Bin-less birding

Whilst on an unscheduled site visit this afternoon at Rampton (where I saw both Barn Owl and Peregrine), I had a phone call from Steve Dunn about an Avocet that had been reported at Collingham earlier in the afternoon; soon after I also had a tweet from Rob Hoare about the same thing. Thanks to both for the tip-offs!

Wraping my site visit up as soon as I could, I bombed down to Collingham, with the sun fast heading towards the horizon. Being in a borrowed car, I didn't even have my emergency car binoculars with me, let alone my usual optics with me; but I needn't have worried as the Avocet was still present at 17:40, clearly visible with the naked eye, on the muddy islands in Mons Pool. A good patch bird to get under my belt this early in the year, and useful for the Notts yearlist too...

A horrible phone picture - spot the Avocet!