Fiona

Still at Minsmere today is Fiona the escaped Greater Flamingo, definitely the highlight of the trip for the parties of schoolchildren in the hide. Not for them the breeding Avocets and their fluffy little chicks, nor the Spoonbill that was sifting for food nearby, nope, they wanted to see the flamingo, and I must admit to a certain pleasure in seeing this rather unusual sight myself.

Greater Flamingos are native to parts of Africa, southern Asia and southern Europe.

Fiona has been identified by a numbered ring on her leg and it is known that she escaped from Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester just before Christmas 2010.

She spent Christmas and New Year on the fishing lake at Sparsholt College before moving on to a waterworks plant just north of Dunstable where she stayed for over a month. She has toured various RSPB Reserves in Norfolk and Suffolk, but seems to have settled on Minsmere. A point not lost on the Minsmere marketing folk as they now talk of Fiona their resident flamingo.

Check out RCB, see how his Sandwich Tern measures up - Groan! - you'll understand when you look.

Yesterday's Minsmere day was back-blipped this morning, if you've not seen it have a look.