Green Sandpiper, Brandon Marsh N.R. 
Little Egret
Sparrowhawk
Stoat with young Rabbit
Little Egret
MoorhenTuesday 20th July 2010
It all started so peacefully, family groups of birds: Moorhens, Grebes, Common tern, Kingfishers all feeding fully fledged young at Brandon Marsh Nature reserve. Green and Common Sandpipers and Little ringed Plovers fed easily on the muddy pools. Birders ambled from hide to hide and a Little Egret drifted over. An idyllic scene, but a prelude to what Dramas were to unfold came as a Sparrowhawk flew through carrying a small bird of some description.
I was walking to Steetley hide when a shreech came from the Nettles a few yards ahead, there was some movement in the undergrowth and clearly some kind of violent struggle was taking place as more screams were heard. There was no visability in the dense vegetation just the movement of the plants and dead twigs. I moved a little closer to get a partial view of a young Rabbit lying on its side being attacked by a Stoat. The Stoat was trying to drag the badly injured Rabbit away but the Rabbit was still able to kick out and wasnt giving in easily. I'm not sentimental about Nature but I wanted the Stoat to finish the Rabbit off quickly.
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