SHEEPWASH MEGA!

22/08/11
My sheepwash regiem had reached its pinical today, with a Sheepwash MEGA!!
We walked in our usual way, scanned the fields the usual way, and was left dissapointed, maybe the lake would be better?
We Stopped on the north side of the pool near some stratigically placed boulders for seats, scan over the Gulls, Nothing (Not even a tern!!), scan the water, again, Nothing, scan the Mud ridge.

Ding ding ding, Hit the Jackpot.

Even from here i could see imidiatly that i was watching my first sheepwash GREENSHANK!
A Greenshank, at sheepwash, a puddle in great bridge, with a greenshank on it!!
Scope came out of the bag, but by the time i had set it up (very quickly may i add) the bird had gone, and we hadent seen where it flew off, without calling. could our Greenshank have only been down for less than a minuite?

We walked around the pool, onto the raised path, but there was still no sign of the bird, it had gone.

Or so we thought,

On the tiny Johns lane fishing pool, there was a small strip of mud littered with bottles and empty strongbow cans, and roosting on the waters edge was a marvelous juv Greenshank, blisfully preening and sleeping, we walked around so we were opposite the bird on the other side of the pool and scoped it.
Here it is:

However, other than the star bird, there was nothing else, at all, nothing to eat away at the Greenshanks glory!

There was a few Dragonflys about though, with:

1 Common Darter

2 Southern Hawker

2 Brown Hawker

and Numerous Common Blue damselflies.

a search for the Blue-taield's failed.

MB