But first, on 16th, getting bored again, I went to Fen Drayton Lakes for a couple of hours. A birder told me that a Spoonbill was on Moore Lake from the hide. I do not normally walk that far as past experience was a disappointment but this time I did. Sure enough, a juvenile Spoonbill but so far away that the only photo worth keeping was a record shot for the Cambridge Bird Club - not for this website.

A pair of Great White Egrets decided to battle for the rights to fish on a closer island.

That was it.

So, to the intersting part of this blog. A friend had booked a day in a hide at Kettlestone Woods, Norfolk with the well known pro photographer David Tipling. I had been there last year but since then, David had built a new hide and a drinking pool.

Settling in, the usual tits appeared, among the usual, a scruffy Coal Tit

and a Marsh Tit.

A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers came and went.

And a pair of Jays called to feed

and, with the light improving, even a flight shot.

But the real attraction was Sparrowhawk, first a juvenile dropped in.

and then an adult female spent a long time in front of the hide feeding on a Wood Pigeon carcass.

After a time, we had had our fill of the Sparrowhawk and were pleased when a Buzzard dropped in with the Sparrowhawk making a quick exit.

Starting at 9.00am with varying light conditions, by 2.30  the light had deteriorated so we made our way home, very satisfied with the days results.

On previous days, there had been a lot of rain so bathing birds were attracted to the puddles elsewhere in the wood so no bathing shots but you can't have everything - well not this time!!!