Monday 26th August

Middleton RSPB

I had been around Shustoke in the morning but there was nothing of note.

News broke late morning of a Wryneck at Middleton Lakes RSPB, It was seen briefly at 11.00am but not after, I wanted to go but it was far too hot, so I though I would pay a visit early pm when it had cooled down.

At 5.00pm I ventured forth, but with little expectation that the Wryneck would show as there had been no news since the initial sighting. I walked out past the west screen were the bird had been seen and I searched thoroughly all along the fence line towards North Pit. Drawing a blank I went into the hide but apart from several Little Egret and a single Great Egret I had seen very little.

From the hide I saw Shoveler, Teal and a couple of Green Sandpiper, then a flock of 14 Snipe took to the air before landing again. At the benches I picked up two Garganey but they were badly backlit.

I followed the path to the East Screen where I met Julian and another birder. They had seen good number of Snipe and a Common Sandpiper but little else, then Julians phone went off, the resulting message was that the Wryneck was showing 200 yards east of where we were. We made our way quickly towards the East Screen and could see a small group watching something! Unfortunately we were looking directly into the sun, but a bird flew from the fence line into the Willows and it look about the correct size.

We edged closer as we were still a good distance away, after five minutes the Wryneck flew down to the fence line again and we picked it up feeding on the ground. After a while it returned to the Willows so we walked briskly past it to join the others. Again before long the bird returned to the fence line and we had great views of the birds and it fed.

I was unfortunately wearing shorts and the insect life was getting a taste for my blood so I left before anyone else, when I got home my legs were like Pin Cushions. There are far better pictures available of the Wryneck but this was the best I could manage through my phone.

Wryneck, Middleton Lakes RSPB