I've continued to struggle to find much time for myself but did manage a couple of hours at Ouse Fen last week where I dipped the Collared Pratincole. Whilst at the fen I saw five Crane which may or may not have been the two birds trying to breed there just moving back and forth. I'm told the pair keep laying infertile eggs so maybe some new blood is required if they're to breed. The Fudge duck was seen whilst scanning intently for the Pratincole along with LRP's Green Sandpiper and Ruff. Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrow hawk and Hobby all visited. A Hoopoe was heard just before I arrived but not after and I counted no fewer than five Great Egrets to make for a reasonable day list just adding the "dodgy"Fudge duck for a year tick. (I say dodgy because hybrid hasn't been ruled out nor an escapee)
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| The failed breeders (Cranes) |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Buzzard |
Move on to yesterday and news of a Fan-tailed warbler being found at Foreness point late into the evening but seen as probably going to roost. I called Jim and we decided to head down to Oare and tick the Bonaparte's gull and if positive news arrived we'd move on to Foreness. This plan changed when the Warbler was reported at 5.17am so we simply pressed on to Foreness arriving ten minutes after the bird flew high over the houses. We spent the next three hours walking the point in the vain hope the bird might have returned unseen but to no avail so we ditched the twitch and moved back to Oare where we quickly connected with Napolean the Bonaparte's Gull. The reserve is as dry as I've ever seen it and we didn't see much else save Blackwits, Lapwing, Avocet and LRP.
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| Napolean the Bonaparte's Gull |
Napolean has now been summering at Oare for 13 years and I'm lucky to have seen it in most of those summers. We left for home only for a Caspian Tern to be found as we drove up the M2 by which point I didn't fancy the u turn so we missed that opportunity for another year tick.
Year list now 216
So far this year I've lost no fewer than five birds off the life list (following IOC update which we have now agreed to follow in Britain) I've added one new bird with the Booted Eagle but dipped the Song Sparrow and now the Fan-tailed Warbler.
