Thursday March 23 - Influx, what influx?

 It could rightly be said that I haven't given myself much chance of seeing an Alpine Swift during this weeks unprecedented influx of the species into the UK. 

Arrow Valley Lake contained very little of note on Monday morning (a Redpoll was the highlight), and hardly anything today (five Little Egrets). Mappleborough Green Flash was also a disappointment.

Fortunately other birders have been visiting Morton Bagot. Tony K ringed two Skylarks and spotted a Wheatear on Tuesday, while Andy G went there on Wednesday and counted seven Avocets which is a site record.

I've also missed Oystercatcher, Osprey, and Black-tailed Godwit at Earlswood, but none were twitchable.

What no-one's seeing in the West Midlands are Alpine Swifts. 

We all love an ornithological event, but the thing about unprecedented influxes, if you live in the Midlands, is that they largely pass you by. Well they pass me by anyway. 

The Jay influx of 1983 - I was on Scilly and saw none at all.

The Red-footed Falcon influx of 1992 - none in the Midlands, and I timed my Filey visits to miss them completely.

The Pomarine Skua year (1985) did reach the Midlands, but I missed out.

The Honey-buzzard influx of 2000 largely took place on week days, every weekend was unsuitable and Honey-buzzardless. Admittedly the West Midlands got it's fair share, and I eventually twitched one.

There have many more "influxes" of rare birds, but the inland birder almost always misses out.

C'est la vie.