Black Winged Stilt ........ at Stodmarsh

Black Winged Stilt.

On Friday the 13th April i headed out to the Marsh hide at Stodmarsh to try and see the Black winged Stilt that had first been seen the previous afternoon.

On my way past the Alder wood i could hear plenty of Chiffchaffs and as i continued my walk i heard my first Sedge Warblers of the spring.

I eventually reached the Marsh hide after battling through the very muddy path and soon joined several familiar faces and instantly saw the Black winged Stilt in all it's glory in front of the hide, There was also 5 Water Pipits on & off  through out my time here.

Superb long red legs.

This is a new bird for my Stodmarsh (Stour valley) bird list and what a cracker , they bred in Kent last year at another site but i think this bird is just having a brief feed up and rest before continuing it's journey.

Having a feed.

Plunged head straight in.

I really liked how the BWS fed by plunging it's head straight into the water ,which it did several times.

The BWS also spent sometime having a preen, where you can appreciate it's lovely long red legs and delicate bill.

When having long legs come in handy.

Delicate bill gets the job done.

Black Winged Stilt.

I watched the BWS for quite sometime and then decided to try and see the Ring Ouzel that had been seen earlier that morning at the Grove Ferry end of the reserve (Thanks Marc.H. for the info) , i joined up with BR and after checking Middle Drove we located 165+ Fieldfare in some distant trees , we then walked a little way along a track and flushed a ♂ Ring Ouzel which was then followed by a ♀ Ring Ouzel which both alighted on top of a bush.

♀ & ♂ Ring Ouzel.

Then amazingly a 3rd bird joined them , another ♀ Ring Ouzel making 3 Ring Ouzel's all together.

2 ♀ Ring Ouzel's

Digi scoped ♂ Ring Ouzel.

Really enjoyed watching these birds , i saw my first ever Ring Ouzel on this reserve many years ago so a little bit of nostalgia was nice.

On my way back i once again saw the Little Owl in it's favoured area near the Alder wood.

Little Owl.

A walk around the Alder wood produced several Chiffchaff, Blackcap and a Treecreeper collecting nest material .

I also bumped into the friendliest Robin i have ever met.

Friendly Robin.

A brief look from the Reed bed hide didn't produce much other than several Great Crested Grebes , Mute Swans & Cormorants.