Student Klara Wanelik guest blogs today.
She writes -
This year is my first bird listing year. I reluctantly gave
in to my boyfriend, Jake’s encouragement and started one on New Year’s Day. By
mid-April when I arrived on the Isle of May, Jake was steaming ahead of me with
125 birds on his list and I was lagging behind with just 95. I didn’t think of
myself as a particularly competitive bird lister, but during the two months
that I spent on the Island that all changed…
I ticked off all the resident seabirds very quickly as well
as a Wheatear, a small population of which had landed on the Island. That got
me to 111 but things slowed down after that. I hadn’t got my eye in and I found
it difficult to spot any migrants, let alone identify them. I started to check
the daily sightings board for inspiration and this led me to my first notable
discovery: a Black Guillemot (or “Tistie”).
I ran across the Island to the low light where it had been reported and
sat watching the shore. Finally, I spotted it - a beautiful combination of
black, white and bright red (and no. 112).
Then the weather went downhill and the wind switched to a westerly (I
learnt to despise westerlies, like every other birder on the Island). I didn’t
see anything interesting for a while but just as I was losing hope I glimpsed a
Black Redstart, hopping along a wall by the bain trap in the rain.
My list started to steadily grow after that and I became
infamous for my obsessive listing, giving regular updates on my progress to
everyone at dinner (relative to Jake’s, of course). It wasn’t quite that bad in
reality. When the poor bedraggled Hobby dropped in, I made a point of finishing
my work before sprinting like a maniac down from the south horn to the mouse
house. I made it, and that was no. 124. No. 125 was a Grasshopper Warbler in
the garden behind the low trap. I suddenly realised that I was tied with Jake
and my competitive instinct cranked up a notch. A Sand Martin pushed me into
the lead, followed by a Red-backed Shrike, a Spotted Flycatcher and finally a
Pied Flycatcher (no. 133) - what a beautiful bird.
The most memorable birds came towards the end of my stay.
After partying into the morning and drinking a considerable amount of alcohol,
we were all woken up by a message from the low lighters – they had found a
Woodchat Shrike up at the top trap! I don’t think I’ve ever jumped out of bed
with quite so much excitement. I legged it up palpitation brae to find a small
(and hungover) congregation watching the bird. What a great way to start the
day. My final tick on the island came only a day before I was due to leave. It
was another early morning arrival – a majestic Long-eared Owl. What an end to
an amazing, bird-filled two months on the island.
I left the island at 141, well ahead of Jake, and he still
hasn’t caught up. In case you’re interested, our relationship hasn’t suffered
from all this fanatical listing, yet.
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