All Our (Feathered) Yesterdays - Part II

 starts a litttle closer to home than those that went before, in fact right on our doorstep! Sunday 20/03/1994 was not the most clement of days in fact downright dreary with that persistent light rain that gets you soaked in seconds. However, not enough to deter us from visiting the nearby Fleet (the finger of seawater that seperates Weymouth from Portland) but more particularly the western end at Moonfleet (of the book fame) where in the days leading up a

BUFFLEHEAD

 had been seen failry frequently among the large flock of Brent Geese and Wigeon. After only a few minutes of searching a young man from Chichester joined me in the search and although it took quiet some time eventually our quarry which was gratefully added to our British Lists. As an added bonus there was also a sub- rarity

RED-BREASTED GOOSE
in the same vacinity.

From our own backyard as it were to more distant shores on 09/02/1992 the 800 miles return journey to Cresswell in Northumberland very nearly proved to be a disaster. Leaving Weymouth in the very small hour our arrival coinceded with daybreak, as planned, but by noon nothing had been seen of the 'target' despite the mass hords of fellow twitchers. There came a point in late afternoon when the 4 of us decided enough was enough but as clambering into Hugo's car there was frantic waving from the remaining stalwarts about a mile away with our response rewarded with long and close views of

PINE BUNTING
by and large a resident of Siberia and the Urals.

DUSKY THRUSH
30/12/2016
close to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire very nearly kicked the New Year off in fine fashion and well worth the 520 miles return drive.
Except for the very early days, it was only occassionally did we score a 'double' but on one 'magical day' we did produce a Hat Tick!
  It started at our dear friends house, Bowie and Sheila, over what had become a nightly tot, their's one night, mine the next and well within walking distance. The subject of an

AMERICAN KESTREL
currently residing on St Mary's Iasles of Scilly was considered worthy of a 'twitch' should we be able to get the logistics to suit but with all flight from Newquay to the Island booked we had to look towards the

M/V SCILLONIAN
out of Penzance.

No problems with having to find the bird as already relocated by the hords that had arrived via

flights, or those having stayed overnight, so no concerns about making the mid-afternoon ferry back. On such voyages it is usual for the birding fraternity to stay on the upperdeck, eyes peeled for the chance of a rare or uncommon seabird to come into view. Out of character only 14 of us did so with me looking out to seaward (starboard) as we neared the Runnel Stone Buoy, just off the coast of  Cornwall. It was at that moment that Bowie sped from the port side physically dragging me back while pointing and shouting "look at that, look at that"! There before our very eyes was an unmistakable

RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD
a resident from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean which had been spotted by a 14 years old schoolboy who had reported it immediately to his father, the 14 being a coincdence!

This brought all of the 'bar-flies' scurrying to the upperdeck immediately trying to play it down as not having seen it. There was never any follow-up found to this event, not even a submission to the British Birds Rarities Committee, but for myself it went staright onto the List having no need for the agreement of a 12 Wise Man jury hundreds of miles away - the British Birds Rarity Committee, always stick to your own convictions and honesty which reminds me to stress that these images were not taken at the time, but just for your enlightenment from the archive. As if that were not enough excitement for one day as we disembarked the 'bird-line pager' confirmed that the

CITRINE WAGTAIL

was still performing well at Marizion Marshes - a 2 mile detour the 3rd addition to the list that day!

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