Spotted Crake

Last night I stumbled on the fact there was a Spotted Crake at Stanwick GPs in Northants. Never seen a Spotted Crake and never been to Stanwick GPS which looked like rather a large area to cover to search for a skulking crake, but this morning I found some very helpful instructions on exactly where to go. So not fancying going Crake hunting at with the Rainham crowds I headed North.

The bird had been seen at 8:30, but when I arrived about 12:00 a guy was just leaving who'd been around for an hour and a half and seen nothing. He reckoned morning and evening were the best times to see the bird. The longer I watched the closer evening came, so might as well hang on a bit longer. There were four of us that seemed to have nothing better to do this Sunday afternoon and then after 17:00 an influx of locals brought it to maybe a dozen birders, but in the end they all left disappointed. Hey ho, anyway at one point I wandered off and found the Sacred Ibis that had eluded the other birders. Probably just an escapee, but it's an unringed bird, so maybe a visitor from the French feral population. Anyway one can't count it as it's not on any version of the British List, but a nice find all the same and a nice blip pic with its Grey Heron mate.