A Merely Wonderful Morning

 Wow.

 What a morning.

Bittern, Waxwings and Slav Grebe all within half an hour.

08:29 - I had a call from Jon telling me he had a Slav Grebe off Heslop's, but I was on my way to the hide, so I had that to hopefully look forward to.

I passed a load of Redwings (c40) and Fieldfares (c100) at Weatherhill on my way to the hide and stopped to take photos - I wish I hadn't...

Fieldfare and Redwing

Redwing

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

The sun was shining in a clear blue sky, although it was barely above zero as evidenced by the frozen slider on the gate. It took some effort to get it to move, but it was a lovely morning as I walked past the pines towards the hide.

I got to the hide and scanned the beautiful vista. The usual birds were there, Mute Swans and Goldeneye, a few Mallards and a single Great Crested Grebe. Something flew in to the reed bed opposite - a Bittern no less. It landed on top of the reeds that have either gone over or have been cut and sat there in full view. I got my camera and pressed the zoom control - no response. I looked at the display and saw the fateful words - battery exhausted. Bugger. No spare with me either as I thought 50% power in the camera was enough when I set off. Wish I hadn't taken those photos of Redwing and FIeldfare now!

I took some pics with the phone although I knew they were useless. Ah well, still the Slav to go for.

As I walked through Heslop's I heard a call overhead that I knew (I'd played it a few times last week to prepare myself). Waxwing! I looked up and saw a bird going over so I got the bins on it - deffo Waxwing with another just behind it.  No sense in getting the camera out though 😢

On to second field and a chance of seeing the Slavonian Grebe. I got the bins onto a bird that looked like the Slav which was just off Heslop's. Watched it for a while and when it dived I rang Jon to tell him I had it, but he said he had a Slav off the reed bed at the east end. We thought we had two but as I couldn't relocate mine we stayed with one. Again, no photos and this was getting too much to bear.

I went back to the hide in the afternoon with a full battery and a spare, but of course the Bittern didn't show. Oh well. More experience to add to life's rich pageant.

 In Heslop's where they have cut the reeds there was a Mute Swan with a weird looking neck. I saw it in the afternoon on the water from the hide. Hope it's OK.

Bullfinches are more scarce than they used to be before they hacked down the large stand of hawthorns by Weatherhill. I was pleased to see one this morning.

Bullfinch

The folk at Weatherhill never seem to tire of cutting down any trees that look too big or may get in the way of whatever development they are undertaking. I estimate over 30 mature trees lost along the track to their place, could be more further along too.

Thinning out the trees to allow the undergrowth to grow through perhaps? Nah - just wanton destruction.