In between shopping and the vets I squeezed in 45 mins at Ogden, the nearest destination, but a walk as far as passerine alley found it quiet with just the usual species although a Black Headed gull there showed signs of them starting to return. Nearly time up and just throwing the dogs back in the car wondering what to blog tonight when that one life saving magical phone call happened. NK at Mixenden stood on the banking watching 8 Shelduck, a mega rarity for this area.
With no time to get to the reservoir due to the shortly due vets appointment I went for the next best option which was park at the top of the hill above the reservoir and scan down which is about 1 mile away. I could see Nigel on the banking and luckily ,with the Shelduck being white I could just pick them out on the water. Now it was up to Big Bertha to get me some record shots and although it was well out of range the light was good and the pics came out bloggable.
As soon as I got back from the vets I shot off to Mixenden in hopes of getting some decent shots but with nuggets all around the reservoir fishing and lobbing things in the water the Shelducks had wisely moved on. On then to Ogden on a slim chance they had landed there but not to be so it was lucky I took the first option as soon as Nigel rang me.
Many thanks to NK for the call, but for him we would have had 8 Shelduck through our area unseen. Thats one of the amazing things about birding your local area, the day can seem poor and disheartening but it only takes one sighting, one text or one phone call to turn it all round and send you home on a high.
to get the beam on his face.
BS