A Vicious Cycle

I had a very brief window of opportunity this morning.  So I seized the moment and headed out.  It was raining and windy - default weather.  I thought I would stay car bound and head out to Westhay and then on to Tealham.

As I approached Westhay I noticed the "Swan" field was full of Egrets - really full.  I pulled up behind a familiar vehicle - a large truck thing.  The driver popped out.  It was Graham (thanks for reminding me).  A very knowledgeable and friendly fellow who takes some rather nice photos.

He had been watching the Egrets as well.  But even more interesting were his photos of 2 CRANES that had been there a few days ago!  An exciting development... Hopefully they will visit again sometime!

I scanned for a yellow bill amongst all the black ones.  Couldn't see one sadly.

I should have bought the 50mm... The lens cant really show how many Egrets there were.

I would estimate 80+!!!!

 

 

 I said farewell to Graham and headed over to Tealham.  Now it was here I encountered problems... There were cyclists everywhere.  Now many of them were not the docile, social types.  No, there were the vicious cyclists.  Gaudy colours, wafer thin frames and funny sun glasses.  They can cycle faster than I can drive.

I was dodging, weaving and turning trying to avoid them.  Everytime I stopped an angry biker in spray on pink would be wobbling passed me.  Kestrels and Buzzards were flying up everwhere, clearly worried by the luminous colours and bad attitudes.  There was no chance of me getting any photos with these guys around :-(

 This Great White sought shelter in the middle of a boggy field.

Cyclists cant get up here...

 

I left the moor, hoping to find a lycra free zone.  Back to Westhay...

The sun started to come out... and a Kestrel was sitting on a post looking rather lovely in the light.  I drove passed pretending not to notice.  I carefully turned the car around...

He didnt move for  at least 10 seconds :-)

Pleased

I was feeling rather happy and drove on back to the Egret field.  I took another quick scan...

The bugger wouldnt turn round and I was due to meet a friend in 10 minutes... I was late but you know how it is.  Sometimes you end up in a vicious cycle...