peeping

Peeping out of a bush the other day was a lovely Red backed Shrike.

Everyone craves for the colourful males; and they are splendid. For me however, I like the tones and scalloped edges of the first year birds.

 

Glossing Over

It’s wouldn’t be my choice for a spring break. Far too close to Cantley beet factory for me; but four Glossy Ibis thought the flood meadows there had the edge on the marshes of southern Spain.

There has been a ritual played out each March over the last few years for Spanish Glossy Ibis (or should that be Ibis’s, or maybe even Ibi) to move north into the UK. From Kent to Northumberland parties of these overgrown Curlews have been on tour. The four birds shifting around the Yare Valley made temporary home on a flooded field on Saturday. Very jumpy indeed they would not tolerate close approach and given the gloomy skies laden with rain during the morning photography was difficult … but we managed a few shots.

One individual was sporting Vardic jewellery.

Click to enlarge the following photo.