Little Tern

Not only a county tick, but a self-found county tick - the best kind. Glad Steve got there in time, but somewhat gutted that Jim Gurney - surely one of the most pleasant and charming birders in our fair county - arrived just too late. Can't recall the last bird I found that Jim saw, but he took it with remarkable good grace...again. I'm sure he must secretly think that I'm a big stringy tw@t. ;-) So many of my finds are either 'ephemeral' or located at the arse-end of nowhere.

For those that are interested, why not submit your county self-found life lists on this website. Choose Bedfordshire from the county list and select the self-found option:

http://www.bubo.org/

Above photograph courtesy of SCB.

DOM

Pink-footed Goose

(definite article/ indefinite article)

Recently, I was reminded that we are playing by Punkbirder rules.

This morning (18 March) there was a Pink-footed Goose with Greylag and Canada Geese at DWE Pits. According to the Punkbirder website, this would be a valid self-find; satisfying both the time and distance criteria: http://punkbirder.webs.com/selffoundrules.htm

Unless, of course, someone is able to cite an obscure and esoteric self-finding by-law from 1856.

Just to be on the safe side, I thought I would check for recent, local records:

i) 04 February 2014, Henlow Grange, (RH)
ii) 12 January 2014, Southill Park, (BJN)
iii) 19 January 2014, Wardown Park, (AG)
iv) 06 January 2013, Warren Villas NR (DOM)
v) 02 November 2012, Broom GP's (RIB)

(NB - I cannot find the 2013 SFYL spreadsheet and the only records on the Bird Club BirdTrack account are from Cainhoe and the presumed injured Harrold bird.)

Barry doesn't self-list (ii) and I did not count iv, but why have records i, iii and v been counted as self-finds? The particularly galling point about record v is that I was with Richard at the time but refused to tick it. As I said to him ''I'm not claiming that because there is no way I'd have picked it out, at that distance, and with bins only!''

So, I think that everyone should be able to tick PG's or no-one should, in the same way that we deal with Barnacle Geese.

Also, I am sure I am not the only one to question some claims (I question my own!), so perhaps we should hold votes on the veracity of certain disputed claims as they arise?

Thoughts please gentlemen?

D

Bedfordshire ZC100 Club

I am usually rubbish at waterbirds.

The first person to mention that the w, a, t, e and r in the statement above are superfluous, is going to get a punch in the face....although you would probably have a valid point.

I am rubbish at waterbirds because the nearest decent bodies of water are about a four mile walk away. But since I gave up smoking six months ago, the trek down to the Ivel or Tetworth is no more onerous than a walk in the park. ;-)

My 100th zero-carbon tick this morning with a smart drake Pintail at a fog-bound DWE Pits. As I mentioned in my post to the message group, I am pleased that it wasn't something more challenging.

I expect to score higher in the wader and wildfowl categories this year, but will still probably come in around last place.

Atb,

D

Equally failed!

Spent a good long time grilling the wildfowl on the patches of open water at DWE Pits and Warren Villas for Pintail, Shelduck or Scaup this morning - no such luck either. Good numbers of the more common stuff though.

My only SFYT today was a Red Kite east over Biggleswade Common - then The Lodge - shortly after nine o'clock. Don't suppose my fellow competitors will be losing too much sleep over that one...

DOM

Jack Snipe

Arriving at DWE Pits mid-morning, a group of Snipe were lined up along the north eastern shore, one of which was smaller, (relatively-speaking) short-billed and with striking, golden 'braces' and unbarred flanks. Nice...and with nine (Common) Snipe for comparison in beautiful light, an easy clincher, even at c.60m. That brings me level with Mr Palmer on 128, for the time being.

After lunch, spent until after dusk looking for Woodcock and Short-eared Owl at a couple of sites near Potton...to no avail...yet.

DOM