Hide and Seek!

After yesterdays appalling birding day things definitely looked a lot brighter today, although the birds I did find could definitely be described as super illusive!

Chiffchaff - Likely looking For His Second Brood!

A quick troll of the local patch, which produced a couple of Mistle Thrush on the wires at the marina and a welfare check on my resident Coot family, who are doing very nicely, I took a drive over to Draycote Water to see if it was worth having a walk around.

Immediately I put my head over the parapet I knew it wasn't for me when my hat took off almost back to the car park in a strong almost northerly. The highlight of my briefest ever visit was the sheer amount of Swifts, literally whizzing within inches from your head and the whoosh of noise as they passed by was just amazing.

Not feeling too energetic I took the decision to have my packed lunch in the general comfort of Big Hide at Brandon Marsh and headed off. The walk past Sheep Field gate produced ♂Cuckoo, a singing Lesser Whitethroat and the usual Warblers were all in evidence. East Marsh Pool was as quiet as yesterday's visit, save for a couple of Shelduck who were well asleep on Lapwing Island.

After lunch a stroll down to Carlton Hide came up with my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year when I discovered one opposite the Carlton overflow ditch. Despite several sightings the bird remained pretty elusive and I never quite managed a descent image. Strangely I didn't manage any Hobbies during my visit today but the screen area produced Willow Tit and a singing Chiffchaff, probably looking for his second brood.

Turtle Dove - Delighted To See Him Back!

Finally, my third visit this month to a local area where I've been lucky enough to have Turtle Dove the last two years paid off. However, it took me quite a while to locate yet another illusive bird and even then I could only manage a record shot before he made off to a wooded area he seems to prefer. This is really good news and I'm sure there will be plenty more opportunities to get some better shots over the summer months.