The Only Way Is Essex

I havn't been out with the camera for a couple of weeks or checked the other blogs so will get round to that later today. Yesterday morning early I returned to an estuary in Essex to photograph the Avocets and any young that may have been born, I was also hoping to get some images of Black Tail Godwits which frequent the place. A 6.15 start and I was on on site at 7.15 however the omens were not good when I heard loud chattering from the hide. Having entered the hide I came across three birdwatchers with breakfast and coffee littered across the whole hide and for the next hour talked, laughed and joked and then complained that there were no birds close enough to photograph. Eventually I suggested another hide may be more productive and they decided to check it out. It was bad news however for the Avocets and Lapwings who were now gathered in the far distance from the hide. The water levels had dropped significantly since my last visit due to the dry weather allowing the local fox population to take all the eggs. All the nests had been disturbed hence the Avocets moving to a different location within the estuary.Whilst there was evidence that they are mating and maybe laying eggs again unless the water levels increase these new nests may have the same fate. Here are a few images of some Avocets who briefly came close enough to be photographed.