Sunday 29 May 2011

I Lied

Whilst the 'working hard' element of my previous post held true, the 'too busy to get out' aspect failed when Sir Cowell of Kingston Park kindly gave me pre-BirdGuides notice of a Terek Sandpiper at Hauxley.

The half-ton of bottles were more speedily than ever thrown into the bottle bank, sacrificing the often-pleasing noise and gratuitous damage!

And off north, with update texts about which hide it was outside, then not, then back.  And this continued when I got there.  Literally, as my eye contacted the scope, it was off from the Tern Hide and to the island shore opposite the Wader Hide and out of view.

Clock ticking as 'Er Indoors needed to be at the SoL for some aging boy band, it was round to the Wader Hide, where, as I neared, news it was back opposite the Tern Hide (getting dizzy?).

Decision time - remain at the Wader with some notable birders present and a wise move as the bird was not away long.

Lifer 264 and to be honest, quite a stunner with its tangerine-coloured legs and Greenshank-like bill.

Happy days!