Early evening strolls

As the year changes season and we move swiftly into April, the evenings start to stretch out more noticeably, creating opportunities to capture subjects bathed in soft light from the still present, lowering sun. Only in the last week have we seen more of the stonechat pair that occupy a nearby hedgerow. On Thursday after work I set out for a quick walk slightly later than usual and was fortunate enough to encounter both of them atop their 'usual' hedge, with a newly ploughed field behind as well as a steadily falling sun. The male even allowed me time to re-position so that he was wonderfully outlined in soft white.

Male stonechat

Following my own trend into this weekend I ventured out later in the day to two different locations on Friday and Saturday. The former visit to Exminster Marshes on the hope of seeing the 'still showing' spotted crake, and in equal measure a desire to see again the spoonbill, perhaps closer. As the cold set in shortly after sunset, poised watching two very specific clumps of sedge with a friendly and far more knowledgeable birdwatcher, I was on the cusp of leaving when out strolled a very small speckled bird. This wasn't the water rail that had been teasing us with its occasional sprints in and out of view, this was a beautiful little spotted crake. In such low light and from such a distance I was barely able to capture it at all but was thoroughly pleased to see it all the same.

Spotted crake at Exminster Marshes, appearing after sunset

Yesterday's late visit to Bowling Green Marsh revealed a good many little egrets, a well hidden snipe and a stunningly lit heron fishing quite close to the road. From the viewing platform at the far end, I saw even more little egrets accompanied by redshanks, curlews and shelducks. The view from here at this time of day towards the estuary is a real treat, with any birds present well highlighted. These three successive early evening strolls have certainly brought me much joy this week.

The Exe estuary viewed from Bowling Green Marsh

So many first sightings

This morning's visit to Exminster Marshes was without doubt my most rewarding to date, and not just because of the birds we saw. It's normal to exchange words of greeting here with walkers, runners, cyclists and of course other bird-watchers (with whom it's often more than a greeting and instead an exchange of information on sightings, past and present) but today seemed like something was in the air, Spring itself perhaps, with everyone seemingly devoid of inhibition and eager to talk, and talk!

Long-tailed tit, shot towards the sun

With the chance of an unusual sighting in the mix today - a Spotted Crake that appeared recently and has been gaining fame in local forums and blogs all week - more bird-watchers were in attendance, some from further afield. At the nearest point to the previous days' sightings started to amass those with impressive optics and composed anticipation.

It's typical in these situations to assess one's own categorisation of bird-watcher - "Am I as keen to see this bird as they are? Does that make me a twitcher?" It's always an easy question for me to answer, but I always conclude the same notion: there are no real rules here, but I think there's something in all of us bird-watchers that finds rarity irresistible.

We impatiently continued our walk along the canal, not before I got into another conversation about the crake, spoonbills and my camera bag with a chap on a bike. He explained precisely where I'd likely see the spoonbill. A few minutes later a lady asked me if I'd seen the Marsh Harriers and proceeded to explain where she and her partner usually spot them. At the point at which I thought the spoonbill might be visible I suddenly caught a large brown bird of prey in my binoculars - the Marsh Harrier, of course, causing trouble on the other side of the marshes with those birds closest by. The harrier soon out of sight, I looked around to finish the discussion regarding my camera lens, started when a passing photographer asking me "how many marsh harriers are there?" mid sighting.

N spotted what we initially thought might be a redshank but after careful scrutiny of my photos this afternoon turns out to have been a Ruff. She always manages to find the obscurer ones!

Ruff

Many more brief chats were had with walkers wondering what bird x is in the distance and other bird-watchers who were still arriving and still had much to see, perhaps the crake if they were lucky.

Never more than now in my life have I valued the positive effects of time spent in nature but the unexpected reminder today was of the importance of human interaction too, added to that an observation of how much more relaxed we all seem two years on, able again to effortlessly yet crucially make connections with each other as complete strangers. Humanity is surely lost if we lose this instinct.

Curlew