Secret

At a secret location not a thousand miles from here last night a big bird sat on the edge of a muddy flash for half an hour whilst I waited for it to do some hunting. It didn't. Accompanied by a Grey Heron and a gathering flock of 70-100 Lapwing it seemed more intent on picking through the mud. I never really considered this bird of the reeds to be an occassional wader nor Lapwing to be comfortable in its presence.

The reason for the secret is on 2nd July I found a Corncrake at the same site. A first for me in Northumberland and apparently it had been there for some time. Unfortunately a week and a half later the field was mown although the bird possibly went to Big Waters for a couple of days before moving on to areas where hopefully the farming style is more conducive to this elusive species.