Rye Meads

A morning out with my mate Dan and his wife and son, birdwatching at Rye Meads. This is proper birdwatching territory, with numerous hides. Particular bird to spot was a nesting kingfisher.

But the best hide was a large one by a lake frequented by numerous birds including standard coots and  moorhens and gulls and Canada Geese, but also by terns, sandpipers and little grebes.

Note the little baby grebe under the left wing of the little grebe. How cute is that?

Lapwing

Egret

We did get to see a kingfisher at the kingfisher hide. Now let me point out the patience of birdwatchers. They are all sat in what is basically a little shed, staring at a hole in the bank. Out of which at some point they hope to see a kingfisher. But you cannot get past the fact that a group of grown ups are staring at a hole. Makes me realise why Dan can enjoy golf and fishing.

Anyway, patience rewarded, just, by a glimpse of the kingfisher in flight and then perching in undergrowth such that I couldn't get a clean shot.😞

The kingfisher has a decent claim to be our most attractive bird. Best appreciated in flight and in sunlight. Just a superb iridescent blue.

Dan's 14 year old and I don't have the patience of a saint (or his parents or the other old codgers there) so we sloped back to the first hide where there is more action, ie lots of birds coming and going. Or in other words, something to actually see.

Tern (with mallards in background)

A nice morning. Finished off with taking Dan and his son out for lunch. Which was a pleasure. Nice to see Dan recovering his health, and his lad being such an outstanding young man. (I think the last time I had seen him was pre-school. He had grown. Also a lot more handsome when smiling! Below picture suggests he needs some practice at that.)