Today, I had a day off so I decided to head out along the Yare and see where I get to. The marshes were particularly quiet this morning with little of note seen bar a small flock of pinkies, 7 Ruff, 3 Dunlin and a migrating? flock of Curlews heading inland, I also heard a distant green sand (think I'll wait for another before yearticking it though) as well as the other usual species.
On my return I noticed a few gulls loafing on a small pool, I casually glanced at them with my binoculars...Herring, Lesser black-back (could it be Baltic..no..), black headed, common and....ICELAND!
I was in a slight state of shock to be honest, this was not on my Mid Yare radar! I needed to get a bit closer as the distance and light were not good for the all important record shots. At that point a marsh harrier flew over making it fly a little way east with a few other gulls, closer to the path, so stealth mode engaged and the all important shots were secured (still grainy and at full zoom on my camera, but I reckon they'll pass the county recorders. I tried ringing Alasdair, the warden of the marshes, who I could see working but my phone for some reason wouldn't connect, I tried RBA and the office with the same outcome, great!
The bird then flew further east towards the sugar factory but remained on the marshes. I headed home to use the landline to report the sighting in the hope that others could connect too (not sure it was seen again though)
I wonder if its roosting at the factory or if it was just passing and I was lucky enough to connect??
A good end to Feb all the same!
Well done, Ben!
ReplyDeleteGreat find!
Certainly a bit if surprise, just shows the value of going out and looking at the same areas all the time, as we like to do, you never know what you may find! I was hoping for a pintail or two lol
ReplyDeleteSuper find Ben! Had this stuck around I would have come over to see it, an unlikely Yare Bird.
ReplyDelete