Buff-bellied Pipit (1 Viewer)

Cuckoo-shrike · Dec 21, 2003

Buff-bellied Pipit, Hannafore Point, Cornwall? This is a favourite spot with a certain BirdForum member. So what's the story then, Darrell?

Jane Turner · Dec 21, 2003

He has already confessed! Sounds good!

Edward woodwood · Dec 21, 2003

see xmas day thread Aquila!

Darrell Clegg · Dec 21, 2003

Hi Aquila,

Pure fluke, as these things always are. We'd only gone there because we'd done the usual haunts on the Tamar in double quick time - because it was cold and there was nothing there, just 2 Med Gulls and an Avocet at St Johns lake. A quick lunch of cheese on toast (with Marmite mmmmmmm!!!) and it was a toss up between watching Roger Waters on DVD or going to Looe. We decided the miserable old hippy could wait and set off to count Purple Sandpipers in the rain - now that's dedication!
As I said in the other thread, we are pretty confident of the ID - so hopefully it will hang around for others to enjoy. For those who don't know Hannafore, it is a pretty uninspiring bit of coast to the west of Looe, but it does have this amazing knack of attracting good birds. American Black Duck and Desert Wheatear are two recent rarities that stayed for the crowds, whilst reported Red-rumped Swallow and Rock Thrush are ones that got away. Mustn't forget that the Lazuli Bunting was found just down the road at Murrayton.

Darrell

Edward woodwood · Dec 21, 2003

a Buff-bellied Pipit is immeasurably preferable to Roger Waters in my humble opinion too Darrell
then again so is a Dunnock!

Let's hope it doesn't snow too much for anyone mad enough to drive down there tonite!

Bluetail · Dec 22, 2003

Darrell Clegg said:
Mustn't forget that the Lazuli Bunting was found just down the road at Murrayton.

Oh, I really think we should....!!

Jason

Cuckoo-shrike · Dec 22, 2003

But Darrell, you didn't say how many Purple Sands there were! Many congrats on a great find and hope it sticks around. Miserable old hippy - Roger Waters or Steve?
Sorry I missed it on the other thread. I've been so absorbed with chatting to Jasonbirder lately that I haven't had time to browse......

Andrew · Dec 22, 2003

Hasn't been seen so far this morning......

Darrell Clegg · Dec 22, 2003

Hi Aquila,
There were 4 Purple Sandpipers, but we only managed to see three, as events rather overtook us.
Both are old hippies of course - but only one is miserable!

Andrew.
Afternoons will be better at the moment - it's low tide out there now

Darrell

Cuckoo-shrike · Dec 22, 2003

Not seen again Darrell? Were you aware that a combination of cheese and Marmite can produce hallucinations...?
Seriously though, there's got to be a great chance it's still somewhere in the vicinity.

Andrew · Dec 22, 2003

I made do with two rossicus Bean Geese today, still watching for the pipit!

Edward woodwood · Dec 22, 2003

blimey what were they doing down there?

is that a good bird in Devon, Andrew

PS with respect to another thread.....you could've shot one to make it even an rarer bird!

Andrew · Dec 22, 2003

I think it is a good bird, we seem to delight in getting the rare geese in ones and twos while up north they shrug their shoulders at thousands. I have just looked up the reports and they don't appear in the 1999 to 2001 reports so they must be really good for Devon.

Just checked Birdguides and there was one at Newbridge last year. I reckon the cold weather pushed them further down south west. They seem really happy with being in the fields.

HH75 · Dec 22, 2003

Hi Darrell,
Well done,a nice Christmas present!

Hope it turns up again:would smooth the path towards acceptance if more birders saw it(and especially if good photos/footage were obtained).
You must have been delighted!
Harry H

Andrew · Dec 22, 2003

What happened at Looe today? Were there lots of birders looking for it and any close calls?

Michael Frankis · Dec 22, 2003

Andrew said:
I think it is a good bird, we seem to delight in getting the rare geese in ones and twos while up north they shrug their shoulders at thousands.

Hi Andrew,

rossicus Beans are also very rare up here too - when we get Beans, they're almost always fabalis. The only area that gets rossicus at all regularly is the south-east (Yorks down to Essex/Kent), as rossicus' normal wintering area is the Netherlands. They cross west to SE England if/when there's a severe freeze over there.

Michael

HH75 · Dec 22, 2003

Hi all,
There is only one Irish record of rossicus(or aren't they called serrirostris now?):fabalis is far more regular(on average 1 bird every 2 years or so).
Harry H

Edward woodwood · Dec 22, 2003

Hi Michael Andrew et al.

most bean geese away from the two main wintering areas (according to a recent Birding World article) have been (pardon the pun!) Tundras

this was in 96/97 but reflecting a growing trend

HH75 · Dec 22, 2003

Hi Tim,
That's as may be,but it doesn't square with the situation here in Ireland.I'd guess that the Tundras seen in Britain are birds from the Dutch wintering population,and that they rarely have to go the extra mile to cross the Irish Sea as conditions are usually hospitable in England."Our" Taigas may be hard-weather refugees from the Scottish wintering flock?
Harry H

Edward woodwood · Dec 22, 2003

sorry H.

we can be a bit parochial over this side of the water!

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