Monday, 29 April 2013

A Patch Lifer!

A text from Steve this morning had me rushing over to a wood on the outskirts of Colyton where he'd found a singing Wood Warbler whilst doing his regular bird survey. I've only ever seen Wood Warbler a couple of times before and never on patch where it is definitely in the mega category. When I arrived Steve was just leaving but pointed me in the right direction. I spent a tense half hour or so hearing it singing in some tall trees and not being able to pinpoint it well enough to get a sighting. It eventually moved into some small birches and sallows in a clearing and I not only got some good views I also managed to get a few photos. One I definitely wouldn't have predicted to get on my patch photo year-list! I also added Egyptian Goose yesterday and this morning I caught a Reed Warbler uncharacteristically leaving itself exposed while singing from a reed bed on Black Hole Marsh.


 No. 98 Egyptian Goose




 No.99 Reed Warbler

Before I received the text from Steve I had just been watching an Osprey over the estuary. It was always flying away from me though so I struggled to get a photo, this being the best I could manage.


It received a typical welcome from the Axe Estuary's resident Crows and was soon on its way.




No. 100 Wood Warbler
A fitting bird to make up my century!

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