Early Bird

What a struggle - heaving and pulling with all it's might my oystercatcher here nearly fell over backwards when the worm finally came clear of the earth! How huge is that for lunch! I think if a bird could have a smug look this one has - very pleased with itself! Fascinating to watch but with a beak as long as that, the worm really didn't have much hope of winning.

With my twitching hat on a Tundra Bean Goose rossicus had come in onto the wetlands of the Severn estuary. I wouldn't have spotted it but for someone asking me if I'd seen it and pointing it out on the edge of some Canada Geese in the distance. Normally this goose is so far away you haven't a hope of seeing it except with an incredibly powerful scope. Incredibly scarce in Britain, wary and very shy this is a very special sighting and I was lucky enough to be able to have a crack at getting a shot with my new toy. It is a migrant from NW Siberia and they are more common in Sweden and Finland.

From not even knowing how to identify a Reed Bunting a few weeks ago they are now throwing themselves at me. If you check out this set there is also a skating Water Rail which I have blipped before but as this too is very shy it is worth a mention.