11th Hour.................

Having missed the Baillons Crake by a milli-second Today (saturday), and i mean we were in the hide as the bird disappeared into the reed's !! myself and the Dip Monkey was in for a unplanned sit and wait.

So we sat and we waited, waited some more, got some lunch, sat and waited, before we knew it it was 4pm, a whole fucking 10 hours of our lives waisted starring at reeds!! pretty much reminded me of my first Baillon's at grove ferry that took 3 attempts and almost 18 hours..........

So we left for home with our tails between our legs, and began hatching a plan to come back Sunday.

juv Marsh Harrier

 

 

 

Londons top (less) birder aka Kev Mcmanus

 

 

 

Kev says his not leaving till he see's the bird..........



SUNDAY

So different plan, I pick Monkey up at 05:10 and we arrive at Rainham RSPB for 5:30 and soon after we are back in the hide, this time before it gets light !! at 6am Roy Woodward picks up some movement in the closet reedbed, Bingo its the bird, but only a few of us get on it, Monkey is slow of the mark, he was swinging on some bars so missed it !!!!

So a great London tick, and I'm sure its not the last we will see of this small elusive bird at this site.

a busy butt's hide.

 

 

 

A big Thankyou to Howard, RSPB staff and VBR's for opening early and late locking's



STOPP PRESS: Monkey ticks bird on third visit this lunch time.. wooop woooop