The Bittern at Chev has been showing well recently so as I approached the hide and saw it walk into a patch of reeds 10m across with a clearing either side all I had to do was wait. I did! It didn't (appear that is),must have had a little mid-morning snooze. Plenty of Water Rails showing and squealing but the hides are too far from the reed edge for good photo ops.
Monday 9th Nov
Having covered all the local beaches I headed back home and straight past Cresswell. Lunch in the microwave, washing drying I checked the internet to find I had driven past a Dowitcher. I headed back to find the Dowitcher-shaped bird some distance away. The howling wind gave little opportunity to enjoy the experience and so I headed home and tried again (with the same results) later.
This morning I was there at the crack of dawn! No Dowitcher although the light wasn't brilliant. I headed to Druridge Pools and was delighted to find the Long-billed Dowitcher swimming amongst the Teal.
Still distant but much more obvious than yesterday. I rang people, put the news on RBA and Twitter at the same time I tried to keep up with the bird it was quite mobile.
Suddenly the most surprising of flyovers, a Black Tern. It eventually flushed the Dowitcher but in my eagerness to get a good look at the tern I lost the Dowitcher. I checked from the other hides with no luck but it did reappear at Cresswell. I noticed lots of visitors yesterday and today came to see the bird because the information was being broadcast frequently. I would hope that those who visited do likewise when they see a bird and don't restrict their news to 'whatsappers' and cliques
My day couldn't get better and it was only 9am. Well a Merlin at Druridge and a Black Redstart at Hauxley proved it could.
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