More From Black Hole Marsh

I've paid a couple of visits to Black Hole Marsh today, one at either end of the day to avoid the crowds, and there are crowds compared to the 'old days'. It's becoming an extremely popular reserve and it isn't hard to see why. There were six Woodsands yesterday evening but only three were still around today, along with the first Little Stint of the autumn., which also arrived yesterday. Lots of other bits an' bobs too.

 Artistic shot of the Little Stint

Little Stint

The calls of some excited Herring Gulls drew my attention to a Grey Heron that was flying in. It was carrying a large Eel which it proceeded to dunk in the water and generally bash about a bit, before swallowing it whole, like they do. It always makes me feel nauseous when I see it. I don't know how they fit it in!

 Now you see it.....

....Now you don't.....Well, actually you can still see it! (enlarge it) Gross!

"Eel, what eel?..It wasn't me...I haven't seen an eel!"

Whilst there I heard about some Hawk-moth caterpillars which were showing well on some recently planted 'willow sculpture type thingies'. So I twitched them, like you do.

Poplar Hawk-moth Caterpillar

 Eyed Hawk-moth caterpillar

 Eyed Hawk-moth again....

 .....and again, doing what caterpillars do best.

 And this evening I took a few of snaps but had a bit of trouble with the lighting.

 Two of the Wood Sandpipers ( a bit too much light here)

And a Greenshank with too little light at gone 8pm, resulting in absolutely zero depth of field. Still, I quite like it anyway.