Grey Phalarope in Northants on Sunday twitch

 The confiding bird modelling for photographers

Red Kite

Owl Meadow

As is always the way a Grey Phalarope turned up just a few miles from work while I was away in Scotland to continue it's inclusion on my bogey bird list. Having spent Saturday on a course in Worcester the temptation of twitching a reported Phalarope just over an hour way got the better of me on Sunday. 

Arriving on the causeway of Pitsford Reservoir the locals tipped me off to drive round to the county park and walk from there. After grudgingly paying the £2.60 parking fee I set off east around the reservoir path. With no signage of Pintail bay in sight I was hoping more than being confident of finding this arctic breeding wader. 

Finally after a good mile walk I found the bird in a small bay being watched by a handful of photographers and birders. Despite it being very windy I managed to get a few shots that I was rather pleased with. I was quite capitulated watching this wader and spent a good deal of time observing the bird.

As I was leaving a local birder, Dave James said hello as he recognised me from Twitter. I told him I was heading to a local site to look for Short-eared Owls but kindly he offered me some alternative advice which paid dividends as the light faded. I picked up a Shortie flying along the hedge line on the far side of the meadow. Beauty ! With the final light gone I headed back up the A14 and M6 having had a top afternoon out.