Embaressing birds that you haven't seen (1 Viewer)

[davercox]

As many here have said, it's not embarrassing not to have seen something ... unless you have been a total pillock about it. Mine is Great Reed Warbler, not sure when, some time around 1990. Just back from a holiday on Mallorca (crawling with 'em), I heard a familiar 'gurk-gurk' from the reeds at Herriott's Bridge, Chew Valley Lake (North Somerset). The place was packed with 'birders', all with posh scopes, all peering into the distance across the lake. And not taking any notice of the reeds. Can't be, I thought, all these super birders, they would all be trying to pin it down. Very windy day, reeds blowing around, couldn't see anything, would you believe I just walked away !!!???

It was a GRW, of course, eventually appeared in the Avon Bird Report for a date two days later. Utterly and totally stupid, still kicking myself now.

 

[Joseph N]

Ooh, unlucky davercox, I can see how distressing that would be. By the way, did I mention that Nightingale is another bird that I haven't seen but really should have? If I didn't, then there is another slightly embaressing bird.

 

[TheSeagull]

My advice for these embarrassing birds is not to look for them - it may sound odd but you actually see less looking for them as you would taking a relaxing stroll with your binoculars, it's primarily the reason that I never see what I go to see in an area but see it in an area I wouldn't expect to see it.

 

[Jane Turner]

I still haven't seen Rose-coloured Starling or Purple Heron, because I absolutely refuse to believe that I can't find my own and wouldn't travel more than a couple of miles to see one. Trouble is I haven't thus far!

 

[AndrewK]

I have only spent about the equivalent of 5 full days birding in the UK, and perhaps 10 full days in the rest of Europe on business trips, and often not to the best birding areas. However, during that time, I have seen some (at least thats what I think!) fairly good birds, including Little Auk, Water Rail, Wallcreeper, Dipper, American Wigeon etc. My list for the area is around 200, but I have still not seen a bird I really want to see, Kingfisher!

Whenever I bump into a fellow birder in summer, they tell me I should really be there in the winter to see Kingfisher, and when I am there in the winter, I get told I should really be there in the summer!! A little embarrasing, but more frustrating! One day...

Andrew

 

[Joseph N]

Rose-coloured starling is always tough, Jane, I haven't seen one, even though they are quite often reported a couple of miles away from where I live, like for you. Luck will come one day for us both, hopefully.

AndrewK, that's pretty impressive, well done! I live in the UK, and I didn't see my first Kingfisher until a couple of weeks ago, which really was embaressing.:eek!:.

 

[Jonny721]

Got 2 more of my embarrassing birds out the way today, Common Redstart and Pied Flycatcher, yeah

 

[Joseph N]

Congratulations, Jonny721! They aren't exactly the easiest birds to see, so you should feel quite proud of yourself.

 

[AndrewK]

AndrewK, that's pretty impressive, well done! I live in the UK, and I didn't see my first Kingfisher until a couple of weeks ago, which really was embaressing.:eek!:.

Thanks Joseph, I am sure I will bump into a Kingfisher one day in Europe! I at least have had 4 species of kingfisher in my garden in South Africa to partially compensate:t:

Andrew

 

[Ilya Maclean]

Never seen a Quail. Heard about 20, at least 10 in the UK, but still can't bring myself to flush the blighters out.....

 

[michael23]

not embaressing, just birds that i should have seen, As for the rose finch and serin everytime i am close to seeing one, someone or something has flushed it just before i got there!

Corn Bunting
Common Rosefinch
Serin
Temmincks Stint
Ring necked duck
bittern
purple heron
night heron

 

[Joseph N]

4 species of kingfisher in your back garden is something to feel very proud of. I would love that! What species do you get?

Ilya maclean, Quail's are so hard to see. You really have to live in the country to have a chance of flushing one up. Best of luck to you on finding one in the future.

 

[AndrewK]

4 species of kingfisher in your back garden is something to feel very proud of. I would love that! What species do you get?

Thanks Joseph. Brown-hooded Kingfisher is regular (daily almost), Giant Kingfisher is an irregular fly-over, and Malachite and Pygmy very occassional visitors!

Andrew

 

[Joseph N]

That's interesting, Andrew. I saw quite a few Brown-hooded Kingfisher when I was in South Africa in 2006, as well as a Malachite and Great Kingfisher. I think they are oustanding looking birds, although the Malachite strikes me as pretty similar to the Common Kingfisher we get here in Britain.

Would anyone else like to reveal the most embaressingly common birds they haven't seen?

 

[JTweedie]

I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed about not seeing x-species. In my opinion, there's a few things that contribute to not seeing a bird 1 - luck 2 - not actually making the effort to visit the best sites 3 - luck! I've spent so much time around Scotland that I've neglected to visit further south to get some of those birds that don't frequent Scotland, e.g. Avocet and others.

Brambling was on my must-see list for years but I finally managed to see one two years ago in Mersehead, predictably in a flock of Chaffinches. Haven't seen any since, but I haven't been lucky or in the right place to see them.

Likewise for Kingfishers, I thought I'd never see them, but I've seen several now in the last couple of years when I discovered they were breeding in a park just along the road from me!

I felt the same about Dippers too, but I see them all the time now, in fact they're in the same park as the Kingfishers. There's apparently otters there too, but I've not had the luck to see them yet.

 

[Jonny721]

Yeah. Thats another embaressing bird down. Quail!

 

[Joseph N]

I guess you have a point there, JTweedie, as I haven't seen a Brambling yet, and both luck and not really spending time in places where you can see them are contirbuting factors to me not seeing one. However, I don't really know a good place to see them in and around these parts.... So another contributing factor for me is not knowing good places to go to find Bramblings. For quite a few of the other commoner birds that I have failed to see it is often to do with luck.

Congratulations Jonny721!o

 

[thenorthernmonkey]

Puffin :-O - Now that's embarrassing :C:C:C:C

 

[Joseph N]

Puffin can be tricky see due to geographical purposes; there may not be many down in Cornwall. Or am I wrong?

 

[thenorthernmonkey]

Puffin can be tricky see due to geographical purposes; there may not be many down in Cornwall. Or am I wrong?

Your right Joseph - There's not many down here. When i go back to Lancs for a holiday next year i need to ensure i call in at Anglesey or Bempton en-route