Ibis seeing you
This morning I was at Goldcliff Lagoons before first light. I sat in the cold listening to the incoming noise of the tide. It was drizzling and yet again another gloomy dark Saturday. I really am looking forward to some brighter weather.
The reserve was quiet. I was the sole bird watcher. I like it like that sometimes. Its good to just sit and listen to the noises of the wild and the wind.
I patiently waited, scanning the lagoons from the seawall hide. I wondered whether I would be lucky again and get to see the Glossy Ibis
There was a flock of Tufted Ducks , Gadwall, Shoveler and Mallards on Priors ( Lagoon 2). There was a solitary Wigeon, which was a little strange as last weekend there were hordes of them
The most numerous species was Shelducks. There was well over a hundred today, and for the most part they were gathering on Becs ( Lagoon 3).
A fly past of a big flock of Black Tailed Godwits was good to watch but otherwise all there was to see was dabbling ducks.
All of a sudden it was chaos. Ducks were quacking in alarm and launching themselves into there air in all directions. I scanned the sky's looking for a Marsh Harrier. The wildfowl were swirling into a flock and it was hard to focus on anything. Then I saw it .
A big black silhouette against the grey sky. There it was , I could see the Ibis.
The local bird residents obviously thought it was some kind of raptor as they reacted just like it was a Marsh Harrier. The smaller ducks whistled and quacked in complete pandemonium The Shelducks formed a big flock that swirled back and forth over the lagoons and Tufted Duck hit the turbo speed button and made a fast exit.
The Ibis turned this way and that. It really did not know what to make if it all. It gained height flew in circles over the reserve. Tried to join the flock of Shelducks who did their best to avoid it treating the visitor like a pariah.
It then did one last circle as if trying to find its bearings and then headed off towards the Saltmarsh.
I would love to see this bird again in good light for a change.
The reserve was quiet. I was the sole bird watcher. I like it like that sometimes. Its good to just sit and listen to the noises of the wild and the wind.
I patiently waited, scanning the lagoons from the seawall hide. I wondered whether I would be lucky again and get to see the Glossy Ibis
There was a flock of Tufted Ducks , Gadwall, Shoveler and Mallards on Priors ( Lagoon 2). There was a solitary Wigeon, which was a little strange as last weekend there were hordes of them
The most numerous species was Shelducks. There was well over a hundred today, and for the most part they were gathering on Becs ( Lagoon 3).
A fly past of a big flock of Black Tailed Godwits was good to watch but otherwise all there was to see was dabbling ducks.
All of a sudden it was chaos. Ducks were quacking in alarm and launching themselves into there air in all directions. I scanned the sky's looking for a Marsh Harrier. The wildfowl were swirling into a flock and it was hard to focus on anything. Then I saw it .
A big black silhouette against the grey sky. There it was , I could see the Ibis.
The local bird residents obviously thought it was some kind of raptor as they reacted just like it was a Marsh Harrier. The smaller ducks whistled and quacked in complete pandemonium The Shelducks formed a big flock that swirled back and forth over the lagoons and Tufted Duck hit the turbo speed button and made a fast exit.
The Ibis turned this way and that. It really did not know what to make if it all. It gained height flew in circles over the reserve. Tried to join the flock of Shelducks who did their best to avoid it treating the visitor like a pariah.
It then did one last circle as if trying to find its bearings and then headed off towards the Saltmarsh.
I would love to see this bird again in good light for a change.
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| Glossy Ibis |
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| Glossy Ibis and Shelducks |
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| Black Tailed Godwits |
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