Wednesday 17th. September 2014

A catch up on a few recent 'not far from the car' outings .

At Bough Beech Reservoir , 3 local birders were deep in discussion over the identity of this duck , mixing with the Teal on the North Lake . Balance of opinion seemed to be on a female Garganey . I must admit that I kept out of the way , especially when Cinnamon Teal was also mentioned .

A juvenile Tern gaining height over the causeway proved to be another problem for me , as I couldn't get a definite bill colour . At one angle it looked black and at another , not so .

I had hoped to capture two Mute Swan flying down the main reservoir , but a change of mind on

their behalf , had them landing back on the water , and not together as they were flying , wingtip to

wingtip , but splitting up and landing 15-20 metres apart .

100s of geese and other waterfowl , but with the level so low , all out of camera range , but these two Egyptians and a Little Egret posed together a bit nearer . No sign of the Wood Sandpiper and just one Green Sandpiper seen , right at the back of the North Lake .

Just before leaving , 4 Fallow Deer appeared behind the island on the North Lake , and 2 showed reasonably well , until they realised that they were being watched , and disappeared into the woods .

A look up on the Common didn't find much , but this pair of Robber-flies / Asilidae sp. , seemed to be enjoying the Autumnal sunshine ,

and heading back to the car , managed to just get one shot of the camera-shy Jay .

A walk down to Willow Hide at Sevenoaks Reserve found three Shoveler feeding out front ,

close by , a Cormorant , reflecting on life ,

and one of the Egyptian Geese got into a right flap .

I didn't make it down to the small meadow alongside Long Lake , but did find a pair of Migrant Hawkers 'in the ring' on my way back to the Visitor Centre .

A trip to the small reserve with the feeders in the wood , produced a sleepy Grass Snake which allowed a close up of his scales and opaque eye ,

and a flyover , very tatty Common Buzzard , calling continuously , in silhouette , as I was pointing directly into what small amount of light that was around at the time .