Alans pic was pants and mine "enuff said".
Apologies for another Sedgie pic, but its a patch tick, which outranks the Arcot ones.
2 comments:
I feel i must come to the defence of Sedge Warblers. I do not agree with you about their song being scratchy. The Common Whitethroat song is definitely scratchy but no way is the Sedge Warblers. It is MANIC !!!
yours,
a Sedge Warbler fan.
I remember the pleasure of seeing my first Sedge Warbler when I started bird watching seriously in my late teens.
The love affair continues nearly 50 years later.
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