Sunday 6 September 2009

Colin Gets an Ortolan




On Saturday, we headed to Cley as an Ortolan had been present on Friday-this is a bird that Colin has tried to see for many years without success. We arrived fairly early and could see a large crowd on the East Bank, so headed off to join the queue. The bird did not show for some time, and I was distracted by the pings of the Bearded Tits. The Ortolan did eventually show-a long way off and by peering over shoulders we could see it. Then a couple barged through and despite protestations walked past and flushed the bird. Luckily it returned, landed a bit closer and I was able to get a poor record shot.
We returned to Cley where the scrapes held a small flock of Curlew Sandpipers among the Godwits and Shanks, and six of the Spoonbills doing what they do best-ie sleeping.
Sea watching was not all that good by the time we got to the beach, I saw a few Gannets, terns and a single Arctic Skua. A few Wheatears were along the fences.
There was little of note from the north hide, though a pair of Swallows still had young in the nest bu the door.

No comments: