Craning one’s neck….

So now I’ve got a new ‘blog’ site I feel I ought to do some posts!

I’ve been having a few days off prior to a busy couple of weeks of rehearsals and gigs with the band No-Man.

I had a good visit to the RSPB reserve at Titchwell, on the North Norfolk coast, where I managed to take a few nice photos of waders.

Dunlin at Titchwell

Adult Avocet at Titchwell

Yesterday I visited my local RSPB reserve, Lakenheath Fen. Having walked to the far end of the reserve I was rewarded with excellent views of two cranes, very rare in the UK: But, I hear you say, I saw five JCB’s only the other day! These were, however, the Common Crane (grus grus), which, until last year, had not bred in this area four about 400 years: They’re extremely rare in the UK, with only a handful of breeding records in recent times. They’re also magnificent birds, somewhat larger than the common Grey Heron. My rather distant photo doesn’t do them justice.

Common Cranes at Lakenheath RSPB reserve

Their courtship dance, which I might have seen if I had been visiting the reserve in the spring, involves much jumping about and stretching of the neck: Hence, I assume, the term “craning one’s neck”…