Saturday 12 May 2012

Throat Fine, a bit Red but Couldn't Swallow

At 5:30 am today, West H was bright, cold, breezy and dead.  Despite a half hour of wishful thinking, nothing to raise the heart rate nor temperature, other than perhaps a brief glimpse of the back of a Whinchat south of the main pool, just as it dropped into the reeded area.

Arcot was, well, as Arcot is at present, dead.  Even the Mute Swans left SW towards Big Waters' probable comparative excitement.

9:00 am and off the Newton-by-the-Sea as the Bluethroat had been seen twice and this would be a Lifer.  Parking the Mirthmobile near the Tin Church, I asked a bloke if it was showing still, and indeed it was.  First tick of the day, as the bloke was none other than the Stringer himself (We're not worthy!  We're not worthy!).

And then the ornithologically orgasmic experience that is the Lifer.  Unbeatable (say nowt to Mrs Liverbirder!)!!:

After the bird was spooked from the wall by two local equestrians, it went high and down into the corn field, a good few yards in from the ploughed strip, so off the Hauxley on the way home to see the Red-backed Shrike.  Bumping into Tim Dean and then Morgan, the bird's exact whereabouts were unknown, but then Alan Jack, Joe Dobison, Michael Frankis and another chap whose name is still a mystery pointed to where the bird was (across a field) and voila!

News from Mr Sometimes and his lieutenant indicated that the Red-rumped Swallows remain at Lynemouth, off south, but alas, despite the birding surveillance from two Dacks, a McLevy, and a few unknowns, nowt. 

5 comments:

  1. Good to see y got the Bluethroat Gordon. Howdon Blogger headed south for it and dipped.
    Such is birding.

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  2. Indeed, Sir! My plan was to travel once one or both appeared on BirdGuides, and the N/land would take precedence. It worked!! Bumped into a semi-suicidal Mr H Blogger at Arcot this morning who explained the dip but did get the Nightingale. I dipped the R-r Swallows so it's all about balance. We all live to fight another day!

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  3. Hmmmmm....... “not worthy” eh, I'm not quite sure if these are kind words or an insult !

    To put the record straight..... The only person "not worthy" is the dickhead who turns up every time a rarity is reported, trespasses all over private land and plays a tape at every opportunity, just so he can get a quick tick and move on to the next....... In my opinion this nob is not worthy of wiping this dog shit from my shoes !!

    Anyway, really pleased you got it.... What a SPUD !!

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  4. Mr Stringer - you need to watch Wayne's World when Wayne and Garth meet Alice Cooper! If you do, my comment (intended very much as a compliment) will be clear.

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  5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FucbvoFFy0

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