Hurry for a harrier

I've been highly tempted by the prospect of a trip getting me four British ticks (including two mega New World warblers) but the main problem is, if I did go ahead with it and something really killer turns up (which it's looking like it might) then I will have no funds to twitch it. I suppose it's best to forget a couple of birds I may have to wait another decade or so for and therefore avoid doing myself out of something that I may never get back. Still, Northern Waterthrush and Black-and-white Warbler are two rarities that have always been near the top of my wanted list and it's painful to see them keep coming up on the pager.

This morning didn't quite go to plan but I ended up at Colne Point in Essex with Phil mid morning. After about twenty minutes we got good views of the juvenile PALLID HARRIER fly past and into the distance, never to be seen again. A nice bird (of course), I just wish it showed for the friends of mine who, regrettably, arrived a bit too late.

After staking it out for another two hours, with no further sign, an Icterine Warbler at Minsmere sounded tempting so we headed that way. No sign in an initial search so we popped into a nearby hide where we became distracted by a Pectoral Sandpiper that I picked out. Apparently it had been seen earlier in the day but I had received no messages about it on my pager (signal was dodgy) so it was a complete surprise for me when that wandered into my scope! A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was the best of the rest and it was a shock to see the escaped Greater Flamingo remaining on the scrape.

Britain Life List: 314

Patch neglect

For the first time this month, I didn't pay my beloved Canons a morning visit. I said to Rob 'The Hob', Dan & Michael as we were leaving at 5.45am that today would be the day that a Wheatear would be at Canons. I was right. I'm not too bothered though, I will get plenty this spring, and I the prospect of my 300th British bird as a legitimate excuse for not giving the patch its usual treatment.

Can you see it? If not, you're not missing much

Arriving at 9.00am, a decent crowd of people were staring at the fort at Landguard with its mist nets and Greenfinch song playing. Within a couple of minutes everyone was shouting 'there it is!' and we saw a small brown bird fly clumbsily across a gap in the vegetation. If you say so . . . but I'm not ticking that. The wait was a bit tense but probably not as long as it felt, then the SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER finally gave itself up, showing well in a small tree. The differences between Eurasian and Short-toed are subtly striking and together create an impression of a rather different bird. A female/immature Black Redstart was also nice.

Spotted Redshank

There was little else around Suffolk so we decided to go to Minsmere. It is nearly five years since I first and last set foot on this reserve and it brought back some memories. A couple of Marsh Tits having a sing-off was great to see and other highlights included my first Sand Martins of the year and a Spotted Redshank while a pair of redhead Goosander at Island Mere was a very pleasant surprise.

Barnacle Goose

Time was getting on and we headed in a homeward direction. At Canons Ian and I showed Rob, Dan and Michael one of the Little Owls. Overhead movement of Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare and Redwing was noticeable towards dusk.

Goosanders