The last couple of days has been spent trying to get good shots of the Sand Martins. This time last year I had managed half decent ones so you could say that I have had a year to think it through and get some good ones. This year I have my trusty chair hide which allowed me to get a bit closer, but a sensible distance from a likely burrow. I took some test shots of the bank prior to setting up and chose this hole which is in a nice photogenic position. I needed to choose a position that was not obstructing access to other holes and nest adjacent to the hide. I have actually spent a total of 7 hours sitting and trying to get the birds accustomed to the hide and my presence albeit hidden, eventually they settled down and took absolutely no notice of me this morning. The light is still not ideal, a bit dull and I could have done with a higher shutter speed but I am sure that we will have the correct combination of light and tide (the river is tidal here) in the next few days. This morning after just 10 minutes they returned and carried on with their domestics. There is an obvious pair at this hole but another bird keeps trying to gate crash which has been fun to watch.
You dont sit on the river bank for that long without discovering something else interesting and apart from the Sandpiper that appeared the day before yesterday I have located the vicinity of a Pied Wagtail nest and it has been interesting to see the different birds of this pair, first the male and then the female, very rarely together so I am assuming that incubation is taking place and they are sharing this duty.
My main reason for keeping this site private/undisclosed is that I have discovered an Otter Holt which is almost certainly being used, I have seen fresh trackx and very fresh "spraint" this morning. So, wouldn't it be amazing if I managed to post some Otter pictures very soon because I am formulating a plan.

Getting back to the Sand Martins, It is quite hard to
take photos of "pairs" of birds and get them both in focus so I was particularly pleased when this almost happened in this picture.
Walking back to the Chinese Bike gave me a chance to photograph this very "vocal" Whitethroat that is singing his head off and from time to time showing really well. He seems to have a preference for high points to sing from but with a bit of patience I got him low down.