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Your greatest days birding... (1 Viewer)

buzzard12

buzzard12

Well-known member
Days when it all came together..

Mine was Cape Clear, May 3rd I think, 1994. SE winds and saharan dust, Ferry stranded on the island, just three birders on the island and we had a field day..

60 plus turtle Dove, 12 Golden orioles, 3 Night Heron, Red rumped Swallow, Dotterel and a host of common exhausted migrants. Picked up a Red Foted falcon the next day.

long will it live in the memory....

How about yours...
 
Once managed all five species of Grebe some years ago in one day around Cheshire and Wales. That's the one that sticks in my mind, especially because it was the first time I saw a Black Grouse lek as well.

Regards. :t:
Jaff
 
Mid October...Fair Isle. - I'm in Bangkok or I'd get the date precisely. It was short and T-shirt weather too!

It started with a walk down a drystone wall. I saw a bird half hidden in a hole in the wall... it was a Barred Warlber. It flicked a bit further down the wall and landed next to a very eastern looking and sounding Chiffchaff...then another and another. I was going very slowly collecting birds....next a Yellow-browed Warbler, then a Pallas's Warbler and finally a very out of place looking Lapland Bunting. I moved well away from the wall and let the birds settle...then carried on south. There were birds everywhere.... 2 Barred warblers, 15 Garden warblers, 40 Chiffs, 12 Yellow-browed warblers, Great-grey and Woodchat shike, a couple of Rosefinches, 3 Richard's Pipits. Thrushes were arriving in droves. I was watching an Eastern Redstart feeding on a cliff next to another Yellow-browed warbler when I heard an Olive-backed Pipit calling and I managed to get it pinned down on the deck about 20ft away. Actually there turned out to be at least 6 on the island, so it wasn't a very exclusive find. I was watching my OBP really carefully, after all I'd only seen my first earlier that week, when I saw Paul Harvey running towards me like a man possessed. He was hurdling fences without breaking stride. Are you on it he said. I had to admit to being confused. I know Paul is enthusiastic, but I didn't think he'd get that excited about an OPB! Actually he wasn't, he more or less trod on my pipit and pointed to the flock of thrushes behind me. 8 Ring Ouzels and an Eye-browed Thrush. I don't expect to ever top that for a day's birding. I did manage to fluff a possible Pine Bunting though!

and.............that evening we persuaded a local fisherman to take us to North ron...where there was a Siberian thrush.
 
Best days birding was the first time a went down to Spurn October 15th 1988.It was ideal weather for migrants,drizzle,misty and a SE wind.When i arrived the fields were covered in Redwings,Fieldfares you could'nt see the grass for them there must have been thousands .The same time there were more thrushes flying overhead.All the hedges were alive with hundreds of Goldcrests and lots of Chiffchaffs,Willow Warblers, Redstarts, flocks of Chaffinch and Brambling flying over head and some settling in the hedges.Along the beach area there were several Black Redstarts and lots of Meadow Pipits feeding in the seaweed.And looking out to sea there were Woodcocks and LE Owls coming in flying low over the waves. During the day i had excellent views of a Isabelline Shrike feeding on bees.Also had good views of a Pallas's Warbler, 3 YB Warblers and just to round the day off a Radde's Warbler.Never had a day like that since.There must have been about 600 birders at Spurn that day.When i left Spurn to go home they were more Thrushes and other birds flying overhead.One hell of a day never to be forgotten.
 
This February on Fuerteventura. Very reluctant children unhappy at La Pared dunes, presuaded them to go another 100 metres and a Houbara Bustard flew past. Futher persuaded them to take a semi-circle route back to see if could turn anything else up and got excellent views of another Houbara on the ground. Rewarded the kids with promised trip to zoo at La Lajita, found and videotaped a Yellow-browed Warbler (Spanish national rarity). Final stop of the day at Catalina Garcia produced Ruddy Shelducks, Spoonbills and a variety of waders to top off a great day.
 
Jane Turner said:
Mid October...Fair Isle. - I'm in Bangkok or I'd get the date precisely. It was short and T-shirt weather too!

It started with a walk down a drystone wall. I saw a bird half hidden in a hole in the wall... it was a Barred Warlber. It flicked a bit further down the wall and landed next to a very eastern looking and sounding Chiffchaff...then another and another. I was going very slowly collecting birds....next a Yellow-browed Warbler, then a Pallas's Warbler and finally a very out of place looking Lapland Bunting. I moved well away from the wall and let the birds settle...then carried on south. There were birds everywhere.... 2 Barred warblers, 15 Garden warblers, 40 Chiffs, 12 Yellow-browed warblers, Great-grey and Woodchat shike, a couple of Rosefinches, 3 Richard's Pipits. Thrushes were arriving in droves. I was watching an Eastern Redstart feeding on a cliff next to another Yellow-browed warbler when I heard an Olive-backed Pipit calling and I managed to get it pinned down on the deck about 20ft away. Actually there turned out to be at least 6 on the island, so it wasn't a very exclusive find. I was watching my OBP really carefully, after all I'd only seen my first earlier that week, when I saw Paul Harvey running towards me like a man possessed. He was hurdling fences without breaking stride. Are you on it he said. I had to admit to being confused. I know Paul is enthusiastic, but I didn't think he'd get that excited about an OPB! Actually he wasn't, he more or less trod on my pipit and pointed to the flock of thrushes behind me. 8 Ring Ouzels and an Eye-browed Thrush. I don't expect to ever top that for a day's birding. I did manage to fluff a possible Pine Bunting though!

and.............that evening we persuaded a local fisherman to take us to North ron...where there was a Siberian thrush.
Click to expand...
Jane, that is absoloutly incredible! Wish like hell I was there.
 
The Firecrest said:
Jane, that is absoloutly incredible! Wish like hell I was there.
Click to expand...

Book yourself in to the Obs for a week. You will have a great time. Even the less fancied times are great. Or visit Bardsey/Lundy/Cape Clear - there is something special about being on an island on a big day!
 
Another.....

April 23rd 1998, my local patch. It was a perfect for birding spring day, after a long period of blocking weather. clear overnight and rain at dawn....still and humid, verging on muggy.

Despite the handicap of a toddler (wedged into a backpack) I decided to check out my local patch. As soon as I set foot at Red Rocks it was clear that something amazing had occured. There were Willow Warblers in every clump of grass, let alone every bush. They were on the rocks, on the beach...everywhere. what is more they were still dropping out of the sky. I covered the whole of the recording area...carrying my daughter. I found singing Wood Warbler, 5 Pied Flycathers, Whinchats, Redstarts and as I was leacving a flock of 6 Ring Ouzels dropped in. There were at least 7 Grasshopper warblers, Reed warblers Sedge Warblers, in fact just about every migrant came in on the same day.

Although I was knackered I kept on going, still carrying my only slightly complaining daughter. I walked almost the whole of the North Wirral shore and the picture was similar. Finally it started to rain hard and I thought I'd go back to the car and count the massive flock of White Wagtails that was on the beach. While looking at them I noticed a Swift flying low down the beach towards me.....as it got closer and closer it became clearer and clearer that it was an Alpine! A Uk tick.

The swift was nice, but its the sheer numbers of migrants that will live with me.... 90 White Wagtail, 5 Yellow Wags, 3 tree pipits, 17 Blackcaps, 5 Pied Flys, 3 Redstart, 8 whinchat, 275 Wheatear, 8 Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 1355 Willow warblers (probably an underestimate) 16 Chiffchaffs, 495 swallows.... and a load more.

My legs ached for weeks, but it was worth it.

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/517/4350Alpswi-med.JPG
 
Last edited:
I don't know if it was my greatest days birding because that would involve a big fall or finding lots of good birds myself, but one day that does stick in the mind occurred in late March 2002.

There had been a Black-eared Wheatear in Nanquidno valley for a couple of days. I had already seen it but my friend Steve hadn't, so we thought we'd make a day of it and check out all the valleys. The first surprise was when we pulled into Porthgwarra car-park to find a small group of birders scoping a Scops Owl in broad daylight - fantastic. Two Hoopoes flying up and down the valley kept us amused, and a quick walk over the top towards St Levan gave us a chat with Lee Evans and a Woodchat Shrike.
Moving on, we called in and had a look at the Black-eared Wheatear and then decided to go to Kenidjack and work back towards Nanquidno. We made it to the top of the hill outside St Just when we were flagged down by Lee who pointed out two Alpine Swifts above us. He also told us about the Night Heron in St Just itself, which was fortuitous because it was just down the road from McFadden's Pasty shop - and it was lunchtime!
The afternoon was a bit quieter - there was not much in Kenidjack or Cot, other than a couple of Firecrests so we decided to end the day with a trip to a "secret" site where 4 Cattle Egrets had spent the winter amongst the Little Egret colony.

There is no doubt that it was a fantastic day for rarities, but what was perhaps even more amazing is that there were no common migrants at all!! We didn't see Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler or Swallow or any of the stuff which should have been making its way into West Cornwall at the time.

Darrell
 
Darrell Clegg said:
I don't know if it was my greatest days birding because that would involve a big fall or finding lots of good birds myself, but one day that does stick in the mind occurred in late March 2002.

There had been a Black-eared Wheatear in Nanquidno valley for a couple of days. I had already seen it but my friend Steve hadn't, so we thought we'd make a day of it and check out all the valleys. The first surprise was when we pulled into Porthgwarra car-park to find a small group of birders scoping a Scops Owl in broad daylight - fantastic. Two Hoopoes flying up and down the valley kept us amused, and a quick walk over the top towards St Levan gave us a chat with Lee Evans and a Woodchat Shrike.
Moving on, we called in and had a look at the Black-eared Wheatear and then decided to go to Kenidjack and work back towards Nanquidno. We made it to the top of the hill outside St Just when we were flagged down by Lee who pointed out two Alpine Swifts above us. He also told us about the Night Heron in St Just itself, which was fortuitous because it was just down the road from McFadden's Pasty shop - and it was lunchtime!
The afternoon was a bit quieter - there was not much in Kenidjack or Cot, other than a couple of Firecrests so we decided to end the day with a trip to a "secret" site where 4 Cattle Egrets had spent the winter amongst the Little Egret colony.

There is no doubt that it was a fantastic day for rarities, but what was perhaps even more amazing is that there were no common migrants at all!! We didn't see Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler or Swallow or any of the stuff which should have been making its way into West Cornwall at the time.

Darrell
Click to expand...
Sounds a real good day still have'nt seen BE.Wheatear in the UK
 
I think one of my best days was on a Sunday in and around the 24th of september at tacumshin, co. Wexford.

Myself and 3 other birders headed down for the day to see a number of rare waders in the area. It was an incredible experience standing out on the patches with a rare species of wader at all four points of the compass from our position.
To the north, a juveile Dotteral, incredibly tame and confiding.
To the west, 7 Buff Breasted sandpipers, even more confiding.
To the east 3 pectoral sandpipers and to the south a temmincks stint.

These were backed up by several Little stints and Curlew sandpipers, ruffs etc.
Add to that, the day before we had been quite happy in dublin, with a summer-esque shortbilled dowitcher at swords and a common crane at rogerstown.

Making it a great weekend in total.

Pariah
 
Pariah said:
I think one of my best days was on a Sunday in and around the 24th of september at tacumshin, co. Wexford.

Myself and 3 other birders headed down for the day to see a number of rare waders in the area. It was an incredible experience standing out on the patches with a rare species of wader at all four points of the compass from our position.
To the north, a juveile Dotteral, incredibly tame and confiding.
To the west, 7 Buff Breasted sandpipers, even more confiding.
To the east 3 pectoral sandpipers and to the south a temmincks stint.

These were backed up by several Little stints and Curlew sandpipers, ruffs etc.
Add to that, the day before we had been quite happy in dublin, with a summer-esque shortbilled dowitcher at swords and a common crane at rogerstown.

Making it a great weekend in total.

Pariah
Click to expand...

Thanks for jolting my memory Pariah! Once past 40 it's like many things - still works but the occasional jolt really helps.

'Twas Tacumshin too, in September 1986 I believe. I was herding a group of 6 Buff-breasted Sandpipers for my friend to photograph with his 400mm lens. They were incredibly tame and approachable, just like the Semipalmated Sandpiper we went to photgraph shortly after, on the way to the far end of the lake to see the Long-billed Dowitcher which had been around for some days. Earlier in the morning there was a Pectoral Sandpiper and White Wagtails, along with a bumping into of Bill Oddie. The icing on the cake was Peregrine, Arctic Skua and a number of other birds who I'm sure don't really care if they're not mentioned here.

The downside was my pool playing in the evening and the haddock that we bought from the local shop and which was the prime suspect for the gastroenteritis which we both suffered the next day. Nothing to do with the bottle of vodka that accompanied it. Oh yes! Managed to miss the Short-billed Dowitcher which turned up in the same place when I had just left for Cape Clear.

The quest for perfection continues...

Steve West
 
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