After the last few weeks I'd forgotten that the weather can be pretty terrible here. It's currently very grey and very drizzly. Not really rambling weather. I did however manage to get out on Tuesday to have one last wander in the sun. I think I  pretty much went everywhere.....

 

This will be the last picture of a Reed Warbler I shall put up and then i'll drop it! Although I am still after a picture where the view is not obstructed, this will do for now. They are still present and very vocal around both pools at the moment.

 

 

 

This drake Wigeon is a new arrival on the Great Pool and has been with us for a few days now. It is the first one I have seen here and frustratingly seems to enjoy feeding just out of reach of my camera's zoom hence the picture being a bit patchy.

 

 

All across the island the butterflies are enjoying the sudden bloom of flowers. Above is a picture of a male (top) and female Common Blue butterflies. They don't open their wings very often when not flying as it gives their presence away so I was quite happy to get a picture of each.

 

 

 

My ongoing challenge to get some decent pictures of our two resident buzzards got a small step closer to what I would be happy with. They are nearly always out circling over the centre of the island in the early evening and 99% of the time hundreds of feet up and nothing but a dot in my viewfinder.  I did manage to get these two shots before they both ascended to their usual great heights. If it wasn't for the bloody tree I would have been perfectly happy with this next shot.

 

 

I have been trying to see if this pair have bred this year but am yet to see any signs.

 

 

 

Just as I was about to call it a day I heard the familiar struggle of a swan trying to get airborne. I turned around to see this guy heading straight towards me. This shot was taken with my lens at 70mm and I only just managed to get the bird in the frame, he was scarily close! He is of course on of our resident Mute Swans.

 

 I stumbled across a flock of Linnets and Greenfinches feasting in the shrubbery alongside the Abbey pool.

 

 

 

Finally, I was kind of lucky while photographing this sparrow. It had a little shake and my picture captured him mid tremble and looking rather funny.

 

 

 

Fingers crossed the sun comes back out soon!

Night.