CLIFF SWALLOW!!!

MEGA Scilly CLIFF SWALLOW St Mary's at Porth Hellick Loop trail at 8.15am

 

Top quality MEGA needed by many. Fortunately not by me as I saw the Spurn bird 23/10/1995. I've already told my story.

 

So, the news broke at 8.15 and it disappeared (at the time of writing, 6.30 pm, it hadn't re-appeared) at 2.35pm. Scilly locals would obviously have been on the case but no chance from the mainland in 6 hours 10 minutes!

 

WRONG!!!

 

Amazingly some made it, including young Dan Pointon who reached the landmark of 500 (for Britain and Ireland), something I only achieved recently! Granted I only started in my mid-thirties and Dan's only 26.

 

If you take part in this twitching madness (apologies to followers to whom this doesn't concern) you get out of it what you will. There are so many variables. I've missed many over the years through being at school (as a teacher that is). I NEVER bunked off, not like some I could but won't mention.

Again that's a choice but as my Dad used to say..."never shoot the Golden Goose".

 

Times have changed but then again they always do.

 

Information these days is instant. Charters are available...as I know only to well. If you can go at the drop of a hat and have sufficient funds from somewhere...you're laughing! Oh, you may need some Geographical good fortune...as Dan and co had today.

 

Personally, I'm as keen/crazy as ever. I'll do everything in my power to see a new bird. I think I'd draw the line at cutting short a holiday. I know I would...as was proved by my WILSON'S WARBLER dip. I certainly wouldn't come back from the States as some did this year!!! Don't get me wrong I'm not here to judge, people are free to make there own choices and good luck to one and all.

 

One thing though that the young guns might but almost certainly won't consider. Gobbling all/most up before you're 30 can leave you a long time waiting for the next one...

 

.........................................................................................

 

Onto the more mundane matters of Patch work...

 

After my first ever visit to a gym this morning (try not to laugh) I took Buddy down to the Gas Terminal for a good blast and a look for the reported Wryneck. I gave it 2 hours in unbelievably hot conditions (30c) before giving up, I needed a drink...fast!

 

Next it was the Sewage were we walked a good half mile South. No sign of the Whinchat that Phil and I saw on Sunday...

 

 

but I did have some fun with a VERY confiding Wheatear...

 

 

 There were large numbers of Gulls on the beach and before Bud dropped his ball over the cliff (again Phil) I picked out 5 Med' Gulls and 4 LBB Gulls. Having dropped him off at the house to cool down I confirmed my suspicions that low tide was not a good time to visit Kilnsea Wetlands! I finished off at the cliff drawing the usual blank.

* CLIFF SWALLOW returned at 6.34pm. All the very best to all who travel...