The unexpected news of the return of the Pallid Swift to Seaforth and Crosby got me very twitchy last night as it would be a new British bird for me. At 7pm I decided I'd go for it. I arrived at Seaforth 45 minutes later only to be told that it had departed north about five minutes previously. I hung around and scanned the remaining Swifts but to no avail and then noticed a rather large concentration of Swifts over the Marine Lake.
So off round there I went, first to the nearest car park, where other birders had no joy, and then to the furthest one where two birders were actually watching it at a distance - over Seaforth! Grrrrr!
The light was still good but the sun was beginning to dim. I managed to pick the bird up even at that distance through the scope so decided that a stint at the fence would be the best course of action - and indeed it was. The bird zoomed around the area where I was standing half an hour previously which was thankfully near the fence. We found an elevated position and was able to pick the bird out with relative ease in the fading light. After about 20 minutes, with just three of us left, it came right overhead and gave us decent views.
When I got home I realised that it was my 300th Lancs bird (in around 35 years).
Today it was atlas work again. Nothing to write home about around the Hoddlesden tetrad, but a pleasant mornings birding. Back home, it's back to work in the garden serenaded by Willow Warblers and Swallows. The Bullfinch gave us a brief bit of song whilst we ate lunch and a Sparrowhawk circled overhead. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
So off round there I went, first to the nearest car park, where other birders had no joy, and then to the furthest one where two birders were actually watching it at a distance - over Seaforth! Grrrrr!
The light was still good but the sun was beginning to dim. I managed to pick the bird up even at that distance through the scope so decided that a stint at the fence would be the best course of action - and indeed it was. The bird zoomed around the area where I was standing half an hour previously which was thankfully near the fence. We found an elevated position and was able to pick the bird out with relative ease in the fading light. After about 20 minutes, with just three of us left, it came right overhead and gave us decent views.
When I got home I realised that it was my 300th Lancs bird (in around 35 years).
Today it was atlas work again. Nothing to write home about around the Hoddlesden tetrad, but a pleasant mornings birding. Back home, it's back to work in the garden serenaded by Willow Warblers and Swallows. The Bullfinch gave us a brief bit of song whilst we ate lunch and a Sparrowhawk circled overhead. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
Comments
Post a Comment