Just got back from Doncaster and yesterday's Ladies Day. Made the same trip last year and as a horse racing philistine, loved it, hence the return. Next year's will be better as it will also be on my birthday!
Before leaving for Donny, BirdGuides had a Wryneck on the Lakeside's hill, only 1/4 mile from the friends' we were staying at. And reports continued throughout the day, the bird showing well or remaining elusive. So at 6:00pm, a quick drop in to see the plot en route to the local oriental cuisine purveyor, and at 06:30 yesterday, me, the scope, the bins, the cameras, the drizzle (that fine rain that Peter Kay (1' 45") acknowledges gets you very wet!) and little else, alone on a hill in South Yorkshire.
Joined five minutes later by a local, we pincered the area and waited.
And then, from behind me, it arrived (and I was so excited, I think I 'arrived' too!) and landed in a tree not 10 yards away. And my colleague came over (he was clearly excited too) and managed a few photos (that are en route to the NE). My first view of a static Wryneck - superb! And tbh, more exciting than the Mega Lifer we drove past on the way back here this morning.
As for the nags, backed 1st and 3rd in the fifth race and 1st in the seventh so it was evens in terms of the gambling honours.
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