I have still not really recovered my birding mojo since just before Covid struck the world and I have only been out for a couple of 'lifers' and a few organised birding trips in the last three years. But it wasn't Covid that did this to me as I was beginning to feel a bit disinterested in being on the 'birding bandwagon' and photographing the same birds and other animals each year as they came in season. I'm talking about Owls, Kingfishers, Puffins, Gannets, White-tailed Eagles, Bearded Tits, Deer etc. I just can't understand how people can photograph the same set of birds each and every year - I mean how many shots of the same subject do you need?
I am also increasingly concerned about the distances people travel to see rare birds, often (although not always) with only a single person in a car. It must cost them a fortune not to mention the effect this is having on the planet for what are largely unnecessary journeys. Once (or twice) in while is OK, but some people jump in their car every time their phone pings.
So now I am purely focused on getting shots of birds I've never seen or those of which I only have record shots. This discounts all the birds mentioned in the paragraph above. And I will always try to tie in a longish journey with some other activity in the area.
That said, today's bird was a rarity and a lifer for me and increased my UK Life and Greater Manchester Life lists by one. It was an Alpine Swift at Elton Reservoir in Bury one of an unusually large influx across the UK in the last few weeks. Its diagnostic features are a white belly and throat, with a grey-brown chin strap separating the two. It's also larger and slower flying than our common Swifts having longer wings and a shorter tail. They winter in South Africa.
Most of the Alpine Swift sightings this year have been on the east coast with some also in North Wales and a few others dotted around the country and so I was very surprised to hear of this one being so far inland. Elton Reservoir however is a commonly used stop over place for migrating birds with some excellent records over the years. But the birds often don't stay long as I've often learnt to my cost, so the key is to go as soon as you get a reported sighting, and fortunately its only 30 minutes from my home.
I was day late with this one, but thankfully it was present for a second day and when I got the report this morning I was up and out. On arriving at Elton, the car park was full but I managed to get a space as one car was leaving. After a short walk to the Withins end of the reservoir I came a across the posse of birders who were all hoping to see it. Along the way several birders has left without seeing it as it had not been seen since the first report at 9am. But I had the luck with me today, because while chatting about where and when it had been seen this morning, the bird suddenly reappeared.
For most of the time it remained high and distant, giving decent binocular views but too far away for a good photograph. The sun had been shining when I left home, but the clouds slowly rolled in becoming thicker and thicker as the morning progressed. So the weather, combined with the distance, meant that I was only ever going to get record shots, and I was consigned to that fact. If the bird is still present and the weather is good, I may go back.
