Best I could do with the Jack Snipe which flew faster than my auto focus.
1st year Grey Wagtail. an unusual visitor.
- A poor day at Fly Flatts with a very low cloud base this morning giving visibility across the water but no sky viewing. By 0930 hrs it cleared slightly just in time for heavy rain. A light SW>3 at 7 degrees.
- The afternoon was atrocious, with again, low cloud turning to fog and heavy driving drizzle.
- Although I had predicted a Jack Snipe for Fly Flatts it still came as a surprise to me having not seen one since a Soil Hill bird which stayed on the hill from 29th Oct to 12 Nov 2016.
- Ironically, the reed bed area in the SE corner that I said was ideal for one is now well under water and this bird turned up in a different spot altogether. It flushed about 6 ft away from me dropping down again immediately about 10 ft away.
- With camera reset and at the ready I steadily walked along the track towards the spot with nothing, and then a bit further on still it lifted off again dropping into reeds just over the wire fence before I,d even time to lift the camera.
- Late afternoon in terrible conditions I pulled up with the car and the Jack Snipe flushed not 3 ft from where I parked and again dropped down in the original area. A walk along the track relocated it with the same result of dropping into reeds over the wire fence though this time I just had time to fire some shots at it with no decent result. Hopefully it will hang around as its in a good area which can be viewed from a distance with a chance of seeing it out in the open.
- PRESENT
- 1 Jack Snipe
- 2 Wheatear
- 1 Grey Wagtail
- 5 Stonechat
- 12 Canada
- 3 Greylag
- 1 Pied Wagtail.
- BS
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