Great Reed Warbler, Besthorpe Nature Reserve, Notts

This was a bonus for today that's for sure. There we were in the garden, potting on chilli and corriander, when this great reed warbler comes on the pager. A flask and a butty were soon cobbled together and off we went. Easy to find, easy to park and with a small crowd of around 10 folk. Although not too far away, the bird was stunning through binoculars but photographing it was a whole new ball game with a reed obscuring every shot.  We were there for around an hour and it sang the whole time we were there. A brilliant Sunday morning x

Very impressed with the reserve, looks good. Hide, screen, a decent path network that is signed. Dogs on leads and looks sympathetically managed with no signs of strimmer and mower destruction. And even better, lots of birds !

This is uncut so you can see how far away it was. You can see it easily with your naked eye.

Plus a cuckoo gave us a song. Great reed Warbler and Cuckoo.....brilliant.

This is Mons Pool at Besthorpe Nature Reserve. The warbler is in the reeds straight infront. 

An excellent find for a local birder. Very envious of such a brilliant patch.

 

Redstart

 

Love redstarts, such smart looking birds and not too far from home.

A few from last week

 

We came home to this lovely tea from Lucy on her day off......freshly made lasagne, wine and pudding. The lasagne was delicious, I taught her well !! and Malbec is the best red wine xx  and you can't go wrong with an egg custard tart !   Lovely jubbly 😃

Marsh Violet, a new UK plant for us. Will keep our eye on this and see if more flowers appear. It's tucked away so hopefully safe from the strimmers that seem to be out on a weekly basis on our local nature reserve. 

Bugle

Our local wood is covered in Ransons (wild garlic). It smells beautiful x

'The Enchanted Forest'

A feeding station we often visit with odds and sods nailed on the fence for bird seed. Somedays there are more rats than birds !  Can I introduce you to rat pie😀

A bracket fungus as big as a dinner plate

Marsh Harrier

Our Steel Works

Conningsby Quarry

Red-crested Pochard

Tree Sparrows

and I have saved the best picture until last !

Large Haddock and small chips from Johnson's of Gainsborough. The best chippie in the area !

Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Spurn

 

Grateful for the 6am text from Ian, so up and out and off to Spurn, beating the traffic from the never ending roadworks through Hull. Not too far to walk, only 5,000 steps but worth every single one. The warbler showed straight away, excellent views. But it was flighty, often disappearing, but popping back up in the same area. Lovely to catch up with folk after a year. A new UK bird added to Karen's list which now totals 426. The crowds soon built up so we beat a retreat. A brilliant morning. 

Burnt-tip Orchids

 

We didn't visit this site last year due to the heat and lack of rain but this year it is simply stunning. It definately warrants another visit on a fine day !