Birds and Wild Life by John Davenport: April 2013

An annual trip to Longnor for a guaranteed year tick of the resident Dippers. This was only ever going to be a brief visit so on arrival after only 5 minutes up popped this little feller.

Dipper

I then headed the short distance to Polemere as a drake Garganey had been reported but after an hour or so i left disappointed. It was seen later that day by another birder so it must of been playing hide and seek. However Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon were seen plus a Little Ringed Plover, of which was at least a year tick. With a record shot to boot i drove to Venus Pool.

Shoveler

Little Ringed Plover

At Venus Pool a Snipe in front of the main hide, a good chance of a descent photo.

Snipe

Tuesday 2nd April 2013
I travelled the twenty or so miles to Gailey Reservoir just over the border in Staffordshire for Little Gull. There was no sign on the Boating Lake on first arrival but i could see a large flock of gulls over the other lake. I walked round and picked up the two White-fronted Geese which i had previous seen a few weeks earlier. I was told by another birder that the Little Gulls were still present, he picked a 1st winter out of the many gulls with his scope but it was to far away to get any type of photo. I decided to try and get closer without disturbing the mass of gulls, i walked behind the embankment and hid behind a Life Buoy. They weren't to far from my position and i started to click away until two fishermen walked past and the birds took a hasty retreat, but they soon came back and even closer. One fishermen then headed back but this time the 1st winter stayed put so i decided to try my luck and to my amazement i got within 30/40 feet.