Psilos
Bird Journal |
Sunday February
17th 2008 |
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"Scottish
madness " page 2 |
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Naturally being a WWT site
there were also Whooper swans. Not as many as at Martinmere but still
in good numbers. During the morning they sat on a pond at the back of
the reserve where the sun was directly towards us and so not good. I
was told that come feeding time at 11am they would fly to the pond further
over. I had come to Caerlaverock to photograph Barnacle geese not Whoopers
but as the feeding hour was iminent I decided to give them my attention
for half an hour. |
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11am came and the swans did
come though not in any really impressive numbers. There was certainly
no mad exodus to rush to be fed. Some birds flew across and for that
there was not room enough to photograph them but some birds did circle
round thus giving me much more time to capture them. I quickly grew
impatient though. It wasnt inspiring enough and so I went in search
of my true quest. |
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These were the first birds I
encountered in flight as I reached the reserve. Their high pitched barking
call is very distinctive. |
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Finding the Barancle geese
was not hard. They were all over the reserve but in most places the
flocks were small in number and far away. So I found the biggest flock
with the closest views and decided to wait and see what happens. Chasing
birds usually gets you nowhere. The best plans allow for the birds to
come to you. |
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Slowly all afternoon the birds
came down and added to the flock slowly pushing it nearer to where I
was hidden. Everything would be quiet and then the distinctive roar
of many birds taking to the skies would reach the ears. It was so frustrating
to see large flocks of geese in the air flying away from the reserve
but I had to be patient... |
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