Saturday 28 March 2009

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.

4 comments:

John Malloy said...

This bird was in Northumberland a short while back -

http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.com/2009/03/white-stork-on-run.html

Jason said...

As well as i am sure many other locations, could possibly be the same bird that appeared next to a golf course a couple of miles away from me a few weeks ago.
A good one will turn up, eventually.

emma said...

We popped over to see the Stork too and despite it obviously being tagged etc it was wonderful to see it up close. Your pics are wonderful.

emma

Jason said...

Many thanks Emma, seems this bird is now back in Northumberland but still a great sight.