Fleeting glimpses

We braved the strong wind this morning and took Bud on the beach at Spurn. He loves the sea and is completely fearless. Not many birds abut or birders for that matter which was a bit surprising for mid-May?

Still we continues our walk. We'd just reached the Canal bank when I noticed something unusual in a distant bush. Medium sized and stocky, then a flash of white rump. Could it be? Yes...a Jay! (P.107, S.87)

I was pretty sure this was a Spurn tick (confirmed later). The bird then took off and was lost to view. I then picked it up again flying towards Big Hedge...then another...after fumbling with the camera I tried to get a record shot (which wasn't easy with the speed of the birds and the strong wind. Somehow I managed to get something in the viewfinder...

I only noticed the second bird when I downloaded my pictures! All three then crossed the road and made their way to the back of Canal Scrape...

Then they were gone! We walked to the car at the Blue Bell and drove to the Crown and Anchor so we could walk back down the canal but we never saw them again. I reckon they were in view for less than two minutes.

We then heard the familiar sound of a Cuckoo fairly close by. As is often the case I couldn't see it. Then I picked one up over the reedbed, then another, then another!! Again I pointed and shot...

I like the following pictures because they portray the speed at which these birds were travelling in the strong wind...