Sunday 16 January 2011

Venus Pool - Brent Goose!!!

A weekend spent within the confines of Shropshire with Geese on my mind and a couple of hours were lost on Saturday 'waiting' for a White-front to make an appearance - it didn't!

The only bird gliding low over the pool on a few occasions was the infamous pale morph Buzzard, having morphed itself into Hen Harrier already , it will no doubt be masquerading as an Osprey in a few months time!






Sunday started off with 'no show' Dippers at Longnor (the brook was running high though). The field between the A49 and Lyth Hill held 22 Golden Plover plus a couple of Curlew with a flock of approx 500 Lapwing.....







It was at this moment (10.15am) that fates took a cruel turn.....


I didn't feel my mobile vibrate as I drove off to Whixall to check out Pink feet on the floods? 30 odd minutes later I was there and apart from a Greylag amongst the Canadas it was nothing doing.....

I checked my mobile...... OMG!! BRENT GOOSE at Venus Pool (an hour ago!!). Hastily I rang Helen who had texted me earlier, was it still there? "It's flown Jim but kept low, might be on the fishing pool"?

I drove ever so carefully over to VP and not exactly brimming with confidence trudged across the top field, got to the Oak tree and scanned the fishing pool to find.... YOU DUSKY BEAUTY, sat in the middle of the pool, one County lifer Brent Goose....

I even managed one or two record shots (and that's all they are!)











The only other unanswered question, pale or dark bellied? Come on, show us your belly!! It was brief, I was lucky to be concentrating on the bird whan it came but one wing flap revealed... one Dark bellied Brent Goose






I was soaking by now, (forgot to mention it was chucking it down with rain) so I opted for the warm, dry, comfy duty of Dads Loughborough Uni taxi service....