Dipped Again!!!

 As we are already in August and I haven't had Lifer yet this year and having dipped the Shoreham Caspian Tern. I turned my attention to a Black-crowned Night Heron that has been frequenting Oare Marshes over the last few days. The problem with Night Herons, is they tend to only be seen very early in the morning or just before dusk, clues in the name!!  Having checked Birdguides, the bird had gone to roost at 5.30Am on Friday, so I figured get there for 5.15, jobs a good un!! The only problem, Oare Marshes is a hour and a half from our house!! Margie decided she wouldn't come😲😂!! So I found myself on the road at 3.50Am !!! The only problem I hadn't figured in two very long sets of roadworks on the M25 and M20, average speed cameras at 50 MPH!!! However I managed to arrive at 5.16AM, Hurrah, The only problem the bird flew to roost at 5.09Am !!! Buggaration!!!!!😂 You can't win em all!!! 😢 

One of the reasons I decided to go for this bird is that Oare Marshes is one of the best nature reserves I know!! I still had a good day, started with a Barn Owl, two Hobbies hunting in pre sunrise gloom, couple of Spoonbills, loads of different Waders. Oare has got to be the best reserve in the south of England  for Waders, so many different kinds in such a small area. Today I saw, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Stint, Dunlin, Golden Plover Curlew Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Curlew, Ruff, Lapwing, Snipe, Greenshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Avocet and they are just the ones I can remember!! Also saw Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Linnets, Water Rail, Yellow and Pied Wagtails and three Turtle Doves. Also had the regular  Bonaparte's Gull although too distant for pics sadly, thanks to the other Birder that found it for me in the hordes of Black-headed Gulls. A young Little Gull showed ok, several Med Gulls and a single  Common Gull were also on show. There was also a small group of young Little Grebes, no sign of any parents so fending for themselves which showed very well. All in all and excellent mornings birding! Some pics below, the first few taken before sunrise are fairly poor the camera did not like the low light conditions!

Oare Marshes East Flood pre-sunrise approximately 15 minutes after the BCNH left it!

Misty reeds

I was gonna pretend that this was an arty shot of a Barn Owl, but think the camera didn't like the lack of light!!

Hummingbird Hawk Barn Owl!!

Hobby

Of course loads of Heron type birds flying around none of them stringable😂

Spoonbill, this was the most active it was in the 5 hours I was there!

Grey Heron

The Sun arising

Was a beautiful Sunrise

Sedge Warbler 

Some of the 100s of Redshanks along the creek.

Nice showy Linnet, pics are improving as the light improved 

Avocet reflection

Lots of these Dragonflies about

Reed Bunting

Flock of Golden Plover

This Peregrine sat on this Pylon for ages making occasional forays in pursuit of Prey, never saw it catch anything though!

Water Rail lurking in a ditch while I watched the Peregrine, difficult to get a clear shot of!

Peregrine on one of it's Sorties

Black-tailed Godwit

Linnet

Turtle Dove

Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper

Golden Plover

Med Gull

Reed Bunting

Little Grebe, no sign of any adults, 3 or 4 youngsters together presumably recently abandoned

Sparrowhawk flushed everything off the scrape a spectacular sight, a Peregrine also had the same effect half n hour earlier

Little Gull (the blotchy dark one)

Curlew Sandpiper

Little Gull

Two Spoonbills, (still asleep) and a host of Godwits

Little Gull

The Grebes frequented this channel

The Swale at hightide

Oare Marshes is a fabulous place, so dipping the Heron wasn't that much of a downer, shame it's so far away!! Journey back took over two hours, which meant I missed the first 20 minutes of the Leeds Match, although not to much of a hardship the way they are playing!!