21 May 2022 - Hollingworth Lake, Clegg Hall
« Newer | Older »Little Ringed Plover, Whitethroats, Stock Dove, Green-veined White
It was a dull start this morning, but bird of the day was my first Little Ringed Plover of the day which seemed to drop into the reserve on the island as I watched from the path. It fed for a little while around the stony margins, but there was little else on the reserve apart from a handful of Sand Martins, so I walked back and up to Syke Farm. A Stock Dove flew over the hill as I walked up, and as soon as I arrived at the Bramble patch, a male Whitethroat appeared and sang briefly. However it dropped down into cover and though I saw it, and a female, a couple of times more, neither bird sat up for any reasonable views. As I waited, hoping the Whitethroat would appear, a few birds popped up into the small Ash trees that grow from the Bramble patch. A Willow Warbler first, then a few Goldfinch, one carrying a small sprig of Forget-me-not, and the male Reed Bunting with a beakful of food.
I left them in peace and headed back to the reserve and onto Shaw Moss. It was very quiet with hardly anything singing, and not much else to see, so I carried on towards Clegg Hall. On Branch Road, another male Reed Bunting sat up, singing, and a male Kestrel perched in a tree by the pool but flew off as I approached. At Clegg Hall pools, just a Little Grebe was visible, though viewing is now tricky due to the amount of foliage. Just opposite, another male Whitethroat was singing, and moved from bush to bush, but never really sat out in full view. A Green-veined White landed nearby, showing its upperwings, which isn't normally the case. Unfortunately I couldn't get a good angle and then it flew a short distance, landing in a more typical pose with the wings folded back.
Little Ringed Plover, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 800
Little Ringed Plover-, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 800
Willow Warbler, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1600 (view full size image)
Reed Bunting, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250
Reed Bunting-, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250
Goldfinch, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1600 (view full size image)
Green-veined White-, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 125 (view full size image)
Green-veined White, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 200 (view full size image)