The start of the season............

Our first weekend up at the caravan gave me the opportunity of trying to catch up with the two Great White Egrets that have been wintering at Llangors Lake,one bird has wintered for the last few years but this winter it has been joined by a second bird.

Saturday was written off with travelling and setting up the caravan but I ventured out Sunday morning first checking the sailing club flooded meadow and the lake on the Llangors side before driving around to Llangasty.

The birds were nowhere to be seen on the Llangors side although a Little Egret flew across and landed out of sight,a distant Red Kite and a pair of Goosanders were the only birds of note although the lake was alive with a heavy passage of Sand Martins,my first of the year.

I found one of the GW Egrets on the flooded area viewing from the rear of the churchyard and I managed a few record shots before it flew further away down to the edge of the lake when it was joined by the second bird which wandered out into the open from the reedbed.

The birds seemed quite settled feeding and I thought I'd try my best "Mr Sneaky" impression and try and get a bit closer using the large hawthorn hedge between the flooded meadow and adjacent field for cover.

The plan worked really well until I got to the end of the hedge not 35yds from the birds and as soon as I moved slightly to get a clear shot both birds went up together,bugger !!

Both birds flew to the southern end of the lake dropping down beyond the wooded area out of sight,I waited 45 mins or so to see if they would return but decided that lunch was more appealing.

I walked back around to the car park to bump into Tim and Gill Hall and daughter Rosie who were making a flying visit,it's been a while since meeting up with Tim and we chatted for a for half an hour or so before saying goodbye and heading back to the caravan for lunch,what a nice surprise to end my morning out.