I ventured to Groby Pool on Monday the 6th of September in search of a county rarity, a Wryneck which local birder Andy Forryan had found the previous Saturday feeding along a footpath just north of the Pool. Only 1 or 2 of these are found in Leicestershire each year if we are lucky! It's only a 10 minute drive for me, and as I arrived mid morning, Alan Pocock was just leaving; Alan has birded Groby Pool for longer than he wants to remember. He told the handful of birders/photographers that were gathered that if they were patient, the bird would eventually show well. He wasn't wrong, and after a few glimpses of the bird in some bushes, it finally settled down and came down to feed on some ant hills and also on the footpath. I've been lucky, this was my 3rd sighting of this species in Leicestershire. I've got to say, whilst I was there everyone behaved and kept their distance, but I heard on the birding grapevine that people were not so good on Tuesday! I did have a word with one photographer who was getting a bit over zealous and was getting closer and closer to he bird, so I politely asked him to come back to where everyone was standing, which he did. I do think that the majority of birders/ photographers are well behaved and show some excellent field craft, it's the odd bad apple I'm afraid that gives them a bad name, and so they all get tarred with same brush, which is not always the case. I know some excellent birders/photographers and they know their field craft. We all know or should know that the bird's welfare comes first, these birds have got to feed more or less constantly, as they have a long trek in front of them. Just enjoy the birds from a sensible distance (rant over) Below are few images of the Groby Pool Wryneck.
I'm off to Shetland in a few weeks so hopefully post some thing about that adventure on my return. As always thanks for stopping by
