**** Pauls Blog ****: Pluvialis to the right of me, Pluvialis to the etc.etc.

Pluvialis? yes Golden plovers, The owner of the 110 acre field this lovely little waders are currently favouring was amazed at them when I pointed them out to him and promptly gave me permission to set the hide up for some photo opportunities.

Having watched this flock for some time now it was apparent that they were in the least a tad flighty, so no point in stalking at all, and as putting up a hide in the day light was a bit daft I decided to move in under cover of darkness, and bugger was it dark and bloody cold. It was 03:30 when the attack went in, the objective was achieved with no loss of dignity as the dips and bumps did their level best to be right where I wanted to place my foot.

With the ground being covered in the hard frost it was a bit surreal as the Geonid meteor shower really got under way, in the first hour I counted 58 shooters as they lite up on entering the earths atmosphere, no pictures, saving batteries for the job in hand.

So hide up and secured, it was inside nice cup of hot Tea and a couple of hours sleep prior to first light, thankfully there had been no alarm calls on the approach, or did it mean they was not ere?

I was woken at first light by a Skylark on the top of the hide giving it what for, a good omen? you can decide that. it was breakfast another well good tea and get the equipment into position, heated insoles switched on and handwarmers lit.

As the light broadened it became very clear that I had got into a bit of a pickle, having only dragged the 600 f4 with me the whole flock of around 300 were all around me, in the Stubble and on the wheat and all to close. Serves me right for being lazy and not dragging the 300mm along just in case. They gradually started moving out into small groups feeding as they went.

The frost and low mist pervaded the whole area and really put a dampener on the proceedings

as the ISO needed to go to 640 for any chance of catching any movement, that of course means more noise in the shot, by around 08:45 the light was getting better and of I went. So with a few reasonable shots in the bag they all lifted in unison as the farmer started to deliver ton upon ton of cow plop, ok, so the crows and Black headed gulls moved out of the way, but the target species was up and would only drop in again in small groups at a greater distance.

Unfortunately for Jason he arrived as I emerged to pack the gear, of course the whole flock lifted again, but this time settled much closer to him than either he or I expected. So to finish of the morning it was round to the gate for a few more shots with the stubble as the backdrop rather than the green wheat. So if you have read this far here you go a few example from the days outing. A small total of 5Gbs to edit!!