All about the timing !!!

It has been all about the timing today.!!! At approx 07.30 hrs Chris Gibbs located and photographed a Red Footed Falcon at Clifford Hill GP and when he left a little while later he was unsure as to the whereabouts of the bird.  There have been a few records of this species nationally and there has been one very close to us in Buckinghamshire, so it was only a matter of time before one turned up. 

When the news broke I was at Blueberry trying to find a bird as it was extremely quiet this morning.  I was then heading off to Turvey for my agility training class. I was rather hoping that the bird would be relocated and that I would have a chance to catch up with it later.                                                      I took my usual route to Turvey but when I got to Billing Garden Centre the Police had closed the road and it was all a bit chaotic. I was cursing as I sat in stationery traffic.  Anyway I could eventually turn around and headed to the A45 where I had to make a spur of the moment decision to either go towards Northampton or Wellingborough.  As I found myself in the left hand lane I took the A45 towards Northampton and then the A428 towards Bedford.  I managed to stop so that I could message my friends to let them know that I was going to be late. I had literally just sent my message when Bob's message came through on the Northants Birds WhatsApp group that the Red Footed Falcon had been relocated and was sitting on a telegraph pole between the lake and the Bedford Road!!!. A sudden realisation that I was actually on the Bedford Road galvanised me into action.  It's not a road that I use very often so was unsure whether I would be able to park and I couldn't drive too slowly as the road was very busy.  Thankfully I found a layby . As I looked towards the lake I could see Bob and a small group of birders watching the Red Footed Falcon so I just followed their gaze.  Obviously I would have liked to have been closer as I watched it flying around before it gained height and drifted away,  but as I never expected to see it this was a bonus and all because of a road being closed and my timing.  My friends had taken the same route only a couple of minutes ahead of me and although the Police were present the road was open.   My lucky day.

Very little else reported today, a Whimbrel at Clifford Hill GP and Little Gull,  6 Common Sandpipers and Hobby at Stanford Reservoir.             Although Harrington Airfield is quiet for birds at the moment,  Dingy Skipper,  Green Hairstreak and Small Heath were on the wing this afternoon. 

Regards Eleanor 

Whimbrel courtesy
of Nick Parker.

Sedge Warbler courtesy
of Tony Stanford.

Grey Partridges courtesy
of Tony Stanford.