Bird-Watching Day

The first day of my brief stay away was largely spent bird-watching as the guest of my friend, who is a member of a local bird-watching group that was meeting that day at Blithfield Reservoir, which lies near Abbots Bromley in South Staffordshire, not that far from the stomping ground of my formative years. I was familiar with the name, but was not sure whether I had been there or not, though we were in any case privileged to access part of the reserve, run by the West Midlands Bird Club, not open to the general public.

It was a bright, crisp and successful morning and highlights of the morning included a visiting snow goose, a ring plover and some golden plover. My swan dependency was met with an appearance by one mute swan, and I was also treated to a superb view of a grey heron in the far distance through a telescope on someone's tripod. Autumn leaves and bracken were in evidence as were fungi including some shaggy parasols.

After the bird-watch meet we went on to another site, this time in Willington, Derbyshire, at their Gravel Pits Nature Reserve, and it was at one of the open hides there that we were joined by this reed bunting, so close that I was able to get this blip with my hand-held camera.

Willington lies beside the Trent and Mersey Canal so naturally there was a brief photo stop there on the way out. The light was fading as we drove back towards Tutbury, and as we stopped at the River Dove at Marston, Elgar's Enigma Variations came on the radio to soundtrack the sunset.

L.
14.11.2014 (2001 hr)

Have been out of action for the last couple of days with a bug so have fallen behind with views and comments. Much better today.

Blip #1421
Consecutive Blip #005
Day #1684
LOTD #656 (#776 including archived blips)

Blithfield Reservoir, 3 November 2014 (Flickr album)
Willington, 3 November 2014 (Flickr album)

Lenses: Pentax 12-24 mm, Pentax 17-70 mm, Pentax 55-300 mm (Blip)

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult - Edward Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme, 'Enigma' Op. 36: IX. Nimrod"

One year ago:  Signs Of Autumn #8