nest builders

this pair of Long-tailed Tits on Waters' Edge had the most advanced nest of any today---it is the earliest I have ever seen one like this in February--note the more streak breasted female

rubbish--it will do nicely as a base layer

this pair of Long-tailed Tits were pulling this paper towel to bits to make a base for their nest--some rubbish does come in useful

oddments

some shriveling guelder rose berries, blackthorn in flower Humber Bridge viewing area and male Tufted Duck and a male Goldcrest which had been singing heartily

sunny fox

I came across this fox doing a bit of sunbathing in a short break on a cloudy Sunday

Marsh Harrier ageing

this female Marsh Harrier was around the pits today and gave a couple of photo opportunities albeit in fairly poor light; so what age is it? the female type plumage with a dark iris, fairly uniform dark brown tail but with some moult in the remiges must make this a female; according to Forsmann in their first winter Marsh Harriers moult body, some wing coverts and sometimes central tail feathers but not remiges so this bird appears to be older than 2cy but there are worn and faded pale tips to the greater coverts which suggest these are juvenile feathers? there is a distinct moult contrast between the inner 4 new primaries which are paler brown than the darker outers but the outers also seem a bit shiny and unworn as if they may also be new feathers? one inner secondary is a new paler brown feather and the central tail feathers look a bit darker than the outers--so is it a 2cy or 3cy or older female?

grebe reflections

I seem to be obsessed with water and reflections--it may be a passing phase!

impressing the missus

but she looks less than impressed

dwebes

plenty of Great Crested action in the middle of the pits---I just need a boat

Adobe filter lacking

I just cannot find the remove reeds filter on Adobe Photoshop---or the turn round the boomer filter

pits odds

a Woodcock put up from Waters' Edge; singing male Reed Bunting, Robin in the thorns and a couple of Blackbirds part of a build of of pre-emigrant Blackies around the pits in recent days

Coot action

tis the season of Coot excitement but it was a bit dull so I shot into the light to highlight the water

flying reedbed

a lucky encounter with a landing Bittern on the patch today but th elight had gone by the time it almost appeared in the open

Ross's revisited

with the rediscovery of the Ross's Gull in Argyle I looked back at some of my pics and did a little work on them---three of my favourites are posted again looking a bit better than the original quick processed images--click on images for full frame shots

Slav Grebe

a moulting Slavonian Grebe has been on the local patch for two days but it is on the largest pit of the complex and is tricky to approach---it has been singing though