Falcons, Crakes and Trans-Atlantic flappers 8/9th September

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I'm a bit of a ba**ard for a Red-foot,always have been,always will be...

 How could you watch one of these superb mauve maraurders and not smile?
unless you're a Dragonfly of course ..
Actually I'm not sure they can smile...?
Even if they could they probably wouldn't be...
They've probably lost some Dragonfly chums over the last 22 days to
wing commander beaky here and his deadly set of 'sky hooks'!?

I digress.

So when news came to light of a long staying bird near Chichester I had to make

the pilgrimidge and pay due respect. Joining me on my Falcon crusade were Andy

Last and Terry Sherlock them of the Otmoor massive.

(c) Paul Hackett

It was then on to Weymouth (for the second time this week) to see the Monarch Butterfly

which had taken up residence on Portland Bill in a small ornimental garden in the middle

of a housing estate...Is Chichester on route to Weymouth? well, for the purposes of accuracy

I've checked the 2012 edition of ''The devious Gnome map of Britain''

and apparently...yes...yes it is.

Gnomes Birding Diary



Watching the Dowitcher at Lodmoor

Med Gull at Lodmoor

Monarch on Portland Courtesy of Paul Chandler Cholsey Wildlife

A rare sighting away from Otmoor...
Andy Last And Terry Sherlock Ferrybridge Dorset.

Rainham Marshes 8th September

In  stark difference to the very showy Red-foot in Sussex the Baillon's Crake at Rainham Marshes

a day earlier always had nightmare written all over it...

Take a major rare.

(something nice and skulky)

News breaks just prior to the weekend...

Place said bird on to a reserve within a few miles of a motorway. 

Designate an opening time.

Only viewable from the one hide that's designed for 20 people

Add 40 people...

Well I saw it very briefly through JT's scope before the juvie Crake melted away in to the

vegetation, but I was fortunate to have seen these minuscule 

Crakes very well last May on Lesvos.

Was this particular Crake 'made in Britain'???

Baillon's Crake (c) Jonathan Lefhbridge

Dawn at Rainham with JT 



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