Monday, 19 September 2011

Slimbridge, our yearly August visit

31/08/11
There are reasons for both why i like, and why i hate this place.
Scanning the Distant wader flocks from the Holden Tower over high tide was annoying, as every time i called a bird out, i was ignored (or even laughed at!!!), only for an older person to call it out ages after me, to be greeted by, 'oh, where is that then?'.
Seriously Pissed me off alot that did.
Everybody was Commenting on how the small waders were too far away, but they really wernt, even through my low 27x Magnifiaction eyepiece i could pick out birds easilly, and with the 60x some of the scopes had (and believe me, there was some better scopes than mine in that hide) i dont see how anyone could moan about not being able to see them,
Yes, maybe my eyesight is better than some other peoples (being called perfect by my optition!), but dicrediting other peoples sightings due to age is just wrong, and a very easy way to piss someone off!
I could see a CURLEW SANDPIPER in with the flock on the front edge, even if you didnt believe me! (and anyway, i saw another at the Mid point later in the day)
After being royaly P'd off by other birders, i thought it was about time to be P'd off by some dudes, South lake here we come!
A spotted Redshank was claimed, but other than a pale Common Redshank, there was no bird that even resembled one, nor had one been reported, a Nice flock of 100+ Black-Tailed Godwit was standing in the shallows,
after a bit we left, to one of the wrost hides in the world:
However, Via a 'plastic' Redshank!!!!, Yes, thats right, a captive REDSHANK!!!
A single GREENSHANK, and 5 RUFF (all female) were showing from the hide, on a very quiet (wader wise) flash, Lots of ducks though, but other than Wigeon, Mallard and Teal, with a few shoveler, there wasnt much more.
Then to the Middle point hide, Again a few birds here,
4 Little Egret
4 OYC
50c Ringed Plover
50c Black-tailed Godwit
34 Golden Plover
10c Knot
1 Sanderling
100c Dunlin
1 Curlew Sandpiper
as well as many, many Curlew.
Many Passerines around the Mid point, 3 Wheatear, Meadow pipits over, a single Skylark and many Yellow Wagtail.
Highlights (combined for whole day):
4 Little Egret
1 Hobby
2 Peregrine
50c Ringed plover
34 Golden Plover
300c Lapwing
10c Knot
1 Sanderling
100c Dunlin
1 Curlew sand (5 seen by others)
7 Green sandpiper
30c Redshank
1 Greenshank
200c Black-tailed Godwit
111+ Curlew
6 Ruff
20c Yellowe wag
3 Wheatear
MB

2 comments:

Tim Jones said...

I know exactly how you feel as I'm sure does any other young birder! You just have to try and prove them wrong by getting them onto it and calling out the id features your seeing!

My classic example is being in the east hide at the moors and saying I had a Kittiwake. There were about 3 others in the hide and they all ignored me! I then continued to call out directions and what I was seeing, even my Dad was like, you sure its not a Common Gull! I eventually got the rest of the hide to look at the bird and they said its a sum plum Common Gull, I knew it wasn't and continued to argue my point, then it got off the water and flew showing black legs and all black primaries. 'Oh bloddy hell its a Kittiwake!

Just keep it going and soon they'll start believing you, but maybe not till you get a grey hair!

midlands birder said...

The annoyances (not even a word but oh well) of being a young birder!
I know its best to try to prove them wrong, but when the flock was quite far off (admitidly) some people would struggle to pick up the detail i can see with my good eyesight, and it just seems, the more popular the reserve for rare/interesting birds, the more you get ignored!

Classic!! But tbh, a Kittiwake is a pritty distinctive thing, it wouldnt be too hard to seperate from Common Gull, so was it just a case of 'it cant be one' or was there some reason why they woulve thought otherwhys, but anyways, well doen for sticking at that,

On the other end of the scale, i agree that it is nice to prove someone wrong, or impress someone, say on 29/04, i spotted the White wagtail at the back of the flashes, and everyone was just saying pied, but then it flew closer, and it was the White wag!

Well i hope i dont get grey hair anytime soon, i like my hair :P
MB