Club Med

Another photo-less update as I'm still laptop-less following the burglary.

Had a great day out in Kent/Essex with Bradders Jnr. yesterday. We started at Lenham Heath (nr Ashford), with a rather flighty but smart Hoopoe. Good views were enjoyed until it flew passe us and out of sight along the Eurostar railway line. Next stop was Majorca, sorry, Dunguness, where we were lucky immediately connect with both the Purple Herons on site. Good views were had in very windy and cold conditions.

Heading home, the pager bleeped to inform us that there was a Red Rumped Swallow at Gunners Park in Shoeburyness. Being just 20 mins from the A13 turn off it have been rude not to take in yet another Mediterranean speciality. To say the swallow was showing well does not do it justice. Great views, down to 30 feet were had as it fed over the small pond in front of us. We moved to the far bank and sat on the bank. The bird was completely unfazed zipping passed us and almost into us, at ridiculously close quarters, literally down to 3 feet above our heads!

It was a fantastic birding experience, seeing a rare and smart bird like that, that I will probably never forget.

Alas not photos just yet from me, so I refer you to Bradders Jnr's blog. http://www.braddersbirding.blogspot.com/, for some cracking photos, particularly of that amazing swallow.