Bee-Eaters - East Leake
Well finally, after many cant do that date conversations/moments, we were on the road heading to East Leake for the nesting Bee-eaters. We consisted this time of Monkey, me and Dan Barrett.
Leaving just after lunch we headed north and up the M1. I was looking forward to this one - Bee-eaters, a bird that could seen from a mile away due to its over the top colour scheme. With its blues and yellows predominately screeching at you.
After parking at the.......
we made our way around to the viewing area.
Now, i was a little disappointed to be honest. I appreciate that this was a special thing going on - breeding Bee-eaters but come on. they we're nesting in the quarry and it looked as if this was to the back by the footpath bridge. The footpath that had plenty of walkers and horse riders going along it.
So why then we we situated as far back as we were. I'm not one of these that wants to be on top of the bird and cause it distress but we could have easily been a bit closer and it wouldn't have caused any problems. Oh and before anyone says......there was plenty of room.
Regardless though the view's were decent scope views - i would hate to have been one of the majority there who were scope less.
For us 3 birds, possibly 4 as they made there way along the hedge tops hunting. Dragonfly seemed top of the list followed by Butterfly.
Anyway it was at this moment where i had a Raven, Monkey seemed to do his now usual and turn this into something random - running barn owls and flying joggers spring to mind.
This time it was the turn of the flying Marsh Frog. My Raven was dismissed but to my delight it was shortly followed by three CRONKING birds.
Sand Martin whizzed by and i started to have a play with the camera at fast flying small brown jobs. I did alright considering it was my fist go at this and the light was pretty bad for it - and yes i was still in Manual - pics to follow.
Redpoll was a little year tick
Now if only the Black Stork had been re found before we left.........
Leaving just after lunch we headed north and up the M1. I was looking forward to this one - Bee-eaters, a bird that could seen from a mile away due to its over the top colour scheme. With its blues and yellows predominately screeching at you.
After parking at the.......
we made our way around to the viewing area.
Now, i was a little disappointed to be honest. I appreciate that this was a special thing going on - breeding Bee-eaters but come on. they we're nesting in the quarry and it looked as if this was to the back by the footpath bridge. The footpath that had plenty of walkers and horse riders going along it.
So why then we we situated as far back as we were. I'm not one of these that wants to be on top of the bird and cause it distress but we could have easily been a bit closer and it wouldn't have caused any problems. Oh and before anyone says......there was plenty of room.
Regardless though the view's were decent scope views - i would hate to have been one of the majority there who were scope less.
For us 3 birds, possibly 4 as they made there way along the hedge tops hunting. Dragonfly seemed top of the list followed by Butterfly.
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| Distant Bee-eater |
Anyway it was at this moment where i had a Raven, Monkey seemed to do his now usual and turn this into something random - running barn owls and flying joggers spring to mind.
This time it was the turn of the flying Marsh Frog. My Raven was dismissed but to my delight it was shortly followed by three CRONKING birds.
Sand Martin whizzed by and i started to have a play with the camera at fast flying small brown jobs. I did alright considering it was my fist go at this and the light was pretty bad for it - and yes i was still in Manual - pics to follow.
Redpoll was a little year tick
Now if only the Black Stork had been re found before we left.........
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| Oh Well! |
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