Those awkward elusive long-stayers! (1 Viewer)

[HH75]

Hi all,
Prompted by my experiences with an adult Caspian Gull at Duncannon (Co.Wexford), I am writing to ask people for those painful memories of birds that stayed for substantial periods of time, but, due to their elusiveness or mobility, either eluded them altogether or took a number of visits to see.
This bird, found by little-known locally-based birder Killian Mulligatawny, was initially picked up late last Monday, and reported again on Tuesday. I went down on Wednesday afternoon, and there was no sign all day. It was seen again yesterday morning/ early afternoon, so I went down, only for it to have flown off due to disturbance and it never showed again. Seen then again today around 1.30pm....
(This on top of missing a 1st-w in Belfast last month by 5 mins, staying overnight, having nothing the next day and then hearing that it was seen for an hour and a half the day after I had returned home)
Might be able to get over there again later in the week, but too busy for the next few days.
Regards,
Harry

 

[Phil Carter]

Bloody Ross's Gull yesterday morning!Got up to go Thursday morning when it showed well but I was thwarted by vomitting kids.Got there at 6.30 yesterday morning and stood there in the dark like a pillock.Luckily,I wasn't the only one,there were a whole bunch of other idiots with me!

Phil

 

[mountain man]

Black Scoter off Llanfairfechan for me. Seen it three times in eight visits.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Hi all,
Prompted by my experiences with an adult Caspian Gull at Duncannon (Co.Wexford), I am writing to ask people for those painful memories of birds that stayed for substantial periods of time, but, due to their elusiveness or mobility, either eluded them altogether or took a number of visits to see.
This bird, found by little-known locally-based birder Killian Mulligatawny, was initially picked up late last Monday, and reported again on Tuesday. I went down on Wednesday afternoon, and there was no sign all day. It was seen again yesterday morning/ early afternoon, so I went down, only for it to have flown off due to disturbance and it never showed again. Seen then again today around 1.30pm....
(This on top of missing a 1st-w in Belfast last month by 5 mins, staying overnight, having nothing the next day and then hearing that it was seen for an hour and a half the day after I had returned home)
Might be able to get over there again later in the week, but too busy for the next few days.
Regards,
Harry

Bonaparte's gull, Penzance in the 80s. Made the 900 mile round trip from Norwich 4 times. Twice in hire cars (a big expensive when you are a poor student), once in a very uncomfortable minibus and hitched once - when I nearly got arrested for hitching on a motorway. Each time failed to see it. Finally saw one in Derbyshire - itself an uncomfortable hitch, ended up having a very cold night sleeping rough outside a church. Of course next time I was in Cornwall - for a gull-billed tern the gull was still there and showing well!

Steve

 

[Andrew]

Not a rarity but Water Pipits have a habit of eluding my eyesight!

 

[dan pointon]

Bloody Ross's Gull yesterday morning!Got up to go Thursday morning when it showed well but I was thwarted by vomitting kids.Got there at 6.30 yesterday morning and stood there in the dark like a pillock.Luckily,I wasn't the only one,there were a whole bunch of other idiots with me!

Phil

Hi Phil,

I was there too, standing in the freezing cold, tired, and rather pissed off after the 200 mile journey - but thats the way it goes!! Which group of people were you standing in??? It appeared all those further up were the hardened individuals as everyone standing were I was scarpered way before the group on the left - eventually we were the only ones left standing where the first group were!!

As for that Black Scoter.... don't mention it!!!! I dread to think how many goes it took me!

Cheers