Vange Marsh - Red Backed Shrike, Spoonbills & Springwatch

Pager Run this afternoon about 4pm. After getting up this morning to find the pager going off about the Red Backed Shrike & Sponbills over at RSPB Vange Marsh i was off to Lakeside.

Well afer numerous hours of wandering about looking for stuff im sure we didnt really need we headed back to my parents to pick the 3 kids up.

As we approached our house the pager went again so as such after obatining permission from the other half we stopped for me to get my gear. As i dropped off the wife at my parents i asked my dad if he fancied a go at the Shrike to which he did so we set off.

After entering the reserve a small group of guys stood (now about 4pm) looking toward the pools, you could pick the Spoonies out quite easily.

As we joined them we, after a very friendly welcome, we we're advised the Shrike hadnt been seen for a couple of hours, so we decided to set about scanning the pool for a bit before turning our attentions to the Shrike hunt

The Spoonbill was showing really well and a rather knackered looking Male Garganey was in and out of view, other than that the list consisted of:

Black Headed Gulls; Herring Gulls; Lesser Black Backed Gulls; Common Gulls; Coot; Mute Swan; Great Crested Grebe; Mallard.

Oh yeah...the Springwatch vans were turning up at the Veolia Landfill site for the outside broadcast next week at the Pitsea site - never saw any of the main broadcasters though.

My dad had his camera a was snapping away like mad but i think the Spoonbill was a little out of reach for a decent shot with his 300 lens - we shall see.