Dave gets stuck in (Bird Race update 2)
I’m already regretting being away for New Year's Day. Those pesky kids in the Bird Race have got a flying start and are well ahead. So to catch up I am going to have to use guile, intelligence, experience... and if that doesn’t work just plenty of hard slog. But if I compare myself to a tortoise, I will take hope in the fable and pray that a slow start doesn’t matter, it is all about who crosses the line first.
So the 2nd of January was my first day in the race and I have started early. A step outside the back door of home in the dark before dawn and I hear my first two species: the querulous call of lapwings and the urgent piping of teal feeding in the fields. I am lucky in some ways as I live on the reserve so can hear birds all around. Carrion crow and whooper swan quickly made themselves heard too.
Two whooper swans fly overhead in the dawn sky
Looking out the window over breakfast added pheasant, starling and little egret. Then it was out onto the eastern, quieter end of the reserve for a look around. I was accompanied by my glamorous assistant, Finn the dog, whose appalling bird ID skills (anything live is a pheasant, anything dead is breakfast) are more than made up for by his enthusiasm, positive attitude and general good behaviour. It proved to be a quiet morning with plenty of walking needed to add more species. But eventually barnacle, pink-footed and greylag geese all went in the book, plus widgeon, shelduck and a rather fine great egret in the distance. On the way back to the house a group of about 30 siskin feeding on alder cones was a nice find.
Male wigeon rests on the water with the winter sun on his back
A half hour watching the bird feeders added more species, bullfinch and goldfinch being the most colourful. And then a walk out to the edge of the saltmarsh before dusk got me a few more, rooks and jackdaws heading in to roost and best of the whole day a drifting male hen harrier working is way along the reedbeds by the river.
So the day ends with a list of 37. I am on the board but need to find some good birds to catch up with those kids.
Words and pictures by Dave Pickett
