EFRS: Droning on

(CLICK ON A PIC AND IT WILL GO BIG)

Finally the EFRS had a full compliment. James wasn't ill, I wasn't wandering around tank museums etc etc. We had to do the classic, a cycle out to Hamwall. James was as usual fashionably late but we were off with gusto down out of Glastonbury, through the enchanted wood, a brief stop at the Aqueduct crossing bridge and on to the entrance of Hamwall. A beautiful day would have been nice but the clouds were about on mass. So what, we thought, it was EFRS day and we paced on. Stopping at VP2 we found that we were alone, I mean alone as there was precious little wildlife about for company. Eventually there did appear the usual stuff that we tend to drone on about. You know the ones, three Marsh Harriers, five Great White Egrets and a single Cattle Egret. The usual mundane stuff. We discussed other reserves and I commented that the good stuff tends to hang around as per the three mentioned just now. Seriously we're not knocking the wealth of diverse nature. Anyway lets just climb out of this hole and show the pictures.

Oh I forgot to mention we moved on to the Avalon Hide to see if anything was about. There was.

First off James' pictures

Parent bringing in the lunch

You can tell it was a poor day when you snap Black Headed Gulls

We moved on again to the Tor Hide where it was still a bit quiet. Its the time of year isn't it. Everything has done it's business and was relaxing with a fag while the juniors play. I suggested we move on, packed up my kit and walked off down to the bikes. James stayed for a while and then I saw that classic look. He squatted down slightly and lifted his lens. He looked around at me with that 'Theres something really good flying round. I ran back in. It was a female Marsh Harrier coming up close and personal. She wasn't bothered a bit by us. James had her in his sights but didn't quite get her.

James shot as she flew passed

Then she came round again

Nice one James

So my pics next

That Cattle Egret at VP2

A Buzzard on a stick

Coot family at the Avalon Hide

Feed me

Now I don't want to drone on again but this happened at the Avalon Hide. A drone flew over and wandered around for a few minutes. Its a DJI Aspire 1 to be precise. We reported it to the RSPB staff who knew it was about. Now I've had a quick Google and things don't add up. If it was an RSPB drone doing a survey the staff would probably know about it and they wouldn't be doing it at the weekend. If it was a police drone it would be marked such. There was a missing persons search on in the area. Also it didn't hang around long and only did a cursory sweep. This is an expensive bit of kit. It few off over towards the houses. I couldn't see anyone controlling it.