September 20, 2004
Frontiers of misidentification (i)
(An occasional series)
Thoroughly crappy weekend for birding - a nice strong south-easterly on Friday was followed by gale force south-westerlies on Saturday and Sunday. Which meant that when JL found what he thought might be a locustella in the plantation, it was absolutely impossible to even get close to. Though to be fair, calling it a locustella might be a leap of faith anyway, as it flushed high and far every time, unlike say a gropper, lancey or pg tips.
Overall impressions were of a drab brown, long-tailed warbler, that called "pet" in flight. Savi's or River maybe? Can be certain it'll be something good, as am away to the Western Isles tonight until Saturday, and sod's law demands a first for the island at the very least in my absence. Can rely on JL to let me know!
Tried desperately to find it in hopeless conditions yesterday evening, slightly encouraged by Goldcrest and Red-backed Shrike new in on the island. JL got a phone call to say someone had a black Coot-like bird in front of their house. We decided to give it a try, and hastened down the island in torrential rain and failing light. Arriving at the house, we found the family waiting outside holding a carrier bag (thoughts running through head - okay, they've caught it, ergo it must be absolutely knackered, meaning it's flown a very long way to get here, we've just had 48 hours of screaming south-westerlies, hurricane Ivan... this is going to be a moribund American Purple Gallinule...)
The bag opens. Inside...
...a small, bedraggled red hen.
Oh.
Posted by Stercorarius at September 20, 2004 09:02 AM