The last Roller I went for in the Gower area disappeared the morning I went !! :-(
Approx 100miles en-route and with rock music pounding to reduce anxiety, I finally got the thumbs up via my mobile - phew, it was still there!!
On arrival at 9.45, there was space by the roadside too, here we go.......
Note the white post in the grassy margin, this was going to receive considerable attention over the next 5 hours.....
It wasn't long before the post was 'in use' and a local Meadow Pipit seemed to take exception to this colourful invader!
The extenders came out and whilst the resulting images aren't as sharp, some 'close ups' were managed!
Of course, the real beauty of a Roller is the wing and tail plumage - an incredible array of colours! It was soon hunting on the ground, in search of beetles etc.....
Wow, see what I mean, awesome plumage! Another beetle bites the dust......
Then posing nicely on the ground....
Sometimes closer, never less than about 30m (but that will do nicely!)
Then off again......
I spent quite a bit of time trying to catch the landing back on the post (from all angles) , more of that colourful wing display.....
The exquisite upperwing!
Rollers are often found on wires and this one landed briefly, only to prefer one of the metal supports?
I could have stayed until dusk but an evening talk at Ellesmere beckoned, reluctantly I hit the road! Roller on my list at last and most definitely in the all time top 5 twitched birds - and certainly the most brightly coloured - you little beauty!! ......
