Osprey

 

The weather was not as bad as forecast. Raining on my journey up the A1 but it was fine by the time I reached the car park at the quarry. I was hoping to see an osprey.

No activity near the nest site.

The water level at Flask lake was fairly low and work was taking place at the right hand end of the lake so I was not too hopeful.

I sat and watched sand martins hunting for about 45 minutes before setting off for the hide on the other side of the lake.

Lots of orchids and as the sun came out so did the insects,

This is the view looking across the lake towards where I had been sitting.

The sunshine had gone as I sat and watched a pair of marsh harriers.

Then I noticed a large bird in the sky, an osprey. It was flying quite high and did not attempt to catch any fish.

Not brilliant photos due to the light and distance. I put the sighting on Bluesky, and when I looked up again I could not see the osprey at all. I walked back to the car park and drove to the other part of the reserve.

Not a lot of water but plenty of activity. Swifts flying around, swooping low over the water.

Lapwings and oystercatchers close to the hide.

I presumed that the land further up the slope was easier for them to penetrate with their bills, rather than the dryer mud close to the waters edge. Shelducks had 3 young, lots of young black-headed gulls and four avocet chicks.

Rarely were they all together, I hope that they manage to survive.