Widewater - Shoreham Beach

An early morning trip to the Widewater, a place that I only frequent during the winter months. I resent having to pay to park in a Local Nature Reserve and it is very often crowded during the summer. No problem today, it was freezing and a very chilly breeze coming from the west. Having been tipped off that there were 8 Red Breasted Mergansers on the lake by Alan Kitson and Russ Tofts via the SOS sightings page, I took the camera to see what I could record. Although there was little cloud it was a very low angled sunshine that was hitting the lake. But the birds were in full swing with amazing courtship displays, lots of gaping and sky pointing and tremendous rushing to and fro with almighty splashing. It was enthralling and I managed to record some of the antics.




Red Breasted Mergansers



Red Breasted Mergansers



Red Breasted Mergansers



Red Breasted Merganser

Red Breasted Mergansers

It was a hard act to follow but I managed to find the two very charming Snow Buntings that have been on the beach for the last week. They are very confiding, allowing people to approach within feet of them whilst they fed on Horned Poppy seeds.




Snow Buntings



Snow Buntings

Feeling very pleased with myself and with the weather still clement I made a move to the Burgh. After a morning like that what delights would an afternoon photographing raptors bring - yes,, as always a big disappointment. Lots of Buzzards flying but none came close.