Nothing quite like the arrival of a Pied Harrier to strike terror into the soul! I was looking at a Pied Kingfisher close to home Thursday late afternoon when I noticed a very large flock of Openbills standing in the nearby rice paddy: an interesting contrast with the green of the emergent rice plants. I thought they'd make a good photograph because they were densely packed so I reversed out and headed to the other side of the track. No sooner had I arrived than a Pied Harrier flew in and created mayhem as the Openbills took to the air and scattered. One Pied Harrier against perhaps 2,000 Openbills! Now that's power! I managed a couple of flight shots.
There are quite literally thousands of cattle egrets in the rice paddy at present and this one above shows it in transition to breeding plumage.
Friday after work back to the rice paddy for more therapy. A Peregrine Falcon was on the premises and I think this may well be a first for the patch;will need to check. In addition our old friends the Pied Harrier and Black-shouldered Kite were about. A strange piece of clod had me for a moment ....a nightjar, a frogmouth, something unusual.....ah a piece of earth on the road!!!
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