Thursday, 31 March 2011

Marshside rspb, 30th March 2011

With rain forecast and the postman had just delivered my new 2x teleconverter, i decided to
visit Marshside to twitch the Lesser Scaup and try out the converter too.
As i looked through the screen at Junction Pool the Lesser Scaup was with a small group
of Tufted Ducks about 30 metres away. The light was very overcast and dull with
rain showers. I was pleased with the images i took given the conditions.

After spending twenty minutes with the Scaup and light rain falling, i moved on to shelter
in Nel's hide. Two Med' Gulls were present, an adult and a 2nd summer bird, along
with a few Ruff, hundreds of Golden Plover and Black-Tailed Godwits.

From Sangrounder's was: an immature male Merlin, c30 Avocet (well spread out) and just
2 Pink-Footed Geese. I spoke to one of the assistant wardens in the hide about the Avocets
breeding success last year. He told me that from around 35 breeding pairs, only one chicked
survived, due to predation from Foxes and Gulls.

All the images below were taken with the 2xtc attached to my 300mm f2.8.

Imm' male Lesser Scaup

Lesser Scaup

Showing it's very pronounced, almost tufted
rear crown peak.

Med' Gulls

Little Grebe

Avocet


Immature male Merlin from Sandgrounder's hide

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