On the way home at 13:00 I kept an eye on the sky for swifts, or maybe a Hobby but it was not to be. Across migrant alley I looked out for migrants but also drew a blank. After I had got home and had a bite to eat I set out for the scrubby area next to the lakes, to listen for Nightingale or see a Whitethroat, but despite an Hour and a half, nothing! I was feeling a bit dispondent and the wind was getting up again, making it feel distinctly chilly. I decided to call it a day............but something nagged at me to go over to migrant alley once more, as i did the wind blew stronger and I pulled up my collar, and I had second thoughts, a cup of tea seemed a better idea. I carried on reluctantly, but as I entered the ploughed field something caught my eye, a grey blob in the field, I looked through my bins and.........wow! a WHIMBREL 78, the second thing I did was take some dodgy pics!! Stangely I felt a lot warmer now, and elated at findind such a rare visitor to my patch (only had one before, flying over in May 2006) I sat and watched it for half an hour or so, then left it feeding. A great boost to my morale and a lesson for me not to give up looking to soon.
Whimbrel on the plough
Bird of the year for me so far
Dodgy pics but its going in my gallery
I took this one on my knees, got plastered in mud!!!
11 comments:
BRILLIANT!!!! You must be delighted!! What a great inland patch bird and not even a fly-over!
I am delighted Steve, It's such a challenge to find birds on my patch that are deemed ''common'' elsewhwere. Sightings like the Whimbrel today keep me enthused, - for those wet, cold uneventful days!
Warren,
I'm not going to tell you it's a Curlew, you can stick with your "Seven Whistler", they're great birds aren't they! yesterday in the fog five came in low over the cliffs at St Margaret's, circled and flew in your direction, what did you do with the other four?
hi Tony,
I went back out with my scope at 18:00hrs to have a closer look - definitely a Whimbrel. no sign of the other 4 though!
Aren't local patches brilliant! Your Whimbrel is a perfect example of why we do it. Now up here I get a good few Whimbrels at both ends of the year, but you get many more 'southern' birds I'd give a limb for. A Hobby or a Nightingale would be something...
Spooky, I have just been writing in my blog about going where whimbrel have been sighted, just curlew for me though (must have been around 20+) maybe a whimbral was mixed in there somewhere. I can see now from your photos how distinct the dark eye patch is,nice pics, cheers Mike.
What great shots. That must have been very exciting. Great work. I always look forward to seeing what you come up with.
WOW Warren, a Whimbrel!!! I feel very pleased for you, absolutely fantastic!!!
Hi Warren,
Indeed it is these birds that make patch-watching so rewarding, I was hoping for a quick rain-shower last Sunday to drop a few hirundines/terns in but instead I got sunburn!!! A "commic" Tern and ringtail harrier did fly though but I got on both as they were heading away - blast! Did have a 1st summer Med Gull so keep checking those overflying flocks of Black-heads.
Boulmer Birder - just the 4 Nightingale and one Hobby over the patch on Sunday, I bet your patch list is considerably higher than 149 though!!
All the best,
Marcus (just around the corner form Warren)
Thanks for all the comments guys. Good hunting to you all this spring!
Well done for your persistence Warren!
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