Thursday morning saw Thor Veen and yours truly down at Church Cove for yet another pre-work blast of the bushes. First light, mid-October, a light south-easterly, overcast conditions and a fair few grounded migrants. Just right for something from the east: Red-throated Pipit, Red-flanked Bluetail? The possibilities were endless. It was therefore with an air of expectation that I checked the trees around the pond at Church Cove. What would it be? Taiga Flycatcher? Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler? Redstart or Yellow-browed more likely. Some interesting passerine if anything at all. What I certainly didn’t expect, is what I saw: a roosting Cattle Egret! WTF? Unfortunately it saw me at around the same time as I saw it and it decided to depart. Even more unfortunately, Thor “was trying his luck in the graveyard” (his words, not mine), and missed it, despite my attempts to call him as it flew over him. It just goes to show though: you never can predict what’s about.
PS. Discovered shortly afterwards that it may have been in the area for several days, but in true Lizard fashion was suppressed. I decided to follow this example, only informing a few local birders. If roosting in the area, it would have been horribly prone to disturbance (as I inadvertently discovered myself). I’ve checked several times and I don’t think it’s roosting there anymore. Bound to be around somewhere though....
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