Far Ings - My New Favourite Place

Following a recommendation by Paul Coombes, who I met on Facebook earlier in the year and then who kindly took me to see the Nightjars in Sherwood Forest in July this year, I've been planning to visit the Far Ings  and Alkborough Flats Nature Reserves in Lincolnshire for some time now.

I was originally hoping to call in at Far Ings on may way back from Donna Nook last month, but the short days got the better of me and I decided not to go as the light would have dropped by the time I arrived. So with the prospect of good sunny weather today , I left at 7am this morning to see what I could find.  The target birds were Marsh Harrier, Bittern, Kingfisher and Bearded Tit.

On arriving at Ness Hide at Far Ings, my attention was immediately drawn to a distant Bittern on the edge of the far reed bed, and there were two present according to the locals in the hide.  However it was some time before one reappeared flying quite high over the water and then eventually settling in reeds in front of the hide, which is where I got the above shots.

I was soon joined by Kevin Robinson, another photographer who I'd chatted to on Facebook regarding the best places to see Marsh Harriers here - I didn't know who it was until I asked him directly and then we both realised that we'd been in contact and exchanged information.  And it wasn't long before this female Marsh Harrier appeared in front of us.  This was the closest I've ever come to Marsh Harriers and I was quivering with excitement as I pressed the shutter.

This bird caught and killed a Moorhen and then managed to drop it into the reeds.  It then spent quite long time trying to refund it.

It's not often that a Bittern gets upstaged, but for me the best bird of the day was this male Marsh Harrier which made just one pass across the far reed beds before disappearing.  

The Harrier shots are generally not as sharp as I would like because as soon as the birds came out, the sun went in, obscured by clouds.  But they are the best shots I've got of this species so far, so that's why Far Ings is my new favourite place.  And you can rest assured that I'll be back.

And the one bird that you'd think you could bank on seeing and getting a decent photograph stayed distant all the time I was there.  This Kingfisher has to be one of the most photographed birds here, but today all I got was this shot. And neither sight nor sound of any Bearded Tits anywhere.