Many Voyeurs arrive to see the mating habits of Rallus Aquaticus

Today the sun was shining as I made my way to Maple Lodge,so it was to the Rotunda running
all the way even.I was not first Dale Ayres and Jeff Chapman were wielding their hardware as I
joined them,no sign of the water rail today,however a pair or two Cetti's warbler showed at some
distance.

What got us excited was a pair of Green Woodpeckers feeding on the grass ,however they
were not interested in mating.

Numbers of reed buntings and robins and tits fed on the feeder,I stayed an hour before
speaking to Chris Bessant who had news of a Peregrine in Maple Cross

Latest for H2

Last night in Sarrat  away from the Denham border ,support of the waste of tax payers money
came in a different form Rob Heron and the Tea Pad orchestra played once again at the Cock
Inn.
This Geordie border and Scots mixed band have a new single out it's called High Speed Train
free downloadable soon , check them out .
Playing in Camden town soon to be demolished shame on them wrecking our green and pleasant
land, for me its detrimental to wildlife and peoples lives ,here is the track if you pardon the pun.

I  have put an audio file of the song but can't seem to open it sorry folks Steve Carter

Rallus aquaticus caught in the act

After listening yesterday to commentary of my Gooners turning to Goners it was time to escape to
Maple Lodge away from the overpaid mercenaries wrapped in cotton wool.
I walked to the reserve signed in and made my way to the Rotunda hide where in the cold wind and the
calls of Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler pierced the air.
I managed some distant shots of Water Rail then Dean and Asa Barker arrived in the hide,they
had seen Water rail yesterday and now a pair were copulating at some distance.

What can you say this almost instigates proven breeding all we need now is eggs and young,
but this was amazing after a winter of rain and miscontent.After a while the birds came closer
and performed in front of the hide.

The male was first coming up under the boardwalk at close quarters investigating the area
where the female was.

It was not long before he  was off then a little later the female obliged.

The female posed longer than her partner as we clicked away with our cameras.

It was not long before they had both disappeared,
 had we not been entertained,Rallus aquaticus thankyou.