Flush With Success

Dan here.

My fave find of the year so far was the discovery of a quail on Aldcliffe's hallowed ground this morning.

It flushed out from my feet from the trackside verge between the Wildfowler's Pools and Darter Pond at 0545h. It flew 15 yards up the track before hanging sharp right over the hedge and dropping into the field that contains Frog Pond.

The flight was strong and even, as I suppose would befit something that was recently in Africa. The flight jizz was a little like a small, stripy woodcock.

I'd been in the area from half past three and had heard no Q song, which is a shame since I had a friend's hand-held tascam and had been making good recordings of sedge warbler, whitethroat and reed bunting sounds.

Other birds fresh-in comprised 2 gadwalls, a little egret (not common here mid-summer)... and a black swan, which had obviously just made the commute from Australia.

DH