My first Marsh Harrier and using my new Opticron binoculars...

For the first day today it actually felt like winter. Tiny, sparkling, diamond-like ice crystals clutching on to the grass, blue skies and the following trail of small clouds as you breathe out. We went to RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve.

I was using my new Opticron Explorer WA binoculars which are great as they are beautifully clear and light, easy to use and are perfect to spot birds.

Opticron Explorer WA binoculars

I spend most of my time in the first hide which looks over the majority of the reserve. In front of us were around 40 Wigeon with a pair of Shovelers hidden between them. On the far bank their was surprisingly a juvenile Peregrine Falcon, I think it might of been the same one I saw last time!


Record shot- Juvenile Peregrine Falcon with its back to me.
When someone said Snipe I rushed over to the furthest point in the hide. Extremely well camouflaged, 7 Snipe were jabbing the mud. I have never seen so many together! In the distance there were over 200 Greylag and Canada Geese making a lot of noise. 

Record Shot- Snipe
After being in the hide for about an hour I saw a large bird, hopefully a bird of prey. My binoculars focused, by then a few other birders had there scopes focused on it and they were trying to work out what it was. I suggested it being a Marsh Harrier, with its dark eye stripe, it being smaller than a Buzzard and a yellow beak. So after looking at it a few more times it was considered it was in fact my ID of a Marsh Harrier.

 
Record shot- Juvenile Female Marsh Harrier 
Here is a couple of photos I took throughout the day:

Robin

Solar Sparrow


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