Mikepércs: Bearded Reedlings And Bluethroats

The surface of the pondbed doesn't glitter anymore of water which can be favourable for the photos... If there's anything to shoot at.
The water rails make their usual round at the edge of the reed. A small flock of bearded reedlings lands on the wet ground nearby where they are picking something. It's difficult to photograph them because of the reed, but sometimes they come out to the open area:

Bearded Reedling (male)

A few bluethroats are also nearby, one of them finds something for itself in front of me:

Bluethroat

It's moving quickly, so I can't follow it properly, I only suppose that it has swallowed the big mouthful:

Bluethroat

Bluethroat

Bluethroat

Alike the bearded reedlings it turns up severeal times nearby:

Bluethroat

Mikepércs: Bearded Reedlings

Last time I placed my hide in a corner of the pond where the remainder water still attracts a few birds. Today I tried the new place.

The birds are really active already early in the morning at the edge of the reed: sedge warblers, great reed warbler, bearded reedlings, young wagtails and bluethroats are searching for food. On the chest of the young bluethroats the blue spot is visible already. I'm focusing on the bearded reedlings which use the reeds like good gymnasts:

Bearded Reedling (male)

Bearded Reedling (female)

Bearded Reedling (male)

A few young black-winged stilts, wood- and common sandpipers appear as well for a short time.
At last someone uses the new landing place:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Bearded Reedling (male)

Young White Wagtail

Even a red-backed shrike lands with muddy feet:

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Red-backed Shrike (female)

Later I notice a pond turtle walking out on the dried branch:

European Pond Turtle

It's having a short rest before it splashes back into the cool water.
Then a long pause comes, so I decide to leave.

Mikepércs: Weak Morning

At the pond again.

There's not much activity on the landing branch, but it won't stay there without birds:

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

The bearded reedlings are roaming nearby again:

Bearded Reedling

Bearded Reedling

This morning hasn't been very successful but it's promising that the shorebirds are getting closer with the drying water.

Mikepércs: Wagtails Again

I was expecting something from the wagtails again.

When the first rays of the sun start to light up the reed in the background and the landing branch is still in shade, the wagtails are coming:

I discover a young moorhen at the side of the reed. It seems that not only the coots have brooded here successfully.

The bearded reedlings start to search for food around the hide as usually, however I'm unable to take a decent shot of them. But I can catch this sedge warbler with a tiny fly in its beak:

Then I have to look at the landing branch again:

Hissy fit:

Preening:

Meanwhile a bearded reedling is galloping in front of me after the flies:

A young lapwing comes really close, ...:

... just like this ruff:

At the end of today's photography another white wagtail lands:

Unfortunately the wagtails haven't use the landing branch so intensely this morning, perhaps because of the drying pond as the water has disappeared from nearby.

Mikepércs: Fly Hunters

I visited the pond again this morning.

As soon as it's getting light the young yellow wagtails appear, but the bearded reedlings are also nearby as I can hear their sounds. They are communicating with each other almost continuously. Then the sun is rising up so I can take photos:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Sometimes the wagtails' close attention is caught by the small flies that appear nearby:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

"I step off":

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Soon the coots get out from the reed, the chicks have grown a lot during a week's time:

Young Coot

The wagtails are using with pleasure the dried branch placed in front of my hide:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

The flies are more and more active and the young birds are taking advantage of this:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

"It's itching badly!":

Young Yellow Wagtail

Another prey:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Attack:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

There are so many flies that the birds almost have to stretch their necks only to catch one:

Young Yellow Wagtail

Young Yellow Wagtail

Usually the young wagtails flock together in small groups, but conflicts between the members occur regularly, they hardly tolerate each other when getting close:

Young Yellow Wagtails

"Oops! It's stuck to my beak!":

Young Yellow Wagtail

These birds can produce great scenes, so I'm going to focus on them again next time.