A Game of Two Halfs

Start at the beginning. On Saturday news broke of a Hudsonian Godwit in Somerset. Bad news I had committed myself to buying a new carpet! I was cool, the bird will hang around I thought. Wrong, it flew off later that evening and was not seen on the Sunday or the Monday or the Tuesday. I wasn’t wracked with guilt, you win some you lose some. Someone (can’t remember who – symptom of age) asked me wether I had gone for it. No I said seen loads abroad! Later thinking about it I realised that I was thinking Marbled Godwit. So it wasn't just a UK tick it was a LIFER!

Fast Forward
Wednesday I went over the Reservoir and there were around 10 Common Sandpiper and 4 Yellow Wagtails I had a good morning seeing 55 species and a bit of exercise. I had arranged to go shopping at lunchtime so I picked Joy up did the business and took the shopping home and put it away. I wanted to check something on the computer so I quickly looked at RBA to see what was around.

Bloody Hell the Hudsonian Godwit had only reappeared! I thought Second Chance, quoting – Still Game “He who hesitates gets He Haw”. I phoned Joy to tell her I was going and more importantly could she get a couple of hours off. Ten minutes later we were on our way. A little over two hours later we were watching the bird. We enjoyed it for half an hour then left the crowds and did a bit of birding seeing Bittern, Egyptian Goose, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and Swift. We headed home just before 6pm when the traffic had eased and we were sat down just after 8pm with a glass of Lagavulin and a Chinese. You don’t often get a second chance and I’m so glad I took this one.

Hudsonian Godwit, Somerset

Hudsonian Godwit, Somerset