Ring ouzel just up the road - Great lifer. Israel trip report coming!

Ring ouzel has long been my bogey bird, until last Monday. David Campbell sent a message on Saturday that a male had been seen at Canons Farm. I had just gone on a walking weekend in Sussex so I couldn't come back. The bird was still there on Sunday. Good. Would it. . . wouldn't it stay? Monday morning I arranged to pick David up at 6.15 and we went to the spot. Yes!!! There it was. A new lifer. Here is the best pic:

Male ring ouzel.

The previous Friday David rang with reports of a Leach's storm petrel near Reading. I'm not doing long distance twitching any more, but this wasn't too far so I agreed to go. I did wonder what a pelagic bird was doing at this time of year on a freshwater gravel pit,  and it was April 1st!! However it wasn't a hoax and here is the poor record shot to prove it.

Leach's storm petrel.

By the way, I am working on the pics of my recent Israel trip, but I have about 2,500 photos to go through so it will be a few days yet. Be patient and visit again.