I thought fleetingly after skinny moorhen?? that it was a rat?? because of the speed it moved, how low it was to the ground, general size but it had "roadrunner" bird legs, it had to be a bird. It all happened so fast, it looked so strange, I was trying to make sense of it. Perplexing experience
There is a Russian?? Video on You Tube that shows 1 running across a path. As I recall the bird that's a good match. Head down, arse up, big powerful rapid (clockwork) legs, set way back, ran very fast. It looked dark but on a gloomy rainy day running away with head down, wings tucked, it would??
A flock of Canada Geese at Lady's Island Lake as dawn broke was not a romantic way to end the trip list.
CRAKE!!! Corncrake?? Fuck!!! I've never seen one, I got nothing on it. It was gone in a flash. It would have been a Wexford Mega. I've seen lots of Spotted & Little & Baillions in Turkey, UK spotted. It definitely didn't have the curved bill of a Water Rail. Can't think what else it could be. Ideas?
The was it??? bird. Thurs walked in the rain through some fields, startled a bird from the edge of a wheat field, it ran across the path in front of me, into a rape field. My thoughts in rapid order, Partridge! No Moorhen!! Too small (as I worked out the size) I thought Rat?? It's got bird's legs!
No unusual seabirds on the Ferry from Rosslare this am. Loads of Kittiwakes/Gannets/Guillemots many feeding actively. Most interesting, 7 Swallow heading W!! towards Ireland offshore from Rosslare. then 5 swallow E 1/2 way across, a few 1&2's E later. 2 sightings of a few Common Dolphins
Back from the pub, talking to the owner outside the apartment and a ringtail Hen flies by. If that's the last trip list addition it's not a bad one
What a trip, absolutely buzzing. The superb habitats & abundance of birds make for excellent birding. £80 return with bike on the ferry, £240 for 4 nights accommodation. If only I'd ridden a bike in the last 18 months, that would definitely have helped. Excellent waterproofs definitely did
Turns out White-rumped. Another of the target birds. Walked from the beach to White Hole & back. Looked at many waders. One at sea looked like a fly-by Phal, flew like a Phal, gone too quickly for 100% Trip additions of Golden Plover & Whimbrel. 3 stunning SP RTDiver. Everything scarce avoided me.
Too tired to care, been out birding since 8, 1 of the birds I was hoping to find. I'll be heading out in a bit for a last evening couple of pints & some food. Haven't had 1 since I arrived & been eating out of packets. Glad it's not a Stilt Sand or a Wilson's Phal, I'd have forced myself back out
