It's very frustrating. You wait all week for Sunday to come around and it rains, or its foggy. Today it snowed, and then it rained. Dave bailed out the night before, and I resolved to go only when/if the weather improved.
At about 13.30 it seemed to be easing, so I set out. Ironically the star bird chose to appear half a mile from the start of my patch. I was just pulling across the crossroads at Outhill, when I saw a Woodcock flutter down to the roadside. I pulled up level with it and watched it walk up the verge and into the wood. Needless to say, my camera was in the boot.
I can hardly remember the last time I saw a Woodcock on the ground, and doubt I have seen them in those circumstances more than five times in my entire life. The species also has an annoying habit of turning up just outside the Morton Bagot patch boundaries. I have flushed singles from the middle of Bannam's Wood, from fields to the west of the patch, and have seen one flying across the road not far from today's sighting. Only two have been seen, by me anyway, within the patch territory over the last ten years.
I arrived at Church Farm, and was disconcerted to note that the rain had started falling again as I was pulling my wellies on. I trudged down to the flash field where I was pleased to see that there were at least 86 Teal and a pair of Gadwall. The ducks all panicked as soon as they saw me, and although they initially sat in view on the nearest flash, they soon headed for the furthest.
With the rain still pelting down I didn't feel inclined to risk my camera (it hates the rain), and after confirming that the main pool was birdless I decided to cut my losses and head home.
It stopped raining five minutes after I headed off.
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