Despite it being a thoroughly grotty day, I shrugged off a sudden but thankfully brief compulsion to go to RSPB Starbucks and headed to CQNR for the high tide instead.Now, a question: what does a former defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears called William Perry and the West Hide have in common? Answer later.
Anyway, birds. Good numbers of Oysties and Dunlin today, with the latter extremely jittery before finally settling on the marsh quite close to the hide.
A few Great Crested Grebes drifted in on the tide, but a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers over nearer Flint Point was a pleasant surprise and a new bird for me at the reserve.
Also good to see was a Rock Pipit that paused briefly on the perimeter of the marsh before flying off towards the power station.
With the risk of my extremities developing frostbite, I was thinking of heading over to the bunded pools, but a passerine feeding near a few Redshanks drew my attention.
A quick glimpse of the bird revealed a probable Lapland Bunting, but it soon slipped behind a clump of grass. Eventually after a quick game of hide and seek it was again visible and after getting another observer on the bird we were confident of the identification.
The bird then melted into the vegetation, before another observer located two birds a little further back. Despite the driving rain and lousy visibility both individuals displayed the bill and classic head pattern of a Longspur.
Predictably they were soon lost to sight and a fifteen minute search drew a blank. A Skylark then appeared and a four of five minutes later two Meadow Pipits, but alas no Buntings…
Naturally I had now started to question the original identity of the bird(s) and as time passed with no further sign, the doubts really started to creep in.
Having watched a brace of Lapland Buntings at the Point of Ayr about a month ago – including one stunning male – I was fairly confident I hadn’t made a mistake, but in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary it didn’t look good!
So, I’m not sure what to think really. It’s not very palatable to conclude that after four years birding I can’t tell the difference between a Pipit and a Bunting, but I must admit I may have in the words of a former boss ‘dropped a bollock.’
Connah’s Quay NR 8.11.2010
3,000 Oystercatcher
1,200 Dunlin
1 Spotted Redshank
375 Teal
2 Red-breasted Merganser
7 Goldeneye
1 Peregrine
1 Rock Pipit
1 Kingfisher
74 Great-black Backed Gull
2 Meadow Bunting
Until later.
Answer: ‘The Refrigerator’
after getting your text re lapland bunting at cq res just had time to nip over before a grotty day got darker, not knowing where lb was seen opened windows on all sides of w hide,looked allround for an hour or so picked up curlew sand with dunlin in gutter. was just about to go but had one last all round check and caught sight of small pass flitting around reeds near side of ash pool.got my scope on to at least 4 buntings,even in poor light i could make out head markings 2 white wing bars pale under parts looked good for laps roosting in reeds will try get a better look in the morning
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