Purple Haze

A very quick look at Filby, armed with just my bins, meeting Neil M who said it was still there? "What is still there?" I asked, "Purple Heron" the reply, I'd been in a meeting at County Hall, most of the morning and had only stopped off to have a very quick look. At the end of the path, several East Norfolk birders were seen, but the Purple Heron had walked back a little way and could not be seen with just my bins, (but probably could have been through a scope) so without any offers, I promptly left. Note to self, put my scope back in the car! Returning after work, Perry F was holding court and after 1/2 an hour one birder left. Suddenly at 5 minutes later at 5.35pm, I spotted the excellent Purple Heron fly up from the scrub just left of the reeds and it flew left across ther broad and perched in a bush just by the northern edge, it looked away its large yellow bill seen clearly. A great sighting and at long last my first in Norfolk! After ten minutes it flew east down a dyke and out of sight. Meanwhile, a Garden Warbler sang from behind the platform area. The sky was getting increasingly dark grey and rumbles of an impending storm was ominous, so walking quickly back a quick check over Filby Broad revealed many hirundines (naturally in the conditions) and in the rain we saw many including 30 House Martins and 30 Swallows.