Little Gull

it was sunny then dull then wet then dull -- good forecast again -- this adult or 3cy Little Gull was on sailing pit but always distant until it flew off! -- a nice pink bird with apparently with some slight damage to the right primaries

Wheatear and ash

this male Wheatear was sitting on  a twig in the middle of a cleared reedbed when it flew down and crashed open winged into a pile of ash after which it preened and carried on feeding

Osprey CW?

early morning this Osprey passed over Water's Edge attracting attention from the local crows -- it has a white colour ring on the left leg with what appears to be CW in black -- photo sent off to Roy D

Grasshopper Warblers

between different observers over the last two days there appears to have been a minimum of 9 groppers on the patch - 3 or 4 different birds here -- at one spot a male was reeling this morning then a female appeared and suddenly two other males started singing nearby -- amazing how they know?

Sedge Warbler

two for the ooo agh lovers --

passing Whimbrel

a flock of 7 on the patch today -- seems to be good numbers going through at the moment

drake Pochard

as ducks go drake Pochard are one of the best

odd Marsh Harrier tail

surveying harriers this afternoon came across this male; clearly an old adult male from the upperwings and the underpart pattern it oddly has a dark brown central tail with just the outers being pale grey; it was very obvious when the tail was spread but as I only managed a few images as it passed me the full extent of the colour is not clear; it could I suppose be staining but as it is only on the central tail feathers it seem odd - needs further study

Pochard

a female with just too many suitors and a fast moving target

Gadwall

Coots are aggressive critters and always seem to have a go at Gadwall - these part of rapid sequence on 1D4 and 500 f4 as bird flew towards and then banked to side and away

Swift

a high record shot -- in the late 70's and early 80's it was rare to see a Swift here before May but they get earlier; this year produced my earliest ever with 2 on the patch on the 19th and 15 together today screaming -- also today first 5 Common Terns, Turtle Dove but no Cuckoo yet

Blackcap

this male was in dispute with another male over a female -- early morning little light

Tree Pipits

my first session in the forest since the trivialis arrived -- at least 14 males on site today and odd females passing through and causing the usual commotion amongst the sparring males -- all these with 1DIV and 500 f4 handheld; I tend to find that using the 1.4 converter with the 500 results in far less acceptable flight shots of small birds and the AF speed is so much quicker without it which helps as these things are only in the air for a short spell at a time

I never use playback to these birds but walk around first sussing out which one is the most accommodating as some individuals are always tamer and more active than others; as usual this bird was one that had a territory bordering a second bird with a disputed boundary and hence the frequent displays

Willow Warblers

Woodlark

taking a look at  a passing Buzzard

male Hen Harrier

these were my favourite images of the week -- this male often flew through the cottage garden on its hunting forays but its appearances were unpredictable so I was just pleased to get a few nice shots