At last a patch tick (1 Viewer)

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 11, 2004

• #1

I got up at 4am... and after a quick cup of tea, went in search of breeding Grasshopper warbler on my tetrad for the beeding survey.... I failed to find one, but while sneaking about on the Royal Liverpool Golf Course, I gave myself kittens by standing on a male Nightjar It flopped out from under a bush and disappeared over the side of the dunes... I ran to the top but couldn't find it - my guess is it doubled back round into a patch of Corsican Pines a little further up onto the course.

I pressed on with my survey and on my second golf course found a pair of breeding Tree Sparrows which was a very pleasant surprise!

Nightjar was my 244th (BOU) species for Red Rocks, and the 260th species recorded there.

I average less than one new species a year, the last few being White-winged Black Tern July 03, Pheasant Sept 02, White-rumped Sandpiper Sept 00, Hawfinch Oct 99 and Alpine Swift April 98.


Verily I am a happy bunny!

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• May 11, 2004

• #2

Saw that on Birdguides just now and thought, hmm, Jane must have been up early. Well done - ages since I saw a Nightjar.

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 11, 2004

• #3

It was foggy this morning... and I am about level with a Nightjar site on he other side of the Dee - I think it might have missed by a few degrees!

It was also a County tick and I guess a self-found tick (well a proper one) since I can certainly claim genuine surprise...

 

E

Edward woodwood

Member

• May 11, 2004

• #4

well done Jane
...on getting up at that time in the morning. :clap:

ps can burn u some cds now i have a writer....... :bounce:

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 11, 2004

• #5

It was a struggle - then again it was the first morning for ages that it wasn't raining and or blowing a gale

 

Colin

Axeman (Retired)

• May 11, 2004

• #6

I am the worlds worst birder and it looks like it will stay that way as I could never get up at 4.00am. At least Nightjar are regular here in the Forest of Dean but I usually see them in the late evening (which is probably why 4.00am seems an unearthly hour). Red Rocks seems a fantastic place - may even have a higher number of species on its list than some counties I know??

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 11, 2004

• #7

Its out in the lead in Cheshire now - with Frodsham close behind

 

Nightranger

Senior Moment

• May 11, 2004

• #8

Jane Turner said:

I got up at 4am... QUOTE]

Early morning birding is great fun but a bit tough for the rest of a working day. I was out on survey work at 5am at Sandy Heath Quarry on a grotty, cold and damp morning (thanks BBC for an accurate forecast). Still, the birds could not care less and it was warbler heaven. The frightening bit was when of the warblers sat up on a bush and went "crex". It really did sound like a corncrake until we realiosed the bird was a few metres away instead of on the other side of the quarry. I have yet to see corncrakes although I have heard them a few times. My legs turned to jelly for a moment, especially because I was one of the reporting officers for last year's Corncrake Survey. :scribe:

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H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 11, 2004

• #9

Hi Ian,
What species of warbler went 'crex'?
Harry

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 11, 2004

• #10

I had a Whitethroat doing Sandwich Tern this morning!

 

Nightranger

Senior Moment

• May 11, 2004

• #11

Jane Turner said:

I had a Whitethroat doing Sandwich Tern this morning!

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...and Harry!

I think it was a whitethroat although Sandy Heath Quarry was so full of warblers, it was difficult to be sure. We had a nice view of a willow warbler sat high up on a broom and I would swear the bird was shivering. It was certainly fluffed up and looking like it was bemoaning its decision to leave Africa despite bravely giving voice to all the other willow warblers.