Back Again !

Blacktoft Sands - 22.9.21

So I'm back to Blacktoft to try and improve on my previous images of the White-tailed Plover as the forecast is sunny intervals, on my previous visits the light had been poor, overcast and grey producing very drab images so fingers crossed for a better outcome. Now into the fourth week the Plover's seems content moving between the scrapes/ponds, surely it will soon depart ! so one more visit before I call it a day and move on to something else.

As you can imagine most people have now seen this visitor from eastern Europe, no queuing in the hides always getting a seat, but where's the plover ?

 
Two hours later the plover is found on Singleton, but it never a clear shot as the wader is sticking close to the waters edge obscured by vegetation, with a little patience I manage some shots in some nice light, I'm not going to post a load more, just this one

White-tailed Plover

James Bond Duck

Rochdale Canals - 15.9.21

Over the last few weeks I've seen reports of a drake Goldeneye normally a winter visitor around our region that appears to be spending the summer months of the canals of Rochdale, now normally I've had mixed results with this northern breeder keeping its distance, but on a canal ! you got to be able get near.

It's a short walk to where I need to be and low and behold flying towards landing no more than twenty meters away is the Goldeneye not at all bothered by my presence. Now you ask yourself could this be an escapee, well looking at the images there's no leg rings present so maybe it a lost wild duck.

The light is harsh in fact its full sun so I don't hang around deciding to return later that afternoon. On my return the sun is still belting it out but at least in behind me. Now with all the images than I need a couple of dog walkers decided to feed the Canada Geese next to me and all hell breaks out....shoot over !

Goldeneye

Blacktoft...but at Distance !

Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire  - 30. 8. 21

So there I am sat in the Forest of Dean and up pops a report up on Birdguides that around midday a Black-tailed Lapwing or Plover had been found at Blacktoft Sands and as usual I'm at the opposite end of the country. It's not long before images start to appear later in the day from the usual local suspects, maybe it will stick around until the end of the week ?

Black-tailed Lapwings are to be found breeding in central Asia to Iraq wintering in east Africa and India so way out of their normal range to the UK

Now Monday the Lapwing is still present, thinking it's going to be quite on a Monday my wife reminds me it's a bank holiday doh !...having already set my mind to a visit I decide to go anyway and set the alarm to arrive just when the hides open at 8.0am. Pulling into the carpark it's full, at the hide it's also full, with standing room only with just a short wait Im sat and set to go.

The WTL is only showing occasionally spending most of the time behind a large island, when it dose show it's distant never coming within range for a decent image, now Blacktof isn't one of those locations where you are going to get a close view but the R5 have good cropping capabilities just so long as the light is good and today it isn't...hey ho as they say, 

Just a few reasonable images on the day, I will add a few more if there's any worth posting, I might even try again next week as the forecast looks a little better.

Black-tailed Lapwing / Plover

Common Snipe