News then of an odd large pipit in a soggy Sennen was initially met with little excitement - news though of its continued stay was providing local birders with prolonged viewing opportunities as well as sound recording and even mDNA sampling via droppings.
Expert opinion seemed to be pointing towards an incredulous outcome - could this really be a Paddyfield Pipit? Should we wait for nice weather to go and see a potential 'First for Britain'? No!
Despite a very obviously naff weather forecast for the Saturday (2 Nov), we headed out at 5am. And it really did get f****** windy. With trees and branches down along the route, we eventually arrived to find a soggy field being battered by gales and rain - perfect...not!
Well, we weren't going to see this thing in the car, so eventually we ventured out and got muddy - very muddy. As fortune had it, all was not to be lost and by the great hand of the birding gods in teh sky, I relocated our quarry by pure chance as I slipped my way to seek a new (sheltered) vantage point.
So what was it? Well, I don't know - but the acoustics do indeed seen to point to this being Paddyfield Pipit. And if the mDNA confirms that, it would potentially be the most outstanding rare passerine records I will ever see in the UK. I for one do not think this could be and escape of ship-assisted - but we'll just have to wait to see what the DNA doctors make of samples taken...
 |
| Presumed Paddyfield Pipit (Lee Gregory - that's name of the photographer, not the bird) |
 |
| Presumed Paddyfield Pipit (Lee Gregory) |
 |
| Paddyfield crowd... |
 |
| Cornish paddyfield... |
No comments:
Post a Comment