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On a warm September evening last year J and I decide to forsake the moors and cycle down on the flatlands near the Derwent. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and the easy riding but inevitably birdwatching started to interfere. I heard what sounded like a raptor and then had very distant view of two large very light coloured birds flying upstream and east towards the Wolds. I could not decide what they were (probably greater black backed gulls) but I could soon see that J was tiring of my “what were they?” ramblings, so when I saw a blackbird-sized bird sitting rather upright on distant electric wires I nearly ignored it. But then true to type I had to stop the ride and take a look through the bins, and with them I thought I could see a bit of a crest on this bird. I asked J to take a look and she agreed it looked strange so I tried to get closer, which in the event was quite easy as it allowed me to approach to within about twenty yards. So what bird looks like a cockatoo, has a long tail, yellow face and pink cheeks? I had no idea until I returned home and found it was a cockatiel. A long way from Central Australia but not, I suppose, so far from Flamingo Land!
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