I had a bit of a dilemma about where to go. There had previously been two Snow Buntings at Thorney, so when only one was seen on the Sunday, I was sceptical the remaining bird would stay. I also wanted to go to Selsey Bill at some point to try and pick up Guillemot, a species I needed on my year list. So it was as I was thinking things through, that a thought struck me- I could do both. Maybe. I had to be back home by 13:30 for a live Environmental Management lesson, which was a bit of a spanner in the works. After a long time of mulling over the train times, I figured out I might just be able to do it. I would need to take my bike with me to Chichester, lock it up at the station, catch the bus to Selsey, do some seawatching there, then take the bus back to Chichester, get my bike, get on a train, get off at Emsworth and bike to Thorney, try and find the Snow Bunting before rushing back to catch a train that would get me back just before my lesson. Quite complicated. So much depended as well on what was seen. If it's a great morning at Selsey, I may not want to go to see the Snow Bunting if it's not reported, and vice versa. Presuming I took the 6:45 train from Petersfield, I would have a total of 6 hours birding before I had to be back- sounds like a lot.... well, it isn't. The journey to Selsey takes about 2 hours, and is similar back, leaving only 2 hours of actual birding. And that's without actually walking/biking to the places I want to be.
So basically, I was very tight for time, and was completely winging it- as you'll soon see.
After a relatively uneventful journey to Selsey, I got off the bus and started walking to the beach. The waves were ferociously pounding against the sea wall, soaking me as the spray flew into the car park. I didn't mind it much, though, as I knew the strong winds from the South may well be pushing birds much closer in. Already, I could see plenty of Gannets moving through, and a few small flocks of Razorbill.
After making it to the other birders, which turned out to be quite difficult because of the high tide blocking my way along the beach, I set up my scope and started looking longingly out to sea, hoping something good might turn up. The past few days have had some likely Pallid Swifts, Long-tailed Skua, Balearic and Manx Shearwater. So there were many possibilities, and a decent unexpected bird would be yet another big boost in my push for 200 birds this year. Currently sitting at 194, if I manage to get Guillemot and the Snow Bunting, it would be 196- nearly within touching distance... but more on that later.
More and more Gannets flew through (really great birds imo), and plenty more Razorbill. No sign of anything interesting, though.
Two Common Scoters flew through very distantly.
I was starting to wonder if anything would turn up, and if there was much point in me staying much longer. Everything promising out at sea just turned out to be a gull.
I spotted another "gull" way off in the distance, but all the same, as is mandatory, put my bins up just to make sure. Hmm. I got my camera out; this looked interesting. After getting my camera onto it, I was nearly certain what it was. Big, brown, skua-like and had the right plumage- surely? I was just about to shout it out when the birder beside me pipped me to the post, raising the other birders' attention to "a big bird flying west, probably a gull," as had been my first thought. But this was no gull. All the others got their scopes on it, and my high "suspicions" were confirmed.
"It's a Bonxie" were the three words that sent my heart rate rocketing. Incredible.
I was thrilled. I've never seen Great Skua before. What a lifer. All of a sudden, the trip was well and truly alive. The unexpectedness of it was what really got me.
One second, you're feeling cold and a bit glum, wondering what the point was of getting up at 5:45 to watch common birds, the next, you're absolutely buzzing.
I love birdwatching.
With blood pumping through my veins after the incredible experience, I reviewed my shots, feeling very happy with the ones I had got.
It flew right along the skyline before turning south and flying away from us, battling against the winds.
The views were distant, but still very much good enough to satisfy. After all, who wouldn't be happy with an unexpected lifer that sends your year list to 195? And I still had time left today to see some more species... hopefully.
It wasn't too long after the incredible Bonxie that a flock of auks very distantly differed from the more common Razorbill that had been passing through. These were Guillemot- a year tick, and one I've been very much needing. Sadly, I couldn't get my camera onto them, but scope and binocular views were good enough. My year list pushed up to 196, and I was feeling very optimistic.
A few divers and grebes were about, including a Red-throated that had been on the sea before flying up.
Time was rapidly departing, and I had yet another difficult decision to make.
I didn't mention this before, but there had been a Turtle Dove the past few days at Marin Drive, where it turns out, there is a bus stop. It was about 9:45 at this point. Not much else was going on around the bill, so I decided to head in that rough direction. Here was my problem. There was a 10:03 bus from Marine Drive that would get me into Chichester in well enough time to go and see the Snow Bunting before heading home, but I didn't want to just not try and find the Turtle Dove- I've never seen one in the UK before. There were buses at 10:23 and 10:33, but with the way the train times worked, they would only leave me 40 minutes in Emsworth- it's 20 minutes biking there and back, and a long walk to actually get to the bunting, so I may not have even had time to get to the right place if I took these options.
It was 10:00 exactly as I was walking down Marine Drive, looking desperately for any sign of the dove. Apparently, it sometimes goes into gardens, making this task even more difficult. With no sign of it halfway down the road, I had to make a decision. Run back the way I had come to catch the bus that would leave me time at Thorney, or risk staying here for a bit longer in the hope the Turtle Dove would show, and that I could go as quick as possible to Thorney and still see the bunting. There was only one sensible option. I started sprinting back as fast as I could with camera, bins, scope and rucksack all slowing me down. I made it to the bus stop at about 10:02 and noticed a large gathering of Collared Doves in a tree. Well, if the Turtle Dove was here, surely this is where it would be? I put my scope down next to the bus stop and walked ten meters to get a better view of the doves. With the sound of the bus fast approaching in my ear, I snapped a few quick shots of the group to review on the bus. Circling round and running back to the stop to hail the bus just in time, I got on a bit breathless.
Slightly pessimistically, I reviewed the photos; I hadn't seen anything that looked like a Turtle Dove in amongst them. Indeed, nothing.
The bus was due to get into Chichester around 10:40, narrowly missing a train that left at 10:38. I was hoping to get the 11:03 train, which would leave me just enough time in Emsworth to see the bird.
My bus ended up getting in on time, but the 10:38 train was delayed by 4 minutes, meaning I was able to catch it, but only just.
After making it to Emsworth, I biked as fast as I could to Thorney Island, locked up my bike, and headed towards the pin. The walk took longer than expected.
As I was walking as quick as I could, I noticed someone in the distance on the sea wall- maybe a birder? If so, I hoped he would be able to tell me if he had seen the bunting or not, and exactly where it was today. As I got closer, I saw him sit down on the wat sea wall and raise his camera- surely he was photographing the bunting? I couldn't see the bird anywhere on the ground in front of him. As I got closer, I had another scan of the rock in front of the birder, and still couldn't see the bird. It was only when I looked actually at the birder to see where his camera was pointing that I realised. There, incredibly just a few feet from the fellow birder, was the Snow Bunting.
I was very excited.
I quickly walked closer and got some shots.
It was very windy, which made keeping the camera still difficult.
I was absolutely stunned. Not only was I watching the bunting, but only a few meters away. The lighting was bad from where I was, so I moved around the bird to where there was better lighting. I really enjoyed just watching the bird with my naked eye as it was so close.
The bird was just not fazed one bit by me and the other birder.
Even though I had seen the bird and gotten some great shots, I was still reeling them off, as with the long walk, I knew I wouldn't be able to watch the incredible bird for very long.
It started feeding, giving brilliant views of it going about its everyday life.
A heavily cropped headshot
The images of just watching the bird feed with my naked eye so close are a memory never to forget.
The bird came so close at one point that, camera couldn't focus on it at full focal length.
I did some maths and reckoned I had about another 5-10 minutes watching the bird before I needed to hot-foot it back to my bike.
The bird was literally so close I could have reached out and touched it.
As I'm sure you can already tell, I was enjoying myself!
A lifer in incredible fashion, and number 197 on my year list. I should hope I will be able to get to 200 now.
This is the 4th bunting species I've seen (I think), with Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, and Little Bunting being the others. This is by far the closest I've ever seen one. Although I guess that goes without saying!
The bird moved around a bit to a slightly better location, quickly filling up my SD card.
It then dropped off the wall onto the beachy bit below.
I was starting to make my way back at this point, but the bunting seemed to be following me!
It went back up onto the sea wall, and I got a few final shots.
In the end, I practically had to force myself to leave- I just wanted to stay there for hours.
And so I walked off, passing by the bunting right at my feet, hardly a meter away as I did, feeling exceptionally pleased with the day's work.
And so the day comes to an end, with, somehow yet again, birds added to my list. And not one, not two, but three... Now I'm at 197, I imagine I should be able to get to 200... I still haven't seen Spotted Redshank, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck and a few more that I should be able to get. I'm feeling unstoppable with the year list right now... we're only three days into November and I've had a whopping three lifers and four year ticks. Things seem to really have kicked off since Dad's birthday- Water Pipit, Black-throated Diver, Velvet Scoter, Great Grey Shrike, Isabelline/Red-tailed Shrike, Pink-footed Goose, Bittern, Crane, Bonxie, Guillemot, and Snow Bunting. That's 11-year ticks and 8 lifers. At the start of October, I was pretty sure I wouldn't make it to the 200, with another 15 birds needed. Now, hardly into November, it seems more likely than not that I'll make it. What birds will get me there, I don't know. It would be nice to try and go somewhere great for number 200. I keep on saying it, but we'll have to see. I'm sounding like a broken record at this point! 🤣
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