A day spent Being Good

Was suddenly cut short by a phone call from Joe "It is a full and manly beard, isn't it?" Ray, at the same time as my computer screen decided all by itself to show the news;

White-tailed Plover at Slimbridge!!!!!

Before you could say "Holy shi-" the wheels were turning, and after surviving traffic jams, tractors, and blazing heat [serious in a car with no aircon, believe you me....] we were walking very calmly and sedately through the fancy new rubber duckie enclosures at WWT Slimbridge [they're very nice - worth a look as an educational aid should you ever meet a wild version]. The Zeiss Hide was naturally rather busy, but we got very good if a little distant views of this most beautiful of birds [just 'very good' through the Big Scope :D ], and also views of various Famous Faces [who shall remain nameless]. I'd watched the various stops this bird has made - all well out of range - with philosophical dejection, and I never thought it would come to where I could see it... What a wonderful thing it is! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem.

We then wandered down [eventually - oh the joys of the Brizzle rush hour...] to the Levels, where we got flight views and heard whuffing from the Little Bittern [still adorable!] and I got some good views of Banded Demoiselle and even better Brown Hawker Dragonfly - very brown, and lots of them about! That's 25 for the year now. :) We had a close encounter with a young Mink - right by our feet close! Evidently lost, it was wandering the railway line, investigating passers-by, and we were included. So cute. So evil. [Mink bad - even the cute ickle fluffy ones...]. Also multiple Marsh Harriers and a low-flying Great Big Bittern, plus some blue damsels that didn't come close enough for me to ID...

Joe, having horribly dipped the Norfolk River Warbler on Monday, then [via much phone negotiation] brought about another chance for himself, and I, being the Saint I am, took the scenic route home to drop him off on.. er, 'at' Bun's place. As I type they'll be heading east for the morning chance. Good luck!

I'm going to collapse now....