3 April 2022 - Hollingworth Lake - Shaw Moss - Clegg Hall

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Water Rail, Blackcap, Tawny Owl

A nice long walk this morning, cold to begin with but warming up later on as the Pennine clouds evaporated and the sun came out.  A good start with the Water Rail again, though typically elusive. It was in the stream to the left of the small bridge again, but frustratingly difficult to get on camera.  In fact through the bins I didn't even see its head.  When looking through the camera viewfinder it's difficult to even see the bird, let alone any body parts, so I was surprised to find I'd captured the head and bill, though it's even worse than yesterday's photo.  The reserve was quiet, and the best thing I saw was a male Reed Bunting feeding on the shoreline near the Pavilion spit. A drake Goosander was just offshore near here. I walked down to Shaw Moss, where a few Meadow Pipits and another male Reed Bunting perched up briefly, but the best thing was a Weasel that ran across the path just in front of me near the gate; it was too fast for the camera alas.  

I then walked down to Clegg Hall. On Branch Road, a group of five Roe Deer were feeding openly in the fields, and at Clegg Hall Pools, a male Blackcap sang among the bushes just beyond the viewing area.  A bit further along, the Tawny Owl was on view in its porthole in the house.  These last two were species 74 and 75 for the year.

Water Rail, 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 5000, 220 mm

Goosander, 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, 220 mm

Meadow Pipit , 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 125, 218.32 mm

Meadow Pipits, 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 160, 218.32 mm

Roe Deer, 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, 220 mm

Goldfinch, 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Blackcap, 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1250, 220 mm

Tawny Owl, 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm