Warbling amongst the rushes

Reed warbler: Image via Wikipedia

It was a beautiful day today, the perfect weather to take my parents out for a stroll (well a bit of a hike as it turned out) around Rye Meads and then up the canal to Hertford.

Bar a couple of quick and gentle showers, we had the perfect weather to warm us throughout the day. We headed up the reserve's kingfisher trail, our hopes pinned on seeing the elusive bird in the hide at the end.

Tiny pale blue and larger deep red butterflies flitted between the bushes, heavy with ripe blackberries, that lined the path we were taking. The vast clumps of bullrushes showed evidence of having been visited by the birds as they swayed in the breeze, while blackbirds hopped in and out of the bushes as we ambled by.

The first two hides were a tad disappointing today; just a few coots and the odd duck or two. But when we got to the kingfisher hide, things instantly changed for the better. A beautiful, slightly scraggly grey heron sat on top of the water tap near the kingfisher hide preening its feathers, stretching its legs and yawning occasionally. The thick spread of algae on the water would make it difficult to spot fish; it didn't even seem interested.

After 20 minutes or so of spotting coots, terns and, for the first time in my case, reed warblers we were rewarded with what we had been waiting for. One of the kingfishers shot out of the nest hole, with something large and white in its beak (probably the faecal sac I was told). Ten minutes later he (or she?) returned, hovering with a blur of beating wings outside the nest hole for a few wonderful seconds.

As with all these things, the sighting was brief but very rewarding - and my parents were happy, which was the main aim. While we were in the hide, a few more people joined us, one with a lense about the length of my arm. I sensed they were getting slighlty annoyed when I accidentally dropped my rucksack on the floor with a bang and my dad was struggling with the zip on the binoculars' case, though neither had any effect on the birdlife outside. What is hide etiquette? Are you meant to remain hushed and try your best not to make a sound or is it generally acceptable to have a chatter and maybe a spot of lunch while you while away the time? Personally, I think as long as kids aren't running around screaming and people are not shouting across the hide at each other I'm happy - though of course there is something beautiful and unusual in pure silence.