Thursday 3 April 2008

Oh Mother of God

Went down to NDCarrs to check it out for the newly arrived Green-winged Teal/Garganey combo. Upon arrival it became obvious that nursery were having a field trip. Screaming kids everywhere! This was a little perturbing but the ducks on the marsh didn't seem bothered so why should I be? A thorough scan of all Teal in a half mile radius show nothing bar one that had a bleached bit of grass draped across its head making it resemble a Garganey. Ballbags.

On the way down I'd had a ouple of nice flukes - a White Stork floated over the A64 as it crossed the river ouse. Initially I took it to be a cormorant but it was much too big for that and had a lazier flight action (plus it was white and black!). My driving at a decent rate put paid to too much close study so I couldn't make out rings and things but I wouldn't stake too much on it being a wild bird, what with the Harewood ones being all frisky at this time of year.

The second bonus was a Green Woodpecker which flushed from the roadside between Escrick and Skipwith - my first in the LDV. Quite how its my first round there I'm not sure but it was. Other than this standard fare at NDC - locals stringing Mute Swans as Whoopers and asking what a GW Teal looks like and some Reed Buntings flocked on the field out the back. No fecking migrants mind. The bastards.

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