HE2's 2007 Birding Forays (1 Viewer)

[markgrubb]

There were no Red-Necked Grebes at Longniddry either.

And no Tawny Owl at its reliable roosting spot in Roslin.

Just as well the sun shone, the rain stayed away, the scenery was beautiful and the company was good.

The tawny, I regret to say was back this am but no matter how hard I looked at the many dunlin at 3 coastal sites could not find any CS's

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

The tawny, I regret to say was back this am but no matter how hard I looked at the many dunlin at 3 coastal sites could not find any CS's

I knew it. Tawny Owls hate me.

 

[redeyedvideo]

222. Crossbill

Could you be more specific please?


Dave J

p.s. been camping with the boys this week near Oxford, those Tawny Owls must be following me, hardly slept a wink!

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Don't get me wrong. I like Dunlin. Cute, little waders with pretty feather patterns (though they could wash their bellies more often). But in the Autumn, when I spend ages scanning a Dunlin flock I expect to be rewarded with a Curlew Sandpiper. Especially when I am at Musselburgh accompanied by the excellent Dr Grubb who reports that one was seen there yesterday.

But no, there was no Curlew Sandpiper. I have lost my Curlew Sandpiper magic. Last year, my CS magic made Pipers out of Dunlins on seemingly every occasion. This year, not once. Where has my CS magic gone? Who took it?

Answers on a postcard to:
The Ministry of Improbable Birding Theories
Absurd Fantasy House
Riduculous Street
Delusion City

I think the 'magic' you have lost is merely the gaining of a greater degree of birding experience. And at last you seem to be finding your way to better ordered birding. Long may it continue - I'm sure you're finding it more satisfying really, deep down.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Could you be more specific please?


Dave J

p.s. been camping with the boys this week near Oxford, those Tawny Owls must be following me, hardly slept a wink!

No. Go away.

And shut up about the owls.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

I think the 'magic' you have lost is merely the gaining of a greater degree of birding experience. And at last you seem to be finding your way to better ordered birding. Long may it continue - I'm sure you're finding it more satisfying really, deep down.

I heard about you making people promise not to find me out of order birdies.

One day I will get my own back - somehow, some way.

*wanders off, muttering

 

[edenwatcher]

67 species from the garden yesterday, and no curlew sands for me either!

Rob

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

67 species from the garden yesterday, and no curlew sands for me either!

Rob

No Tawny Owls either, I suppose, cos I'm sure you'd have mentioned them.

 

[edenwatcher]

No indeed. Still only a "heard" on the garden list.

Rob

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

The Magic is Back!

Oh yes. I still have it. All is not lost.

Today at Titchwell, close to the path, among a flock of Dunlin, one beautiful tall, eye-striped, peach-breasted:

223. Curlew Sandpiper

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Sounds like a Ruff to me .

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Sounds like a Ruff to me .

Don't mention the Ruffs. I hate Ruffs. There were huge numbers of them at Titchwell today and not one of them was the same as another one. They must have been responsible for at least 10 'Oh, what's that?' moments for me today.

The Curlew Sandpiper, however, was not a Ruff.

 

[Jos Stratford]

The Curlew Sandpiper, however, was not a Ruff.

I believe you, shame the other 437 Curlew Sandpipers got accidently identified as Ruffs though

 

[matt green]

Don't mention the Ruffs. I hate Ruffs. There were huge numbers of them at Titchwell today and not one of them was the same as another one.

I hear ya ..have seen them at Cley. It's a wonder they recognize their own kind when it comes to the act of procreation!

Maybe they should be split in some way: ie those red'ish looking ones, and those of a more grey colour

....just a thought

Matt

 

[Jos Stratford]

It's a wonder they recognize their own kind when it comes to the act of procreation!

But see them on their breeding grounds and those red'ish looking ones and those of a more grey colour become real stunners, show stoppers that strut their stuff. Easy as one punk finding another

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

I hear ya ..have seen them at Cley. It's a wonder they recognize their own kind when it comes to the act of procreation!

Maybe they should be split in some way: ie those red'ish looking ones, and those of a more grey colour

....just a thought

Matt

But how about the white ones, and the black ones, and the black-and-white ones, and the much smaller ones and the ones with the peach-breasts/eyestripes/long, curved beaks - oh no, that one was a Curlew Sandpiper.

 

[matt green]

But how about the white ones, and the black ones, and the black-and-white ones, and the much smaller ones and the ones with the peach-breasts/eyestripes/long, curved beaks - oh no, that one was a Curlew Sandpiper.

Clearly several splits are called for, will do wonders for your year list!

...or maybe those Curlew sandpipers were really Ruff all along ;o)

Matt

 

[davebenj]

...that one was a Curlew Sandpiper.

'salright Helen, I believe you.
We went to Titchwell today and saw the Curlew Sandruff for ourselves.
And the Spoonbill.

Expensive day though - trashed my (already battered) Piccolo telescope first time I tried to use it - it simply lept, lemming-like, from the top of my tripod and splattered itself over the footpath. So, I walked back to the Visitor Centre to buy something equally cheap to replace it...
20 minutes later and I'm the owner of a Swarovski 80mm thingy with a 20-60 zoom eye piece...
It didn't find the Pectoral Sandpiper for me.
Bu99er!

(Oh. Hello again, I'm kind of back!)

 

[matt green]

Expensive day though - trashed my (already battered) Piccolo telescope first time I tried to use it - it simply lept, lemming-like, from the top of my tripod and splattered itself over the footpath. So, I walked back to the Visitor Centre to buy something equally cheap to replace it...
20 minutes later and I'm the owner of a Swarovski 80mm thingy with a 20-60 zoom eye piece...

The Titchwell shop must have a sale on? did they have anything in the 50p
price bracket ..would prefer a leica

Matt

 

[davebenj]

The Titchwell shop must have a sale on? did they have anything in the 50p
price bracket ..would prefer a leica

No, they didn't - Unfortunately...
No, there wasn't - Believe me, I looked!

I didn't like the Leica. Sod-all difference optically but the focussing was a bit too fiddly for my taste. One knob for "coarse" focus and another adjacent for "fine" focus. Try using those in mid-winter with gloves on! Shame - It'd have saved me a hundred-odd quid if I'd liked it.