CLIFF SWALLOW

OK, last one of the "All our Yesterday's" to complete my Top 10! See right hand column.

We're back in 1995. I was teaching in the York Area and it was the October Half-Term week. A CLIFF SWALLOW had been found by Lance Degnan and Dale Middleton on the Sunday morning (22nd) between 9.10 and 9.30am at Spurn. It was followed down the peninsular and was seen disappearing South over the Humber towards Lincs. Remarkably it was seen again late afternoon at Sandy Beaches Caravan Site!!

I took the gamble on Monday morning the 23rd. I joined a small crowd at the Caravan Site around 8am which included the late Pete Piringer, Tony Dixon and Gary Dayes. At 9.07am Pete made the call...IT'S HERE!!! The bird flew leisurely past the now ecstatic group of admirers. We jumped in our cars and headed for the Narrows were we once again saw it approaching before flying low right past us. 

A truly BRILLIANT moment. 

It continued South and wasn't seen again despite being searched for all day by the ever increasing crowd. Once again remarkably, it flew South past the Narrows at 10.15am on Saturday the 28th!

Definitely gave me a RUSH...