A Day at Stodmarsh

24th August 2022

It's been at least 12 years BC (before camera) since I have been to Stodmarsh so time for a visit especially after the reports of good numbers of waders. Fairly few dragonflies about, mainly Migrant Hawkers patrolling the trails but refusing to settle, and a handful of Ruddy Darters including this showy male settled on a Phragmites head.

There was also plenty of Greater Bladderwort on the various ponds, a very rare plant in Hertfordshire which, as of the year 2000, was only found in a pond at Balls Park in Hertford.

Fairly quiet at the Feast's Hide until a flock of duck disturbed from another part of the reserve flew in bringing with them a pair of Garganey. I have always assumed that Garganey feed mostly at night because whenever I see them they are asleep, so nice today to see this pair out in the open and awake.

Now on to the Reedbed Hide where the water levels are low and attracting good numbers of waders. On the ground a Cormorant was making the most of the exposed mud to dry its wings and a Heron was using its wings as reflectors while it was sunbathing..........................

........................and in the air a juvenile Marsh Harrier wafted across the scrape.

The acres of wet mud had attracted just a single Lapwing but also three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers.

Black-tailed Godwits were well represented and due to the perfectly still water provided some nice reflection shots.

In places the mud was very gloopy and the godwits were having to use their wings to move about.

There were also three Green Sandpipers present, although there had been six the day before.

Luckily one of the birds came close to the hide allowing some close-ups to be taken.

And the occasion where a male Sparrowhawk spooked the lot provided a couple of flight shots.

There were also three Wood Sandpipers which kept their distance but provided some shots depending on the light.

Even they had problems with the gloopy mud resulting in much wing-flapping as they tried to free their legs.

And to finish off a couple of shots showing the comparison of a Wood Sandpiper, foreground, and a Green Sandpiper,

Well its taken me 12 years to return to Stodmarsh but I will certainly be back.