My day was not going very well at all. I had to stay in to receive my repaired computer monitor at some point between 0800 & 1200. It duly arrived, quite early, and I soon had it reconnected. Despair! It still had the fault that it was sent to be repaired for! More phone calls and it has got to go back. My anger was cut short with a text from RBA stating a Greater Yellowlegs had been found at Daventry Country Park. Off I went at great speed, but the journey of 8 miles seemed endless as I must have had every driver over the age of 80 in front of me travelling at 30mph! Eventually arriving in the carpark and paying my dues (£2), in the company of many other birders, the 300yard walk soon had me looking at a possible life tick! The bird was in my scope, in the company of two summer plumaged Black Tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper. The bird was rather distant in very poor light and the vegetation around its favoured feeding area was rather problematic, but I was soon standing on a nearby bench getting a grandstand, but distant view. Pity it did not oblige by coming in closer!
Post Script - I cannot, hand on heart say that this bird IS a Greater Yellowlegs due to the distance and never having seen one! I have been swayed by those present watching the bird. Looking in my Collins Guide can we really rule out GREENSHANK? I live in hope but GREENSHANK must now be favourite!
I offer below, record shots of this bird.
Looks like a pretty normal Greenshank to me, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree!
ReplyDeleteLooks more like greenshank in your pics than it did through the scope!!!!
ReplyDeleteThats what I thought when I uploaded the images onto the computer and then got my books out. A yellowlegs would have been a life tick for me but cest la vie!
ReplyDeletethe massive white 'v' up its back might have been a giveway
ReplyDeleteIt would have been a giveaway had it been observed in the hour that I was there! When I left, no-one had seen this (or admitted to seeing this!). Hindsight and all that.....!
ReplyDelete