What followed was pure pandemonium. I bolted from the house and headed straight up the M53, making frantic calls as I went. There was no news yet on the bird services, so I rang Dan Pointon to give him a heads-up while I was still on the line. Moments later, the mega alert went out.
I made it to New Brighton in record time and was met by Mark, who wasted no time in putting me straight onto the bird. Despite the rain—or perhaps because of it—the Little Swift was showing unbelievably well, kept low by the conditions. At times, it buzzed right around our heads before heading out into the middle of the Mersey, then looping back to fly along the beach below us. Absolutely incredible.
This was a bird I’d long dreamed of seeing, having missed the famous Norfolk individual back in 2005. To finally connect with one like this was something special. A Little Swift is a widespread resident of Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia, making its appearance on the river Mersey almost beyond belief.
The year was already shaping up to be a remarkable one for gripbacks—long may it continue.
