Monday 5 January 2009

Elmley

Despite the blizzard like conditions at Longfield I decided to try my luck once again along the Elmley track and see if I could get any shots of Hares in the snow. I was hoping for a bit more snow on the Isle of Sheppey than there actually was but I guess the locals thought that it was bad enough especially adding on the wind chill.

Practically all the lapwings that I could see, and that wasn't very many, were huddled into the grass and facing the breeze that was blowing from the north east. There were quite a few hardier curlews that were actively feeding on the short turf.

A set of foot prints caught my eye on one of the frozen pools and I liked the pattern they created in the sunlight, I guess they were probably made by a coot.

Nearer the end of the track were I have normally managed to see a few hares a good sized group of wigeon and the odd gadwall had emerged from the frozen pool behind the toilet block and started to feed in the corner between the fence and the reeds. I assumed that the reeds provided some form of windbreak against the chilly breeze. Not daft these ducks. The light and view across the marsh was great.



So no hares and very little to report in the way of birds but nice to be out again.

3 comments:

Greenie said...

John ,
Good to see your head above the parapet again .
Shame you didn't get the Hares , as you say , they would look great against the snow .

Warren Baker said...

well done for braving the elements John.

Josh Jenkins Shaw said...

Great photo's!