Almost As Bad As Working

 This morning I was up well before the lark as I walked through the deserted streets of Corby on my way to catch an early bus at the town centre. My destination of choice was Earls Barton from where I intended to walk along the Nene to Summer Leys. The bus trundled through the still dark county countryside stopping only to let high viz clad wage slaves off at various points along the way. It reached the village as day began to break and I set off on my stroll towards the reserve.

Fox and Gadwalls

From the bottom of Mill Lane distant views of a Fox provided an early highlight, it's been a while since my last sighting of one. Mill Lake was quiet while neighbouring Hardwater hosted a Great White Egret and three Snipes. At Summer Leys I began in Rotary Hide from where a selection of the commoner waterbirds were on view. A noisy group of mostly male Gadwalls appeared to be having a prolonged squabble until they flew off and circled the main lake several times. Wigeon appear to have arrived in numbers with fifty plus being present. Pioneer Hide was quiet with just one Great White Egret to report. On my way around the reserve I managed to find the reported Glossy Ibis from a spot just behind Paul Britten Hide and strolled towards the Screen Hide hoping for better views. Initially the ibis played hard to get but eventually I got some half decent pics before some workers arrived in a pick up and scared it and everything else away. Deciding that my day was all but done I opted to return to Earls Barton even though it was barely half ten. An additional two Snipes at Hardwater Lake were the last birds of interest.

GWE and Wigeon

Now if my day had ended with two pints in the Old Swan I'd have been a reasonably happy bunny but Stagecoach managed to find a way to throw a spanner in the works. That the bus arrived ten minutes late was hardly a surprise, this is a regular occurrence and I almost expect it. Less usual was that the journey lasted way longer than the time table promised and I got to Corby almost an hour later than I should have. A long stop in Kettering coupled with an unscheduled bus change certainly did not improve the experience and it may be a while before I risk another longish journey again. I'm working tomorrow but on Sunday I may well make the shorter and much more straight forward journey to Eyebrook, I may not see much but it will be better for my blood pressure!

Glossy Ibis