As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Friday 2 May 2014

Rare White Stork spotted by bird watchers in Spencers Wood

By Julie Spencer

A bird watcher who travels the world to photograph rare species had one of his best finds when he opened his bedroom curtains at home.

Nigel Rampton spotted a White Stork from the window of his Spencers Wood house and put out an alert, prompting dozens of bird watchers to flock to the village.

The bird, believed to be disorientated and off course on its migration from Africa to mainland Europe, was spotted at 7.30am last Thursday by Mr Rampton as he got ready for work.

The IT worker, who describes his bird watching as 'an obsession', said: "I saw something white in the field, so grabbed my telescope and realised it was a White Stork.

"My first thought was 'does it have any rings on its legs, as you don't want an escapee, and are its wings clipped.

"Before the panic about what to do I asked my wife Alex to have a look and then I put out the alert."

After establishing it was a wild bird, he posted his find on the Berks Birds website and then began fielding calls from fellow bird watchers.

The bird, described by Mr Rampton as the height of a small child, flew into a tree after spending time on the ground feeding.

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