New Year's Day Bird Race

So after several days of planning I was ready to take on my Dad and his mate in the annual New Year's Day Bird Race. I had been studying the SOS website as well as people's blogs and trying to work out the best route to maximise the day total. THEN news broke of a Little Bustard on New Year's Eve in Fraisthrope, East Yorks! Balls - There goes my bird race with my Dad and after several phonecalls we had organised a car full including Matt (Driver), Ian B, Ads B and myself. A plan was hatched and we all met at Pease Pottage at 2.30am

Little Bustard - Record Shot

On site just before first light we all walked miles further than we had to and were soon joined by hundreds of birders. We estimated that there were probably about 400 birders at first light and this to me showed the magnitude of this stunning bird. With so many eyes looking it was not long before someone managed to see its tiny head poking up above the Kale. BOOOOOM!!!! I literally never thought I would see any kind of Bustard in Britain and I was chuffed to bits... queue the celebratory selfie!!!


Happy Days!

Next stop was the Blyth's Pipit at Pugneys in West Yorks via Maccy D's for a standard twitching brekkie! Good to see Jonny H again and soon enough we were enjoying the Pipit once more. A decent bird and a quality year tick! Finally to break up the journey for a bit for Matt, Ads managed to work out where the female Ring-necked Duck was in Northants so we nipped in there on the way home. A cracking day with decent company...