OMG! What a Way to End My Birthday!

Many of you will know birthdays become less relevant to us aging people! However, to have to wake my daughter for my presents was a bit much!

On a trip with her today, so palpitations when the pager and phone go off simultaneously (I have my phone set for any species I haven't seen in Norfolk!) Read the pager: Norfolk Greater F... ... 'What?' I had jokingly said to others that a Greater Yellowlegs in Norfolk would be rather pleasing! Check phone: Greater Flamingo! Relief - presumably the roaming escapee?!?

Had planned to go butterflying, but overcast conditions put me off. So back home. Lazy afternoon, bit of housework, lot of TV. Birthday tea, not quite as planned, Megan has friend round, Louise on phone:

20:04 Phone goes. It's Connor: Great Snipe Cley ... OMG (need it for Norfolk)
20:07 In car, no socks, no batteries for my pleading daughter, 'Going out!' to Louise.
20:13 Dave phones to check I have heard the news - he's too busy (but doesn't 'need' it!)
          Call a few people to spread the news
20.18 Whilst talking, am told it has just been Mega'd - nothing on the phone, even though I'd set it up to receive them!
20.24 Finally comes on Local channel (I don't have national news any more!) - already through Guist!
20:31 Update, still displaying form Avocet hide
20:41 Arrive on-site, with Penny who had come from King's Lynn!
Now time becomes very vague!
??:?? Walk into hide. Duncan gives directions. Raise bins. Head and bill view!!
'Is it still showing?', 'Yes!' I reply, 'Where?' 'No it's not!' others say. It's gone. Did I hallucinate?
??:?? I see it moving around behind a tall tuft of grass. Good cryptic back views :) Try hard to give directions (which is not easy!) No-one else sees it!! They think I'm hallucinating!
??:?? Bird walks into full view just left of where I had previously seen in! Still people can't get on it! 'Tell me someone can see it!' I plead 'Yes,' is replied. Relief! It does a bout of display: Up on legs, chest puffed out, bill resting. Throws head back and calls, open bill, splays tail - white outer tail! Some people still not seen it! moans as I try to get others on it and set up Eddie's scope to try and allow all to see it!
??:?? Eddie refinds it back in the channel. Everyone (?) sees it in the gloom, often bobbing its head! Preens on the bank.
21.15 Final display and shoots up in flight. Not possible to see where it went!
21.16 Hide is nearly empty! I rant about ungrateful and selfish behaviour (apologies for my language, but not the sentiment!)
21.20 Just myself, Dave and Christine left. He comments that I seem to have been very grumpy recently (Grumpy Old Man syndrome)

Finish the day with churring Nightjar and Hoo-hooing Tawny Owl!

Thanks to Pete for phoning Penny, Penny for phoning Connor (and Dave who later phoned me to check I'd heard), Connor for phoning me so promptly and Dave and Christine for their calm company. And all those people who thanked me for getting them onto the bird... oh, there weren't any!
Oh and of course to the person or persons who found the bird in the first place - I haven't found out who (or when) yet.
       


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