The big day - at last

Well I couldn't put it off any longer. The forecast was good and so I was on the patch for 04.45 determined to try to get a big day list in spite of a rather unpromising week leading up to the event.

In fact my start was almost too late, the May date nearly catching me out. My first bird was a Blackbird in the car headlights, but as soon as I opened the car door I was greeted by a singing Lesser Whitethroat, so the dawn chorus had pretty much started without me.

I still got some impression of the early start though as the young Tawny Owls were squeaking, and an adult was hooting not far from them. My first visit to the flash failed to produce the Little Owl, and sadly this was one species which I failed to find all day. One or two of the singing Blackcaps tantalised me with varied song phrases full of mimicry, but I failed to convince myself that any of them were, for example, Garden Warblers.

The first decent find was a raptor sitting on pylons. I suspected a Peregrine, and fortunately this was confirmed when I finally got close enough. The bird was actually in first-summer plumage and showed pretty well in the end. A photo tick no less.

75. Peregrine

This was my first here since a distant silhouette in February. A good start.

I had parked under Bannams Wood, so my first circuit brought me along the road beneath the wood where I added two potentially tricky species, Treecreeper and Coal Tit. So I went home for breakfast on 53 species and could reflect on a reasonable start.

I met Dave at around 09.00am with a list of birds I still needed committed to memory. The first to fall was one I didn't think we would see, as a distant immature Herring Gull flew south and onto the list. We followed the road after Dave picked up Cuckoo and Reed Warbler for his year list, and also saw the Peregrine which was obligingly still present. By the time we reached the flash we had gained Jay, Nuthatch, and Yellowhammer. The flash produced two Black-headed Gulls, but nothing else.

Shortly afterwards a Sparrowhawk cruised over Bannams Wood, and then Dave picked up a female Wheatear, which I later photographed.

I was really pleased to get the Wheatear because it was a sign that some passage was still taking place. As we neared the cars Dave pointed out a Cuckoo heading towards us. This was the first one I had actually seen, as opposed to heard, this year. My camera was in my bag, turned off, and with the lens cap on, so I am pretty pleased to be able to say that I still got a shot away before it disappeared.

76. Cuckoo

That's what I call quick on the draw. I may well not see another Cuckoo here this year so I am adding it to the photo-year list even though it is only just identifiable - I think - from the picture. With the score on 60 we both went home for lunch.

By 14.30 I was back at the flash again. Still no waders, and no Little Owl of course. After hanging around for about forty minutes I decided to head towards Bannams Wood where there were still a couple of potential day ticks to look for. On the way I noticed a small party of Lesser Black-backed Gulls circling on thermals over the wood. With them were two Swifts my only year tick today. Shortly afterwards, another five appeared. The wood delivered Goldcrest, which called twice but remained unseen, and my last bird, a Marsh Tit. Final score 63 species and an aching back.

The full list is as follows:

1. Greylag Goose 2. Canada Goose 3. Mallard 4. Tufted Duck 5. Red-legged Partridge 6. Pheasant 7. Grey Heron 8. Sparrowhawk 9. Buzzard 10. Kestrel 11. Peregrine 12. Moorhen 13. Coot 14. Lapwing 15. Black-headed Gull 16. Lesser Black-backed Gull 17. Herring Gull 18. Stock Dove 19. Woodpigeon 20. Collared Dove 21. Cuckoo 22. Tawny Owl 23. Swift 24. Green Woodpecker 25. Great Spotted Woodpecker 26. Magpie 27. Jay 28. Jackdaw 29. Raven 30. Carrion Crow 31. Rook 32. Goldcrest 33. Blue Tit 34. Great Tit 35. Marsh Tit 36. Coal Tit 37. Skylark 38. Swallow 39. House Martin 40. Long-tailed Tit  41.Chiffchaff  42. Blackcap 43. Lesser Whitethroat 44. Whitethroat 45. Sedge Warbler 46. Reed Warbler 47. Nuthatch 48. Treecreeper 49. Wren 50. Blackbird 51. Song Thrush 52. Robin 53. Wheatear 54. Dunnock 55. House Sparrow 56. Pied Wagtail 57. Chaffinch 58. Bullfinch 59. Greenfinch 60. Linnet 61. Goldfinch 62. Yellowhammer 63. Reed Bunting

 I think I got all the birds resident on the patch apart from Little Owl. It's a shame there wasn't a little more passage or quality birds, but on the whole I am pleased with the day.