With that sorted we can move on to todays highlight again at Fly Flatts and again a first for Calderdale.
1430 hrs and on arrival it was one of those days where the conditions were ideal with a smell of birds as soon as I got out of the car.
100% light grey sky with slight dampness carried on a SE>4-5 and decent visibility.
Walking along the west bank I started with a few Red Grouse and the 2 Barnacles on the water but soon the sky started to liven up with Herring gulls moving over very high and >SW whilst Cormorants were moving dead opposite heading very high and >NE.
By the end of the watch I ,d had 25 Herrings and 11 Cormorant along with several Mipits >SW and a Bunting sp. that I had to let go as it was in silhouette and distant with no call but it looked like it could have been interesting.
By now I was at the NW corner of the water checking for Snow Bunts in the conduit and as I scanned to the SW for any more Cormorants what I thought was a Little Egret was heading towards me but fairly high heading >NE. As it got closer it got bigger and bigger and as I was blasting away with Big Bertha I could see its long black legs through the lens. The bristles on the back of my neck stood up as I realized it was Great Egret.
With Caspian gull Monday and Great Egret Wednesday I expected wakening up anytime to go to work and it was all a dream. Boy am I in for a big downer when this stretch of luck runs out and Im back to looking at empty skies.
Its ironic that this is my hat trick with firsts for Calderdale, the first one being Little Egret, then Caspian and finishing with Great Egret. Only Cattle Egret to get now, better start checking the fields.
BS