Musings

Me again...

A relaxing day keeping my Mother company. She's keener on Football than I am! England did well... VERY well!!!

I saw online that c30 intrepid Twitchers has made the journey to Shetland today. A huge and expensive effort which unfortunately turned out to be unsuccessful aka a Dip. As said yesterday the odds weren't great on this Species remaining. Fortunately, I'm personally in a more relaxed position these days of not HAVING to go. Feels good. 

I've just booked my flight to Dubai for less. You pays yer money...

I'll still hopefully pick the odd Tick up along the way BUT it'll be on my terms. Hopefully something will turn up later this Month for me?

I also read that El Nino has killed the Hurricane season! Not one in the whole of September..Not great for strays from the Nearctic. Still time though.

Back to the Footy...

I've just updated my Best of Duff List (left hand column). Nice to look back on and a decent assortment for an Inland Site...I thought.

CE

Broke the journey to my Mother's with a stop off at...you know where!

Good chat with Haydn and a superb fly-by of a Cattle Egret...

One Bird...

Meeting Resumed

I met Stuart again at the Outstray around 9.30 after our curtailed Tuesday rendezvous. He was right behind me as I drove the track! 

We made our way up to the screen seeing a Wheatear (I STILL haven't seen one in the Village) and Stonechat in the way. A good start.

We had an extremely pleasant couple of hours watching what came, went and lingered. The Avocet flock remains with 300+ present, a magnificent sight!!

The tide was starting to go out but the water level remained higher than anticipated which meant Birds were distant unfortunately. A couple of Marsh Harriers hunted along the Humber shore and Curlew numbers were into three figures.

Stuart scanned intently, recording as he viewed on yet another glorious day...

He'd mentioned he needed Whinchat for the Year and I was pleased to eventually find one for him.

We left around 11.30 and drove down to Patrington Haven as he wanted to know the access. We didn't linger here long as the pools are dry and there is no access to the Humber due to construction.

It was time for lunch at Cakey Bakey in Patrington, strongly recommended! We went our separate ways afterwards. A really good morning in excellent company.

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Things kicking off now on the Rarity front. No surprise there at this time of year. There's a couple I haven't seen but I won't be travelling. SYKES'S WARBLER doesn't float my boat, especially when I read this...

The Booted Warbler Conundrum: The separation of Sykes's and Booted Warblers is a "perennial source of bewilderment" for birders. Even birds that have been trapped, ringed, and initially identified as Sykes's have later been proven via DNA to be Booted Warblers (and vice versa).

The SIBERIAN BLUE ROBIN on Shetland is a much sought after Bird BUT it is also an extremely skulking Species and I very much doubt it will be seen again. No doubt many happy Birders who were close enough to connect. Congratulations!

Again, no offence intended. Just my personal view you understand.

Just a couple of weeks now till our annual pilgrimage to the Fortunate Isles. Let's hope they live up to there name?

Update: Went up to Cliff Farm for the last hour hoping for an Owl. No luck there BUT a Merlin (H.90) was more than ample compensation. Magic!