24th July 2012

A belated posting but I was waiting for confirmation of this sighting before uploading. Coming back from Home Farm at lunchtime I saw a large dark bird circling high overhead. It was clearly not a gull, Buzzard or Cormorant. It had broad wings and tail and a small head with a distinctly down-curved bill. My immediate reaction was Glossy Ibis. However, in that species the legs would trail behind. Several people have suggested it might be a Bald Ibis which doesn't show trailing legs. There was a recent report of an escaped Bald Ibis in the Manchester area so this may have been that bird. All in all, an exciting lunch-break! We'll neve know for sure so it will have to go down as "Ibis, probably an escaped Bald".