We had our second visit to Oare Marshes today. As before, it started off cloudy but soon turned into another hot and dusty Day but the wind from the River Swale was very blustery so we stayed inland along the side of the lake where it was more sheltered. Our first stop was to watch a pair of Lapwings cavorting about the sky. These birds are very aerobatic and very hard to photograph.
It looks like there is a fresh water stream running alongside the lake. A flock of Greylag Geese swam over from the lake to have a drink. In amongst them was a bar headed goose. Probably an escapee from a private collection as they are not a visiting species to our shores.
Also enjoying the stream were some coots. We watched as some juniors swam past, showing off their new feathers and displaying how well they have learned to swim. Mom was watching them carefully from the safety of the reeds and soon called them back if they ventured too far from her.
As we were watching the coots, a little Egret flew over and started to fish nearby. Such a graceful bird, their long legs are ideal for wading in the lake and their sharp eyes spot even the tiniest fish. With a lightening strike, they extend their necks and the fish becomes a tasty meal.
A bit further round the lake we espied an Avocet feeding. What luck, we have only seen these from a distance before and this one was quite close although on his own. It is interesting to see how they use their long curved bills to filter the water for food.
We hope that you enjoyed our trip to Oare Marshes. These and other pictures from our trip can be found in the Nature Gallery on our web site at www.voinapics.co.uk
Steve & Mick
No comments:
Post a Comment