A Day out with Spats and Twats

For once I was not driving which made a great change. There were probably no lifers in the offing today, but it was hopefully an opportunity to pick up some scarce year ticks and close the gap on the closet yearlisters further up the chain.

First stop was Paxton where we nailed several Nightingale (lifer for Twat) and I got Hobby for the year (175 BOU). Dipped the Black Tern from the previous night, but we did celebrate with a sausage roll each from Morrisons (cheers Damon). Then it was onto Suffolk for Stone Curlew for the May list - (another lifer for Twat). Following this we went to Lakenheath for the annual pilgrimage for the Golden Orioles. We walked to the 2nd plantation (having managed to pick up another singleton listing type on the way) and within about 15 minutes, had a male singing. Spat #1 then promptly got the bird in his scope by pure chance where it remained for about 30 minutes. We felt most priveleged to get such good views for such a pro-longed period. Being a useless sod it took me about 20 mins to get in my scope, but finally I did and I reel of a few record shots. See below:

Male Golden Oriole, Lakenheath, Suffolk, May 2009...honest guv!!!

We couldn't be arsed with the Purple Heron as it was so elusive and did not want to grip off Mr Stokes on too much stuff. We trundled back to the car, and try as I might I could not string a Garganey on the pools (not with witnesses anyway!!!). Back at the car I was offered a celebratory pork pie, which would have been rude to turn down.

One of the reasons I'm a fat twat

With breaking news of Dotterel at Ringstead off we went, with the usual dip on Golden Pheasant on the way. We had 3 females in the field which made it 4 lifers so far for Matt the Twat, and on the way back down the field a superb Corn Bunting rounded it up to 5.

Then it was off to North Creake for the Montys, and sure enough after about 20 minutes the female flew up in the air, having been flushed by farmer Giles on his quadbike. Unfortunately Matt had gone back to the car and missed it, but he picked it up later and had prolonged views. Whilst it was distant I managed this record shot.

Then it was off to Twitchwell or Dudeswell, depending on how you see it. Definitely Dudeswell today with nothing to twitch and only Eider for the year bringing me up to 179 BOU. Back at the car park the robin strokers amongst us were definitely living up to their name.

Whilst the breaking news at Blakeney of the RR Swallows would have been a British tick for some, I needed to get back, so it was the slow drive back to the Midlands.

With a nodding dog to my right:

and Big V at the wheel, we had had a successful day.