Thank you

I've just reached 700,000 blog views!  Thanks, you mad lot. The last 12 month period has given me more traffic that the previous 3 1/2 years combined.

I hope you continue to enjoy (or at least read) the content. Posts should become significantly more regular from September onwards...

Buzzard posing for a flight shot

Just a brief post as I'm hideously busy with work.

News:

- Dragonflies have started emerging with both Scarce Chasers and Black Tailed Skimmers seen at       Lower Bruckland Ponds today. Coots, Moorhens and Mute Swans are all looking after young, also at this site.

- Mallard ducklings are now being paraded around Black Hole Marsh by their mother.

A Buzzard flew by quite low whilst I was at Lower Bruckland Ponds this afternoon...

TEMMINCK'S STINT at Black Hole Marsh

Well done to Tim Wright for finding this bird this evening. A lifer for me; always best when it's a lifer on patch! It's just about identifiable as a Temminck's from the pic...

Male Marsh Harrier

Mediocre pics but a very smart bird! These were taken at Meare Heath whilst at the Hudsonian Godwit twitch (first time around).

Hudwit & Great White Egret pics

Another pic of the Hudsonian Godwit (still more to come):

And a GWE relieving itself whilst airborne...

Rather similar to Karen's pic!

And a Great Crested Grebe from Noah's Hide:

HUDSONIAN GODWIT - Photos

I took Dad up to see the Hudwit this afternoon. It was distant as always (inevitable at Meare Heath) but the overcast conditions allowed nice lighting for photography. People think I'm odd for preferring overcast conditions, with most photographers present waiting for the Sun to light up the scene, and taking their eye off the camera when it was overcast. In doing so they miss moments such as this...

Granted, photography and correct exposures is more challenging in overcast/shady conditions, but that's what FULL MANUAL mode is for; play around with the settings, irrespective of the cameras automatic metering etc. and take the image unassisted. Someone else may have this same shot, unless literally all other photographers present weren't bothering with the shady conditions. If this pic was in full Sun however, it would not look ANYWHERE near as good as this.

Ideally this would have been 50 - 60 yards closer, but given the circumstances, I'm rather chuffed with the above shot.

Here are a couple more; nearly a nice reflection on one of them but not quite!

More to come; these are just tasters...