Within Ear Shot

It was a very hot day and I didn't fancy traveling any distance so I was out and about locally. After crossing a field alive with six-spot Burnets and all manner of flying objects, I scurried down a dried up ditch to find some shade in a nearby small woodland. Plenty of chiffchaff calling so decided to get some shots, even though they are a bit ragged with there manic feeding process. Sitting quietly in the dell, I was suddenly aware of a presents, something lurking, something watching me. Then behind a bramble I saw an ear sticking up, my heart skipped a beat, it was a fox. It stayed quite motionless for about twenty seconds, enough time for me to slowly bring my camera to bare. "Come on, come on" I whispered under my breath, "show yourself". But it nonchalantly turned tail and melted into the undergrowth, and with it went my hopes for a sensational photograph.

Comeuppance

Avocets are to my mind are a vicious bird, they don't tolerate neighbours kindly, seeing off all and sundry on "their" territory. Marshside is worse off since they decided to take up residence in my opinion. I remember when dozens of Godwits in brilliant breeding plumage would jostle for position right outside the hide, now it's almost a barren dessert with a couple of pair of Avocet ruling the roost. Godwits and other species are still on the reserve, but they shelter in the backwater gullies and are hard to see. It was good to see their dominance broken by this Shelduck, it had young to guard also and stood no hackling, giving the Avocet a taste of it's own medicine.