This visit to Blashford Lakes, Hampshire, was in late May 2012. It was very quiet early in the morning and the light was favourable.
Sitting atop stumps and crossbars in Ibsley Water were the usual suspects – Black-headed Gull.
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| "Where do you want this?" |
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| "Make your mind up." |
Later, on the shore ...
Tufted Duck put in an appearance eventually.
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| Tufted Duck ♂ |
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| Her |
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| Him |
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| Them |
As the morning warmed, activity on the shore increased. Lapwing were checking out the possibilities.
However, this is so near to an often busy public hide that nesting seems unlikely.
Just in case there might be some nesting, this chap(ess) was sauntering nonchalantly through the vegetation.
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| Jackdaw |
Mind you, I doubt that any of the ground-nesting species about were in any way fooled by the 'I'm just a simple insectivore' act.
Looking back to the water ...
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Gadwall |
... and a little nearer ...
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| Pied Wagtail |
By this time, it was lunchtime and I was wondering whether to slip back to the car (just a few yards way) and bring my sandwiches to the hide or to pack up my kit and go elsewhere for my picnic. I was having what I thought might be one last scan of the area through my binoculars. My pulse quickened when I spotted a familar shape and flight-pattern in the far distance. The solitary bird was coming towards me and stopped off on some shingle across the lake. I couldn't really be certain, but I had my opinion. I waited and it flew to a nearer patch of ground, but still a distance away. I could just make out a bright touch of yellow. There's never a birder there with a spotting-scope when you need one, is there? From the initial appearance, the time, the location, and my observations in previous years, I suspected that it would probable make its way even nearer – possibly to the shingle in front of me. Half an hour later it did and I was right. It was a ...
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| Little Ringed Plover |
At least two breeding-pairs of this specially protected species have been known to nest in previous years on this reserve, which is managed by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Previously, I have seen them working their way round the lake in a fairly predictable pattern. When the one shown above flew off, I like to believe that a bird it appeared to join way over across the lake was another Little Ringed Plover – but again, it was too far away to be sure.
We live in hope!
