Ooo fingers crossed. Spent a cold afternoon today watching a Hen Harrier on a rough grassland about 3 miles from the house. Genuinely magical birds.
No joy. Couple of stonechats that it was pictured with but bi Dartford Warbler. All I got for my troubles is 2 Dr Martens boots full of water as, unbeknownst to me, the itchen (which flows round the reserve on both sides) had burst its banks in many places turning the path into an auxillary river. Reckon it was 4 inches deep in places. Hope in havenβt knackered these boots
Bloody birds
Eeesh bloody hell. Get them boots stuffed with paper and theyβll be reet, hopefully!
Nice to be out though?
Aye indeed it was. If only Iβd remembered my bins
Thatβs what a 4am alarm results in
The joy of a 4am alarm is that it gives you chance to put the bins out if you forgot the night before!
Bins as in binoculars.
But yes, it definitely has a singular advantage, getting up early
makes sense in the bird thread.
Not seen the mystery bird by/in the river for a few days. Have seen a heron several times when going to work at silly am though - didnβt realise they worked nights (although I suppose light pollution near the cityβ¦)
That is one beautifully lit egret
Some goosanders on the river on the south side on the city apparently. Gonna try and get out for a walk down there tomorrow morning for a look see. We also still have that Dartford Warbler floating around, but the end of the nature reserve that itβs sat on is shut atm.
Def a plastic bag that
Whatβs the reserve called?
Winnal moors
Nice bit of chalk stream business that. Fingers crossed for some green sandpipers on there as well.
Not normally, but they do get in the watercress beds (fed by chalkstreams) up river a bit. Snipe in there atm.
Taken my first bird walk this year to scope these out. Managed to spot one ducking and diving about. Also Γ© shoveler off to the right of the river which is rare around here