I spent a good few hours looking for the Hoopoe today but I couldn't find it. I had a couple of hours down at Sammy's with Phil and Richard Boon. We had intermittent bursts of song from the THRUSH NIGHTINGALE but true to form no decent sightings.
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BIG news nationally with the discovery of a probable GREEN WARBLER on Unst, Shetland. It brings back memories of my only charter for the wonderful CAPE MAY. So glad I went for this bird which was my most wanted...even though it did cost me a pretty penny. Somehow this current bird doesn't warrant a similar outlay as far as I'm concerned. Yes, it's only the second record for Britain and they all count as one in twitching terms.
From my personal perspective I'm content to selective twitch from now on as I've reached my target of 500 BOU. Don't get me wrong I'm still keen but I have other interests in my Birding, namely foreign trips, and I don't have unlimited funds!
I also have problems with certain splits and DNA testing to ID a bird!? It somehow dilutes the field guide somewhat don't you think? Some extremely similar species i.e. Empid Flycatchers have been accepted with field views and yet this latest MEGA needs DNA testing for the second record when the first one was accepted with field views on Scilly in 1983?
Anyway, to each their own. Good luck to the troops travelling tomorrow for two reasons. I hope "it's" there for them and I definitely hope it IS a GREEN WARBLER!
STOP PRESS - News of a new field guide...The DNA guide to Bird Identification. It comes complete with a mist net and all the necessary scientific equipment. So sling your Bins, Scope and Field guides away and join in the..."fun"!?
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