29 April 2022 - Hollingworth Lake

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Pair Shoveler, House Martins, Gadwall, Snipe

A calm and sunny, if slightly hazy morning today.  As I walked along Rakewood Road, four House Martins were flitting back and forth just above the road, then quickly disappeared.  Close to the reserve I spotted a drake Shoveler from the road, but it swam out of sight. There was nothing interesting from the hide, but I managed to relocate the Shoveler shortly afterwards, only to realise there was a female as well.  They were always distant and into the sun, so only managed record shots.  

At lunchtime it was warm and sunny, but I decided to go round to the reserve to see if the Shoveler were present.  Unfortunately they seemed to have gone. Despite the fact that there were lots of people around, the hide was empty and from there I noticed a Snipe feeding on the far bank, and the male Gadwall put in a brief appearance.  On the way back, a Greenfinch fed at the side of the road, but people walking by kept flushing it so I couldn't stalk it properly to get any decent photos.

Shoveler, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 400 (view full size image)

Snipe, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 320

Gadwall, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 250

Greenfinch, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 200 (view full size image)