A Sunny Afternoon at Abberton Reservoir

5th May 2024

After a most successful morning photographing the inhabitants of the heronry time to explore the rest of the reserve. Still on the Layer Breton causeway I was treated to a fly-by Sparrowhawk.

You will notice on this photograph that the mouth is open. No idea what that was about as it certainly wasn't calling.

And then there were the Common Terns, one of the most graceful sea birds which I could photograph all day, and very often do.

Now on to the Layer de la Haye causeway and not too surprising to find that the first birds to show themsleves were Great Crested Grebes. No displaying here but just looking resplendent in the afternoon sun.

The lone drake Goosander is still present when it should be back on its breeding grounds by now. However, it has damage to a number of outer primaries on its right wing which may affect its flight. Let's hope they moult back during its next wing moult in the autumn.

A Little Ringed Plover was present in the usual spot but seemingly on its own with no other bird in sight. Perhaps its mate is on a nest somewhere.

But the biggest surprise was when I looked up to the sky and saw two White Storks circling overhead. There have a number of birds touring East Anglia and no signs of any rings makes it impossible to know where they come from. Nice to meet Steve Dobbs when I was photograhing the plover and storks.

And finally on to the reserve and to the viewpoint overlooking Hide Bay where a Black Tern had been reported. While I was waiting I could hear the song of a Sky Lark but despite much scanning of the sky I couldn't locate it and then realised it was singing from a nearby bush.

At that point the tern appeared but was very difficult to photograph as apart from being distant it was flying behind a long low bush and would only emerge a few yards at either end. However after an hour or so and several hundred shots later I did manage to get a few records shots.

But the star of the show today was the Barn Owl that was hunting virtually non-stop around the reservoir margins, presumably because it had hungry mouths to feed.

What a fantastic way to end a fantastic day!!!!!