Another shocker of a morning on the tops so a gamble that Leeshaw would be below the cloud base.
Once again, Leeshaw was just below the fog clouds but very dark with heavy drizzle showers on a light N>2 at 7 degrees.
Very little showing other than the usual Mallards, Canadas and Greylags on the water along with around 80 small gulls, 3 Herring and 2 LBBs.
A walk to the bottom of the track to check the stream, now a raging torrent, produced 21 Fieldfare moving around the fields along with 5 Mistle Thrush and a squadron of around 50 Starling in migration mode heading their usual autumn direction of >SW.
Back at the reservoir I was scanning through the gulls in hopes of Med gull when I spotted a white object in the reeds across on the far NW shore. Little Egret came to mind until I dashed for the scope in the car and a Great White Egret emerged into the waters edge.
Impossible for anything decent photo wise but a few record shots before it was spooked with Black Headeds and flew low and west over the water disappearing out of site. I watched to see if it left over the moor so it had to be at the west end of the water which is inaccessible and out of sight.
After a few minutes wait it re-appeared to its original spot where I got some more poor shots for the record. I tried the 1.4 tele converter but being such low light all it did was magnify the fluffy image although it was still on the lens for the flight shots.
I put word out to CK for his Bfd group and to BV but 10 minutes later I had to put a stop out as the bird lifted off and lifted very high and >NE. Unfortunately BV arrived 5 minutes after the bird had flown.
The 2nd of November and my second good day, hopefully a hat-trick tomorrow but being realistic., it can only get worse.
BS