That Mediterranean Feeling

Cold with a strengthening south west wind, the very early movement of Scoter had dried up by 08:30 and as Richard, Martin and myself were wandering back to our cars, Jacob came on the radio to say he had found a Hoopoe in the Desert. Quickly parking up on the estate road we wandered to where Jacob and Luke were still watching the Hoopoe albeit not as close as it had been before. Soon other locals and visitors gathered and despite being distant we all obtained good views and some distant shots of the bird.

Hoopoe

Hoopoe

Hoopoe

After a quick breakfast at home I returned to ARC and then on to the other part of the reserve. The long staying female Long-tailed Duck remains on Burrowes. I then went on a reverse walk along the main trail ad had just arrived at Hayfield 1 when Richard found a Red-rumped Swallow over the ARC car park. Typically I was far away from there and decided to walk to ARC checking for any Hirundines en-route as further messages indicated no further sign. On reaching ARC and no further sightings, Martin kindly gave me a lift back to my car and a group of us started to scour various locations looking for any Hirundines. Looking out from Dengemarsh hide we noticed a small flock of Swallows in the distance over Dengemarsh reedbed in front of the chicken sheds. The birds were a long way off an in silhouette. As we left the hide a message came through that Tom Cackett had located a Red-rumped Swallow in the flock and was watching it from Dengemarsh Road. We then hurriedly drove round to the location and managed to get good, prolonged albeit distant views. In the sheep field in front of use were the three Cattle Egrets that are still in the area. Certainly the species mix of the day was giving off a very Mediterranean feel in a cold, strong south-westerly wind.

Red-rumped Swallow with a Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow with Swallows