After a few hours' sleep this morning, I awoke to the sound of the MEGA alert
Holy shit, and only an hour up the road. I got dressed, got my stuff together and headed North. After a few phone calls on the way, the bird had been seen by a local fisherman this morning and apparently had flown back downriver.
On arrival on site, I met up with Chris Batty, who had just received a photograph of the bird, gripped off already and no sign of the bird!
I spent the next three hours walking south along the river, but I still didn’t see the bird. The best I could manage was sightings of a Little Egret, a Kingfisher, and a Goosander. Many familiar faces were out looking for the bird too, but as the light began to fade, I had to call it a day.
This was my third unsuccessful attempt to spot this species. I missed the bird in Staffordshire in 2005, arrived with the masses the following morning, only to find out it had moved to East Yorkshire. I couldn't go to Scotland because I was abroad, and then in 2008, I arrived on St. Mary's the next day, only to discover the bird had vanished overnight! Why do I do this to myself?
This was the fifth record for Britain
2008-Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, 2CY+ male, 18th April-St Mary's-Isles Of Scilly
2005-Tixall, first-summer male,1st April,photo-Staffs;also in East Yorkshire,North-east
Scotland till 8th April
1979- Sladesbridge, first-winter male,2nd October to June 1980;probably
same,Boscathnoe Reservoir,Penzance,adult male,23rd to 29th August 1980,photo-Cornwall
1908-River Allen, Sladesbridge, female,shot, November-Cornwall
River Ribble
Anyway, fingers crossed the Belted Kingfisher is still in the area and I can get it whapped on!
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