Tuesday 26 August 2014

Spot that

I was out after work and nursery drop off around 09:25, 2 Buzzard low, 5 Ring-necked Parakeet around, 1-2 Whitethroat still around, plenty of Swallows, House and even a good handful of Sand Martin. On over to BSL as the rain came in again, at least 4 Swift still present over the picnic area.

Around 10:12 a very distinctive call rang out across the lake, a "chewit" sound, pretty loud and clear and I scanned frantically to get onto it, knowing it was a wader.

It called 6-7 times over the next 40-60 seconds, each time further away, but I never got a glimpse and knew I had heard it, but not recently and began to fear something good had flown over that I would not clinch.

Fortunately I heard it so well, Xeno-canto was able to immediately confirm it was a Spotted Redshank, only my third ever, with only 10 confirmed records ever. This places me 122, a surprising 8th highest year list, with one to go to equal 2006 and with Yellow Wagtail still more or less guaranteed, I know I'll get to 123 at the very least.

As always here are all the records, italics for 'Observer Unknown'

Sept 3rd 1981 : Flew over (TAG)
Aug 20th 1984 : Mungell's (AJ, PB & TB)
Sept 9th 1985 : Flew over (AJ)
Sept 11th 1989 : Sandford (DF et al)
Aug 16th to 20th 1990 : Lavell's (BTB et al), the Twyford bird visited numerous times and 2 were claimed on the 20th (VSB)
May 26th 1994 : Lavell's (OU)
Aug 26th 1994 : 2 Lavell's (OU)
Aug 18th & 19th 1995 : Lavell's (TAG et al)
Apr 28th 1996 : Lavell's (OU)
Sept 14th to Oct 2nd 1998 : Lavell's (BTB et al), the Twyford bird visited numerous times
Mar 15th 2003 : Lavell's (BTB et al)
Aug 30th 2008 : Lavell's (ARy et al)
Aug 26th 2014 : BSL over (FJC)

So I think it's fair to say date wise, it fits in very well with past patterns, if anyone can add any extra details for the staying birds, perhaps even the 2 in 1990, or confirm the other records, let me know.


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