We spent a couple of hours back up at Martin Mere paying a brief visit to most of the hides. We started as usual at the Ron Barker hide and worked our way back paying our usual visit to the cafe for a coffee and a bacon and sausage sandwich to help take the chill off, well it would be rude not to!
Sightings on the walk down included Dunnock, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Tree Sparrow, Pheasant and Wood Pigeon, so nothing out of the ordinary there.
ABOVE MALE PHEASANT BELOW MALE CHAFFINCH
The hides were quiet with the weather being so bad but there were plenty of Pinkfooted and Whooper Swan on show as well as Wigeon, Greylag, Shellduck, Teal, Pochard, Coot, Moorhen, Pintail, Shoveller and a single Ruddy Duck.
RUDDY DUCK AMONGST PINTAIL, SHELLDUCK AND BLACK HEADED GULL
The surprise was the mostly white, and what we think is a Ruff amongst other Ruff feeding in front of the Raines Hide.
ABOVE FEMAIL RUFF BELOW WHITE PLUMAGED RUFF
ABOVE AND BELOW MALE RUFF
Other sightings included Reed Bunting, Greenfinch, Siskin, Song Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Pied Wagtail and Greater Spotted Woodpecker.
2 comments:
I was wondering whether you had ventured out (I've been inside all day, disgraceful!). You've got some really nice photos (Reece?), I like the Chaffinch and Ruffs, especially. Are they via Lumix or Pentax. Yes, I also saw the white Ruff about two weeks ago near the Raines. Some of the other ones had red legs (vaguely like Redshanks) whilst others had grey-yellow. Don't forget to put out your stocking for the long lens! Happy Christmas. Mike.
The Chaffinch, Pheasant and Ruddy Duck were all taken were all with the Lumix.
I'd done a little reading about Ruff and it is usual for Ruff to have red or grey-yellow legs. I didn't know how much smaller the females were though.
Derek
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