Patience is the birder's virtue

I don't have bad days just frustrating experiences. Today began with one of the worst.

I set off bright and early for Nosterfield to see a buff-breasted sandpiper - or so I hoped. There was no sign after an hour and after trying both reserves. Decided to head south to Fairburn to get the bird seed we needed. Got that sorted. Just getting back in the car when the buff-breasted was reported at Nosterfield. Felt I had to go for it so scampered back up the A1 to Nosterfield. Getting out of the car. Pager: 'No sign today of buff-breasted sandpiper. Earlier report was erroneous.' Erroneous. Wrong in other words.

Now what? Saltholme or Blacktoft? Chose Blacktoft [wrong again - I missed out therefore on the roseate tern]. Once I finally arrived a roadrunner pheasant provided the day's first image.

Pheasant I went into Xerox hide where the konik ponies were showing well. I had never got really nice pictures so was amazed when something quite remarkable began to happen. Two of them were getting very frisky leading to what I think are great images. So here goes...

Konik ponies

Konik Pony Konik Pony

By frisky I mean almost quite violent and these images catch the moment well. I was unsure whether things might even turn nasty. I wonder if this happens often...

Konik Ponies

Konik Ponies

Konik Ponies

Konik Ponies

Konik Ponies This final picture prompted my wife [who always says when she likes a photo] to say: 'You didn't take that!' 

I think it was a compliment.

After that the black-headed gulls in Marshland seemed very tame.

Black-headed Gull So it was down to Singleton to see the harriers. They came reasonably close but I saw no food passes. So nice pictures - most of a male over the reedbeds.

Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier

Outside the hide we kept getting glimpses of little birds flying in and dropping down instantly out of the wind and out of sight. Dunnock, whitethroat, reed bunting? Probably all of those. Certainly blue tits were there as was this tree sparrow.

Tree Sparrow Tree Sparrow Finally I wandered down to Ousefleet to see the four spotted redshanks ['blackshanks' would suit them well] that were around. I knew they'd be too distant for a photo but I'm sure it's about time for one of what I call my cuckoo category pics. This one is particularly representative of that type.

If you look carefully at the upper of the two narrow bands of water you will see at both the right-hand and left-hand sides of the image a spotted redshank with his head underwater! They looked great in the scope!

And so the day closed and I went home. Sitting down to open the mail I glanced at the July edition of Bird Watching magazine.

I was thrilled to see another of my pictures published - appropriately the marsh warbler at Blacktoft on 31st May this year. Here's a reminder.

Still 234!! When will it change?