Monday, August 11, 2008

Marshy Peas

If I was to say these pictures represented the best part of a fair day out you probably think I'm barking mad, but they do represent at least half of it.

A while ago I decided to stop moaning about this year's weather. I just sounded like a miserable old git, going on weekend after weekend. But really, .......... this is August, for God's sake, so I guess that's what I am. The better day of the weekend saw me at Slimbridge briefly, looking at dot-like waders in the distance and a few members of the munster family (post to follow), and then out at Marshfield in south South Gloucestershire, about which I'd read tales of corn bumting and whinchat in a pea field.

I nearly drove past the field in the jet propelled rain, but saw a parking spot and when the rain settled and I got out, I found the pea field I wanted was conveniently parked behind the car. The motorbike scrambling event two fields away added a certain ambience, as did the constant gale and the intermittent, but drenching rain. Nonetheless the birds did show, albeit at a bit of a distance - even crawling through the soggy mess along a field margin didn't get me that close. With a bit of judicious cropping you can see they were there, and on a nicer day who knows. One to revisit.(Talk about a record shot!)



Still, I can't remember when I last saw either bird, so it's a result of sorts.

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