STEVE ASHTON'S WILDLIFE GALLERY

My Diary

The Lampern wall in brilliant sunshine

I spent a lazy morning this morning along the Lampern wall, an early start, just after 6 am, to get the best of the early morning sunshine. The sun did not disappoint, and was soon up over the horizon, bathing the main lake at Stodmarsh in sunshine. It was a surprise not to of seen anybody for the first couple of hours, having the entire Lampern wall to myself. Several Reed and Sedge Warblers were busy in the reed beds, allowing me a few photos as I awaited the flyby Common Terns as they fished the main lake. A strange sight on the lake was 8 very young and small Shelduck chicks, and they reminded me of an infant’s football team, as they charged around the lake in a huddle, all eight never more than a couple of metres apart. The strange bit was I never saw an adult Shelduck while I was on the wall, which was 4 hours in total. It seems strange that eight very young chicks would be left to fend for themselves at such a young age. Perhaps this is normal, but I would not have thought so. I saw a pair of Cuckoos, 1 Jay, 8 Great Crested Grebes, and watched several large Carp thrashing about on the lake surface in front of the Tower hide, I think may be spawning. I spent too much time photographing Common Terns, each one scrutinized for that rare one, but only Commons today. Three Grey Herons were noted, and I watched a Garden Warbler keep returning to a nest with food, which was very close to a Common Whitethroats nest. A Wren gave me the run round by the Tower hide, forever landing close to me, but either into the sun light or in the shade. I managed a few photos, but not that great. Richard Bartlett joined me, and then the Wren proceeded to give two of us the run round. I counted 12 Hobbies over head during the morning, but there were no doubt more, passing over unnoticed. The Marsh hide Harriers were busy, out over the reed bed to the East of the Lampern wall, and whilst chatting to Brendan Ryan, we both watched a food pass, the Male depositing a kill onto the Female bird. All the normal birds were present, and all in good voice, taking advantage of the sunny morning. The Bittern was continually booming from the time I arrived until my departure, which signifies that it has not found a mate I suppose, and was situated somewhere in the reed bed between the bench on the Lampern wall and the Marsh hide.