Sunday, January 27, 2013
Dorney
There was thunder during the night, rolling around the Thames Valley like "drums in the deep". Just as it was getting light, a tawny owl called; I shot out of bed hoping for a sighting but no-go.
In the afternoon we paid a visit to the wetlands. It was nice to have Greger with me. The two white-fronted geese among the larger Canadas were a twitch; so it was satisfying to get a self-found flood tick in the form of a song thrush, foraging in the mud beyond the Roundmoor Ditch.
The Cetti's warbler gave Greger the best views he's ever had of this species as he recalled long hours of patient (and mostly futile) waiting down at Titchfield Haven in Hampshire.
Two of the local dog-walking ladies came along and asked what the latest bird was. One then prompted the other, "Wasn't that a snowy egret you had here the other day?" Well, you never know of course, but I suggested it was possibly a little egret. The lady agreed with a laugh and said that she recently saw waxwings by the Jubilee River and informed a birder that there was a flock of crested tits there! We all laughed uproariously.
Oddly enough, when they'd gone, we looked across the common flood and saw a little egret sitting on a branch by the hedge. The dark duck in the foreground is one of two shovelers, and a pair of teal was also present.
A nice outing to blow away the cobwebs; and back at home I looked up snowy egret. Just in case.
// posted by Christine @ 8:37 AM 
