This morning I headed back to my usual spot. I had driven past yesterday and there was a flock of Red-Necked Avocets so I was hoping they would still be around. I arrived to find two pairs wading in the small tidal pond. Unfortunately they were strongly back-lit so only the silhouettes showed up in the photographs. To get any sort of reasonable light meant getting around to the other side of them.........easier said than done!!! A trek along the foreshore ended up knee deep in thick black stinking mud. I nearly lost my boots they were being sucked down........... Finally, in a bit of a state, I arrived around the other side and spent ages sneaking because I didn't want to scare them off and waste my effort.
The reward, beautiful soft light, reflections colored a rich earthy pink fading to green and yellow. To get the full effect of the light I had to get down to ground level......more mud!! I was lucky the four birds stayed where they were peacefully wading, oblivious to my situation and I got some nice shots!! After about an hour, I continued around the foreshore to yet more mud because I could see four Egrets in the distance. The curve of the River meant they were back-lit but I got a nice shot of a Great Egret fishing. So, then I had to get back to the car, there was no easy way, back through the mud to solid ground. I took the boots off and washed them and then waded out to wash my legs, then back to the car, changed into work gear and to the office as fresh as a daisy!!!
