Between torrential downpours this afternoon we took a short drive across to Ferryside which for the past week has been playing host to a Glossy Ibis. Apparently the waterlogged rugby pitch there is just too good to resist! In such changeable conditions I had wondered if the bird would still be about but in the end our luck held and, having arrived during a rare moment of brightness, it didn’t take long to spot the Ibis off at the far end. A brisk walk around the perimeter soon had us at closer range but in those few precious moments the light had gone and it was starting to drizzle once more. Optimistically I fired off a couple of record shots and this one turned out pretty well.
As can be seen above the Glossy Ibis is feeding quite comfortably in the company of various Jackdaws and Rooks. This does though have a couple of downsides. Firstly it means that keeping track of the bird can prove tricky at times as it blends in remarkably well, especially with head down, and secondly any attempt at an approach is almost impossible. Even when sticking to the footpath as we were the gathered birds would always try and keep the maximum possible distance between themselves and us, a side effect of regularly being chased by the local dogs I suspect. Despite this the Ibis appears very well settled and we could be in for a long stayer, especially if the weather stays as wet as it has been.
Remarkably this is my third Glossy Ibis sighting in Carmarthenshire since moving down here, the first being the stupendous flock at Burry Port in 2009 and the second a much briefer sighting at Kidwelly Quay. Closer to home and on the Glamorgan side of the border there was a flyover at Kenfig and I’m sure that my new patch is just crying out for the next. Now there’s something I never expected to be writing.
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