Patch Bird is Officially AWSOME!

20/11/11

Rather than just saying the event im going to include the surrounding birds before the birdy bits.

While at my girlfriends house late in the daylight hours on sunday a text popped up on my phone, mmm, i wonder what that will be, what i did not expect was when i opened it it to read that someone had found a Diver on MY patch!

I mean, if my girlfriend was to comment, she would maybe be able to describe my face when i saw that text, because i couldnt see it, however i can expect it to be somewhere in between Confusion, Disbelief and Anger! I wasnt annoyed that someone else had found the bird, just the bird chose to be found when i couldnt get to it!

Oh to be a Patch Birder!

Needless to say, i winced evertime i saw a Txt pop up, 'Red Throated Diver on the Severn!'

21/11/11

An early morning text from Birding Today said the bird was still there, and within an hour i had sorted out a plan to get down there after 6th form! A very last minuite plan to say the least. Me and the Gornal Birder, were going to catch 2 Busses and a Train and then a lift at the other end to the site!

A mamoth task considering how shit public transport is!

We got out of Lessons at 12:45 and power walked home, picked up my Bins and scope and Went straight for the Bus, A horid time on the busses got my exeptionally Mad ( the Gornal Birder can vouch for that!), but luckilly, we arrived at the train station about 2 Minuites before our train arrived! Our first stroke of Luck!

Jason from the Shenstone Birder Blog had very kindly offered to give us a lift from the Train station down to the northern edge of the patch, to our target!

As you can expect, a bird of this magnitude on the patch is Momentous, On a patch scale this bird is about as rare as Pacific Diver is in the UK, Add to that the fact that this was a river, the bird had no real reason to be there (there wasnt any particuarly strong winds blowing inland), and the Bird being an adult, It just seems totally bizzare!

And imagine the relief when i laid my Bins onto the Bird!

A stunning winter plumaged RED-THROATED DIVER simply paddling about on the river, giving amazing views, litterally scope filling! Words can describe what seeing that bird ment, On My Patch, My Patch that nearly 100% of the time you see nothing on!

A RED-THROATED DIVER, looking so out of place on a short section of the river!

I really have not much else to say, Gobsmacked, Awstruck, Disbelief! Awsome Patch bird!

A Female Goosander was in Bewdley town centre.

Special thanks to Jason K for his lift from the train station in my time of need, really apriciated, and as you said in video 3 (?), when i get a car your more than welcomed to hitch a lift if you need it :P lol

Patch birding is the BEST!

MB