The (not so) Great Escape

When i received a call yesterday afternoon about a White Stork in West Yorkshire that had apparently been there for 2 days, i tentatively dismissed it as one of the free flying birds from Harewood House. But as the day went on, with reports of it still present and more importantly no news of it bearing rings i thought it may be worth a look. Crap directions led me in circles until i eventually found the Harte factory and sure enough behind the factory stood on a spit in a pond was a White Stork.


Watching it from a gate a local came to to chat, he commented that it had been present for a week but more worryingly it had been joining a pair of Mute Swans at the gate to eat bread from the local man ! He then pointed me in the direction of a path to which led to a better view, no rings where visable that was until it decided to have a little wander. A small grey/silver metal ring on its left leg was clearly visable, oh well there goes this birds credentials.
Its rung and it comes to bread.
So now i have a simple equation : White Stork + Yorkshire = Shit.
That aside its still a smart bird and the first i have seen in the uk.