On Saturday I went along to Rodley Nature Reserve with my camera. One of the first things I saw were a pair of Kingfisher over by the Sand Martin wall. One of them kept flying up to the smooth wall and when it flew away a small hole was visible. They were checking it out as a nest site. They may get a chance to nest there but it gets very busy later with Sand Martins. They were too far away to bother with a photo.
The header image is of several male and female Tufted Ducks.
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Water Rail
The star of the visit was this Water Rail. I was already on my last walk around and was calling in to each hide on my way back to the car. And at the last hide I saw something run into the reeds just in front of the hide. Down in the same place, looking a little like the same colour, was a Wren, see later, but I was sure that it was bigger, so I waited. I kept my eyes on the reeds and kept seeing little ripples in the water but no bird. Again something ran across the front. Eventually a Water Rail started to show itself rather nicely on the left. Was it the same bird, probably.
Swans
Starting from the two Kingfisher it was obvious that a lot of the birds were in pairs or were looking to pair up. Male Swans were lifting their wings and looking very majestic as they ploughed through the water. Several times a female would take to the air but I don’t know if this was to get out of the way of the way of the males or to guide the male off so that there was no competition.
Cormorant, Wren, Kingfisher etc.
Other things spotted on this visit:-
- Cormorant, several in the tree looking to be in pairs
- Wren
- Snipe, well camouflaged
- Northern Shoveller
- Scarlet, or possibly Ruby, Elfcup
- Teal pair
- My first sighting of a Chiffchaff. I had already heard them in different places
- A lone Kingfisher
- Oystercather and Lapwing
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