Psilos Bird Journal
Saturday January 13th 2007
     
"Grey highlights "
     
northern pintails
     
Two weeks into the new year and the weather still has not improved. What with a bad cold and no sun I havent been out birding since before the holiday festivities began. Grey skies loom as heavy as ever today but thoughts of whooper swans flying majestically against steely grey skies get me on the road to Martinmere. My plan is to sit and wait for the whoopers returning enmasse from their grazing. This time I am in a different hide further down which will give me a different feel to my backgrounds.
     

     
Today the wind is very strong and there are plenty of whoopers around. Large numbers of juveniles hang around watching as the adults noisily engage in mating displays. Very few swans head out and away from the mere. I just hope that the swans have left early this morning.
     
     
Duck numbers remain low. The most numerous duck around today is the Pintail.
     
     
and Pochard.
     
     
A single male Goldeneye also flies past and is almost gone before I realise he is there. Goldeneye are only ever seen on the mere in very small numbers.
     
     

The Barnacle and red breasted goose as usual are present today but they are far too far away for any photographs. Later though my luck changes and they take to the skies. Round and round they fly coming closer and closer. What a treat though it is a real pity the light is so poor.
 
After they have gone the light gets even worse!
My wait was in fact to be in vain as very few swans came back. I think the wind that day had kept them grounded. Sadly I didnt get the shots that I wanted but in the end it was good to be out soaking up the atmosphere that is Martinmere.