THE Bogey laid at long last! Mark got his Red Rump!
03/05/2010
Annoyingly, a Red-Rumped Swallow had been performing well at Ferry Meadows CP, Peterborough, for the best part of 3 days already, they don't normally hang about that long, but I’ve not been able to go for it. Ferry Meadows CP, had been my local patch when I lived in Peterborough from 1981 to 1991, a lovely park with a nature reserve and 4 lakes. The flora, trees, and layout reminds me a bit of Brent in fact (other than only one lake at Brent).
Sunday morning then, after eventually dragging Sophie out of her pit at 10.30am, (What is it with Teenagers these days, ...they can sleep for England.!) and checking on Birdguides that the Blighter was still showing well, we both jumped in the car, and hightailed it down the A1 to Peterborough. Caravan City on the A1, but made good time, albeit, time seemed to drag, and every mile seemed like two, with the 'Twitch' kicking in big time. A bit of history may be in order here...
Red-Rumped Swallows and me have traditionally never seen eye to eye. I have specifically been for RRS on 4 different occasions over the past 20 years, and each and every time been downcast in failure. On one suicidal occasion, I turned up at Messingham sand quarries, Lincs., literally seconds after one that had spent 2 days quite happily flying around and showing well, was last seen flying off high off to the West. To make matters worse, Nigel got one of the beggars at Gib, quite early doors in his birding life, And Boy, do I get constant reminders of that fact from the man himself. In fact I have just checked the old birding records, ( Thom, I used to do what you now do for Nigel, ....Keep his records for him.! ) And amazingly, it is actually 23 years to the day since Nigel got his RRS, 3rd May 1987!!, before you were born. From now on I guess we can call 3rd May each year, Red-Rumped Swallow day.
Arrived at Ferry meadows, and of course parked in the wrong car park, the one on the near side of the park, NOT, the car park on the far side, where of course the RRS was. So a very brisk, twitchy walk for a half mile across the park , heading for the visible group of birders outside the new Cafe and Yacht club over looking Gunwade lake. No sooner had I arrived, and just about to ask the closest birder where the RRS was, than it flew only feet above and right over mine and Sophie's heads, It continued to flit up and down the lake, right outside the cafe, for the next few minutes, feeding into the wind, then letting the wind shot it back downwind to another sweep, sometimes only 10 feet away, so close even Sophie picked it out without bins. The Light rump and light reddish head so, so noticeable, even without bins.
Sophie and myself repaired to the cafe for a cup of tea and a bun, and having purchased said refreshments, spent the next quarter of an hour sitting on the veranda of the cafe, drinking J2O, and Espresso, munching orange and lemon cake, all the while watching the performing RRS, flying up and down past the cafe. A real dudes tick, birdwatching as it should be!?
So, What a bird, and what a wait, no more gloating and snidey comments from the Rocker from now on, well, at least regarding RRS, ( It will be the Greater Sand Plover now.!!).
Roll on May 3rd next year.
Mark
Unlucky 13 new for the year
02/05/2010
Unlucky in so much as no lifer action - more on that later.
Saturday saw a quick look in at Fiskerton fen produced nothing of note, except a first Common Tern of the year. Moving on to Nocton Fen the action started to come thick and fast. Firstly, a magnificent male Marsh Harrier sailed over the car. Then we quickly stumbled upon the birds that had been guaranteed to me. Pulling up just before the barn that was to yield Little Owl, I had Grey Partridge to the left of me, 2 Red Legged Partridge to the right - stuck in the middle with Hughes!
Turning the corner after a quick skemmie at the aforementioned Little Owl, we came across a truly splendid Barn Owl sitting on the fence to the left of us. Two owl species in a couple of minutes - excellent work.
And so onto Whisby for an hour. However, as we were leaving the fens a Swift was spotted - new for the both of us. Ten minutes or so after arriving, the prize seemed to be ours. A calling Nightingale was in a small clearing in front of us. However, these blighters are easier heard than seen. After a fruitless 10 minutes or so, the singing stopped. Desparate times call for desparate measures. Out came the iPhone Birdguides app and within seconds the Nightingale had started up again - trying to outsing his imaginary rival. A little toing and froing and the glory was ours. Absolutely top drawer views on one of the lower branches. Trebles all round, and a celebratery lon from Hughesy.
Walking on, we came across a lovely pair of Bullfinches - always a delight, before ending the evening with my tenth of the day, Willow Warbler. Two new for Mark, the other being the Marsh Harrier.
The Humber - May 2nd
A 5.30 start, and despite the appalling music on Marks car stereo we departed in good heart, hoping for Pectoral Sandpiper - a lifer for me.
We got to North Cave early doors, where a brief search quickly confirmed our worst fears. Just a solitary tick of Avocet for me. After a quick cup of cheap, though revolting coffee, we made our way to Far Ings. Despite kicking off with a singing Whitethroat and several Tree Sparrows, ultimately the rest of the trip was fruitless. Despite hearing 4 or 5 Garden Warblers, none were forthcoming.
So, 13 new this weekend, 110 F.T. Y.
Nigel
Quick march round Donmouth
22/04/2010
I quickly zoomed round Donmouth this afternoon after getting a much needed haircut. It was definitely a worthwhile trip as I saw:
- Swallow - my first of the year in Aberdeen
- Sandwich Tern - my first sighting of them in Aberdeen, a lovely flock of 6
- and finally... Whooper Swan - one was with 5 Mute Swans on the Don, was sure that I'd dip on it this year so it was a welcome surprise!
That's one for the year, one for the shire and one for 2 new ones at Donmouth. 126 for the year, 96 for the Shire race.
Thom
Thom’s Last Day in London
11/04/2010
The Comic team were at the London Wetland Centre WWT today. We managed a fair old haul and a couple of snaps too! As it was my last day of London birding for a good few months, I figured I’d like to rack up a few more year ticks before the barren wilderness that is Aberdeen takes over and ruins my hopes of reaching the 200 mark this year.
We arrived with family in tow and got to work making the day list. We were first struck by an abundance of Cetti’s Warblers, which I’ll come back to shortly. The real magic didn’t really start until we reached the Wader Scrape Hide. Here we got our first Sand Martins of the year, before also spotting 2 Little Ringed Plovers and a Wood Sandpiper. After all this excitement, we broke for lunch and I had one of the Centres delightfully awful paninis.
After eating we went back to get a photo of the Wood Sand, only to find it had hidden itself and had been essentially displaced by 2 Green Sandpipers! (A photo can be found in the gallery)
It was at this point in the day that my favourite moment occurred. We walked towards a group of people with massive cameras and looked awfully like they should have some birding knowledge, but as we passed them we noticed that they were getting massively excited about a ‘Cetti’s Warbler’... Only it had the call of a Wren. This is a bad enough mistake on its own but these... these... lets call them Dudes, could see it sitting on top of a bush and they were still convinced and were taking photos of the bloody thing! Ahhh, the sheer hilarity of it!
So, we ended the day with 46 bird species, 4 of which were new for the year. We also managed to get multiple views of Water Voles, as well as seeing a Red Necked Terrapin, some as yet unidentified frogs, and my little brother caught a Common Newt whilst pond dipping.
I feel I’m leaving on a high, especially after getting Ring Ouzel and Alpine Swift earlier in the week.
Thom
Don't you hate it when you are twitching a moorhen...
18/02/2010
There is definitely something fantastic about twitching a dull bird for
a year list and failing to find it at its regular haunts...
I was out on my usual route yesterday with Danny, looking for Donmouth’s
only Moorhen. Thankfully I have already seen it this year, but Danny was still missing that
particular (and slightly shameful!) tick. We looked in the bird’s usual haunts but to no avail. It
wasn't until later when looking for a place to set up the scopes for a bit of sea watching that we
stumbled across the half savaged remains of the Moorhen! I know you are supposed to feel a
bit bad at the death of an animal but I really couldn't help laughing at this hilarious twist of
fate!
Once the giggles had subsided, we had a peak out to sea only to find
around 30 Red-Throated Divers and one lonely female Velvet Scoter. A brilliant year
tick and a great view too!
So, I may be one behind Danny in the Shire race but at least I have
Moorhen!
Thom