We repair once more unto The Levels, where I have just joyfully filled my boots with a wonderful and totally [by me] unexpected Lifer; a River Warbler. Even more shocking, it was tarting about and singing in full view [aparently they are supposed to make Groppers look showy???]
Having decided to make full use of my first visit in two years [oh Covid, sweet Covid, you bar steward, you] by staying until just before the raspberries locked me in [because I didn't have to get up in the morning* :D ] I had all sorts of time. Oh what was a birder to do??
Be driven moderately nutty by the seething hordes of assorted bipedal lifeforms everywhere.
Also go wandering off seeking this that and the other.
Less burbling, more of these;
Mr Marshy
Nice moult centre, there.
Great White
Not as good as Exminster
:)
Not easy to photo..
Numbers? Well; Marsh Harrier 7, GW Egret 10, Bittern 5, Cattle Egret 4, Hobby 3 [seen at once, though at two different areas, so 6 is possible], warbler spp. 9.
Vast numbers of odonata emerged, mostly Azure Damsels and these;
Four-spotted Chaser
Also Hairy Dragonfly - including one which teased dreadfully right outside Meare hide, the scamp - and Large Red-eyed, Large Red, and Blue-tailed Damselflies.
Reed, Sedge, and Cetti's Warblers were both very vocal and abundant, and while Bearded Tits were far more heard than seen - only two glimpses [a two and a one] of mostly tail vanishing at speed - they were better than Water Rail [heard close to but not seen] and Kingfisher [not at all]. Four Cattle Egret popped up in flight from Meare hide, but dropped down before I could zoom in on them. What didn't get away there were these;
Sexton Beetle
[plus hangers-on!]
Scorpion Fly
[female]
As well as loops of Ham, I got out to Noah's Hide - hoping the casuals wouldn't go past the basket in the heat - only to have a horde of 12 [yes 12, I think a guided party...] turn up. I then tried Meare Heath, where I was forced to share with no more than two or three and sometimes none at all! Blessed relief by comparision [not least not having to contemplate the yomp to Decoy... Oh, the very thought...]. It was so good I ended up sat in there for four hours!
In my defence, there were nest sites for three spp. in view and teasing Beardies, plus low-ish flying Hobbies; not a bad way to wile away an afternoon, really.
With time much flown, I couldn't stay away from the River, and so ambled back for seconds, meeting a few of Devon's Finest as I did. Funny that, small world and so on...
What occurred next? Yes, you guessed it;
That would be another post.
Be Seeing You...
[[* Hindsight and 'what flew over or maybe stopped at The Nose, eh???' Has duly tortured me since That Bird's presence on Lundy broke.......** ]]
[[** Yes, utter tosh, but rationality has no place in such matters, does it? ]]
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