Little.......Beauty,31.12.2014.

Headless chicken routine ensued after hearing the reported Little Bustard had been nailed down in a Oil seed rape field at Fraisthorpe after being initially seen at nearby Wilsthorpe by local birder Kev Barnard.So it was grab the gear,dinner in the microwave and drive to the area as quick as possible.Some slow drivers and usual obstacles were met on the way,but thankfully after parking at the birds chosen field it was soon apparent this Yorkshire Mega was still present.
 The bird was watched at first resting in its chosen field,but it did have several bouts of feeding also,when it was watched eating the Oil seed rape leaves.It was also seen in flight on one occasion,when the striking black and white wing pattern was seen giving the bird an unmistakeable appearance.
 It's plumage features gave it a fairly cryptic look about it when sat in the field,but when feeding it was rather long legged and a blackish base colour was noted on the neck.This latter feature probably indicating the bird to be a Juvenile male.
 After getting my fill of superb views of this cracking and totally unexpected find,it was a relaxed steady drive home instead of the manic one on the way and a fantastic end to some superb birding in the home county this year.

Juvenile male Little Bustard.

Juvenile male Little Bustard. 

Record shot in flight,showing the striking wing pattern.