With reports of Nightingales and us needing Peanuts for the feeder, the birds in our garden will only eat the RSPB ones for some reason, we thought we would kill two birds with one stone (not literally I hasten to add😢😱) and head to RSPB Pulborough Brooks. Lovely to hear the Dawn chorus as the sun rose dramatically😂😂😂😂 who am I trying to kid we didn't leave the house til eight!!! 😏 Still as we walked around the still closed visitor center, we heard our first Nightingale, turned out it was at the top of the zigzags which if you know the reserve would indicate how powerful their song is! First though we stood and admired the view, in the still conditions the brooks looked lovely laid out below us!
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| Plenty of water in the Brooks, didn't see the Wheatear as indicated by the sign, pic by Margie |
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| Nice reflections in the pools! |
While Margie was giving the landscape the once over, I was getting some pictures of the local Sparrows, these guys gave me false expectations of how well things were going to pose through the rest of the visit!
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| House Sparrow |
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| and again, lots of squabbling amongst them! |
We reached the top of the Zigzags, the Nightingale was giving it large, anyone familiar with the habits of Nightingales will sympathise when I say we didn't get a look at it despite the fact that it sounded like it was 10 feet away, although the Kestrel posed high in the tallest tree may have been the reason for the reluctance to appear!!
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| Kestrel way up high! |
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| It was very patient, nearly put my back out getting this pic! |
There was another Nightingale halfway down the Zigzags but couldn't spot it, as we approached the bottom I spotted a thrush shaped bird sat quietly on a bush, couldn't be that easy could it? Obviously not😏 Was a Song Thrush!
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| Song Thrush, were lots of these on the reserve, also singing well! |
The reserve was also looking great due to the amount of Blackthorn in blossom, it was everywhere, though I couldn't get any birds to pose in it, typically!!
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| Blossom by Margie! |
We arrived in Fattengates, more Nightingales singing, a Birder/Photographer was at the end staring into the bushes intensely, we arrived at his location, he showed me some pretty good pics on the back of his camera, he indicated the area where the bird preferred to sing, apparently appearing every ten minutes or so! So we waited, about 10 minutes later it appeared and started singing, unfortunately several feet further away than hoped!! But at least we could see it!!! Hurrah!! To be fair it put on a fantastic performance and with at least 2 others joining in occasionally from behind us, it was a brilliant 10 minutes or so!!
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| Nightingale, not a great pic but you can tell what it is and it is at least singing!! |
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| Didn't sing all the time though! |
We dragged ourselves away and around to the first hide, outside it my first Common Whitethroat of the year was singing and skulking about!
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| Common Whitethroat |
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| Common Whitethroat |
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| Leaving Fattengates by Margie |
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| More Blossom by Margie |
From the West Mead hide, everything was tranquillity, still water, couple of Swans gliding across it, a few Gadwalls and Teal dotted around, Shovellers feeding and the highlight 3 Avocet wading Then the Lapwings and Redshanks started and the peace was shattered!
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| Tranquil scene by Margie |
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| Lapwing |
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| Shoveller |
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| Avocet |
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| Soft focus Swans by Margie |
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| Remember my picture of the Shoveller above looking all regal and magnificent, Margie prefers them arse up!!!😂 |
We left and wandered around to Winpenny Hide, we looked for Adders but couldn't find any, the Avocets flew over and Margie found a cowslip, everything else remained distant!
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| Avocet |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Even the Stonechats, usually so confiding were on the top of the tallest tree! |
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| Cowslip by Margie |
The hide again was very peaceful, all the usual wildfowl, with Lapwings, Redshank, a few Skylarks chasing each other about and a Grey Heron.
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| It really was a very peaceful scene |
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| Plenty of water lets hope it stays damp through the summer |
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| Heron, tried for reflection shot but was a bit distant |
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| Though it flew in a bit closer |
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| The last fish I caught was this big! |
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| Regaining dignity after a dodgy landing |
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| All is calm again |
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| Until a young intruder flies in! |
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| Then it has to be seen off !! |
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| My attempt at reflections |
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| Tufted Duck pair |
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| Female Tufted Duck |
We headed up Adder Alley, alas no Adders, but another couple of Nightingales singing away, got a brief look at one but no pics, another Whitethroat and a Wren weren't so shy!
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| Peacock Butterfly |
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| Common Whitethroat |
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| Belting out a tune |
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| Wren |
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| Can belt out a tune as well! |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Interesting Bee |
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| Some sort of Catkins by Margie |
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| Margie's angle at the Peacock |
We headed to the Hangar, I'd lugged me scope around, to the detriment of my back, in the hope I could find a Garganey from here, examined multiple small Ducks but they were all Teal or Gadwall, not much else on view over the Brooks, but plenty in the bushes, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Linnets, Goldfinch plus the usual Tits, Robins, Blackbirds and Dunnocks.
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Bluebell by Margie |
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| View of the Brooks by Margie |
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| Looking towards the Downs by Margie |
We ended up back at Fattengates, the Nightingales were more or less silent by this time though a Blackbird, Song Thrush and a Blackcap were holding forth!
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| Yet another Robin |
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| Blackcap |
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| Flyover Red Kite |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Margie playing with the Squirrels again |
We headed back up the Zigzags both Nightingales were still singing and despite trying our best we couldn't get a view! The Sparrows were still squabbling outside the visitor center and posed well again!
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| House Sparrow |
We bought some Peanuts, resisted the Café, we headed round to Warnham Brooks to see if we could find the reported Garganey, we were both knackered so scanned what we could see of the lake from the road, predictably no sign, to be honest we didn't deserve em!! So we headed home!! Excellent day, Pulborough Brooks is always a nice walk around and the Nightingales are fantastic, if you're in the area over the next month or so I highly recommend a visit!
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