Summary of Biking Birder 2015 According to RSPB Newsletter.

This was published in the RSPB Fundraising Newsletter for The Midlands :-

Epic journey

The end of December brought down the curtain on Gary Prescott’s epic year-long cycling mission around the UK.

As you will have read in previous editions, Gary aimed to cycle to every RSPB and WWT reserve in the UK, five years after his original journey. Whilst doing this, he was raising funds for four charities (the RSPB, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Asthma UK and the Chaskawasi-Manu Project in Peru).

This year, Gary added an extra target; to try and surpass both the British and European Green Year birding records, which at the start of the year sat at 251 and 304 respectively.

Gary set off on New Year’s Day from the Upton Warren WWT reserve before heading to Oxfordshire and the RSPB Otmoor nature reserve. He then embarked on a tour around the reserves of the south east.

February saw a tour around the south west, taking in reserves such as RSPB Arne and RSPB Radipole Lake nature reserves, and then taking in the Welsh reserves during March.

Easter was spent taking in a trip to the Northern Irish reserves (via ferry and then pedal power), before heading back to the north west of England. Visiting the east of England, Gary’s highlight was an epic 50-mile dash on the bike to see the citril finch in Norfolk.

Spells in northern England, a stay in Scotland (including the incredible Fair Isle) and a trek through the north east followed before a last dash to see as many species as possible before his return home to the West Midlands. His trip concluded with visits to RSPB Middleton Lakes and RSPB Sandwell Valley nature reserves before Gary returned, on New Year’s Eve, to where he had started 364 days before, Upton Warren.

During Gary’s green year, he saw 289 different species of bird; surpassing the British record which was previously shared by Chris Mills in 2005 and Gary’s previous attempt in 2010. This was just fifteen short of equaling the European record held by Catalonia’s Ponc Feliu.

I spoke with Gary at Sandwell Valley and he told me, that of the 289 birds he had seen, exactly 200 had been sighted at RSPB reserves.

As of 12 January, Gary had raised nearly £1,200 for the RSPB; a magnificent achievement and a great amount has also been raised for his other chosen charities.

2016 will see Gary set out on his bike again in an attempt to surpass 300 species seen. He is also attempting to surpass the European record, although this time, he will be taking a different route.

Focusing primarily on the south and east coasts, Gary will be heading back up to Scotland and returning to Shetland and Fair Isle in the autumn.

He has seen 132 different species (as of 19 January), and is ahead of where he was this time last year.

Gary can be followed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bikingbirder2015, where updates and some fantastic photos are uploaded on a regular basis.

He has set up a brand new blog for the 2016 challenge which can be found at http://bikingbirder2016.blogspot.co.uk/.

To support one of Gary’s chosen charities, you can do so online by making a donation at the following pages:

RSPB - https://www.justgiving.com/gary-prescott3

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust - https://www.justgiving.com/gary-prescott4

Asthma UK - https://www.justgiving.com/gary-prescott2

Chaskawasi-Manu Project - http://www.chaskawasi-manu.org/en/donation-for-chaskawasi-manu-project/

This is an incredible achievement, and we want to say a huge well done and thank you to Gary for all his achievements and support of the RSPB during 2015 and for this challenge taking place this year.

We wish Gary all the very best in his quest to surpass the magic 300; you can do it Gary!

Music is the Ever Present Sound In My Head

A personal addition.

The demon whilst cycling is my head that brings up memories and images from the past. It is always there, that little voice that moves so quickly from memory to memory without any apparent conscious control or direction. There are memories that are wonderful; the funny, the momentous and the loving. Then there are those that I don't want to remember, times of pain, shame and anger. 

Eternal Sunshine might bring solace by the removal of the latter but that isn't a reality away from the film scenario. The good and the bad memories circle around in a cyclical fashion and the fight to suppress the bad is a constant fight. I don't want to remember those incidents yet they are what define my life. Whilst cycling there are hours of time to ponder things and one way in which I divert my thoughts away from cascading images is to sing. Now I will never use an ipod/MP3 player whilst cycling. I think thatis extremely dangerous; I like to hear what is coming behind me. I do sing though, which is possibly a shame for those I pass. Songs form the seventies make up the bulk of the repertoire with the occasional later song or delve. 

There's a lot of Frank Zappa and Jethro Tull with progressive rock bands like Yes, Hendrix, The Who, ELP, Rory Gallagher, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Simon & Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin and other older heavy metal bands, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, U2, Joe Jackson, favourite singles from so many bands and artists; so many songs that luckily I remember the lyrics to. Comedy songs that I can have a giggle to whilst pedalling; Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Benny Hill (can anyone find Sad-eyed Sal?) and Eric and Ernie.

And of course there are many Monty Python songs that I can sing along to :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk 

Then there are the whistling tunes, the instrumentals, the classical, the jazz, the Blues.

And I can't forget the bizarre moments when it doesn't matter what I do to make a sound, lip dum dums, mouth sounds, tapping and clicking, screams and whoops!

Obviously music isn't just a diversion. It is an integral to my life. A life without music is unimaginable. It is there within me constantly and for that I am eternally grateful. On my facebook page, Gary Biking Birder Prescott, which I use as a diary, I frequently post the songs I love, the songs and pieces I am listening to at that moment. So which ones the most important to me? Here's a few :

Frank Zappa – the whole of the Apostrophe album 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zb3aAM0aHY   (especially for the students of the 1980s at Coppice High School, Wolverhampton, UK)

Jethro Tull – Living in the Past album  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ9YGA40M0A

Yes – On the Silent Wings of Freedom 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp9aHtN4K74

or - The Yessongs live album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La_fgpEnE6g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK9dKB-GuFE

Pink Floyd - One Slip   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOPNa753e1E

or - Time

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_VjVqe3KJ0

Joe Jackson's – Evil Empire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLEk89V0rwc

ELP – Pirates from the Works album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_MG0ja2iD4

or the Trilogy album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzEAiuodApI

Rory Gallagher – bullfrog blues 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Jaodra7AY

or souped up ford

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvtD2c6Xxd4

Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the devil (live) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJtqcn5FXns

U2 - Elevation (live)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgKq3uB8jQw

So many more . . Now one reason for posting this is to ask you to message me with your personal likes musically. I am interested in all and often find new music or versions, arrangements through friends sharing.

Gone of the days of a college room with a box record player, a guitar and vinyl. Now we have Youtube. PLEASE message me either on here via a comment or the facebook page

or email: bikingbirder2010@hotmail.com

It would be a thrill to hear from you, wherever you are, be that the UK, Europe, the US of A, South Africa, Honduras or Peru.

Love to you all

Gary

Second Day of Rest - Hoaxes present and Past

Why do some birders have to make up records? The red-flanked bluetail supposedly at Lymington a few days back, a bird that had been important enough to have me cycle ten miles towards it, turns out to have maybe been a hoax.

RBA (Rare Bird Alert) tactfully states :-

Red-flanked Bluetail

Making a sterling effort to usurp two national #1’s from the top spot this week was the reported discovery of what would have been a guaranteed show-stopper in Hampshire - Britain’s second-ever wintering Red-flanked Bluetail allegedly located in the wooded glades of the New Forest, in the Norley Inclosure across the weekend of 13th-14th.

The first over-wintering example of this ever-delightful Tarsiger came just two years ago, thanks to the super-showy bird that hopped from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire from February 3rd to March 9th 2014 and this report from Hampshire could have been the focus of attention for bird photographers and birders alike…but was it real? No one seems to know…but the “H” word wasn’t far from many locals lips.

The only acceptance of this increasing, more-frequent-than-ever forest dweller for the south coast county came in the more traditional mid-October window of opportunity; one spending six days in and around Sandy Point in 2010.

(…oh how we wished it had been a wintering mainland Western P. Rubythroat tho’…)

Details will come out no doubt but it brings back memories of other such incidents; the hermit thrush in Essex and the Siberian thrush in Worcestershire for example.

The hermit thrush was 'seen' by a sole observer. He later admitted his hoax through the pages of Birdwatch magazine, a double-page spread, apologising profusely for his false record, explaining that he had been goaded by being surpressed from real bird news by other Essex birders.

*********s photos of a Hermit Thrush alleged to have been taken in Chipping Ongar, Essex, in 1994, were in fact taken on Mugg's Island, Toronto, Canada.

In a shock confession just published in Birdwatch, the 'finder' of the Hermit Thrush claimed at Chipping Ongar, Essex, in October 1994 has retracted the record.

**********, a lifelong Essex birder, has revealed that he made up the 'sighting', in which he used photos taken in Canada as supporting evidence. Despite widespread doubts at the time, which included Birdwatch publishing misgivings about the record, it was accepted by the Rarities Committee as the fifth British record.

The 'occurrence' was surprisingly untypical of other British and Irish American passerine records, being found inland in eastern Britain in a poor year for transatlantic vagrants. It was allegedly present in care from 28 October-2 November 1994, only being seen by the finder and his family.

The Tewkesbury Sibe, on the foothills of Breedon Hill goes back to the late 1970s or early 1980s.

On a wet, cold day birders attracted to the area like bees to a honeypot. The honeypot in this case was a male Siberian thrush, still a mega rarity in the UK, couldn't be found. “No problem,” stated the hoaxer, “I've got photographs of it.” Weeks later photographs if a Siberian thrush did come out, a stuffed one or a model placed in a tree! Allegedly.

Every year in the British Birds magazine there is an issue devoted to 'Report on Rare Birds in Great Britain in . . ' At the back there are always a number of rejected reports. People make mistakes. I know I have made many and will no doubt make many more. People might not have noted every feature necessary for acceptance. Thankfully the birder who feels the desperate need to hoax other birders to increase his credentials and standing in the rarity finding world are few and far between. Yet the pressure is on. Thankfully actual hoaxes are extremely rare.

Nowadays nearly every record of a rarity is accompanied by a photograph. Of the rarities I have seen I have managed to get a photograph of nearly all of them. Of those I haven't then I have got the names of the witnesses. Here are a few of the rare birds I have seen this year :

Those with no photograph (yet) with who was with me when I saw it :

lesser scaup (Chris Craig), Pacific diver (Roger Butts), Ring-billed gull (no one).

The Year list can be viewed on Bubo on the BUO 2016 year list :-

http://www.bubo.org/Listing/view-all-lists.html?showlists=1,BOU,1,2016,0

A Rest Perchance to Dream

Wednesday 17th February

My rest begins. A few days in which to visit my cousin, Rosemary and her son Paschal and then back home via train, leaving the bike at a repair shop for back brake replacement and a service. It is my son, Joshua's birthday on Friday and my daughter, Rebecca is coming down from Newcastle for us all to meet up for a celebration meal. I will also be seeing Mum and Dad. Both are in their eighties and remarkable for their age. Just a few days to catch up with family.

I also need to prepare for the RSPB AGM at York. I am invited as one of the speakers and have been sent emails with attachments. I feel this is a wonderful opportunity to promote Green Birding and will prepare the photograph slide show, the talk itself, a display board and leaflets as well as I can.

Once the leaflet is done I will publish it on here for you to peruse and criticise for me. Any advice would be gratefully and humbly received.

So today will be a carbon day; another 'Fifty Shades of Green' moment in the Biking Birder year. As I have said, the bike will be left at the exact spot where I arrived yesterday after cycling through very quiet, and icy in places, country lanes from Alton to Ash Vale, east of Aldershot. Does this detract from the Green Big Year mantra? The way I see it is that in every way I try to be as Green as possible whilst still occasionally seeing family. When your parents are in their eighties you want to cherish every moment with them. They've already been jokingly told by my sister that last Christmas was their last!

As for being Green, I don't have a house, a car, masses of electrical appliances just a tablet, I recycle as much as I can, even collect recyclable items I see whilst cycling. I pick up litter especially on beaches and nature reserves. I could never have the time to pick up the mass of litter, much of it recyclable I see whilst cycling. Why do people have to throw this stuff from their car windows whilst going along roads? I camp around 150 to 200 times a year. I consider food miles. My clothes are usually from charity shops. All in all I hope that you understand my Green Year. I would love to have a totally fossil free year but this is the best that I can do.

As for what we can all do, we've got to reduce, reuse, recycle. (repair)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKdZYYmTT9A

The Year list can be viewed on Bubo on the BUO 2016 year list :-

http://www.bubo.org/Listing/view-all-lists.html?showlists=1,BOU,1,2016,0

16.72 miles 657 feet elevation up 769 elevation down

A Hat Trick of Year Ticks in Hampshire

Monday 15th February Fresh N sunny!

With a day of cycling ahead and after having received the very sad news of a great Upton Warren friend, Simon Vickers, having died at too young an age, I think about the people who I have met because of my passion for birds and nature. Some of the most inspirational and fascinating characters are the young people who ooze enthusiasm; children like the phenomenal 13 year old Mya.Rose Craig, Bird-girl ( http://birdgirluk.blogspot.co.uk/ ) and Dominik Reynolds who puts on events for wildlife through establishing the Dominik Wildlife Fund. The next one is an evening of merriment -

Now that would be a wonderful evening to get to. Meanwhile I need to visit the cressbeds of Alresford, Hampshire to search for water pipit. The wind is in my face and despite the almost no cloud, blue sky, the going is tough. Hills are reached and as chalk starts to appear in the fields as I reach the top a group of red-legged partridges, nine of them, become the first year tick of the day. 165.

 Thoughts of other chalk downs birds come to mind and maybe a yellowhammer will be added to the year list at last. I text this thought and the news of the partridge to Phil Andrews, my task master and news provider. The reply states that grey partridge and corn bunting might be possible. There are corvids and a flock of around thirty stock doves but no small passerines. The agricultural desert of wheat stubble continues. The constant disappointment of the British countryside. How much have we lost?

A large bird in front of me is obviously raptor, one bird species that we have gained over the decades due to reintroduction. A red kite goes onto the list.

Into and through Alresford, I cycle along the beautiful river and find a small cressbed. No pipits here, there is just a single lesser redpoll and a few moorhens.

A local man tells me that there are more cressbeds down a road to the north and so I find large cressbeds of commercial nature along Bighton Lane. They are surrounded by large fences with padlocked fences. My memories of visiting cressbeds in Dorset back in the years when I lived in that fine county are dispelled by the present problem. How can I search for such a small bird without access. I go to the offices of Alresford Salads and am told by a friendly gent that there is a public footpath along the northern edge of the largest beds.

Two green sandpipers are the first birds I see once I get to the path and after walking along the eastern edge, outside the fence of course, a group of pipits fly from further down the beds and land in front of me, though at the other side. I start to search and find at least one, maybe two water pipits. There is a grey wagtail with them too. Mission accomplished and a hat-trick of year ticks.

The year list still stands at 167. This is twenty two ahead of where I was this time last year.

Up to 9th! The list can be viewed on Bubo on the BUO 2016 year list :-

http://www.bubo.org/Listing/view-all-lists.html?showlists=1,BOU,1,2016,0

30.03 miles 1875 feet elevation up 1583 elevation down

Mud, Flood and Another 'Gud Un'

Sunday 14th February Fresh NE sunny intervals

A milestone reached yesterday, 1,000 miles cycled this year so far.

Today starts with more of a push than a cycle. Along the canal path from Titchfield village, which is a beautiful brook-like waterway instead of a traditional tow path and barge wide canals that I am more used to, I stop when a birder shows me a barn owl sleeping in hole on a twisted tree. It is a beautiful sunny day and the light is clear and fresh.

The way deteriorates into a muddy swamp with places where the canal is overflowing. There is a target bird that has been reported somewhere along this mire and so I persevere, laugh and push, curse and wade. The bird is a water pipit and after an hour of searching and getting extremely wet and muddy feet, and getting the bike clogged up also, there has only been one pipit. It flies up from a wet area of grassland with rushes but disappears without giving views.

I continue to search. I continue to push.

A phone call from Phil Andrews can only mean one thing, a very rare bird is somewhere nearby.

“Forget the water pipit,” he shouts. “There is a red-flanked bluetail at Lymington!”

The final half mile of mud and water are negotiated and once on the road again I cycle towards Southampton. I get to Warsash and check the phone for messages. There are two; a voicemail from Sue at Titchfield Haven and a text from Phil.

Phil's is “Sods law mate. Pendulines are showing at Titchfield. Sue's voicemail declares the same. Sue, one of the wonderful staff at Titchfield, had heard of my visit yesterday, knew I needed to see the birds , found my blog and then mobile number and then sent the message. Partly it is Sue's kindness in letting me know but it is also the fact that I think that I will have more chances to see red-flanked bluetails later in the year, I turn around and cycle as fast as possible to Titchfield Haven,

On arriving at the reserve, the bike is stowed away in a shed once more and I run along the path and broadwalk towards Meadow Hide.

On turning towards the hide I see a small group of birders looking towards an area I know to have the necessary reedmace. I put my thunb up to ask whether the birds are on view. A positive thumb comes up from one of the volunteers and I run the final thirty yards, well float there really.

A female penduline tit is on a reedmace head plucking, feeding and releasing wafts of fluff towards us.

Over the next two hours birders and interested general public come and go and the birds, two of them, both females stay on view busily feeding. One group of birders are the young at heart RSPB Dorking group. Lovely people.

Just past 3:00pm the birds go and I head back to the visitor's centre. I thank Sue profusely and sincerely for her message and head towards Fareham. I have seen forty one birds species today including barn owl, cetti's warblers and black-tailed godwits. The penduline tits though are a 'good one to get.'

The year list still stands at 164. This is still nineteen ahead of where I was this time last year.

The list can be viewed on Bubo on the BUO 2016 year list,:-

http://www.bubo.org/Listing/view-all-lists.html?showlists=1,BOU,1,2016,0

19.68 miles 556 feet elevation up 3543 elevation down

A Dear Friend from So Long Ago

Saturday 13th February Fresh E Rain for most of the day

An email has photographs attached of the long-billed dowitcher from two days ago sent to me by Alison Allison.

It is always lovely to meet people, share the excitement of a bird and then receive a lovely email. Thanks Alison, superb photographs, and all the best.

A morning rendezvous at a Gosport cafe, I am thinking I have been stood up when the woman I am waiting for taps me on my shoulder. Thirty two tears ago, back when I was a young teacher at a secondary school in Wolverhampton, I had the privilege of having a group of amazing, wonderful young children for my form for three consecutive years. From that class there was a girl of a sparkling character, Lisa Gaye. Here she is opposite me at the table, now as Lisa Hillier.

Two hours pass with family talk, memories from the past and future plans, laughs and past teacher character assassination all enjoyed.

Lisa'a husband, 'Scooter' John joins us and another hour passes. What a wonderful couple.

I cycle off towards Titchfield Haven but notice that my arm is camouflaged instead of Hi-vis. I have left my my Hi-vis jacket at the cafe! Twit. I cycle back and luckily it is still there.

I reach Titchfield Haven and hear from Kate behind the counter within the superb visitor's centre that the penduline tits, the birds I am after, haven't been seen since Wednesday. In fact even that report they feel was erroneous. My chances don't seem high. I head for the area where they were last seen and as the rain falls I stare at the only greater reedmace, the favourite seed provider for the tits.

The reserve closes at 4:00pm and I leave without having added to the year list. Does it count as a dip? Hardly but it still hurts. I want this record and every bird counts.

In the evening I access the Biking Birder 2016 – The Quest for 300 facebook page and find a message from a young German birder, Annett Jaegar. Annett had recently got in touch with me over Green Birding and I had asked her about her birding. Here is a reply:-

Dear Gary,
I did share your blog in my (still very humble) Birding Germany Group as well as in Birding NRW (northrhine-westfalian birders and slightly bigger group) I am thinking as my group doesn't have that many members yet it would be too much to ask you to write an article. I will definitely ask you to once my group has grown a little.

So thank you very much for your offer.

...So if you happen to know anybody birding in Germany feel free to add people to my "Birding Germany" group. Posts in english or any other language are very welcome.

I started birding quite late ( about 3 maybe 4 years ago I think ) basically without knowing anything about birds at all. So I still have to learn a lot (not just the gull identification is killing me) . 

After not being too ambitious for the first year I am now looking for birds whereever I go.

Birding mostly in Germany, occasionally in the Netherlands (as I live quite close to the dutch and Belgian borders). I have been to Iceland for longer visits twice now (but always travelling with a non-birder, which makes it a bit more difficult sometimes.) Looking forward to Heligoland in April this year, hopefully the black-browed albatross will turn up again which I missed last year.

Actually, I do have some lists on bubo,org, as my friend, Mike Wheeler (I think you know him) convinced me to list my birds there. I do find it a bit embarrasssing to be yet again the only person who has a Germany 2016 on bubo.org but hey, at least I do stand a chance to end up number one

It would be fabulous to see more Germans taking up the pastime. Please if you are a German birder visit the facebook group pages mentioned above.

The year list still stands at 163. This is nineteen ahead of where I was this time last year.

14.49 miles 312 feet elevation up 310 elevation down

Wet Through but I Find a Rare American

Friday 12^th February        Fresh SE       Rain for most of the day

Fifty shades of Green, my route today will involve three ferries. One over to The Isle of Wight, Lymington to Yarmouth. Another will take me on the chain ferry at Cowes, west to east and the final ferry will take me to Portsmouth from Ryde. If I see the bird though. If not it will be another night on the island and another search tomorrow.

So with Green credentials diminished I get to the first ferry with seconds to spare before it sets sail.

Rain is falling heavily as I leave Yarmouth on the road to Newport. Reaching that town I find the excellent cycle path that runs along the west bank of the Medina river. I need to find Pinkmead and do so, finding it to be a private house with a large garden of cut grass beside the river. With only a single vantage point offering good viewing of the garden I start to scan the area looking for the greater yellowlegs, yet another extremely rare American wader. This one is the only one of this species in Britain at the moment and I need to find it.

I can't. It is high tide and there are godwits, oystercatchers, redshanks and lapwing but no sign of the mega rarity. I walk away from this clear viewing position to search for any other place where ne can scan the garden but to no avail. It has a border of thick bushes and trees and only small areas can be seen at a time. The tide is at a perfect level to bring all of the river's waders ashore and I am feeling a bit worried that the bird is not going to be here. After all it was last reported last Sunday. My feeling though is that this is due to the lack of birders going over from the Mainland to see it and not it having left.

I see a bird on the bank beside a pond-like inlet beside some tall white poplar trees. Bird number 163 goes onto the list and I photograph it after celebrating on having found the greater yellowlegs. I text Phil then I look at the photographs again and realise that I have photographed the yellowlegs. Instead I have a bad photograph of a redshank! 

The bird was quite distant but I have no excuse for photographing the wrong bird despite my adrenaline pumped excitement.

I search for the yellowlegs and can't see it. Panic! I need a photograph. Then there it is, much closer than before and I lay down horizontal on the tarmac of the cycle path, in the rain, to steady myself to ensure photographs and video are OK. Phew. That was close to an embarrassing disaster.

Bird on the list after an hour and a half of a soggy search, I carry on to Ryde and celebrate with a cup of hot chocolate and two crumpets at a cafe. I am soaked but as always, very happy. Yes, I am suffering excessive happiness. The young girl serving me sits for a chat. She is twenty one and relates her work with the people of the jungle, that is the refugee and economic migrant camp at Calais. This wonderful woman volunteers help there and takes van loads of food and supplies out to the people stranded there. She tells me of some of the refugees stories and how they have been conned by traffickers into believing that the people of Britain want them to come to the United Kingdom. Many have been abused as they have traveled through Europe and their hopes and dreams for themselves and their loved ones are smashed as they end up in the squalid and dangerous conditions of the Jungle. Those that do make it to Britain are interred in prison like camps. This woman is a breath of fresh air compared to some of the people I have met down in the south. A girl of determination, empathy and compassion with a sense of humour and enthusiasm.

To Ryde to get a ticket, I board the ferry there wet through once more due to the heavy rain constantly falling. The Spinnacker Tower in Portsmouth is seen through raindrops on the ferry windows.

The year list stands at 163. This is twenty ahead of where I was this time last year.

21.96 miles 1052 feet elevation up 1091 elevation down

It's Just a Perfect Day.

Thursday 11^th February Very Light SW Very Sunny, cool 5 to 7C after early frost. One quick shower with hail and rainbows

Skating away on the thin ice of a new frosty day, I head off along the sea wall for Fishtail Lagoon on Pennington Marsh. It is a glorious morning, sunny with some mist over The Solent. There is a thin veneer of ice on some of the pools. Maybe there will be winter this year after all. It has been more like Autumn so far with gales and rain followed by beautiful days like this.

The tide is quickly coming covering the outer saltmarsh and with almost no wind the view over the sea is mirror-like reflective of sky and shore.

Not having been able to find Fishtail Lagoon on any map on the internet last night, I am grateful for an information board which has a labelled map of the marsh. I proceed straight away to the area, ignoring any birds on the way. I am focssed on the target bird, the long-billed dowitcher. I meet another birder, Ian from Christchurch. He has seen it and says he will put the news out on Rare Bird Alert. He describes where he has seen it, “look to the left of where there is a little egret standing next to a and as we are joined by two other birders, Colin and Ben, Ian leaves and the three of us walk down to the spot to try to find it.

There are waders here, mostly redshanks with a group of four spotted redshanks and a single common snipe. Another spotted redshank is behind some rush and a ruff flies in to join it. After twenty minutes or so a wader flies from behind a nearby gorse bush to join the redshanks, the long-billed dowitcher goes onto the year list.

I watch it over the next hour as just occasionally the rare American wader comes into view. Most of the time though it is hidden amongst or behind the rushes.

Colin is a local birder who tells me that he has been birding here for six decades. Ben is a young man, twenty one, who is extremely keen and eager to learn. Ben spots two spoonbills flying in. nother spoonbill comes in but stands away from the first two.

The light today is sharp and clear, the earlier mist has gone and thin wispy cloud merges with the blue.

I start to walk along the seawall to the west and Ben walks with me. He stays with me for the next three hours and together we become a spotting team. There are plenty of great birds to enjoy and we both start a day list. By the time we reach Keyhaven Harbour we both have over sixty birds written down and we stop for a little lunch beside the bridge. We have seen the long-tailed duck again and enjoyed close views of dartford warblers.

 

A water rail squeals in the reedbed and a pale-headed marsh harrier flies over and lands on a distant hedgerow. I then find four bearded tits at the far end of the lagoon, tickable but never giving great views.

My target bird for the afternoon is water pipit and after saying goodbye and good luck to Ben, “have a great life,” I head back eastwards along the seawall checking every pipit. We have already seen rock and meadow pipits and there are more of these, mostly rock pipits but no matter what I cannot find a water pipit.

A short shower of rain and hail causes a double rainbow to appear and it's reflection is beautiful.

I find the short-eared owl perched up and preening at the east end of Keyhaven Lagoon.

A couple out for a late afternoon stroll stop me to inquire about the Lads. She has beautiful bright green eyes and has some lovely jewelry pieces, both rings and necklace, Her name is Elaine. She delights in telling me that she has made all of the pieces, some of them cast using cuttlefish. Her partner is named Peter and he takes back stage after telling me he is a landscape gardener.

Later, with the sun going down I see a young person sitting on a concrete block at the end of a concrete extension out into The Solent. He or she is wrapped in an orange blanket and I am concerned that they might have a problem as it is getting dark and getting very cold as the sun has gone down. A slavonian grebe gives me an excuse to go down there. The person turns out to be a young woman who is enjoying the landscape and she tells me she is a foundation year student of art, an oil painter and often comes down here to watch the sunset. I photograph the grebe and leave her to her contemplation.

The year list stands at 162. This is twenty two ahead of where I was this time last year.

9.52 miles 130 feet elevation up 130 elevation down