You know how it is. You've been out birding in the morning and have written everything up. Time for a nice relax on the sofa. The phone bleeps, but you don't really notice. An hour later it's getting gloomy, you look at your phone. It says Kittiwake at Earlswood a.t.m. The message is timed at 14.23, its now 15.35. Stick or twist?
I twisted. At the end of the road I considered turning round, there had been no news for an hour. I pressed on and arrived at 15.55. The lakes are full of water. My first visit this year, so I tick Great Crested Grebe.
I scan Engine Pool. Nothing. Two Black-headed Gulls are heading away. I must have missed it. I walk across the causeway and half way down Engine Pool. Further scans fail to produce the bird or any birders. I give up, it's obviously gone. Back at the causeway there's a Whatsapp message from the finder Matt. It says "it's the only gull still present, it's by the eastern floating island".
I turn around and gather pace. Half way down I scan the vicinity of the nearest floating island. Nothing. He must mean the other island. I hurry on and scan the area round the second island. Nothing. I spot Matt and walk towards him. "It's gone hasn't it" I say. Matt looks over my right shoulder. "No, it's still here". Good grief.
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| Kittiwake |
I saw it at last, but I don't think I deserved it.
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