Wilstone Reservoir - 7.9.13

After dragging ourselves out of bed a trip into Watford town centre was needed to change our travel money back and to buy a few things. I was a couple of minutes away from the car park when my phone went off but being the good driver that I am I didn't answer it but waited till I had parked to listen to the voicemail. It was Joan Thompson with news that the first Herts Spotted Crake since 1996 had been found at Wilstone Reservoir. Just what I needed when I was about to walk around the shops! Once home I grabbed my bins and Tom and drove up. I nabbed a space in the car park and we wandered around to the jetty to join Lucy Flower, Roy Hargreaves, Brendan Glynn and Ephraim Perfect and a few others. There had been no sign for nearly an hour but within 20 minutes Roy said he had it and sure enough there it was albeit distantly. It soon went into the reeds and as everyone left I stuck it out for a bit longer which proved to be a good thing as I picked out what I thought was the bird but it soon vanished. But as I decided to leave I turned round and found Dave Bilcock hidden behind a Willow to be told it was on show! I had a quick look in his scope before he was kind enough to find it in mine and for the next 5 minutes we watched it as it walked towards cemetery corner but still distant. This was only my 2nd ever in the UK after a juv at Grove Ferry in 2002 and only my 2nd county tick of the year. We hung around hoping for better views but it again went into the reeds but just then young Ted Wallen who had turned up with his dad Phil suddenly shouted Osprey and sure enough from behind the Willow appeared my first Osprey at Tring reservoirs and first of the year. 2 juv Garganey were the last bird of note to be seen and I managed to get Tom to see all 3 good birds but whether it'll get him interested in birds is yet to be seen!!