Recent days
Two birds that I have twitched in press parlance for want of a better term but how much enjoyment does a twitched bird provide? Nothing like finding your own and even these two examples were totally different - the Black Tern I had to myself no-one else around but the Wryneck was totally different. Probably the best views I have ever had of a very confiding bird that is a bit magical and so much rarer than in the 70’s and even 80’s but the spectacle of so many people getting ever closer with lenses that you could have stood the other side of the car park with, the raucous banter usually directed towards who had been to which publicised rarity more times and got even bigger images than anyone else was bad enough but plutting up perches and feeding a bird that has found its own food supply of ants just to get it more into the open and in a better pose for the camera was an anathema to me. Birds are wild creatures to appreciate and enjoy not disturb or treat like circus animals. I know why I go and see so few publicised birds nowadays its a differnt world to the birding world I grew up in. So herewith some images which probably contradict what I have written but if I ever do find another rare bird don’t expect immediate publicity!
Juvenile Black Tern always neat and pristine
The days of seeing 50 - 100 in a day on the local patch seem a distant memory - another sad decline
Cryptic and beautiful Wryneck
Not in a scenic spot but a spot it chose
Its a while since I found one and a bird I have never seen on my local patch but I am sure several must have occurred over the years
Tongue extending into the soil licking up ants
