To quote that well known phrase from the Falklands "I counted them all out and I counted them all back in"! Having watched the astounding spectacle of 23 Glossy Ibis flying off to roost yesterday I determined to find where they were feeding during the day. At 07:20 this morning I was in position up on the Ridgeway with Carew Cheriton and the Carew River in the distance spread out below me. Of course I was miles too early and with a hard frost and -2 degrees c. I was starting to freeze nicely by 08:25, although the wait had been enlivened by 4 Buzzards, a Peregrine and a few Lapwings passing. At 08:28 I picked up a group of likely looking birds over trees near Carew Cheriton and sure enough in the scope they were the Glossy Ibis - all 23 of them. Amazingly they came on towards me and dropped in below a farm a quarter of a mile or so away. Astounding!!! I then went down to the farm and with permission was able to find them quickly in the corner of a field sunning themselves in an attempt, no doubt, to warm up. I was able to get a few photos but a closer approach was not possible with open ground between me and the birds. The Ibis' then started to disperse to an adjoining field near to some ponds. As hypothermia set in I set off for home to warm up. Hopefully the sun will thaw out the ground and allow the birds, which have probably been in the area for a few days at least, to feed. One bird had a ring - see pic - but unfortunately not readable.
There are no rights of way near the fields in which the birds feed and in respect to the people on the property, which is a busy working cattle farm, I cannot give the precise location. The best way to see the birds is to watch them flying to roost - details in post below.
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