I suspect that yesterday was the best day that I will have in my “big birding year”. Glancing over the balcony whilst busy doing household chores I noted a group of Little Egrets on the river island. We see egrets virtually every day but out of habit I picked up the binoculars to take a closer look. And what a surprise I had! Behind the egrets was a big black bird! What on earth was it? I knew immediately that this was something unusual! The duster was cast aside, I threw some jeans on ( I was still in my PJ’s!!) grabbed the camera and batteries that had been on charge and legged it outside stuffing the batteries into the camera.
I got down to the river bank and got a good look at the bird through binoculars. It was entirely black, had a dark, long beak and appeared to be a bit bigger than the egrets. I had never seen anything like it and I did wonder whether it may be a juvenile black stork – even though it looked too small for that. I swapped the bins for the camera and just as I was about to take a photograph – the batteries fell out! I hadn’t clipped the cover properly into place! Arrgh! I scrabbled about to find them and got them back in. A close one! I just managed to get a couple of photographs (albeit not very good ones) before the bird flew off downriver.
Back in the house, I downloaded the pics and got out Collins. The kinked neck as it flew off definitely ruled out Stork. The only other thing it looked like was a Reef Egret – but they live in Africa – I’m in North East Spain! I was well and truly flummoxed!
Via Facebook I sent the pics to a couple of Pro Birders. The suggestions I got back were: a) Dark morph Little Egret b) Reef Egret c) Reef x Little Egret hybrid. It was also recommended that I report the sighting to Rare Birds in Spain. Me -the learner birder! With a possible rare sighting! So I sent the pics off and this morning I had an email back from Ricard Gutiérrez saying he was 100% certain that the bird was Western Reef x Little Egret Hybrid. Apparently, there are a number of these at various locations around Spain including a regular visitor to the Tancada Lagoon at the Ebro Delta. Nevertheless, Ricard said that as far as he is aware there is not a record of one so far inland. He asked if he could pass the info/photos on to the Spanish Rarities Committee to get it accepted and recorded in the 2011 Rare Birds in Spain report.
Erm – I think that’s a Yes then! ….. Rare Bird Spain Report
I haven’t stopped smiling yet! 
Hey Congratulations!
Awesome catch!!
it’s puts me in mind of this:
http://ourbirdfeeder.com/2010/10/surprise-visitor-a-female-brambling/
I’ve added your blog to our blog roll.
Thanks! Was sorry not to get better pics/see it for longer – but on the other hand, if I hadn’t glanced outside or picked up the bins Icould have missed it altogether!
The Brambling you saw is a pretty bird. Cheers for the add!
Hey Dena
Fantastic news and well done. So much for a Heron ha ha.
Great news Dena. Something we all hope will happen to us.
Thanks Paul and Kiersten
Dena That is brilliant Happy Days. I would be really chuffed to see a rarity like that. Ricard is a really good friend of one of my best friends Anthony McGeehan. They have done bird races in the past in Spain.
Dena, You see it pays to twitch! But what a coup for you. Twitchers out there or just folk who support our global environment, I hihgly recommend you come and stay at Ebro Apartmetns. You will not believe the views of celestial magnitude of sunrises, sunsets and starlit nights. Absolutely awesome! But what a bonus to relax and in take in the tranquil views and spot a rare bird finding. A photographers and writers inspirational vista too – I can go on for ever. So why not come and see for yourself experience the seasonal changes and get out in the countryside for various forms of exercise and pleasure!
Gosh Rosie! Folk will think I’m paying you commission! But you are right -this is such a good area for nature/birds/wildlife/hiking. We’re doing our best to get it better known!