Portraits from Ryan's Field

I was out dodging the storms this morning and ended up at Ryan's field just as a rare patch of clear sky flooded sunlight over the low waters of the lagoon.

I worked on a pair of Black-tailed Godwits that flew in to produce a nice landing reflection shot that was followed by some good close pairing.

Next up was a lone contrasting black, white and orange Oystercatcher that also benefited from good sunlight and as the clouds returned a Black-headed Gull provided a couple of flight shots as it departed.

Within a few minutes I took my last image of another Black-tailed Godwit that was taking a soaking as the rain poured down again and this time I decided that enough was enough and headed on home

Wagtail Wash & Brush -up

While I was waiting for a show from the Kennell Vale Dipper yesterday this lively Grey wagtail turned up and initially spent some time predating on caterpillars around the sunlit river banks,

Snacks complete it headed into the river shallows for a serious session of bathing then hopped up on to a nearby rock and preened just about every feather that it had before heading off up stream

Putting the Glossy back into the Ibis

I picked up on the recent sightings of a Glossy Ibis that has been feeding regularly during early mornings at Marazion Marsh.

I arrived half and hour before sun up and the bird was already feeding along the water margins which was great but a Glossy Ibis is a drab shadow without the benefit of good light levels.

As the light levels improved with the sun rising over the hills of Marazion the fine colours and Iridescence started to show the Ibis in all its glory.

I snapped away on this bird for over an hour picking the moments when the colours showed at their best and most shots had the benefit of in-water reflections.

By the time I took this final image things were looking good but I was already running late for an appointment and just had to cut loose and go

Kennell Vale Dipper

Spent another lovely day photographing the Dipper and Grey Wagtails at Ponsenooth and the Kennell Vale woods were bathed in dappled light sunshine throughout the day.

The Dipper were showing well both in the river and on the sunlit banks creating some good photo opportunities,

I have a meeting this evening some a blog on the Grey Wagtail will follow tomorrow

As a bye the way,  If you go to Kennell Vale to photograph the Dippers watch out for the shifty looking Pasty Pilfering Poacher of Ponsenooth   { see photo fit picture below } For he and his hound are likely to make off with your pasty lunch while you are working and they swiftly devours it before you realise.  He then runs off through the woods shouting ' Get on ' to his hound encouraging it to find another victim.

I'm told that they are both hungry but harmless,   They just love Pasties !!

Walmsley visit

Peter Tonkin and I took a trip up to Walmsley Sanctuary yesterday morning looking to capitalise on the recent  ' Frog Fest '  event with an influx of dozens of Cattle Egret predating on the local frogs during their breeding season.

Our visit was perhaps a little too late with most of the Cattle egret now feeding in sheep grazing fields at the Chapel Amble end of the reserve but we stayed in the fine 4m high hide for the duration and eventually picked off a few stay birds that did pass our way.

We did get a few distant shots of a Cattle Egret devouring what must have been one of the last luckless frogs to finish our day but we will look to visit at an earlier opportunity in oncoming years should this event be repeated.

                             

So we finally got a bit of a shot of the Cattle Egret predating on frogs but on this occasion I believe that the Cormorant below created our best photo opportunity of the day as it displayed its pristine plumage in a few classic wing drying poses

Perhaps Walmesley was a long way to go for a Cormorant Shot but the we had really enjoyed our visit to this excellent hide and our thanks go to Adrian Langdon for arranging our access and showing us around.

Spoonbill Parade

As the sun started to cut through the early morning mist at Ryans field a Spoonbill stirred from its roost on one of the lagoon islands and moved out into the still waters to fish for its breakfast.

The rising sun and the still water created some interesting Spoonbill reflection as its own movement sent out ripples through them to fracture their form.

But it was to be short lived as an influx of a group of birders into the rather open fronted hide sent the Spoonbill off over to the estuary.