A Water Rail skitted around the scrape often persued by the local Moorhens.
Two of six Green Sandpiper ventured close to the camera.
This Migrant Hawker spots its next meal.
A juvenile Red-backed Shrike was just outside the reserve viewed from a public footpath along the bank of the Thames.
The current visitors centre will eventually become an educational building. An interesting strucure indeed - my first thought was 'yuk' ! (and remains so).
A Wood Sandpiper was just a bit too distant.
A distant Northern Wheatear.
A few Little Egret were dotted around the reserve.
This Ruff showed well from the hide.
My best view of a Water Vole. This is a top site for these declining creatures.
Roesel's Bush Cricket Metrioptera roeselii. A scarce cricket, mainly found near coasts but increasing inland.
A Migrant Hawker.
A distant shot of the QEII bridge which carries the M25 motorway over the River Thames.
A nice spot, overall, difficult to believe it's not far from busy London.
Starting bright but clouding over by lunch, much cooler too. The Blackwit has left the building. A dozen Common Swift feeding over the lagoons with all three hirundines present too. A couple of Yellow Wagtail through; Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Hobby and Common Buzzard seen. Missed a brief view of an early returning Water Rail.
A pair of Wardown Park Whooper Swan are still present.
One of two loafing Grey Heron.
Speckled Wood
Small White
Yesterday, a fresh looking Shaggy Inkcap ...
... now looks like this
Present for five days this Black-tailed Godwit proved difficult to approach - too many nettles !
Somewhat easier to photograph was this Painted Lady - the tip of the left antenna is missing.
A male Banded Demoiselle.
At Willen lake, Milton Keynes, a Wilson's Phalarope was too far to DLSR but this Hobby performed well outside the hide.
A Grey Heron waits patiently.
This Alpine Accentor showed well down to six feet.
Record shot of Alpine Swift
A flock of Bee Eater fed by the roadside.
A chance encounter of Black-eared Wheatear on a roadside fence.
Black Redstart
A Black Kite with some carrion.
There was no sign of a reported Kumlien's Gull, but I did find this 1st summer Iceland Gull. It appeared very pale/bleached on the water in the bright spring sunshine. The bill base was pale with the distal third dark. An adult was seen earlier too, so possibly three Icelands today.
