Pond Heron delays Dunge

What is there to say about this Pond Heron thing? I didn't really want to go, rumour has it that it is a total pig, and having gone, I can now concur. Not as much as Barry though. My thought process was to be there in the dark, "tick" it in the pre-dawn light, and then go and do something worthwhile at Dungeness that didn't involve Gulls, such as year-tick Glossy Ibis and Emu. In the event I was still embarrassingly sat in the car at 10am in some housing estate having seen a couple of Magpies. I'd had a nice chat with Dick and Dean, who with typical low staying power had left already. The Prof, on his fourth visit, had sat out the rain for a bit in the passenger seat and told me that his snoring was cured, and when it had cleared up I had sent him up the hill with a two way radio. And now, expecting of nothing, I was chatting with Alan L about how brilliant Scotland had been, when suddenly the aforementioned radio crackled into life.

An excited Prof came through, "I've got it!!" "It's behind you, coming in high". I leaped out of the car, Alan calling to the other car loads, and sure enough over it came, heading for the other side of the valley. Wacky races ensued, and a small convoy of cars led by Le Grand Twitch headed towards the other viewing spot. The Prof vectored me in, and I nabbed a photo of it sat in a tree which will surely be definitive when it comes to the final ID. I did a small victory dance. 

Not really.

I'm still not entirely sure why I bothered. It's hardly as if I can grip off anyone with a bird of unknown genetics, unknown provenance, and unknown vagrancy potential. When you put it like that it seems very silly indeed, but I suppose there is some slim chance that no owner steps forward to reclaim it and it sheds a feather that proves it has come from miles away. Or perhaps just one mile away, as the Royal Military Canal where I've seen both Night Heron and Green Heron is just that short distance south west.....Just saying. I would be amazed if there were not a careless Heron-fancier somewhere in the neighbourhood.

I debated going home, then realised the family was out and about, so carried on with plan A, which was to meet up with some reprobates at Dungeness. This was but a short drive from Hythe, and I clocked the juv Glauc as soon as I arrived, as well as dirt bird Ibis on the way in. I remember when I once drove some distance for one of these....The lads were there (well, where else would they be?), and the usual routine was played out, bread, fish heads, camo. How can you beat it? The highlight was probably finding a rusting commode chair on the beach, which I then sat on to take photos. I'd needed the loo for ages, but funnily enough couldn't go. A couple more reprobates turned up a little later, one with a shiny new white thing......

Toilet

Taken from a toilet

Richard is somewhere in this photo

East London massive