Garth Peacock
A Large Dung Heap

Archive

Spring Tide at RSPB Snettisham

Saturday 13th April 2024

Things didn't go to plan

Friday 5th April 2024

Fowlmere RSPB Cambs

Wednesday 20th March 2024

Another trip to Norfolk

Tuesday 12th March 2024

Frampton Marsh (again)

Tuesday 5th March 2024

Snettisham RSPB

Tuesday 20th February 2024

A new destination for me

Monday 5th February 2024

A change of plan

Tuesday 30th January 2024

Three hours at Grafham Water

Monday 22nd January 2024

A strange week overall.

Friday 19th January 2024

Norfolk Coast

Tuesday 16th January 2024

New Year - where to go?

Monday 8th January 2024

Coton Cambridgeshire

Wednesday 20th December 2023

Back to Burwell Fen

Saturday 9th December 2023

Short-eared Owls

Monday 4th December 2023

Back to Grafham Water

Wednesday 22nd November 2023

Grafham Water

Thursday 16th November 2023

Fishers Green Essex

Wednesday 15th November 2023

A day in north Norfolk

Monday 13th November 2023

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Sunday 23rd June 2013

Having been informed by a friend of a place where Yellow Wagtails were coming in to feed, last Friday, I made my way to the side of a large dung heap in the middle of a rape field. The heap was not high but probably 15 to 20 metres across so I parked up the car next to it and waited to see what happened.

The first and regular visitor was a juvenile Starling coming quite close but rather strangely, totally on its own instead of in the usual noisy flock.

Several Pied Wagtails called to feed on the invertebrates, never staying long. Obviously taking food back to young in a nearby nest.

A pair of Yellow Wagtails came in to feed but stubbornly stayed at the far side of the heap, just out of range of my 500 lense. They were also feeding young and I could follow their flight to locate the nest sited in the middle of the rape field.

The weather was very changeable, from cloudy bright to very overcast and it was when it was at its darkest that one male Yellow Wagtail came close enough for a couple of images worth keeping.

This site must be worth a further visit when the sun is shining - I will keep it in mind for the immediate future to see if I can manage any better shots as Yellow Wagtails must be one of our most attractive summer visitors.