Wednesday 13 May 2009

Temptation

The Black Lark Twitch on Angelsey
I finally had to succumb. I could take it anymore. I had to reach out take the drug.

I went on a twitch.

On a whim, I headed over to Staines Reservoir near Heathrow Airport as a White-winged Black Tern had been hanging around  there for the past three days. This is the only marsh tern that I had yet to see. It was my bogey bird. Every one that I had gone for in the past eluded me. I even dipped on one that showed up at my then patch, Brent Reservoir. 

It was a grey misty day today, but it felt like a great migrant finding day. Anyway, to cut the story short I saw the tern distantly from the causeway at first but after chatting with some of the birders in attendance it came really close to us. I was delighted. A lifer.

One of the last times I twitched was when the Black Lark showed up on Anglesey, North Wales. I gave up twitching per se in the '80's and my criteria for the lark was that since it had come all the way from Kazakhstan it would have been rude not to have seen it!

I fancy going on another twitch now. That Black-winged Pratincole at Grove Ferry, Kent sounds pretty good.....

5 comments:

Alan Tilmouth said...

Congratulations on a whole post without struggling over what to wear. Think of all the extra birding time you could ahve not worrying about your wardrobe.

Andy said...

Me, I'm champing at the bit to get the dotterels in Derbyshire and Notts - my bogey bird. And it's going to rain tomorrow - boo hoo!

Alan Thomas said...

Well you can always try to see the Savi's warbler in Lea valley country park by post number 24 if you have(n't)seen one before, as when I went on a dawn chrous event two weeks ago there, I heard it at 6.00am singing but couldn't see it like many others as well..It's still there now so give it go!!
Good birding or shall I say twicthing...Yikes!!
Alan Thomas

Adam said...

Can do nothing but recommed the Balc-winged Pratincole - such a srange, yet beautiful bird! And a couple of great pubs at Grove Ferry and Wichambreaux-it'd be rude not to!

Adam

Adam said...

Sorry about the spelling on that last comment - told you those pubs were good!

Adam