November 13, 2008
A twitchy day in Lincolnshire
After a ridiculously late and boozy Friday night I found myself questioning the wisdom of getting up at 530am to go a-twitching in darkest Lincolnshire. However, my time in the UK grows short, and it seemed like a good excuse to spend some 'quality time' with my long-suffering birding pal Neil. Our quarry was, of course, the Steppe Grey Shrike, a distinctive and rare visitor to UK shores. Following a long and windswept hike out from the Donna Nook car park, we were soon treated to decent views of the bird feeding along the back of the field. Eventually, and somewhat inevitably, a photographer broke ranks and walked the field edge to get closer to the bird. The crowd collectively held its breath, for fear that the bird would be flushed far and away, but luckily for everyone it flew back towards us.
It fed almost constantly while we were there, and spent much time pursuing its prey on foot. Having seen many a Southern Grey Shrike in France, I was impressed at how differently this (sub?)species looked and acted.
Once we'd had our fill of the shrike, we began the trudge back towards Donna Nook, and were pleasantly surprised to see a couple of Ring Ouzels among the more regular winter thrushes. They were surprisingly hard to spot as they sat immobile in the middle of bushes, but we eventually got good scope views of this 'frowning' bird.
Several Dark-bellied Brent Geese were feeding close to the footpath, and Neil eventually got me onto a striking Pale-bellied cousin from Greenland.
The geese flushed, as did most of the other waterbirds present, as a Peregrine flew by. This was the first sizeable flock of Red Knot I'd seen in years - guess I've lived inland for too long. Some other birders kindly pointed out a distant immature Glaucous Gull. We were able to track it all the way to the Grey Seal colony, where much better views were obtained. The pale iris and pink tip to the bill age it as a second-winter. Luckily our visit was timed ideally to coincide with the pupping season, and we enjoyed great looks at some cute newborns... ... and their rather less handsome parents! Those for whom cooing over baby seals was all too twee could content themselves watching Herring Gulls tearing into seal placentas. While tucking into a well-deserved Lincolnshire sausage bap, news of a Radde's Warbler almost sent us racing towards Spurn, but after the early start we decided instead to head for home... that is until news broke of a Desert Wheatear at nearby Saltfleet. A U-turn in a lay-by (much to the chagrin of the lady who had stopped there to answer a call of nature behind her car door!) and back we went to the coast. Here we were treated to excellent views of my first Desert Wheatear since 1995, a hyperactive female, in the last of the daylight. Precocious photographers aside, the day was delightful; with excellent performances from my two new British birds a host of quality bonus birds (and mammals) and some much-needed sunshine to boot. At the grand of age of 30, I rarely find myself indulging in hastily-organised long-distance twitches, but from time to time it does have its charms...
