Wryneck - Strumpshaw Fen

Sometimes you go to a nature reserve more in hope tan in expectation. Today was one of those days.

We met up with Bev (which seemed really a weird a week after she was at our house). We knew there was a Wryneck on site, but to be honest I wasn't that confident on seeing it. Besides I was there for just one day and wanted to see more than just a Wryneck.

We walked up to the fen to try our luck. There were a number of bird watchers already there, but it hadn't been seen for a little while. I thought the Walton dipping curse had struck again.. The twitchers headed one way, we headed the other. It was a beautiful day, so the walk along the river bank would be worth it anyway.

As we headed back towards the reserve, the bird watching gang motioned to us to stop. There on the path, about eight feet ahead of us was the Wryneck. My second spot of Britain's rarest woodpecker in as many years!

We then sat for the next hour and a bit watching it eat ants on the path, with the slightly surreal feeling of being watched by about twenty twitchers ahead of us. It was an amazing experience, an we were very lucky and privileged to witness it.

It was incredible day on an incredible nature reserve. I have no idea how many species of dragonfly we saw. I have a mass of photo's to edit on top of all the others from this week! And oh how that week has flown. I can't believe we are leaving here tomorrow. It has been an amazing seven days spent in the company of some very special people. Dawn's family couldn't be more welcoming of me. I am a very lucky boy .. Wrynecks and good family! What more could you ask for!