Wrens on a Friday

Today was an early finish at work so the perfect opportunity to get back out with the gear and head to Doxey Marshes to finish my recce that started on Sunday but only went part of the way round.

I wasn't expecting a great deal due mainly to the time of day - midday.  The weather was fair but cloudy at times, so light was on my side in one respect considering it could have been washed out and unuseable.

The first place on my list of stops was the beginning of the marshy reed beds on the right side of the path as you leave the main carpark (Eccleshall Rd entrance), this was where i got lucky with the Chiffchaff on Sunday.  Sadly, today it was quiet and nothing was happening this time, possibly better at roost of dawn.

A bit of a walk took me further into the reserve where I found a nice little platform overlooking one of the main pools, with hundreds of reeds surrounding it, perfect I thought! My eyes scanned the reeds looking for Warblers, Chiffchaffs or whatever I could grab a photograph of, and I saw plenty but nowhere near close enough for any shots.

Behind me came a sudden chorus of song, a typical Wren song and so my attention turned to where she was perched. I found her directly in front of my view, as if she had landed to purposely sing to me. I bagged a few shots under the tough lighting due to the huge overhead canopy of well growing trees, and so I was happy.

All taken with Nikon D200 + Nikon 300mm F4 AF

After a pleasing moment with the Wren I headed off in search of more hopefulls but sadly everything I found was a little too far away for my 300mm prime. Lapwing, Heron, Tufted Duck all escaped me, so I had to settle for viewing them through my viewfinder.

One that did manage to get the long end of my lens was a shelduck wading through a scrape at the top end of the reserve. Nothing spectacular but a new one for me all the same.

Nikon D200 + Nikon 300mm F4 AF

Lastly I paid a short visit to the Wolseley Centre to pick up some seed and a couple of new feeders for the garden. It would have been not to have a stroll around the boardwalk seeing as it's due to be closed from June 6th 2011. There was plenty going on as we neared 4pm, especially Blue Tits feeding their young in the boxes.

The Kingfisher wasn't around, although I wouldn't expect to see it in the short time I waited watching.  The only keeper I had was a nice Grey Squirrel popping his head through the neck of a tree to see who and what I was.

Nikon D200 + Nikon 300mm F4 AF

That's all for Friday, but keep an eye-out for hopefully some shots from my visit to Middleton Lakes which weather permitting will be on Sunday.