Been struggling with the patch lately, really hard going. I hate this attitude and I'm sure it costs me birds but i often find myself sneaking of for other peoples birds at this time of year.
On the 19th June i nipped into Fairburn after work and had great views of the Ad Sum White Winged Black Tern. Seen a fair few of these over the years but a man who tires of these little belters needs a new hobby!
The 23rd saw me blagging a lift over to The Wirrral with MF for the Little Swift. I saw the Notts bird but with this one showing so well i felt it would be rude not too!!
30th provided a visit in tricky weather to Wykeham for a crack at HB's. No joy on that front but still very enjoyable with several reasonable views of at least 2 different Goshawk, c30 Crossbill, Turtle Dove, Tree Pipit, Hobby, Siskin and Roe Deer.
And so to the 1st July and a concerted effort at the patch. Initial signs were not great - a brood of Tufties here, GCGrebe young there, then a Common Sand, my 1st on the patch for almost a month - returning bird maybe?... Thinks really got better at 8.34am when myself and SC had at least 1 Crossbill flush from the Drain and fly south, sounded like 2+ birds but not sure! Still, a great record of this very scarce bird (at Pugneys). Not much else for the next hour or so - due to the 5 birders on site sitting drinking coffee in the cafe. This did enable IB to tell me about the flooded rhubarb field on the river bend and i advised all about the apparent influx of Med Gulls at Old Moor . When i mooched off to have a look the fields looked aces! Gulls bathing, Lapwing all over, mud everywhere!And bugger me, as I wandered closer I picked up an Ad Sum Med Gull up in flight straight away and then a male Peregrine appeared right overhead at the same time!! Rang the team to much cursing and watched the Peg head of South whilst the Med landed on the flood - nice! It pottered about for c10 mins then headed of towards the Calder Wetlands.
Now sorry if my excitement seems a little out of proportion but this is only the 2nd patch record of both species this year so if you extrapolated that to a national context i had managed the rough equivalent of a UK Pacific Goldie and Blyths Reed plus, say, a Yank Passerine for the Crossbill!! All in one morning ! That cant be right, must be talking tosh again!
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