worst dips! (1 Viewer)

[Rob Smallwood]

Gray-tailed Tattler at Burghead - booked in to this odd little Scottish village for New Year - arrived New Year's Eve - bird departed day before.

Ivory Gull - Porthmaddoc - stopped on way to look for Black Grouse, dipped and arrived on beach 20 mins after it flew off - never to return that day. Was there for weeks before and weeks after! Also that day there was another bird 100 miles closer to home!!

Pallid Harrier - Warham Greens - arranged an overnight stop twitch, stood at warham for hours, cold and hungry - never saw the Pallid although there were claims that night. Was there weeks before and weeks after (are you beginning to see a pattern?!)

But then again that's the peril of twitching (ort targeted birding as I like to call it!!).

Still "need" all three!

 

[Tero]

Last sunday saw a new warbler, but only top of its bluish head. Half the group saw it before that, the whole bird. I did not list it.

 

[Big Phil]

Two shockers with Northern Gulls here. I redeemed them both inside a week in 2002, though....but am still scarred by the events!.

Ross's Gull - Slapton Mar 95 (I think). My lift detoured to try and pick up his friend who didn't know about it and didn't even need it. Wasted about an hour failing to wake him up and arrived at Slapton minutes after the Gull flew off. Spent the rest of the day getting rained on and failing to refind the bird, during which time my scope got blown over, smashing a prism internally.

Ivory Gull - Aldborough Dec 1999. An absolutely Baltic night time drive across to East Anglia ended up with my car in a ditch filling up with water after sliding on a bend (luckily I was unharmed). Got the car hauled out by a local garage and did some temporary fixes to hold the bumper back on. Limped on to Aldborough. No sign of the gull which chose this as its only day of its stay to go elsewhere. Limped home with half the cars lights fused just as dusk fell.

 

[Strandman]

My worst dip was the Belted Kingfisher. .

Had a magnificent dip on Belted Kingfisher many moons ago:

-heard some unfounded rumours that the Wadebridge Belted Kingfisher was still about months after it had in fact gone

-went down by train and hitching from London and camped by the river, drank the river water and were so sick could not walk for 24 hours (no bird of course)

-were rescued by that nice old lady who lives by the bridge (from where we did see an otter) who told us that on her local telly news a first for Britian had been reported at Torpoint Devon but she didn't know what

- so we hitchhiked round there (it was the early 80s after all) and arrived on yes..April 1st. No bird of course.

Happy days.

 

[Jono L]

UK rarities:

Lesser crested Tern - Farnes in the 80s. Dipped twice on Farnes (both times involving a long drive and then a boat trip!) and once at Spurn. Still have not seen one in the UK, but did find one in Spain, which eased the pain. A bit.

Belted Kingfisher - Staffs. Stood in the car park at Grafham Water debating whether to go on the Friday night; decided to go at dawn the next day. Hence, missed it. Then, drove from there to north Lincs, where we dipped it for the second time that day. Consequently, did not have the heart to drive to Scotland when it was relocated.

Local Patch dips:

Leach's Petrel - a couple of years ago, Mark Hawkes and myself were doing the gull roost at Grafham Water. Unbeknown to us, another birder was a little further down the reservoir watching a Leachs. Unfortunately the news did not come out til after dark. If only we had looked west, we would have seen it. Instead we looked east to watch the gulls coming in. (I have since found another here)

Sabine's Gull - On Sunday of Birdfair last year, I got the news that an adult Sabs had turned up at Grafham. Every Cambs birder strolled around Birdfair, and then calmly popped in to GW to tick the gull on the way home. Unfortunatly for me, I had to drive the Wildlife Trusts stand back to Newark before returning to GW. I arrived at 9.15pm, 15 minutes too late. It was dark. This still haunts me and will until I find another.

All the best
Jono Leadley
www.indybirder.com

 

[David Norgate]

To be rather controversial - most recent 'worst dip' Red-breasted Grosbeak in Norfolk. Leaky news at the wrong sight with only afew people looking, finally learning the correct(?) site and spending two further hours aimlessly wandering around! (suppressed due to the lack of access/parking...!) Reported the next day when a field was opened up at £3 a time, although thebird was never reported again - although I am still not sure when it was last seen as a report suggests it was present two days after it was ringed - oh if only it wasn't ringed then it could have been released for all to see...sob,sob,sob!

 

[Edward woodwood]

RB Grosser? We turned it down to finish our curry in Norwich after having identified it via mobile phone!

Worst dip?
Tibetan Sandgrouse last year... was hyper-keyed up for it, spent all day on the Balankaya pass at 5000m but no luck. Was up for trying again next day but rest of OBC group wanted to move on so no go. Been after it since i was a kid lister, great to be where they occur but not nice to miss seeing them.

Missing a minor rare around Horsey or Waxham is horrendous too..

Tim

 

[James Lowther]

Tim's sandgrouse story struck a chord with me,
and i remembered Fiordland Crested Penguin, which didn't appear at Munro Beach, NZ in July 2002 (maybe the wrong time of year?)
As I left the beach I remember thinking, jeez, I will probably NEVER see this bird........
the only time i ever felt sad about missing out rather than just mildly disappointed

 

[Binocularface]

The trauma of bringing all these memories back to the surface!

Anyway here are my top ten!

1) My worst dip has to be the Skipool Creek Great Knot!

2) Dipping the Skipool Creek Great Knot a second time!

3) Dipping the Skipool Creek Great Knot a third time. Getting false hope when we saw the hordes of birder bustling into position on the bridge all looking at the same bird only to find on arrival it was a Turnstone!!

4) Day tripping Scillies for Cliff Swallow and Solitary Sandpiper - Whilst crossing on the Scillonian we knew the swallow had done a bunk, but the sandpiper was still showing well! As we were walking down the boardwalk to Porthellick we were told that it was showing well. However on arrival to the hide we were informed it had just been flushed by a particular notorious long lenser! Despite searching we did not see it all day (thankfully I got this one back last year)!

5) The trip down to Staffs for what was perhaps the biggest dip in the history of UK birding - still at least the trip to Peterculter was far more successful!

6) Going to Castle Loch and not seeing the American Coot (especially as I had been there a couple of days previously oblivious to the birds presence) - still could have been worse, I could have seen the grotty thing!!

7) Day tripping Chew for the Booted Eagle and Stover for the Sora and missing both birds. Though did get Franklin's Gull at Radipole that day and got back the two dips on a later visit!

8) Not seeing the Cley Laughing Gull (seen a few since though!)

9) Twitching a Thrush Nightingale on the Angus coast and only hearing it sing! (luckily the Spurn one was a much more confiding).

10) Missing the Monikie Black-winged Pratincole and getting eaten alive with monster biting flying ants!

That is some of the worse dips I have had, though some consolation as that I have got all of them back except for Great Knot and Cliff Swallow (they still hurs ouch!).

On the other side of the coin, my best dip has to be the Minsmere Siberian Blue Robin. Dipped this but did get Sociable Plover with a supporting cast of Great White Egret and Pallas's Warbler!

 

[Helsinki Birder]

Grrrr.It was on Cape clear last year.
I had taken up an offer for a free 16 days birding in spain last year.
A western bonellis warbler, and a greenish warbler showed up in Cotters Garden and decided to stay the entire period.
They were still there when the plane landed back in Dublin 2 weeks later and myself and my brother hopped in the car and drove down the next day.
We arrived on the evening ferry...too dark to see the birds.
But were assured that they would still be there the next day...after all...they had been here 2 weeks!....WRONG

Both birds had well and truly fecked off.

A morning scouring the gardens produced nothing.
So we left on the mid morning ferry.
Just as we arrived back on the mainland we received news that a lesser grey shrike had been found on the island.

Back onto the ferry. Back across. And we dipped again.

I really hated cape last year!

Pariah

 

[mountain man]

Purple Martin. Eight hour overnight drive from Manchester to Ullapool. Practically no sleep in the car as I forgot my sleeping bag and it was freezing cold. My other two companions (Miss Cole and our friend Paul) slept soundly in their bags. Missed a Leach’s Petrel on the ferry crossing during the only time I went below deck for a slash. Arrived just under an hour after the Purple Martin had circled high and vanished into the clouds… forever! Was wandering around the Butt of Lewis when someone shouted at me to look left. I did. But couldn’t see anything. Apparently a Buff-breasted Sand ran straight past me, took off, flew over the brow of the hill and was never seen again. Had to stay overnight on Lewis. Missed a Little Auk on the return ferry journey again during the only time I went below deck for a slash.

I had to pay for Miss Cole so the total worked out being slightly more expensive than if I’d flown from Inverness, and would have seen the bird!

The only consolation was that Miss Cole got on the tele (the first person interviewed is the finder Mark Witherall):

http://media.putfile.com/Purple-Martin-Lewis-2004

Definitely the worst dip I ever had, but still beat being sat on my arse in Manchester. Dipping out on the Western Isles is never a bad thing, at least you're up there.

 

[gareth_blockley]

Mine has to be the Red-footed falcon that was at minsmere rspb. I went on the last saturday of its time there. it was spotted twenty minutes before my arival :-C . Thankfully that wasn't the specific reason i went but it would have been a big bonus. there was also a red-backed shrike the next day :-C , nevermind eh?!

I should alos say the Scops owl that was in Thrupp - i went along and heard it but didn't see it..

Most recent minor dip was a Wryneck that visit Oxfordshire, went along but it had just moved on.

 

[HH75]

Hi all,
For some odd reason, most of mine involve American passerines, which is rather fitting for the season that we're in....
Probably the most disappointing one in many ways would have to be a toss-up between the Northern Parula or the Boblink, both within a few days of each other in October 2003. I had gotten the month off to a great start on 4th, catching up with the superb 1st-w male Common Yellowthroat on Loop Head, though the behaviour of some at that twitch was most frustrating. The next day, I got a text saying 'Parula Brow Hd PW'. Now, I somehow laboured under the impression that this was Brow Head near Mizen, and that PW was Peter Wolstenholme, but, in fact, the bird was at Brownstown Head, and PW was Paul Walsh. Anyway, this didn't really delay me, as I was busy sorting out a lift while awaiting confirmation of the bird's whereabouts.
Off down with us, but we were met with two problems when we arrived: the bird hadn't been seen for about a half hour or more, and it had started to rain. It proceeded to rain heavily all day, and most of us saw nothing at all down there (some got to see a Barred Warbler). I also remember it as the last time that I met the late Martin Smyth, who had arrived with Killian Mullarney just after we did.
The following day (a Monday) , I went back down, as the weather had cleared up, but it was a bit windy. Either way, no joy. Now, a few of us were due to go to Cape Clear that Friday, and indeed were as far west as Clonakilty when a friend phoned to say that a Bobolink had been found on Cape! We were delighted to hear this, and even chartered a boat to take us out earlier than the ferry would. The bird was still on show when we arrived on the island, but, once we had reached the site, it had flown off, and nobody saw exactly where to! Most present left the site as soon as we arrived, and it was left to us and 1-2 others to try to pin the bird down in the remaining daylight. I had a gut feeling that night that it would never be seen again, but still got up early the next day to walk in vain around Firbreaga, this after uncharacteristically having had a few beers the night before which led to a hangover on the Saturday. News of a possible Grey-cheeked Thrush elsewhere on the island saw a mass departure from Firbreaga, but this failed to materialise also. Only very brief views of my first Pallas's Warbler 20 minutes before we had to get the ferry off on the Sunday evening saved the trip, but I probably have never come so close to giving up twitching as I did that weekend: sure, I do tend to question why I do it at times when there's nothing around, but I felt like that for much of that autumn, even when connecting with quality birds.
Also dipped on Booted Warbler that September, with the bird being found on Tory Island way up in Co.Donegal. Now, I had been meant to go up there on spec the previous day with two friends, but pulled out at the last minute...ouch! A hastily-arranged lift the next day saw me dip in style, only managing a Pied Fly on the island, but at least news from Bloody Foreland made my trip north a success, and I've since seen two Booteds anyway.
Ireland's only Hermit Thrush was particularly cruel, as, had it been a year or more later, I would have had enough contacts to be able to get a lift down. As it happened, I was unable to secure a lift, got the first bus to Clonakilty (which was quite late in the morning) and then a taxi to Galley: saw nothing better than a Great Northern Diver.
The 2000 Paddyfield Warbler was another boring trip, with only 1 Willow Warbler all day and no other migrants!
I could go on, believe me....
Regards,
Harry

 

[sylvia staffs]

This happened to me and one of my twitching partners in 2000........

When news of a Cliff Swallow broke on St Marys on Scillies, with the Soltary Sand still present, i made arragments to go the next day.

I was the driver as my twitching partner couldnt drive,we also invited another birder along who had never been to the scillies before.

We arrived at Penzance in plenty of time and caught the Scillonian with the news that the Swallow was still present but no sign yet of the Solitary Sand. The weather was poor which meant it was unlikely that the Swallow would move far form the water of Porthellck Pool.

As we passed Penninis Head i got a phone call to say it was still showing but the weather was getting slightly better.

I told my companions to go to the toilet on the boat as once we hit land i would be jumping in a taxi to the bird. They said they couldnt face using the toilets on the boat and would wait for dry land.

Once we docked i jumped in a packed mini bus ad sped off. I aran down the path to Porthellick Pool. I dived into the first hide and asked the 3 birders was the Swallow on show, but they said no but the Solitary Sand had just flown in and was showing!!!!!!

I did a quick tick and run, before legging it to the beach were on arrival the Cliff Swallow was performing well with other Swallows and Martins, Tick and mission complete!!!!!!

I was elated and it was hand shakes all round when i mentioned to one of my other birding mates who had travelled down in another car that the Solitary Sand was on show from the hide so after having our fill of the Swallow we sneaked off bac to the hide so that he could tick it before the crowd realised it was showing. So off we sneeked, and enjoyed great views of the bird we then looked across back to the beach and relised the 2 who had traveled down with me were standing there with their hands in the their pockets looking at nothing. They had decided to walk up from town after visiting the toilet as all the taxis had left.

It then dawned on us that the Cliff Swallow was no longer on show and the sun was shining and all the Swallows and martins had drifted off!!!!!

I went to see thm and indeed thy had dipped so they decided to wait rather than looking for the Solitary they both needed.

I went off, dipping a R E Vireo which i didnt need, but saw a Common Rosefinch before returning later in the day to find them both stood there having seen nothing. I then set off for town to grab a bite before the ship set sail.

They were pagerless so i offered them the use of mine but they declined so off i set. The pager went off to say the Solitary Sand was showing well so i had to run back to fetch them so they would get at least one tick. We saw it well when that the Cliff Swallow was a gain showing at the top of the Island so we flagged down another taxi but we had to wait so that the driver could fill it being a mini bus.

We arrived 15 mins later to find the brd had flown again and we had to catch the boat.

So that toilet stop had cost them the Cliff Swallow!!!!!!!

It was one long ride home as i listened to them moaning alll the way home whilst i had a 2 tick day!!!!! :king:

Personally the Holme 1992 Ruppells Warbler sticks in my throat, i dipped it twice, i ran out of light on the Bank Holiday Monday evening and like a big tart waited for the following Saturday when i dipped it again after it did an overnight bunk :C

Im still waiting for that Ruppells so that i can finally shake off the Sylvia nickname.

Sylvia

 

[richardrae]

For me it would have to be the Baillon's Crake in Sunderland in 1989. Being in my early teens at the time I was totally reliant on my dad to drive me places, which, after much persuasion, he finally agreed to on the sunday (it having been present since the previous tuesday (i think), showing down to a matter of feet to allcomers and even featuring on the regional news).

Unfortunately on arrival at the inner city park where it had been, there was no sign of the bird, and given the size of the pond and lack of anywhere for it to hide, there was not even a glimmer of hope that it might still be there.

I very much doubt I will ever experience such crushing disappointment while in pursuit of a British tick again, partly because I don't go twitching that much these days, but also because (to me at least) no individual bird seems to matter as much as they did when I was in my teens, half a lifetime ago now. Back then it really felt as if it could be the only chance I ever got to see that bird, whereas now I would be much more philosophical and reason that it will only be a matter of time before another turns up.

As a footnote, I have still never seen Baillon's Crake anywhere in the world (I was in Australia when the readily available bird was in Kent in 1999), so I still haven't got "closure"!

 

[Edward]

As a footnote, I have still never seen Baillon's Crake anywhere in the world (I was in Australia when the readily available bird was in Kent in 1999), so I still haven't got "closure"!

Being in Australia is no excuse, that's the only place I've ever seen Baillon's Crake!

E

 

[davebenj]

Wilsons Phalarope at Blacktoft Sands

I "dipped" on Blacktoft Sands (yes the whole bl**dy reserve!), does that count?

After my (late) father-in-law and I had decided that we'd pay Blacktoft a visit and me being a bit of a smart ar*e, I simply looked up Blacktoft on the road atlas. "There it is, North Bank of the Humber. 35 miles. Easy 45 minute run". We arrived in Blacktoft and drove to and fro through the village for half an hour or so looking fo RSPB signs. We pulled up at the side of the road and looked at the map. Gazing through the car window and looking across the Humber, Ken (f-in-l) asked "What's that reserve on the other side of the river?".
So we finally arrive at Blacktoft Sands on the South Bank of the Humber, having driven the best part of 75 miles and taken the best part of 2 hours to do it
:storm:
Oh, how I laughed - later, much later!

Dave

 

[MKinHK]

Brown-eared Pheasant in China - twice.

I managed to dip this magnificent pheasant in 1996 at Pangquangou NR in Shanxi province when my client saw it. The local guide - a clueless research student - went running down the path when we got close to the best area for the birds, flushed them, and then shouted "there they are!" as the birds flew off down hill behind some trees. Thankfully my client saw it . . . but I saw only a bit of a tail through the trees. There was something veryclose to murder in my heart as I calmly explained that we'd come a very long way at great expense to see this bird, and that that no I didn't care that he wanted to see the birds too!

Almost exactly a year later I was with another couple of clients at a site whose name I forget in northern Shaanxi province (not to be confused with neighbouring Shanxi province, which to western ears is pronounced exactly the same). Having turned down the gracious offer of a local goatherd to use his flock of goats to beat out the pheasants, we sat on a likely ridge to see if they would appear. For 15 minutes we could hear them getting closer unitl one popped its head up, allowing one guy a one second view . . . and they never reapeared.

One happy punter, one very unhappy punter and one viciously disappointed me! Still need it. Still hurts.

AfterI left school a mate of mine at UEA - Derek Gilby for those there around 88-92 - went for a Veery on Lundy. He and some mates drove down from Norwich overnight and broke down just outside Westward Ho! (silliest name in Britain?). The repairs took 2 hours and they got to the pier to watch the only ferry of the day to Lundy steaming slowly out of the harbour ... Then they drove back. OUCH!

If he was a dinosaur he'd definitely be Derek the Disappointed Diplodocus!

Sorry about that - the opportunities for alliteration were just too much temptation for my very childish appreciation of rhyme.

 

[Woodchatshrike]

Purple Martin. Eight hour overnight drive from Manchester to Ullapool. Practically no sleep in the car as I forgot my sleeping bag and it was freezing cold. My other two companions (Miss Cole and our friend Paul) slept soundly in their bags. Missed a Leach’s Petrel on the ferry crossing during the only time I went below deck for a slash. Arrived just under an hour after the Purple Martin had circled high and vanished into the clouds… forever! Was wandering around the Butt of Lewis when someone shouted at me to look left. I did. But couldn’t see anything. Apparently a Buff-breasted Sand ran straight past me, took off, flew over the brow of the hill and was never seen again. Had to stay overnight on Lewis. Missed a Little Auk on the return ferry journey again during the only time I went below deck for a slash.

I had to pay for Miss Cole so the total worked out being slightly more expensive than if I’d flown from Inverness, and would have seen the bird!

The only consolation was that Miss Cole got on the tele (the first person interviewed is the finder Mark Witherall):

http://media.putfile.com/Purple-Martin-Lewis-2004

Definitely the worst dip I ever had, but still beat being sat on my arse in Manchester. Dipping out on the Western Isles is never a bad thing, at least you're up there.

I got off a plane from Italy, then we drove 4 hours to Ullapool spoke to Angus Murray and decided not to get on the 5 o'clock ferry because we were just too late. Then got drunk in Avimore instead so not a complete waste of time. I found out you can get Starfish and Chips in the Ullapool chippy was more amusing then appitizing.

 

[Edward woodwood]

Brown-eared Pheasant in China - twice.

Hi

tried Xiaolongmen? two hours or so from Beijing? Had a few there last summer. PM me if you want details

Tim