MUCH RAMBLING IN THE MARSH

Monday afternoon at Stodmarsh was sunny and warm,and  was my first visit  of the year.Making my way out to the marsh hide, a woodcock flew past me at a rate of knots and a fine male marsh harrier got up from the reed bed.From the hide a pair of green sandpipers could be seen probing the mud and at least a dozen snipe were scattered around.A few pairs of teal and mallard made up the duck population and about 50 lapwing were spread about the water meadow in front of the hide.Only two water pipits were seen.

SNIPE AND TEAL

GREEN SANDPIPER AND WATER PIPIT

GREEN SANDPIPER

WATER PIPIT WITH A TASTY MORSEL

WATER PIPIT
It was good to see the water meadow in good condition,obviously a lot of hard work has been carried out around the reserve over the winter months,well done to all concerned.
From here it was back to the Lampen Wall to watch the harrier roost,almost immediately a barn owl was seen hunting over the reeds east of the wall,this bird was almost completely white on the underside,and was soon joined by a second bird,much darker and less active than the first.
As the sun dipped to the west the harriers,only marsh tonight,I counted eight birds in the air,began the roosting ritual over the reed beds,circling round a few times before diving into the reeds.

GOLD CRESTED GREBE

MARSH HARRIER GOING TO ROOST

STODMARSH SUN SET