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HUDSONIAN GODWIT IN SOMERSET.

Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath, Somerset

IT IS 32 YEARS SINCE THE LAST TWITCHABLE HUDSONIAN GODWIT in the UK. Even though I had already seen lots of photos of it on the internet, I like witnessing events in our ornithological history like this. Rocket and I enjoyed a great day out from East Lancs to see this true MEGA rarity. When you look at their sparse and fragmented breeding range in Canada and Alaska it is surprising that they occur here at all but they are big wanderers and have made it to both New Zealand and South Africa as well! The jet black underwings meant that it did not pass in the crowd of Black-tailed Godwits in flight and we had plenty of nice views over around four hours, sometimes in pouring rain. My previous sighting in the UK was 32 years and 2 days ago, 11.690 days to be precise. A lot has happened in that time and I wonder how long it will be until the next one? I am thinking I might not be around to see it.  We also saw several hobbies, a couple of Great Egrets, one Little Egret and a Cetti's Warbler plus lots more heard singing, along with the booming of a couple of bitterns and the Macc Lads on the way home. Another classic day out that we will remember for a long time!

Rocket heading back to the car before another heavy shower on a stormy day in May.

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BLACK ROSY-FINCH

Black Rosy-Finch, Silverthorne, Colorado

Black Rosy-Finch, Silverthorne, Colorado

BLACK ROSY-FINCH IS THE STAR non-grouse on the Colorado spring chicken run. I am so lucky with this bird, never to have missed it but I haven't seen it in the same place twice on each tour and it is emminently missable! With a restricted breeding range it is a true USA endemic - it isn't even on any other country's list as a vagrant! They are almost always in the minority of rosy-finch flocks in Colorado as well, which sometimes makes finding then a challenge, when the finches are resting in pine trees for instance. However, once around a feeding station they do not pass in a crowd and are the smartest of the quartet of North American rosy-finch forms in my opinion. I'm hoping that my present lucky streak holds out for them.

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DUSKY GROUSE

Dusky Grouse, Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

DUSKY GROUSE IS ONE OF COLORADO’S MAGNIFICENT SEVEN grouse species (there is an eighth, Ruffed Grouse, but this one is a little too remote in Dinosaur National Monument to be included in the spring grouse circuit). It was great to spend some time hanging out at one of my favourite birding sites of all before the tour – The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Pete and I had some great encounters, including a male that sat up perfectly on an exposed, lichen-covered rock, the early morning sun catching its plumage with a dark background. I could hardly have composed a nicer setting in my mind’s eye. Apart from its Dusky Grouse, the Black Canyon is a great place to bird at the same time as admiring its jaw-dropping scenery. There are few places in the world like it.

Pete Loncar enjoys breakfast overlooking the Painted Wall.

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WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN

White-tailed Ptarmigan - a vision of blue-and-white in the first rays of early morning sun.

WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BIRDS and I have been lucky to have many great encounters with these beautiful high altitude grouse in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Snowshoes tightened in the dark, I set off with my friend Pete Loncar on a long hike, intended to reach the ptarmigans just as the first morning rays of sun hit the snowy slopes where they spend the winter. On the way up we could see the tracks of Snowshoe Hares on the sides of the trail and eventually we were thrilled to see some of their makers as well, in their white winter coats. They were very timid and it was still quite dark before dawn. I am hoping that one day we will see something much bigger on this hike! We were lucky to have timed our arrival perfectly and as we arrived in the place to be, the sun was just popping over the mountain ridges to the east of us, lighting up the ptarmigans perfectly. We were careful not to disturb them too much even though they allowed very close approach, life is hard enough up here at 4000m ASL and we could watch them feeding on small willow buds, moving from one clump of bushes to another. In total 39 birds were scattered across a fairly small area, some taking shelter next to the tiny pine trees dotted amongst the willow bushes. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the first time I saw White-tailed Ptarmigans here, where did all the time go?

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