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Bathing and preening as the tide came in - Campfield Marsh.

Whoopers on Meadow Pools at dawn - 12th January 2013 The gentle pulsing of the alarm broke into my slumbers, although I have to say, we seldom use an alarm these days – but today would be special! We had pre-planned a very early morning foray onto the Reserve here at North Plain, as we knew...

For the past week or so we have been able to hear the wonderful sound of Whoopers , back over on the reserve wetlands, from the hamlet here at West Common. Although the weather has been very inclement recently and yesterday was no exception, we decided to take a walk down North Plain Lonning in hopeful...

Great! The New Year had arrived . . . but I had hit the ground stumbling. Not, I have to say, from the after effects of 'bacchus' or some extreme Hogmany roistering! My only claim to fame in that respect had been watching Jools Holland's 'Hootenanny' and listening to that splendid...

New Year's Day was crisp and sunny. Here are a few of the birds which put in an appearance today. Early morning now frequent visitors to the saltmarsh. Oystercatchers had been giving aerial displays as the tide came in at noon. The small Barnacle flock had stayed to graze. A pair...

A Christmas scene 25 th December 2012 A wonderful gift at Christmas! On opening the curtains on Christmas morning, somewhat belatedly I might add, as I had been playing with my new 'toys', namely a new publication about Talbot Kelly – the bird artist. I was greeted with the fantastic...

" Flighting by Moonlight - the Solway Estuary" oil painting by John Rogers A Happy Christmas to you all! We hadn't put our noses outside for days – with constant rain, a bitter easterly wind and the difficult task of sending Christmas cards. This year we had illustrated and...

Seven Waxwings descended on a neighbours apple tree at 14:10 today. These are the first we have seen this Winter in the area, although there are some berries still on bushes and trees. They were not very confiding and eventually flew off but proceded to fly in a small group around the immediate...

Campfield Workparty Christmas Barbecue 13 12 12 Judith and I both set out for the annual workparty Christmas barbecue at North Plain. The weather was dry and a thin southerly wind was blowing but with an arctic bite to it. Criffell and the distant Lakeland fells were a pastel blue grey; their bases...

Winter descended very suddenly here on the Solway. One day it was floods and water everywhere; next day, ice and frost – the place was a skating rink! On opening the curtains, we beheld a wonderful winter estuary: a deep hoarfrost; deep blue skies; the whole thing in shades of blue and pink...

The Great White Egret spent a considerable amount of time fishing on the Saltmarsh Pool, often accompanied by one or more Grey Heron.

Adult Grey Heron quietly hunting.

One of a resident pair.

A pair of Woodpecker have been here all year.

The Great White Egret has now been on the Reserve for three and a half months - usually frequenting the saltmarsh bordering the Solway estuary where there have been rich pickings for it. But today (and yesterday too) it has been hunting the wetlands a bit further inland, giving good views from the Reserve...

Groups of Shellduck have been frequenting the mudflats off Campfield Marsh for the last fortnight now. This group was part of 24 seen for most of today here.

Digital Artwork by John Rogers of a family group showing immatures with quite stained plumage

Heron visits pool regularly. On this occasion was seen to be catching something quite frequently.