wolfbirder
Well-known member
I must admit, looking back, I could quite easily have connected with at least a fifteen more species than I have in Britain, often it was just down to being broke, hesitation, or just the fact that migrants tend to come at the same time and you have to take your pick at the time. Some are one-day birds. Or being unable to get time off work. Clearly, only the biggest twitchers go for everything! Seen several of the birds below routinely abroad, which is another hesitation factor for me.
Here's the ones I now regret.............
White's Thrush - Lindisfarne - I was at work when news broke, and couldn't get out or muster the enthusiasm to travel 250 miles for a bird I thought might not still be there? Doh....................
Black Lark - I broke down on the way to the Anglesey bird, and didn't go for the Norfolk bird. Big mistake! Though it wasn't easy to connect with (the Norfolk bird).
Bobolink - umm'd and arr'd about going to see the welsh bird when news broke late afternoon. I delayed and delayed, and it wasn't there the next day. Seen a dozen in Canada.
Tawny Pipit - still need this blighter yet I ignored several easy ones over the years and now they are getting very hard to pin down. Seen loads abroad.
Pechora Pipit - no excuse here, must have been broke, the one in Wales/Gloucs area I think, was readily available and I should have gone!
Trumpeter Finch - in Norfolk. No excuses, just hadn't got the funds. Seen plenty abroad.
Alpine Accentor - I think this was another Norfolk / Suffolk bird I failed to go for. Don't know why, probably unable to get time off. Found 3 abroad on Menorca.
Brunnich's Guillemot - think this was a Xmas time bird in Portland. Maybe I was too hungover, but I really should have gone.
Semipalmated Plover - Couldn't muster the enthusiasm to go for the Hants bird that looked very much like a Ringed Plover.
Upland Sandpiper - dipped the Scilly bird twice but should have gone for the Somerset bird.
American White-winged Scoter - again, couldn't muster the enthusiasm to drive that far to Scotland. Poor form!!
Short-toed Treecreeper - been a few coastal birds, I've never managed to get down south for these. Enthusiasm perhaps lacking to see a fractionally shorter claw. Seen a few abroad.
Black-Eared Wheatear - There was a nice adult in Hampshire I think, but I couldn't get away due to a family do. Grrrr.....tho seen plenty abroad.
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - I was broke when the East Yorks bird was here a few years back. Frustratingly! Really should have made the effort, but seen quite a few abroad.
Sykes Warbler - similar to the above, no excuse for not going to East Yorks for this. Not sure why I didn't. Probably time off work issues, or broke or hungover.
Greater Sand Plover - one evening Yorkshire bird coincided with World Cup
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Glaucous-Winged Gull - went to Cornwall instead to get better offerings like Gyrfalcon & WB Diver.
Slaty-backed Gull - couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to stand by a rubbish tip looking for a seagull. My bad-
These are the obvious ones that cross my mind, additionally I was also out of the Country for Lesser Kestrel and Citril Finch annoyingly.
There's probably quite a few more, but my list clearly should be quite a bit bigger if I'd been consistent in being a filthy twitcher-
Here's the ones I now regret.............
White's Thrush - Lindisfarne - I was at work when news broke, and couldn't get out or muster the enthusiasm to travel 250 miles for a bird I thought might not still be there? Doh....................
Black Lark - I broke down on the way to the Anglesey bird, and didn't go for the Norfolk bird. Big mistake! Though it wasn't easy to connect with (the Norfolk bird).
Bobolink - umm'd and arr'd about going to see the welsh bird when news broke late afternoon. I delayed and delayed, and it wasn't there the next day. Seen a dozen in Canada.
Tawny Pipit - still need this blighter yet I ignored several easy ones over the years and now they are getting very hard to pin down. Seen loads abroad.
Pechora Pipit - no excuse here, must have been broke, the one in Wales/Gloucs area I think, was readily available and I should have gone!
Trumpeter Finch - in Norfolk. No excuses, just hadn't got the funds. Seen plenty abroad.
Alpine Accentor - I think this was another Norfolk / Suffolk bird I failed to go for. Don't know why, probably unable to get time off. Found 3 abroad on Menorca.
Brunnich's Guillemot - think this was a Xmas time bird in Portland. Maybe I was too hungover, but I really should have gone.
Semipalmated Plover - Couldn't muster the enthusiasm to go for the Hants bird that looked very much like a Ringed Plover.
Upland Sandpiper - dipped the Scilly bird twice but should have gone for the Somerset bird.
American White-winged Scoter - again, couldn't muster the enthusiasm to drive that far to Scotland. Poor form!!
Short-toed Treecreeper - been a few coastal birds, I've never managed to get down south for these. Enthusiasm perhaps lacking to see a fractionally shorter claw. Seen a few abroad.
Black-Eared Wheatear - There was a nice adult in Hampshire I think, but I couldn't get away due to a family do. Grrrr.....tho seen plenty abroad.
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - I was broke when the East Yorks bird was here a few years back. Frustratingly! Really should have made the effort, but seen quite a few abroad.
Sykes Warbler - similar to the above, no excuse for not going to East Yorks for this. Not sure why I didn't. Probably time off work issues, or broke or hungover.
Greater Sand Plover - one evening Yorkshire bird coincided with World Cup
-Glaucous-Winged Gull - went to Cornwall instead to get better offerings like Gyrfalcon & WB Diver.
Slaty-backed Gull - couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to stand by a rubbish tip looking for a seagull. My bad
-These are the obvious ones that cross my mind, additionally I was also out of the Country for Lesser Kestrel and Citril Finch annoyingly.
There's probably quite a few more, but my list clearly should be quite a bit bigger if I'd been consistent in being a filthy twitcher
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