Black Brant

Checked out a few of the local haunts the first couple of hours. Another brief Corn Bunting encounter on Snakey, when I stopped at a pull-in and heard that familiar chip...

Has to be the best Winter since I've been here (8 years) for this species...or maybe I haven't been looking hard enough! Just as I was about to pull away I saw some Swans flying towards me..always a reason for excitment here. Turned out to be 6 Whoopers...

Possibly two juveniles?

...and away South...

I may have mentioned I love this species...once or twice!!

Next I checked out "the Sewage" hoping for a Grey Wagtail...or a Jack Snipe...or a Water Rail...or something...but I could only manage a couple of Pied. I also scanned the sea for an hour but nothing passed by. There had been some Velvet Scoter earlier.

After lunch I drove down to Skeffling to check out the Whooper Swan herd. It was pleasing to see they were still present. As I counted them it became apparent they had increased in number...18 yesterday...6 over Snakey this morning = 24?

It was now time to drive up onto the floodbank to give Bud a stretch. As I reached the bend in the road I was greeted with this sight...

An estimated 500 birds were present. The light was poor (no change there) but a bird at the front of the group stood out. I pulled off the road and looked through my bins...

A dandy!! To me, the bird looked stockier than the surrounding birds, as well as distinctive in plumage...

Rear View

The fact that it was so close was obviously VERY fortunate...

Dapper

I then read through a few messages to discover the bird had been reported earlier! There was mention of a "hybrid" but this bird looked "kosher" to me. I sent an image to a few pals who agreed on the ID. On good views the bird stood out like a sore thumb but it could be surprisingly elusive when feeding amongst the flock. Definitely a sight to brighten up a dull day...