Thursday 20 May 2010

Bog Standard Heron
































































After the excitement of yesterday's Purple Heron, today's birds were a lower key, symbolised by our standard Heron. However, the venue had to be altered at fairly short notice, when the road to the original site was undergoing major resurfacing. We went to somewhere of interest only 5 miles away, but the morning crowd had trouble leaving, whilst the afternoon session had problems arriving. There had been a fatality on the main road near the site, so it was closed to all through traffic. As the venue was in an out-of-the-way situation was was really surprised when the couple from Tadcaster and the 'student' from Leeds managed on arrive on time by using minor roads - expert map reading or the dreaded Sat Nav? It was a long walk to the main place of interest but on the way we saw 2 Pink-Footed Geese (am), 6 Lapwings, Reed Buntings, Linnets, Goldfinches, Mute Swans, Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and we heard a couple of Reed Warblers. On the site itself we saw an Oystercatcher & its chick, a male Cuckoo, an unseasonal drake Wigeon and a pair of Goldeneye. There were at least 5 Great Crested Grebes, and plenty of Tufted Ducks, Grey Lag Geese (with 10 chicks), and all the usual suspects.
There 1st 2 pictures are of a Heron follwed by a male Cuckoo, and then a pair of Goldeneye. A Reed Bunting is followed by an Orange-Tip, a Wall Brown, and finally a Small Copper. Of the final picture I won't comment!

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