Draycote Water - 31st May 2014

Bee Orchid

Having just suffered a dull, damp and depressing week, weather wise, this morning looked promising, with forecasters suggesting a bright morning with sunny intervals. How wrong could they be? More like dull and grey! Perhaps the weather forecasters should just say "open the door / window and that's the weather!" Still, I had set the alarm for 0400hrs (shock to system!) and I was out on the bike at 0445 arriving at Draycote at 0515hrs. I kept telling myself that the early worm gets the birds - but again, I was wrong! It's also amazing, even at such an early hour, you are not alone at Draycote, with a few hardy foolish runners and bikers already there!

Best of the morning were a single Common Sandpiper, single Oystercatcher, single Common Tern and four Yellow Wagtails. I was actually surprised how dull it was, making images rather grainy but hey ho!

Common Sandpiper

Coot

Great Crested Grebe with breakfast

Bee Orchids

Oystercatcher

Daisy

More from the gloom of Draycote! - 23rd May 2014

Grey Heron over grey water on a grey day!

Some how, I missed these images taken during my birding / biking tour of Draycote Water yesterday!

The following Great Crested Grebe caught my eye, mainly because it was swimming around "phalarope style"! It had caught an enormous Perch and probably had problems consuming it. I watched it for over 30 minutes, swimming around in rapid circles, occasionally diving with the fish and not intending to give it up! When I left, the fish had still not been consumed!

Draycote Water - 23rd May 2014

Pied Wagtail

I really felt the need to ride my bike this morning, so decided to head out to Draycote Water at 0600hrs to combine biking and birding. Covered about twenty miles including two laps of the water. The forecast suggested sunny intervals but a lot of gloomy grey clouds was the actual! Still, it was a good ride although I have to admit to being a bit achy as I write this!

The Gloom!

The Bike

 

Tufted Duck

Wheatear

Garden Warbler

Pied Wagtail

Tranquil local birding!

Spotted Flycatcher

After a very hectic week in Northumberland and a trip into Wales, it was very pleasant to relax around some local tranquil patches, on a brilliant day, warm and sunny. A year tick in Spotted Flycatcher was also a bonus.

Spotted Flycatcher

Snack!

Snack!

 Innocence!

 Mallard

 Carrion Crow

 Mistle Thrush

 

A "local"!