Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get Busy

Before you think I’ve gone all Sooty and Sweep here’s actually another blog about birds… I know, amazing! This time a celebration of all things Isabelline Wheatear from Seaton Snook near Hartlepool. Isabelline Wheatear is one of my bogey birds, a few years back I even dipped two in six days so this time I wasn’t going without news. Andrew Kinghorn kindly messaged me early morning with Colin Green, Steve James and Dave Gray also texting and The Rare Bird Network getting twitter messages out.

Bundling Minnie into the car I headed North. I arrived about 11.00 to smiling faces heading off the beach… on the beach however the news wasn’t so good. The bird had been pushed a lot and had flown off and not seen for 30 minutes. 30 minutes turned into an hour with no sign. I walked to the Snook and almost to The North Gare. No joy.

Seaton Sands

It looked like atmospheric landscapes and industry would be the only photos I took.

I decided to head back to the car, give Minnie some food and water and have a quick drink myself. On the way I bumped into Rob Lambert, newly arrived and looking chirpy. Rob’s demeanor changed as I told him the sorry tale. Undaunted he strode off purposefully to the beach.

Back at the car another birder was heading down the road and as I updated him he casually said there’s a Wheatear on that telegraph post (next to the bloody car). There weren’t any other Wheatears around, surely. I got my bins on it and asked him, why he hadn’t considered Izzy… this was it! As I set my scope up it flew the 100 or so yards back to the beach! Isabelline Wheatear! I rang Rob and left and answerphone message to then receive calls from Andrew Kinghorn and Rob to tell me what I already knew. It was back on the beach.

Once again there was a danger of birders chasing and harrying the bird so after we’d all had a good look and it had moved, I suggested to the crowd we all back off and allow it to return to it’s favoured tree stump where we could all get great views and photos. Despite one woman having to be coaxed off the log after stopping for a sit down the bird soon flew in.

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

Even Minnie managed to get in on the act and made it to Twitter!

Minnie & Me

Seven Days Too Long

I guess given too dips in 7 days on Isabelline Wheatear this should be my theme song…

There’ll Be A Welcome In The Hillsides

Fuelled up on optimism and McDonalds coffee, Leigh and I trekked down the Motorway and across the Heads Of The Valleys road to arrive in Wernffrwd on the Gower. My last two visits to this part of Wales have resulted in huge dips… one was the, let’s be fair, laughable claim of Little Blue Heron and the other was Gyrfalcon. Today I had tried to put out of my mind the fact that one or two weather forecasts had showed clear skies over parts of South Wales for an hour or so after dark last night.

Two birders were coming off the saltmarsh as we arrived and they weren’t smiling. I almost daren’t ask if the Isabelline Wheatear was still there… it wasn’t. Surely they’d overlooked it, no it had gone… gone! Gone! Gone! Nooooooooooooo!

The Hump!

More Hump!

Giving up we headed to Kenfig NNR. I’ve not been here for years but I was worried that after the two hard winters breeding success might have been poor… we were pleased to see that our fears were unfounded as Dogs Eggs were laid everywhere just like last time. Marvellous!

Gingerly picking away to the pool we had views of two Bittern. Not the World’s greatest shots.

Bittern

Bittern

Just to cheer me up I thought a bit of Welsh music was in order.

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful…

… and as far as Wales goes I hope it bloody well stays like that. Nothing against the Welsh, hell, I’ve even got ‘Welsh*’ friends, but I desparately want the Isabelline Wheatear to stay. After yesterday’s dip the one at Wernffrwd,  on the Gower is doing my head in and taunting me. The earliest I can go is Friday and the Met Office forecast looks – dare I dream – bad… or is that good?

* If Dave Gray can really count as Welsh…