Distraction with a Smile
This Willow Warbler was busy feeding her young with caterpillars through the crack in the willow tree until she noticed me watching then proceeded to fly closer to me and made a repetative “hooweet” sound…I only stayed there a few minutes as I was in fact interupting the last feed of the day…
Music of the Marsh
Spring merges into summer, time is racing like an unstoppable lightning bolt, I try to get out there more frequently than last year because I know if I blink then I may just miss it all…
The marshland and meadows are out of bounds for the general public until the 15th of June, there are many birds which nest on the ground there, such as lapwings, snipe and geese so I stay on the main footpaths for another week…theres a large family of greylag geese there at the moment….but it’s impossible getting anywhere near them, even without the imposed regulations…geese see you coming at a 100 metres or more, it’s those long necks. ☺ Also, without the reed to provide cover either side of the path I’m not going to be sneaking up on anything for a while at least…though the reed grows quickly once it gets going…
So I have a few key places I sit and wait, and watch and listen….the constant song of the sedge warbler has been the main feature this last month…
This last week I have noticed that the reed warblers have decided to turn up too…I am reasonably confident I can tell their songs apart now…the sedge warbler is more chaotic and avant-garde in his compositions and the reed warbler is more structured and patterned. There are a few grasshopper warblers too…I only ever catch a fleeting glimpse of one in flight. There are many willow warblers though….as the name suggests….wherever there is a willow there will be a willow warbler. ☺
The call of the black-tailed godwit is also frequently heard….they like getting into groups and making lots of noise…similar to sparrows in a way…
Amidst all the noise and constant attention seeking….others are more silent and solitary…
A Warm Welcome
Usually warblers can prove quite elusive for the cameras’ lens, yet this Willow Warbler posed while singing, a familiar song for the time of year.
Recently back from wintering in Africa (and looking good) is of course the Swallow.
A common sound and sight on the marsh is the Reed Bunting…this bird flew circles around me before posing in a typical Reed Bunting way…I suspected I was near its’ nest.
This Black Tailed Godwit was the first bird I saw this year on the marsh, definitely a fitting welcome party and my first photo of one. I was surprised I could get so close as this, normally wading birds are quite shy…I can never get closer than 50 metres to a snipe usually, despite many hours of careful stalking. Godwits are much bolder in that respect…reflected in their loud call…the dutch name for this bird is “Grutto”, a name which I believe is derived from its’ call.
At only a couple of millimetres in length this is surely the smallest (and cutest) moth I’ve ever seen…it was also a weird experience at that moment to go into the macroworld whist surrounded by a vast open landscape….almost disorientating. 😉
On leaving the marsh for the day, I couldn’t resist this photo opportunity of this years lambs.
a heartical view 