Close Encounters of the Bird Kind

Some lovely close up views of a couple of common species and two more unusual species at Inner Marsh Farm this afternoon, where for the first time in ages I was able to sit on the bench without fear of hyperthermia.

Also basking in the afternoon sunshine was a single female Linnet that in an act of welcome boldness had decided to ignore the other ten or so fleeing members of the flock and remain perched no more than five metres away.

When it eventually flew, I headed down to a jam packed hide where I belatedly found somewhere to sit after a rather corpulent woman – occupying at least two spaces - begrudgingly inched along the bench.

A friendly bunch they were; ignoring me when I pointed out six Whooper Swans flying in and then completely blanking me again when I put them on to a hunting adult female Marsh Harrier.

My dear old Grandma always said that good manners cost nothing – she was wrong of course, because an acquaintance of mine was sent to a Swiss finishing school, where they cost quite a considerable sum indeed!

Nay bother, time to get off my hobby horse, if not to stop complaining then to at least give it a rest for a while - otherwise I’ll wear it and the saddle out quicker than you could say Zurich College for Girls.

Anyway, back to the birds. A female Reed Bunting was the next small passerine to insouciantly plonk itself in front of me as it fed methodically on the remains of a bulrush bang in front of the hide.

Eventually it was spooked by the reaction to the ever nearing Marsh Harrier that in whizzing over the causeway had succeeded in flushing all the waders and wildfowl.

The Whooper Swans were much closer now and the small herd notably contained the now infamous bird with yellow legs, subject of much speculation, but ultimately just a Whooper Swan with yellow legs…

Inner Marsh Farm 21.3.10

1 Marsh Harrier (adult female)
6+ Buzzard
6 Whooper Swan
5 Ruff
22 Black-tailed Godwit

Until later.