I Didn't Mean to Go to Gosport...

It was all Joe "If you're going to give me a stupid middle name, call me '333 BOU', ok?" Ray's fault....

Really, it was.

The day started fairly innocuously, with me failing to get out of bed early enough to try a seawatch, and instead staggering over to Bowling Green [arriving within an hour of the Great Big High Tide. Yes, that's after it.... Ahem.]. Plenty of birders present, and even more birds, though I was vexed to hear I'd missed a Marsh Harrier putting the fear of big scary talons into the masses...

Beyond the inevitable Canada Horde, a sizable wader roost included an impressive 63 Greenshank, a Spotshank [eventually!] and at least 6 Curlew Sands - though no Little Stints that I could find. A Peregrine, flying over, amazingly didn't even prompt a second glance from the waders, and a Kingfisher showed well on a post [that's 3 in 4 days for me now - hadn't seen a single one before all year!**]. No Osprey on show, but I didn't hang around that long, as I had other fish to fry that morning..

So, on to the Otter - the chance to see a Great Big Humungous Flock of Glossy Ibis was not one to pass up - they so generously hanging about for me. :) The Ibis were present and showed very well, even stretching their wings and flying about a bit :D A vocal Cetti's providing a nice accompaniment.

I also bumped into Joe "Pretty Fly For A White Guy" Ray, who shamelessly ditched poor [Name Withheld For Legal Reasons] after I very very kindly agreed that, yes as I wasn't planning anything else today I would drive him to frickin' Gosport to see the Daurian / Isabelline / definitely-not-a-Red-backed-we-hoped Shrike. [It being a Lifer for me {regardless of any splitting} had, of course, no effect at all on my charitable decision... ;) ]

One very long and only slightly frustrated-by-grockles drive later, we were again struck by 'navigational issues' and ended up in a place other than intended.. Fortunately, with the aid of a Birder Who Shall Remain Nameless and a Friendly Local With a Huge Mastiff/Bulldog Cross, we found the twitch, and the Shrike! She was sitting in a Hawthorn, not doing much, while being abused by assorted passerines - including a smart male Blackcap. We got a good look at her, and she definitely fit the Daurian criteria - quite a pretty bird, in a subtle way. We stayed there for an hour, getting nigh on 30 mins of prolonged view, then a couple more glimpses as she became more active and elusive. The waterside location also gave views of a wreck covered in roosting Redshank, and many of Her Majesty's finest vessels.

It was a long day, and I'm pretty knackered now I have to say, but a very nice bird is on the list - and I saw HMS Victory again! :) [Ok, only her mast tops, but still!]*

*If you ever have the chance, go and see Victory [and the Mary Rose, and Warrior] - such a piece of living history, the air aboard her hums with it.

**EDIT: I've just noticed that. What a fool I am - not my first of the year, as not that long previously I'd seen one at work [albeit distantly flying across the river..]. Perhaps 'my first decent view of the year' would be better..