[Ruby]

I just recalled another strange thing that I saw yesterday at Strumpshaw Fen...

I was sat in the Fen Hide looking out over the reedbeds when I saw a smallish (starling-sized) dark bird jump out of the shortish veg by the waterside immediately in front of the hide.

It was really weird... just leapt straight up, about 2' into the air and then back down to disappear again into the waterside vegatation.

Just a split-second view out of the corner of my eye so virtually nothing to go on, but it just seemed such strange behaviour.

I kept an eye on the area but saw nothing further.....

Any thoughts??

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hmm, difficult to say and I'm trying to think what sort of birds of that size would be in the reedbeds at Strumpshaw. A possibility is a Water Rail, and these certainly do strange stuff from time to time. I don't recall seeing one do anything like this, although it's something Moorhen's certainly do but I guess maybe it was too small for one of them. I also wondered about the old Jack Snipe, which would certainly explain why it disappeared again so readily. Otherwise it would be worth considering a passerine, as quite a few will get into the reedbeds especially at this time of the year (Starling, thrushes, finches, robins etc). Did it look like a passerine to you, or some sort of water bird?

[Ruby]

Unfortunately I didn't really see it at all..... The only thought that I did have was that it was probably more likely to be a waterbird, as it had managed to sneak to it's position through really quite shortish veg and then sneak off again without being seen, so I suspect it was walking rather than flying...

I didn't really get an impression of 'dumpiness' though (ie like a moorhen or similar)

Baffled, basically....

[Karl J]

One of the little reedbed birds maybe ? ..... Cettis Warbler, Bearded Tit ? ..something like that ? .... though maybe they're a bit too small. Kingfisher perhaps ..... though I suppose that wouldn't have been walking

[cjay]

How about a Melanistic Pheasant?

CJ

[Andrew Rowlands]

I have a friend who visits some wet, scrubby coastal valleys in Pembrokeshire most winters. He tells of dark 'crakes' that he sees.

Andy.

[Osprey]

Originally Posted by Ruby

I just recalled another strange thing that I saw yesterday at Strumpshaw Fen...

I was sat in the Fen Hide looking out over the reedbeds when I saw a smallish (starling-sized) dark bird jump out of the shortish veg by the waterside immediately in front of the hide.

It was really weird... just leapt straight up, about 2' into the air and then back down to disappear again into the waterside vegatation.

Just a split-second view out of the corner of my eye so virtually nothing to go on, but it just seemed such strange behaviour.

I kept an eye on the area but saw nothing further.....

Any thoughts??

Cetti warbler! Resident there. Any idea with regards to a field discription:-(

i.e size.

Osprey

[Ruby]

Hi Guys,

Yeah. The information that I have (or lack of it) is a real problem.

I was in the Fen hide at Strumpshaw and the scenario is thus...

There is a small body of open water about 15-20 metres in front of the hide and then tall reedbeds beyond that. Between the hide and the water is some short (50cms?) slightly 'fleshy looking' vegetation. Someone familiar with Strumpshaw and knowledgeable re: botany may know what it is (Colin J?)

Anyway.... I'm looking wistfully off into the distance (looking for Marsh Harriers) and then I see (just out of the corner of my eye) the mysterious dark bird jump into the air. It's all over in a flash, no more than 10metres in front of me.

Fair to say, I have a better idea of what it wasn't than what it was...

I reckon the only way it could have got where it was (and got away again as I was then watching the area carefully) was by walking. If it was flying between the short plant stems, I'm sure that I would have caught at least a glimpse of it.

I reckon that rules out any warblers, kingfisher etc

Coots and moorhens seemed too big and too dumpy.

My only impression from the split-second glimpse that I had was about Starling size and shape, with a predominantly dark colour.

Snipe (or more likely Jack) might have been about right for size, but I didn't glimpse any streaks and I got the impression of blackish, rather than brownish. Didn't see any long bill - but maybe it was just in the wrong position

I guess this info is pretty useless.... I was kinda hoping that someone would have seen just exactly what I'd seen and would have been able to say... 'Ruby - it's a xxxxx'

Oh well......