Saturday 12 December 2015

GND again and Cattle Egret

On Saturday 12th November, a look first thing from the railway bridge at Lake Lothing again revealed the fine Great Northern Diver swimming around the orange buoy again (often disappearing for a few minutes at a time in the southern islet. It even caught a crab and typically crouched low over the water after eating it. A Kingfisher also seen flying across the river east of where I was looking. I then drove up to sea Palling in the pouring rain and taking the road west- Hickling Lane, I eventually went past the Lound farm and then past the corner and parked by the Lound cottages and seeing Rene & Matthew, they pointed out the bird literally sheltering under legs of a cream Highland Cattle, it was asleep, a fine Cattle Egret. It was a like white oval blob on legs initially with a small white bobble for the head. After a while it woke and walked around feeding and moved from the far corner to the middle of the field by the feeding cattle trough. It showed its heavy yellow bill and white feathered cheek jowl extending onto the mid-section of the lower mandible. It would have made a good picture but with the persistant rain, a "consistant pitter- patter", it was too much of a risk so the photography gear was kept under wraps in the boot of the car. The rain was getting heavier and heavier and after the bird flew I headed for the drier climate of the car and home!

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