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Rare Bird Sightings
April 2006
by Steve Botham

Photo © Copyright 2006 Steve Botham: s.botham@ntlworld.com
Photo: Steve Botham

UK Safari Tip:
Need help identifying birds? One of the best field guides is the "Collins Bird Guide" - available through the Amazon bookshop -  click here

This bird was spotted by Steve Botham at Blakeney Marsh, Norfolk. It’s a Killdeer, named after its call which sounds something like “kill dee”. It’s a north American bird, about 26cms long, and a seriously rare bird in the UK. It can be distinguished from other waders by the two black bands on the breast.

To deter cows and horses from trampling on its nest, the Killdeer fluffs up its feathers and displays its tail over its head, while running at the animal, in an attempt to make it change its path.



Photo © Copyright 2006 Steve Botham: s.botham@ntlworld.com
Photo: Steve Botham

This Night Heron was spotted on 24th April at Hykeham Road in Lincolnshire. Although there are annual vagrants in the UK (mostly in spring), the last twitchable one in Lincolnshire was way back in 1987. The low light in the picture shows that this bird is only seen at night - hence the name. It comes onto this ditch at around 8.00pm so it's difficult to get a clear photo.



Photo © Copyright 2005 Ian Turner
Photo: Ian Turner

Lesley Julian spotted a Hoopoe at 1.25 on 16th April 2006. It was about two miles north of Clee Hill and Foxwood and Cleeton St Mary in Shropshire on a minor backroad which feeds onto the A4117 (Cleehill).



Track Down More Info

Top 50 Garden Birds ID Chart
Wetland Birds Identification Chart
UK Safari Rare Bird Section
UK Safari Bird Section








 © 2006 G. Bradley. All Rights Reserved