An afternoon dash along the M4 on Saturday 20th proved to be very frustrating. Despite reports throughout the morning and continued reports on route, we arrived on site to learn that the bird had been flushed and had flown from it's favoured feeding area and was last seen disappearing into the valley opposite the quarry. Despite prolonged searches throughout the afternoon and into the early evening we headed back along the footpath in darkness without any sightings of the bird.
Brian unable to sleep made the 360 mile round trip again on Sunday morning and after another search was rewarded when the bird made an appearance in the 3rd quarry.
I thought my chance of seeing this bird had gone, but Brian gave me another chance when he decided to make a third trip this morning!
After remembering the clocks were due to go back we left home at 4.30am and arrived three hours later to find plenty of cars already parked up. After a brisk mile-long walk along the edge of the quarry, we joined the assembled group of birders to find the Rock Thrush feeding on a grass bank just feet away!
We enjoyed stunning views of the bird throughout our 5-hour visit.
The Rock Thrush seemed to follow a routine of feeding among the short grass, then visiting an area where someone had left some mealworms and then returning to the rocks to rest up for short periods only to repeat the same routine a short time later albeit with a visit to one of the small puddles left by overnight rain.
So thanks to Brian making the trip for a third time, just the1080 miles! I finally managed to see this stunning bird.
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