Sunday 5th July

Again I was up early and at 5.30 I was just fitting a x2 converter which I got off ebay onto my zoom lens. Little worried about this as I am not sure how it will work. It will supposidly double the focal length of my 300ml zoom. 10 minutes later I was down the pool, it was nice and warm and a slight mist coming off the water. The birds were singing ,ducks quacking and a couple of magpies were making some horrible noise in the bush. There was a Great Crested Grebe having an argument with himself which gave me my first shot with the converter on

Not a brilliant picture but without the converter on I would of got no where near enough to take this picture. I needed a much faster speed to stop the blur, something I need to work on.

The bream were rolling as were the several fishermen on the lake, they were rolling in there sleeping bags inside there bivvies. So much going on, lots of fish jumping, birds singing and fishermen snoring, so much with getting in touch with nature. I have nothing against fishing in fact, it has been a massive part of my life (going at least once a week for 30 years, a couple of years ago). My youth was spent coming down this pool winter and summer trying to fool the roach, looking for minute Tench bubbles in the summer, stalking big pike in the winter. There were no carp in the lake then, now they have been introduced along with an army of guys trying to trap them over a few days with 5 or 6 rods with bite alarms, tucked up inside there bivvies, not sure if this is what I would call fishing.But they were enjoying it, I could tell as there was at least 24 empty lager cans outside one of them, gotto be better than goin down the pub.

Looking back out to where the grebe had been, I noticed why he had been getting excited - he had got himself a nice Perch dinner. Now thats what you call fishing.

As I walked down the bank towards the willows I could hear what I think were Reed Warblers, can you believe I have been listening to tapes of how different birds sing. I saw a black headed gull and then I was lucky enough to spot 2 common terns which I think were arguing over a landing post. I wished I had managed to figure out how to stop the blur on these following pictures. I think I was so lucky to witness this

Just wished I had had my camera on a nice steadying tripod.

Time to get back now I have had a very enjoyable couple of hours and breakfast is calling. Making my way back there were a couple of swifts flitting about along with some house martins. I also spotted a Reed Bunting and I think it was a Reed Warbler.

The swift being one of the fastest birds in the world, I was quite chuffed to get a picture of it, again this would of been impossible with out the converter, but still a bit blurry, think I need to save for a new lens and a new camera.

A PICTURE OF A VERY FAST SWIFT - NOT QUITE IT WAS ACTUALLY THE TERN I COULDNT GET ANY WHERE NEAR THE SWIFT.

6.30 am Monday 29th June

Well I quite enjoyed my 2 hours down the pool yesterday so decided that I would have another trip down there today. Grabbing the bino's and camera I am down at the pool at 6.30am. It is a much brighter day this morning so hopefully I will get some better photo's. Despite the time their is quite a lot of traffic on the road so it is nice to replace it with the sound of the ducks and other birds. It was quite close and humid and I thought that we may get a bit of a storm but luckily it did not materialise. The first thing I saw today was a Great Tit followed by a bird which I could not identify. The birds were not as noisy as they were yesterday but there was quite a few butterflys about

Speckled Wood Butterfly

I just had to take some pictures of these, afterall there was not any birds to take pictures of

The Ringlet Butterfly

Once I got towards the back of the pool it was quite quiet and tranquil and would of been perfect had it not been for all the flying insects about. It must of rained in the night as it did seem a bit wetter underfoot. I was looking not only in the bushes today but in the fields and along the fenceline. I noticed these two Rabbits with not a care in the world.

At the back of the pool I again watched the Wren darting to and fro.

Again I saw the Tufted Ducks which were to far away to photograph (im gonna have to get a bigger lens but I am also after the new canon eos50D) Not much in the way of birds this morning but I did encounter A Cob and Penn with a group of cygnetts. They were standing on the narrow path way hissing and showing their wings. I needed to be on the otherside of them but they wanted me, off the pond all together. I didnt fancy arguing with them so decide to take my chance and jump over the electric fence where there was a field of very inquisitive bullocks.Still I dont think that they would of created as much damage as this over protective daddy swan.

I finally reach the area of where I saw the corn bunting yesterday and I couldnt believe my eyes when I saw him back on his perch singing away.

Back to work now for another week so I dont think I will be spotting many birds there, roll on next week.