You can't tick it, but.... (2 Viewers)

[JWN Andrewes]

Visited relatives in Suffolk this week, and as is usual on such occasions, I looked to see what was worth trying to catch up with en route. The most appealing candidate this year was the Dark-breasted Barn Owl in south Lincs, and we duly scored, with excellent views of it on flight and perched up on Christmas trees.

And it got me thinking, what else have I ever actively been for that I knew I wouldn't be able to tick?

I'm discounting insurance ticks such as potential future splits (eg Balearic Woodchat), or second guessing committees (eg Falcated Duck or Paddyfield Pipit).

I didn't think twice about scooting off to Conwy RSPB in May '98 to see a gorgeous adult male Black-headed Wagtail, in spite of being in no doubt that it would only ever be a subspecies of Yellow. (It was gone when I returned next day for a fine spring male Ortolan.)

In late autumn 2005 I made it back from the Red Wharf Bay Green Heron in time to swing by the vets at Chester Zoo to see the I'll fated Magnificent Frigatebird that had been picked up in Shropshire earlier that day.

And in common with many here I made the trip to Derbyshire for the Lammergeier, totally regardless of the fact I never for a moment imagined it would pass muster for Cat A.

What else have people been just for the experience of seeing it, knowing that it would never grace their lists?

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I've chased after the occasional "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco here in PA, just in case. Dipped every time, tho.

I've also gone after Eurasian Teal (Common Teal) here in PA a couple times. I doubt the North American authorities will ever split that one, but y'never know.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I acted on information which caused me to walk several hundred yards out of my way to see a Vagrant Emperor dragonfly, even though I knew I wouldn't be able to tick it with any degree of comfort because it was in a small see-through plastic pot, and was likely to remain in said pot for as long as I was able to remain in the pot's vicinity, because I hadn't seen a living Vagrant Emperor in the UK 😅

 

[Andy Lakin]

Totally forgotten where in the country it was (iirc there was a fibre glass hippo in the pool opposite). I went for a Marbled Duck, there was certainly a lot of interest in the bird with a decent crowd. Decent time of year and the fact it was distant may have swayed peoples opinions.

One of the wandering Great Bustards was enjoyable as I'd never seen one before.

 

[Annerather]

I do NocMig recordings every night, have gotten fantastic species, including a first for my state in Germany (olive-backed pipit) and several species I have never seen in the county or even at all. Of course , as these are automated recordings, they don't go on my personal list (despite sometimes the effort to nail the ID being as high as driving to a site to find the latest rarity). So my garden list has a number of species that are not on my life list or county list... It is still fun!

 

[Xenospiza]

The best example is probably what I consider to be a hybrid Rock Thrush (accepted as "Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush + Blue Rock Thrush" by the CDNA, which I find an incomprehensible decision): https://waarneming.nl/media/photo/110753923.jpg

You can still "tick" a subspecies (the IOC list contains all subspecies, so who's stopping you?), so going for a rare subspecies is not that strange.
And something like Caspian Stonechat is a very cool taxon.

And then there are the fun "escapes".
An Egyptian Plover wasn't in any way a "security tick in case the Dutch take another wild decision".
I also twitched a Bearded Vulture which I knew the Dutch would not add to the list, but which did fit the bill according to what I think should be acceptable according to the Dutch rules (e.g. Swedish Lesser White-fronted Geese).
The German Northern Mockingbird was just too much fun not to go and visit.

 

[Farnboro John]

Eagle Owls in Aldershot, MOD training areas in Northern England and breeding in Bowland.

Spur-winged Plover on a roundabout in Croydon (let's not mention the Dunge one).

White Ibis at Sevenoaks.

Northern (Steller's) Sealion on The Brisons in Cornwall.

Striped Skunks in the Forest of Dean!

Probably more but those immediately off the top of my head.

John

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Eagle Owls in Aldershot, MOD training areas in Northern England and breeding in Bowland.

Spur-winged Plover on a roundabout in Croydon (let's not mention the Dunge one).

White Ibis at Sevenoaks.

Northern (Steller's) Sealion on The Brisons in Cornwall.

Striped Skunks in the Forest of Dean!

Probably more but those immediately off the top of my head.

John

Why do we not mention the Dunge one? I'd forgotten about it when I started the thread, but I did see it. Can't recall if I went specifically for it or if I was there for another reason. When was it? Knowing would help select the right notebook to look in.

 

[Farnboro John]

Why do we not mention the Dunge one? I'd forgotten about it when I started the thread, but I did see it. Can't recall if I went specifically for it or if I was there for another reason. When was it? Knowing would help select the right notebook to look in.

I think there was no doubt at all in anyone's mind about the Croydon bird being an escape but there was some agitation on behalf of the Dungeness bird. I think I went eventually so as not to be left behind but I still tend not to think of it as insurance.

I'll try to find a date.

John

 

[Nightjar61]

I used to live in the Chicago area. Some interesting escapes showed up on the lakefront from time to time. Ones that I went to see (just for fun) included Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Cockatiel, and Northern Red Bishop.

Dave

 

[Georgebirds]

The infamous Lesser white-fronted geese at Ken Hill!
Admittedly, I was only across the road in the Snettisham RSPB carpark, so it was a short walk detour before leaving, rather than a specific trip to go find them.

 

[Leafbringer]

Escapees like domestic mallard, muscovy duck, and domestic chickens. I've visited the domestic geese in Centennial Park, Sydney. I have also seen bleeding-heart pigeon and nicobar pigeon at Taronga Zoo.

 

[James Lowther]

Off the top of my head

I’ve twitched (without any expectation of being able to add a species to my list) blue-headed wagtail, kumlein’s gull, (possible) American red-necked grebe, great bustard, ruddy shelduck

Cheers
James

 

[Southern Viking]

I think there was no doubt at all in anyone's mind about the Croydon bird being an escape but there was some agitation on behalf of the Dungeness bird. I think I went eventually so as not to be left behind but I still tend not to think of it as insurance.

I'll try to find a date.

John

I saw it mid October 1997 at Dunge. Wasn't specifically to see it though. We'd dipped a Dusky (but self found a Pallas's) Warbler at North Foreland, and Dunge had a supporting cast of Sabs Gull, imm Pom Skua etc so was just a good place to end up

 

[JWN Andrewes]

I saw it mid October 1997 at Dunge. Wasn't specifically to see it though. We'd dipped a Dusky (but self found a Pallas's) Warbler at North Foreland, and Dunge had a supporting cast of Sabs Gull, imm Pom Skua etc so was just a good place to end up

Ah, 1997 is a bit of a lacuna in my notebook keeping unfortunately. I was living in Chester at the time, and I can't imagine I would have made the trip simply for the Plover. I must have been dipping something else down there. I seem to recall it was a hot, sunny day, had it turned up there in summer and lingered to autumn?

 

[Farnboro John]

A couple more: Clare reminded me of the Bedfordshire Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, and I also remembered covering ground er, quite quickly, for a summer plumage Grey Phalarope just for the plumage tick!

John

 

[JWN Andrewes]

A couple more: Clare reminded me of the Bedfordshire Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, and I also remembered covering ground er, quite quickly, for a summer plumage Grey Phalarope just for the plumage tick!

John

Didn't you twitch Rhea once?

 

[Southern Viking]

Ah, 1997 is a bit of a lacuna in my notebook keeping unfortunately. I was living in Chester at the time, and I can't imagine I would have made the trip simply for the Plover. I must have been dipping something else down there. I seem to recall it was a hot, sunny day, had it turned up there in summer and lingered to autumn?

The Spur-winged was April '97 to January '98 apparently. I vaguely recall it turned up somewhere else in the UK (as well as The Netherlands) first before moving to Dunge?

 

[Farnboro John]

Didn't you twitch Rhea once?

Not really, it was a local bird near RAF Odiham. I saw it several times over a couple of years at least. Sometimes it would get irate with the local Roe Deer and chase them round the fields!

John

 

[Southern Viking]

I "twitched" a Ruddy Duck in Arundel about a decade ago, when it was obvious they were no longer self sustaining (just to get some photos while they were still with us really). Doesn't quite match the thread requirements as I'd obviously seen thousands while they were countable, but there must be younger birders who have ticked things like Ruddy Duck or Lady A Pheasant under similar circumstances (got the latter while they were still numerous in Beds/Bucks too).

Should add that there is at least some kind of argument that the pheasants were never countable, but I don't fully buy into it.