spent a pleasant afternoon at Tichwell reserve in Norfolk yesterday. we found this Avocet (The RSPB logo bird ) dipping about in the shallows and spent a while watching and snapping away. he was later joined by a spotted redshank in summer plumage whos pics i will post another time.

anyway, whilst we are on with the RSPB , im in awe at the work they do on the reserves and im totally happy about paying £4 to get in Tichwell in fact id happily pay £5. however im surprised that they have adopted the hard sell, and set on ex door to door vacuum salesmen to man the gate. it took me nearly 20 mins to get past the man on the entrance and in fact the only way we would have been in before sunset was to promise that if i got a picture of a Bittern in flight, We would come back and take a family ticket (but only if he reinbursed the parking) ive dont a bit of negotiating contracts myself

now this ploy nearly went all wrong because a Bittern was in fact seen just after we arrived. I deliberately didnt have a shot at it in case the attendant checked my camera back on the way out

by the way we will have the bagless upright supercharched hoover when you pass Bolsover next

is it me or are these digi-scopers a secret sect. they stand in coveys and clumps in corners pointing in directions where i can see absolutely nothing and chat endlessly about sightings which are totally out of sight to me, can you see for miles through them?? im mystified. its the same near home, every sunday 8 to 10 of them meet and stand on an obscure corner near Carburton lake but with nothing in sight at all and the lake at least 3/4 mile away.

also what is it with togs who spend 5 to 6k on a 500mm prime and then point it at great tits partially obsured by branches in the wildlife reserves. wouldnt you think they would have gotten to the bird on a stick stage before shelling out all that cash. if you are spending all that on a lens, make it count chaps.

thanks for looking
Phil

Tags: Wildlife and nature Wildlife and nature andtichwelland norfolkand nature reserveand wader

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