Big Chopper

A huge hangover and very strong westerly winds ruled out ringing today and to be honest, if it hadn't of been WeBS day, the severity of the hangover would have ruled out birding of any kind. In fact it's now after 9pm and i am still suffering!

Anyhoo, I went to Dru to do the count this afternoon, on the way, there was bit of a to do, a car had left the road at the double bends near Scott's farm and appeared to have taken out the electric pole. There was two plod cars as well as three electric board vans and lots of activity as we drove by. We had just finished counting the ducks on the Budge fields when the Police helicopter arrived overhead, they flew about for some time, low at times, seemingly looking for something or someone? Maybe the chap who drove into the pole had absconded? The police dog van was there too...

Anyhoo, the helicopter managed to flush up 16 snipe and 19 dunlin and a load more teal making the count more accurate - see the police can be useful! It's just as well there was some commotion, cos birdwise, druridge was dead...there was 9 goldeneye on the lake, my first of the winter at Dru. Still no more cows on the fields, despite the assurances from NWT.