Boomerless Bitterns

What an amazing story. Bitterns have been seen at Titchwell this Spring and Summer but no booming males have been heard. It had therefore been assumed that they were not breeding. Not, that is, until recently when a female started feeding flights across the reed bed!! The nest is in the reed bed in front of the Fen Hide, and about the same distance from the public footpath out to the beach.

The female seems to do most of the fishing in the far side of the reed bed over by the east bank and then flies back to the nest, sometimes quite high in the sky with a couple of circuits over the nest before landing.

So why didn't the male boom? Well, according to my old mate Graham White "The male was probably booming elsewhere - possibly at Holme.  Males and females may select different areas depending on conditions, so the female's territory may not be in the males.  This happened last year at Fen Drayton - 2 boomers but the nests were at nearby Ouse Fen."

I spent several hours watching the area, waiting for the bird to return for some shots, but without any outstanding success. However, the results are an example of what can be achieved and are reproduced here.

I missed the best opportunity when the bird flew in low so I only picked it up at the last moment. If I had seen it just a half second earlier I would had a good shot before it plunged into the reeds.

One Good Tern Deserves Another

I had gone to Titchwell in the hope of photographing some waders but the water levels in front of the hide were still a little too high. However, on the flip side, a Common Tern was fishing quite close to the path. As I have said before, photographing terns in flight is as exciting as fishing and therefore I spent quite some time rattling off shots before the tern gave up and flew back to one of the islands. They are so graceful and I never tire of photographing them.

Spotted Flycatchers at Wallington

Based on information supplied by Mike Ilett and Dave McCarthy I headed off to Wallington to try my luck with the Spotted Flycatchers in the churchyard there. Like a number of other species, Spotted Flycatchers are now incredibly scarce towards the south of the country but seem to be faring better in the north.

I entered the churchyard and walked down the side and there in front of me were a couple of flycatchers flitting between the mature trees by the fence and the gravestones behind the church. I decided to position myself leaning against a black barn to break my outline and wait for the birds to forget that I was there. This was only partially successful, as one of the young birds was so curious that it came and sat on a branch just 6 feet away from my head. No good for photography as 6 feet is well below the minimum focus of my lens.

However, an hour and 200 shots later I did manage to get a collection in different positions and lighting.

 

What a Purr-fect day

After missing out on the Bygrave Turtle Doves and receiving some information from Denise Anderson, I decided to go to Fowlmere for another attempt.

I have only been to Fowlmere once before with No1 son Mark about 23 years ago, when the only things we saw were a Mallard and a Brown Trout. The reason I know is that Mark keeps reminding me. However, I must say that first impressions were good as I had only gone a few yards when, in a dead tree the other side of the reed bed, I saw a male Linnet and a male Bullfinch. These were too far away to photograph but just illustrated the potential of the site.

I eventually made my way round to the Reed Bed Hide which is a magnificent two-story structure which was there when we went all those years ago, and gives commanding views over the mere and reed beds. However, what caught my ear was a Linnet singing to the left of the hide. It didn't take long to realise that the pair were building a nest in the bramble below (yes, even in the latter half of July) and the male was insisting in singing above the nest as they normally do. This always seems to me to be less than sensible, but was a godsend when I was finding nest during my ringing days. Anyway, the temptation was too great and I rattled off a few shots.

After about 150 shots I was preparing to leave when I heard music to my ears......the purring of a Turtle Dove coming from the other side of the hide. I peered out of the window and although the dove was obviously very close, it was out of view. The singing then stopped. I left the hide and was about to rejoin the main path when the dove starting singing again and I was able to spot it high up on the edge of a tall tree. This was certainly on the edge of my camera's capability.

I put on the converter and took a series of shots although the bird, apart from being very distant, was always sillouetted and therefore lighting and contrast was always going to be an problem. However, I did manage to get a few record shots.

So, what was the outcome of the day. Well, I enjoyed taking the Linnet photos but the Turtle Dove is a species that will have to wait for another day.

Common Sandpiper at King's Meads

Andy Brown had reported a Whinchat on the fenceline close to the horse paddock and therefore I went down the following day to see if I could locate it for some photographs. Unfortunately there was no sign but at White House Sluice there were a couple of Grey Wagtails which flew off before I could get any shots, but also a Common Sandpiper. This seems to be a little early in the year for returning waders, although there have been a couple of Common Sands at Tyttenhanger recently.

The bird was quite flighty but, most conveniently kept to the New River, settling on the piling and the bridges. The amount of cover made photography difficult but I did eventually  manage to get a couple of shots.

To The Wilds of the Baldock Area

Hertfordshire is a strange place from a birding perspective as there is a significant north-south divide. Many of the birds that have long deserted the south such as Yellow Wagtails, Grey Partridges, Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings and Turtle Doves are still to be found in the north of the county. Today my quarry was Turtle Dove which I haven't seen in the county for three years.

In fact the last time I saw them was at Bygrave near Baldock which is where I was heading today. I stopped at the Manor House which is a mix of private dwellings, small industrial units and a horse paddock. Three years ago they were flying around the horse chestnuts in the horse paddock. I leaned on the rail listening for the characteristic purring call but to no avail. A walk up the lane still didn't produce anything so, after an hour, I moved on the Deadman's Hill.

Not the best time of year for this area but there is always the chance of some close-up views and photo opportunities for Linnets, Yellowhammers and Corn Buntings. As I stood by the famous green gate my ears were alerted to the the chipping call of a Quail coming from the Barley field behind me. I walked up the road in the general direction of the calls, but however fast I walked the calls were always in front of me. Either the wind was carrying the call or the bird was moving fast through the crop.

The calls eventually led me up the western side of the field at which point the calls stopped. The air was now filled with the song of a Corn Bunting which, following a quick scan with the bins, was located on the top of a stem of Hogweed growing in a ditch. I have photographed Corn Buntings here before and have found that by edging towards them very slowly they are reasonably approachable as the following shots will testify.

So, as happens quite frequently, not what I came for but a result nevertheless.

Kingfishers at Rye Meads

Rye Meads is a great place to see Kingfishers. There is a hide which, through a stroke of originality, is called the Kingfisher Hide which overlooks a pool with an artificial Kingfisher bank built into the side. The adult pair are currently feeding young in the nest and are therefore very easy to see as they fly to and fro with fish.

As I made my way to the hide I called in to the Tern and Gadwall Hides which overlook a couple of large lagoons. Here there is usually plenty of opportunity to photograph large water birds at fairly close range and today was no exception. The first candidate was a Common Tern which perched on a pole not far from the hide.

Next on the list was a smart Black-headed Gull which chose to sit on an overhanging willow tree rather than a dreary old post or raft, which provided a much better composition all round.

Then along the track to the Kingfisher Hide I came across a most unusual sight, a Green Woodpecker sitting in a tree. They normally spend most of their time feeding on the ground and its presence was only given away by a rather half-hearted yaffle.

Finally I arrived at the Kingfisher Hide and, along with a couple of other photographers, settled down to wait for the next delivery of fish. When the adults arrive back at the pool they normally settle on a post sticking out of the middle of the pool to have a look round before proceeding to the nest hole. This few seconds allows the perfect opportunity to rattle off a few shots, as they fly straight off when they emerge from the hole.