Long trip to Alkborough pays off with Swamphen.

It's 4 0'clock & I am tucked up in bed when a text from Brian wakes both Jimmy & I to tell us to meet him in half an hour if we want to finally go an look for the Western Swamphen at Alkborough flats in Lincolnshire, of course we don't turn that offer down & we meet up just a little bit later than planned & head off on the near 200 mile journey.
We are the only car in the car park when we arrive at around 7.30, we have parked in the top park & that gives us a long walk to the first hide where the bird had been seen on Friday.
After more then 5 hours spent in the hide we have no sign of the Swamphen & we decide to head up to the gate above the horse paddocks but we stop at some steps just before we reach the gate & after 30 minutes Jimmy spots the target on the square pool as it heads round the triangle on the left side of the pool.
He gets Brian onto the bird but I miss out so I head up higher & get a very quick view as the bird comes into view once more, this turns out to be lucky as that is the last view that we get before we leave after a couple of hours. So I would of liked a better view of the bird but have to put up with the one I got & a tick's a tick after all.
While in the hide we are lucky enough to have 5 Spoonbill land on the pool in front of us & they stay awake on & off the whole time we are here.
Loads of stuff on the water to keep us amused while looking for Swampy,we see loads of Avocet &  ,Blackwit,  Greenshank,a fair few Spotted Redshank Ruff, &loads of other birds on a pretty full pool,Bearded Tits are in good numbers flying past the hide at regular intervals,a few Marsh Harriers are showing well over the back reeds. A  nice Hobby shows well over our heads with a catch after we leave the hide to round off a long day but well worth the long trip.

                                                                           

Three of the Spoonbill

Snipe in front of hide

Just some of the birds on the pool