Garganey Pair

Garganey Pair, Axe Marsh, 28/03/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Garganey Pair, Axe Marsh, 28/03/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Garganey Pair, Axe Estuary, 28/03/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

        

Sorry for terrible photos but I thought I'd provide 'proof pictures' as the Dutch say of 2 Garganey that were about today. I spent some time failing to see yesterday's birds - and this morning's Egyptian Goose - but managed a superb lone Wheatear on Coly Common. As I was leaving via BHM on the bike I ran into IM who kindly offered me a lift to the Farm Gate from which I saw a drake Garganey on almost exactly the same date back in 2013 (and also in the 1990s!). Ian Waite had texted him that he'd seen them from Tower hide but they'd flown to a pool on Axe Marsh. We had a quick year-tick look then I was dropped back at BHM which encouraged me to try Tower hide. Amazingly, the 2 Garganey (or possibly another 2?!) had moved to the river/estuary way North of Tower which is why my pics are so bad. Not as exciting as BN Grebe would have been but very scarce round here; the drake rivals Pintail as most magnificent drake in my humble opinion. Not that the females aren't nice too. Some people refer to them as 'Birders' birds' which usually means quite nondescript! Still no hirundines for me this March though. How strange...