At last - PENDULINE TIT finally gripped back and etched on my BEDFORDSHIRE LIST......

Thanks to the remarkable finding by Samuel & Ephraim Perfect of a PENDULINE TIT yesterday afternoon at 100 Acre Pit, Meadow Lane, to the east of Bedford, I finally caught up with this species today - my 266th species for Bedfordshire (and placing me in Joint 2nd position with Dave Odell behind the leader Dave Ball - one species ahead). The bird was showing very well feeding voraciously on Reedmace in the southwesternmost part of the pit and despite flying off high on the odd occasion, spent most of the day there and in constant view. Often uttering its high-pitched 'seeee' call-note, the bird could fairly easily be found pecking at the bulrush heads and with its plain underparts and restricted facial mask was most likely a first-winter, perhaps a male with its rufous-washed scapulars and shoulders. There have been just two previous records in the county - a bird at Priory Country Park for two days in October 1991 and two together at Marston Vale Millenium Park in November 2011.