Red-rumped Swallow....Watermead CP North NOW !!!, bugger, shite, stuck at work!!!
Red-rumped Swallow twitch.
Yesterday Morning at around 8.15am I got a phone call from Rob Gill who was at Watermead CP North and he had found a Red-rumped Swallow in the mobile hirundine flock.
At this point, panic struck in as I knew that I couldn't get out of work until mid-afternoon at the earliest, so I thought, bugger, shite, stuck at work!!
I phoned and sent text messages around to let my birding mates of the discovery of the Red-rumped and then got back to dealing with the day job.
Checking my Birdnet pager and Birdguides on the ward computer at regular occasions, to make sure the bird was still there, it wasn't until after three pm, that I finally left the hospital.
As Watermead CP is not that far from the General Hospital, I finally arrived at the "Pec Pit" opposite the Hope and Anchor pub just after 3.20pm.
It took me a few minutes to locate the bird as it flew over the gravel pit feeding with the other hirundines, but was relieved that the bird was still around and finally seeing it as it was a local patch tick to boot!!
Watching the swallow for the next hour or so the bird showed well over the gravel pit.
Meeting up with Ben Croxtall later he let me know that close by at Cropston Resevoir the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Scoters were still around.
Leaving the small crowd at Watermead, it only took me a few minutes to drive over to Cropston Reservoir.
Viewing from the dam, I picked up the assorted seaducks straight away as there feed in front of the dam.
Also as usual I took a few record shots of the Mergansers and the more distant Scoter.
Pleased with seeing these scarce ducks in Leicestershire, I then returned to Watermead CP North to see if the Red rumped Swallow was showing any closer before driving home?
Arriving back at the site the Swallow was now showing down to a few feet and I got the best views I ever had of seeing this species. So at the end of the day I would like to thank Rob for finding an excellent bird and maybe I didn't need to panic so much at work earlier in the day?!?
At this point, panic struck in as I knew that I couldn't get out of work until mid-afternoon at the earliest, so I thought, bugger, shite, stuck at work!!
I phoned and sent text messages around to let my birding mates of the discovery of the Red-rumped and then got back to dealing with the day job.
Checking my Birdnet pager and Birdguides on the ward computer at regular occasions, to make sure the bird was still there, it wasn't until after three pm, that I finally left the hospital.
As Watermead CP is not that far from the General Hospital, I finally arrived at the "Pec Pit" opposite the Hope and Anchor pub just after 3.20pm.
It took me a few minutes to locate the bird as it flew over the gravel pit feeding with the other hirundines, but was relieved that the bird was still around and finally seeing it as it was a local patch tick to boot!!
Watching the swallow for the next hour or so the bird showed well over the gravel pit.
Meeting up with Ben Croxtall later he let me know that close by at Cropston Resevoir the 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Scoters were still around.
Leaving the small crowd at Watermead, it only took me a few minutes to drive over to Cropston Reservoir.
Viewing from the dam, I picked up the assorted seaducks straight away as there feed in front of the dam.
Also as usual I took a few record shots of the Mergansers and the more distant Scoter.
Pleased with seeing these scarce ducks in Leicestershire, I then returned to Watermead CP North to see if the Red rumped Swallow was showing any closer before driving home?
Arriving back at the site the Swallow was now showing down to a few feet and I got the best views I ever had of seeing this species. So at the end of the day I would like to thank Rob for finding an excellent bird and maybe I didn't need to panic so much at work earlier in the day?!?
Thanks to John Hague and Ian Merrill for the excellent photos of the Red-rumped Swallow.
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