During Janunary, as I've noted, birding days were few and far between (and I write this having been housebound by parenting duties all day!) and every tick was hard- earned.
Eventually, late in the month, I had the chance of getting out to one of my less-well used sites, to get fresh air and mud on my boots. This site, at the Clyde estuary, is renowned for waders, seaducks and divers, and is a place I sadly often overlook in favour of similar (but more exotic) sites in the East.
This trip, to Cardross, earned me a handful of year ticks (including scaup, my first ever self- found one) and more than ticks, gave me an overwhelming sense of relief. It almost gave me pneumonia as well, but this is one of the dangers of birding in a storm!! I tried persuading myself that this was quality birding, that I was satisfied by it, but instead, as the train journy home dragged on I felt increasingly like it was a perfunctory tick- mission. And my sense of dissatisfaction grew.
A few days later, I was again let off the leash, and headed East this time, to Musselburgh, one of my top 5 places. This trip also got me a handful of ticks, got me chilled to the bone, but more than that, a warm glow of birding satisfaction that still hasn't faded. So, what was the difference between them? Was it that Cardross was my 'break- out' trip after a dull, frustrating month, was it that the weather was better, or is it that Musselburgh is, plainly, a better site?
Again, it falls down to what mood I was in. I hit Musselburgh with excitement, rather than the trepidation (and fear of seeing nothing) that I hit CArdross. Maybe my Musselburgh trip would have been less enjoyable without Cardross laying the foundations.
In any event, looking back, both were decent trips, as long as you manage expectations. The most important thing about both was that I got out birding, and I've yet to have a birding day thats a waste of time.
Eventually, late in the month, I had the chance of getting out to one of my less-well used sites, to get fresh air and mud on my boots. This site, at the Clyde estuary, is renowned for waders, seaducks and divers, and is a place I sadly often overlook in favour of similar (but more exotic) sites in the East.
This trip, to Cardross, earned me a handful of year ticks (including scaup, my first ever self- found one) and more than ticks, gave me an overwhelming sense of relief. It almost gave me pneumonia as well, but this is one of the dangers of birding in a storm!! I tried persuading myself that this was quality birding, that I was satisfied by it, but instead, as the train journy home dragged on I felt increasingly like it was a perfunctory tick- mission. And my sense of dissatisfaction grew.
A few days later, I was again let off the leash, and headed East this time, to Musselburgh, one of my top 5 places. This trip also got me a handful of ticks, got me chilled to the bone, but more than that, a warm glow of birding satisfaction that still hasn't faded. So, what was the difference between them? Was it that Cardross was my 'break- out' trip after a dull, frustrating month, was it that the weather was better, or is it that Musselburgh is, plainly, a better site?
Again, it falls down to what mood I was in. I hit Musselburgh with excitement, rather than the trepidation (and fear of seeing nothing) that I hit CArdross. Maybe my Musselburgh trip would have been less enjoyable without Cardross laying the foundations.
In any event, looking back, both were decent trips, as long as you manage expectations. The most important thing about both was that I got out birding, and I've yet to have a birding day thats a waste of time.
