Marsh Harrier display

I've had a wonderful Mother's Day, doing all the things I enjoy most!

The Ceilidh last night was a great success - and despite my knee I managed a few dances. Alex thoroughly enjoyed himself, and joined in enthusiastically, although we've decided that neither of us are any good at following complex instructions that involve multiple directions! We got home just after midnight and the boys made me a bedtime drink, as there was no way they would be up to sort out breakfast at the sort of time I might want it.

While the boys were still in bed Pete and I went off to King's Dyke Nature Reserve to see the Marsh Harriers. First of all it all seemed pretty quiet and then we saw them rise out of the reed-bed - the nesting pair, plus an additional one, possibly one of last year's offspring. Unfortunately they were really too far away to get decent photographs, especially as we were facing into the sun.

We walked round the reserve and I found a bank to sit on facing roughly north, so out of the glare of the sun. Again all seemed quiet, then suddenly the pair appeared and started displaying overhead. The aerial acrobatics were amazing, they would fly directly at each other and tumble down, the female calling in a high pitched tone. It was only when I got back that I realised that some of the time she was flying upside down with her feet in the air (unfortunately that shot wasn't quite in focus).

Though they never came really close I managed to get some quite decent shots. This isn't necessarily the best technically, and has been very heavily cropped, but I think it sums up the excitement of the display. The female, who is dark brown with a golden head cap and wing patches, is in front, calling, and the male is swooping in behind her. The position of his wings is very characteristic of harriers. I hope to put some of the other shots on my blog eventually!!

We got back just before lunch and then took the dogs out to Southey Wood. By this time it had clouded over, but it was lovely to see plenty of wood anemones and primroses, and to smell the scent of the balsam poplars, whose leaves are just unfurling. Blackcaps were singing, and we heard the first willow warbler of the year.

The rest of the afternoon has been spent in the greenhouse trying to catch up with the year's seed sowing. Having sown more seeds than we have room for I'm relaxing by sipping a delicious cocktail, made by Pete and the boys, and can hear them finishing off the meal - spinach soup with crispy bacon, followed by chicken in a roasted ginger broth, wasabi rice and salad, and a pudding of rhubarb cheesecake in a glass. I'm sure it'll be lovely!!

I'm very behind with comments but hope to catch up later this evening!