31.5.11.

A few more shots from today. Mute Swan taken very early in the morning, Reed Bunting. Another shot of a Bearded Tit and Conmmon Whitethroat.

Bearded Tit. 31.5.11.

 Not great photos. I struggled here to get a clean shot. Only managed record shots. I was just happy to see two birds on the reed bed today. I also had a report of a pair of adult birds at another area on the patch today. That's also fantastic news.

25.5.11.

A couple of hours today at the Reserve I saw a couple of display sessions from the Great Crested Grebes, and the male Marsh Harrier visisting the lake. With the Harrier leaving twice with prey. On route home I stopped off to try to get some photos of the Avocets with chicks. I did mange to get a few shots but from a distance.

Marsh Harrier Taken 27.4.11.

Here is a picture I missed when editing photos from the 27th of April 2011 of the Far Ings male Marsh Harrier. It was a day when the conditions were very good. I took many photos and am spoilt for choice. I can't upload them all here as it would take forever. I thought this one deserved uploading allbeit a little late. It makes a change when editing to be spoilt for choice!  It makes up for those days when conditions and a lack of subjects means few photos.

Far Ings N.R. 19.5.11.

Here's a few shots from this morning at Far Ings. From top to bottom are Reed Warbler, Great Tit, Swift and Marsh Harrier. I saw the Marsh Harrier from Ness hide on its regular tour or the reed bed four times during the morning. I left the hide at around Noon when the heat haze rising from the reed bed made photography a waste of time. The Swifts proved a challange as ever. Never easy to capture, but rewarding once photographed, to get a look at a bird that lives its life in the fast lane and even sleeps on the wing. The reed beds are alive with activity now with the Reed and Sedge Warber.  Blue Tits and Great Tits could also be seen taking insects from the reed stems. I also again saw what would appear through reports, and my own surery work, our last remaining Bearded Tit. A male bird searching in vain for a mate that it would seem, sadly does not exist.

Bittern at Far Ings Nature Reserve this morning. 12.5.11.

This morning's visit to Far Ings was a blustery one. Light was good and bad at times, meaning constant changes to camera settings. The male Marsh Harrier made a couple of visits to Ness lake. As did this Bittern and one other. Both birds flew from east pit to west pit. With one bird staying there, and this one leaving and flying towards the hide before heading south over the hide.

Click on the photo for a larger version.

Marsh Harrier 9.5.11.

Coot V's Grebe. 9.5.11.

Marsh Harrier at Far Ings Nature reserve. 1.5.11.

I make no excuses for uploading so many Marsh Harrier pictures. This is my favourite bird and it's showing well around the hide. Super bird to watch in action. The photos uploaded today are taken at various times during the morning. The earlier shots when the sun is lower in the sky, give the bird a fantastic orange glow. Click on any photo to view a larger version.