An Afternoon at Rye Meads

16th August 2021

Time for a quick visit to Rye Meads to see how the Kingfishers are getting on. The scrape in front of the Draper Hide was looking superb now that the water levels have been dropped for the autumn. The Rye Meads speciality, the Stock Dove, was present in good numbers and were strutting around on the newly exposed mud looking for seeds

On the water was a surprise. I have often photographed Little Grebes here, but as far as I can remember this is the first Great Crested Grebe I have ever seen here, a juvenile.

All the ducks are now in eclipse plumage so you can have Shovelers in any colour provided it is brown.

Green Sandpipers are regular here in the autumn but today I saw nine, the highest count that I can remember.

Although there were nine present, the most I could get in one shot were two...................

.............................and this is how Green Sandpipers have a bath!!!

Also, hidden away on the back pool was a Greenshank. I had to wait quite a while for it to emerge from behind the island and then had just a short time to grab some shots before it to disappeared again and then flew off.

I then went round to the Kingfisher Hide and had to wait for nearly two hours for the female to appear, but once back she stayed for at least half an hour, providing some great opportunities in the rather poor light and showers.

She then flew to another branch for some shots with a Sallow back-drop. How thoughtful was that?

Not only did she come back with a fish, but she also caught a fish in the lake. I don't think I have ever seen that before. If it is that simple why do they fly away to fish. 

And once you have caught a fish, how do you "subdue" it. Well you simply smack on your branch. Simples!!

What a wonderful way to spend a dull and rainy afternoon, and made all the more enjoyable by bumping into Mike O'Hanlon and Brian Gleeson.