A wet afternoon at Watremead - 15 June 2011

It was very much a dash out, with skipper, between showers. It seemed to be clearing and I put my coat on, but by the time I got to the door it was raining again.

I had to visit Paul on the side of the river and decided to go in to Watermead from Mill lane rather than battle with the rush hour traffic and I'm glad I did.

The weather seemed to have improved and I was standing next to the first lake after the bridge when I heard a bird singing, camera at the ready I scanned the bushes next to me. I couldn't see any sign of the songster until I looked up and realised he was sitting on a prominent branch in full view and still singing his heart out.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/400 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

He is a Reed Bunting and stayed there singing for about five minutes before moving to another branch and repeating his song, his next move put him out of sight on the other side of the bush.

Then the light started to change and the bird life seemed to mostly disappear.  I carried on round the lakes then this happened.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 100mm

And the heavens opened, I followed a thine of over-hanging trees to the hole in the wall hide then round the to the main path and back to the car. I did try some pics of a Little grebe, but it was too far away and the the darkness of the clouds meant they didn't work out, so I deleted them.