Sparrow Twitch

 With a very dodgy weather forecast, it seemed a good idea to twitch the White-throated Sparrow that has been knocking about Barcombe for the last few weeks, this bird had largely gone under my radar, what with lockdown, but had been reported a regularly for the last couple of days and as the Sat Nav said it was only 20 minutes away seemed rude not to go!! The forecast suggested the rain would set in about 8 o'clock, so alarm set for 6AM, which gave me a couple of hours to connect with the bird and get home whilst staying dry, I needn't have worried the forecast was wrong and at time of writing (10.49) there has been no sign of any rain!! (quelle surprise!!) 

With Margie opting for the stay in bed option, I was on me own and arrived in Barcombe in good time, despite a couple of closed roads! A quick stroll and I was on site, was a few Birders present, who obviously, unlike me remembered the difference between first light and sunrise!! The news was mixed with the bird having already been seen but not showing at the moment, could it be one of those "you should have been here 10 minutes ago" scenarios that Twitchers fear so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!😰 Well to cut through the suspense, no! After a short but anxious wait the bird appeared and paraded around quite well, although the dull light didn't help with the photography side of things!!

White-throated Sparrow

White-Throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

The bird disappeared into the undergrowth, I decided to wait for another better show! Other birders were arriving, numbers building up, now I was on the right side of the "you should of have been here 10 minutes ago" equation, I had that smug feeling that all birders know but obviously never let  show 😀! About 30 odd people there good social distancing going on but I moved to the edge of the throng, was quite a nice area, several other birds appeared out of the copse, Bullfinch, Blackcaps, a few Chiffchaffs, multiple Robins and Blackbirds obviously as I was in full twitch mode so ignored the many photo opportunities (basically to slow to get on em) though I did get a Robin in Blossom which was quite cool!!

Robin in Blossom

So time passed, in my position on the end of the bunch, the responsibility of covering the bushes to the left weighed heavy, but my diligence paid off when the bird appeared in the heart of a blossom tree, would have been an awesome picture, but selflessly I called the bird so everyone got on it but in that fraction of a second the bird moved and I missed the shot, a victim of my own philanthropy, I'm to nice for my own good really!!😂😎😇😇😇 anyway the bird returned to the picnic table,(I suspect there may be seed put down?).

The bird then relocated to a tree where it proceeded to sing, lovely to hear, seemed mournful to perhaps the knowledge that he won't attract a mate coloured my thinking.😢Though you never know a randy Dunnock might turn up and he'll get his leg over!! (you know what Dunnocks are like!!😲😅) Unfortunately it's position and my position, meant a pesky twig was awkward

Pesky Twig

The bird left the tree flew out over our head, over the allotments and into the hedge line where it continued to sing.

By now, after standing around for the best part of 2 hours hypothermia was setting in, this  problem often happens to me despite many thermal clothes, the cold creeps up on me, when I'm concentrating on the birds and not moving much, the  next thing you know I'm shaking uncontrollably so home I went for a celebratory coffee and a Hot Cross Bun or two!! Margie was still in bed!!!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

So a successful morning a cracking little bird, number 370 for my British list!!