Big Pub Garden Birdwatch

With apologies to the RSPB. Why not visit their version here: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

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Following last years summer Birds & Beer Tour, we decided to attempt a winter version. As the buses are two-hourly in the winter, and light was at a premium, we decided to throw all our eggs into one basket and conduct the whole thing in one place, The Dun Cow.

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We got our beer, took up a table each by the roadside (it was cold, no-one else ventured outside other than to smoke) and started at just gone 11. We reached 20 species quickly, including flyby Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff. 'Scoping the beach car park we added pub mega Snow Bunting, along with Turnstone and Knot. The Knot was a lone bird in with the Turnstone, I missed it initially and had to wait another hour and a half before a walker flushed it.

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A break for a roast lunch, and we were back out and ready to go again. Marsh Harriers were up, Adam located a lone Fieldfare, Gary found a distant Sparrowhawk, and then a second big pub tick with the local Barn Owl hunting in front of us. Egyptian Goose, Pheasant & Little Egret were all seen, before I brought up 50 with a Stock Dove. This milestone accomplished and freezing conditions made me & Adam decided it was time to leave, much to Gary's discust. I get the impression he would have stayed well into the night with a torch if the buses still ran then.

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A fun days birdwatching, with educational bits as its all added experience of identifying birds as flypasts, in the distance and on jizz etc. The patrons of the pub were very courteous, with one of the staff asking what we'd seen and getting updates on our progress. The food was good too, go there, buy stuff, maybe I'll get commission.