It can be argued that finding rare birds is very much a lottery. For birders for whom this matters every time they go out is like buying a ticket. Very occasionally this pays off. The Honey-buzzard at Morton Bagot in mid July 2022 is a classic example.
But is it possible to stack the odds in your favour? I've always believed that it should be. Dave and I used to head for Filey on an easterly forecast in the 1990s, and would invariably have a good weekend. In the Midlands wet weather should produce waders and terns at the right times of the year at the big reservoirs.
But what about the unassuming habitat within 10 kilometres of my house? This morning the wind was a light north-easterly, and it's the end of August. What to do? With no rain around I had two plans for two species; Tree Pipit and Osprey.
I headed for the top of Cobley Hill in the hope of seeing the former. Noc-miggers had been recording plenty over their gardens for the last few nights, and high ground is best for visible migration. It stood a chance of being a winning ticket.
In the event it wasn't. Nothing flew over at all, apart from four Swallows. A flock of 36 Lapwings was nice to see, but not what I had had in mind.
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| Lapwings |
Time for Plan B. I drove to Lower Bittell where I hung around on the canal dam for about ninety minutes scanning the skies for birds of prey. The reservoir has a good record for Osprey, and late August to mid September is the time.
Not today though. I saw a Sparrowhawk, and at least four Buzzards didn't cut the mustard. To pass the time I counted 20 Little Grebes, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 14 Mute Swans, nine Tufted Ducks, two Teal, 24 Mallard, 31 Coots, 31 Moorhens, two Cormorants, and a Kingfisher. Yawn.
This afternoon I headed to Specsavers to pick up a new pair of glasses.
Perhaps that was the problem!
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