Drift Reservoir - Tue 31 May

I had a day booked off work so with positive news of the Dalmation Pelican at Drift Reservoir on Monday night I bit the bullet and got up at 3am for the drive down to Cornwall. Having dipped this first for Britain on our way home from the Isles of Scilly I thought I really ought to give it another go. An uneventful drive down to the other side of Penzance and I arrived at Drift Reservoir at 5.50am and quickly scanned the water...no sign of any massive white birds and nerves set in. Don't panic, it was in the north-east arm last night and that's not that viewable from the car park, so I walked out along the shore. Eventually more and more of the north-east arm became viewable, but still no sign. Panic set in! Now I'm not sure how this happened but suddenly, in the middle of the reservoir I saw it, the biggest bird present by a county mile and it just appeared as if from nowhere! And relax.

 

 

 

 

 

Now you can get an idea of how big it was as despite the distance between me and the bird my photos actually look just about passable...and the Herring Gull in the bottom picture also gives some idea of scale.
Now I suppose there is a chance that this Dalmation Pelican will be kicked out by the BOU Rarities board, but there is no reason not to believe it is a genuine vagrant and appears to be the same bird that has travelled across much of Europe over the past few months. Whatever the decision I'm thrilled to have seen it.
I didn't hang around after connecting with my quarry and headed back home arriving at 9.30am in need of coffee and breakfast.