Water rising - Damn.

An early start ensured I missed the early morning traffic. Arriving at Melverly at very early o'clock. As I had said before I was going to try a different approach route! I had decided to use the track at the opposite side of the area as it presented dead ground and good hedgerows for concealment.

Unfortunately it also presented a herd of cows, and the water levels rising in the brook and fields along its route, this brook floods every winter and from the state of the Fields it was certainly on its way. The standing water in the marsh area was at welly level and took some navigation. I can imagine that the winter levels may preclude getting the hide up at the right spot!

The Whooper swans were on station with three Mute swans, there was a good group of twelve comprising of 6 adults and 6 juveniles.

It was nice to watch the family groups moving together as they feed on the grass. Sadly the area they were feeding on was on the opposite side of the field. Bugger long lens and converter, which I was hoping to avoid as the light was not the best in fact it was not light more like dark!

They were intent on watching a Fox as it moved across the field to the North of them it looked more like a casual interest than a genuine concern, a total difference to the Greylags also in the field. The mute swan were totally none plussed at the Fox's arrival.

This family group moved together throughout the morning.

On the return trip I stopped at Venus Pools, just out of curiosity! Golden eye, Widgeon, good numbers of Teal, Shoveller, Dabchick, Gadwall, Kingfisher plus the normal supporting crew.A little time at the Feeder hide produced nothing new just nice to exercise the eyeballs left, right up and down trying to follow the movements of all that was moving. Which was, big breath!

Blue tit, Coal tit, Great tit, Willow tit, Longtailed tit, Robin, Treesparrow, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Kestrel , Moorhen, Mallard, Great spotted woodpecker, Nuthatch, Wren and probably some I have forgot! I think it is about time I spent an hour or two on the far side of the reserve there must be Redpoll and Siskin around there somewhere!

There you go a short resume of the day, and as usual a few shots from the time out.

So C U again I hope

Paul