So having decided that our plan would be to spend most of our time in "our" area but that we could not resist hitting some big areas just outside and that 100 species was doable - we plotted our route and timings and we struck to it. Admittedly, nothing special turned up elsewhere and so we were not challenged to stick to the plan - but stick to it, we did. We were up at 04:30, the bird-mobile was fired up by 05:02 and we were all "on site" by 05:14. Energy levels at 05:00 are remarkably high. That first House Sparrow is a nail biter ... the Starling that is "usually on those wires" sets the nerves jangling a bit. Our "certain Razorbill to fly past the Island" didnt materialise.
Missing bird number 1. The thing about Razorbills is that they're a bit particular. I mean, yeah, Greenfinch kind of turn up everywhere. We picked up our only Collared Dove as it flew over the car. Our one and only Bullfinch flew past us at high speed. But Razorbills - unless you're on a headland, and you're looking out to sea ... you ain't gonna connect. They're not going to pop up as you're listening for cuckoos nor are they going to be bobbing up and down in your local res. You get one shot at them. A black and white deal. A binary bird, if you will. And we missed one. Of course they've been flying past in flocks since the Big Day ...
Missing Bird Number 6. Med Gull. Any other time of year there's hundreds of them. Any time of year there's usually a few knocking about. We've had them almost daily off the Island before and since ... but the day itself? Not a sniff.
Missing Bird Number 7 and 8. Lesser Whitethroat and Grasshopper Warbler. So, here's the thing. Knowing that we were doing a Big Day, a few days prior, we scouted about a bit and kind of lined up a couple of normally tricky species for West Cornwall. These 2 are not common at all down here. Certainly Lesser Whitethroat is probably rare enough to cause 'mini-twitches' when one turns up. But this year, there's been a few. Liam found one singing a few days ago above St Ives. Alan was there the day before and heard 2, possibly 3. In the same location Liam had nailed down a Grasshopper Warbler for a day or 2. We knew we'd need a touch of luck to get both - but the wind made sure that we got neither. And they've not been heard since.
Everyone loves a Big Day. But not everyone loves to read an endless list of birds that were seen during someone else's Big Day. "The first House Sparrow of the day was nailed by Big Dave and everyone got on to it by 5:23am - then Small Steve heard a nasally call and we all shouted "Greenfinch in the bag" at 5:27 am... - you get the picture. So this is NOT an endless count of the birds we saw during May 10th across various sites between St Ives, Penzance and Hayle. If its a list of anything, it's a list of what we missed ... and boy, did we miss some slam-dunk birds.
But before all of that, if you haven't done a Big Day - and now that we're old-hands at this - then let us share some advice:
- Prior to the Big Day - have a plan - and stick to it. Or have someone there who knows the plan and isn't afraid to wave a big stick.
- Prior to the Big day - employ a data scientist to record the sightings, times, locations etc. If you're not using eBIrd ... good luck. Backs of fag packets will not help you here
- During the Big Day - have someone keeping an eye on the clock. Its amazing how easy it is to lose track of time - you're enjoying the day, finding that Nuthatch is the single most important thing in your life right now ... do you know you have spent an hour and a half on it? Is it worth it?
Missing Bird Number 2. And this is the biggie. We're ashamed actually. Really ashamed. I mean, any other day of the year you're pretty much tripping over them and hearing them alarm calling on any bit of estuary, decent coastline, marsh etc. Bloody Redshank! Redshank!! We did Hayle - TWICE - St Gothian Sands - Marazion ... what more could we do.? Leave it. Move away from the vehicle! Nothing to see here, move on. Literally. We don't want to talk about it. We haven't for 5 days.
Missing Bird Number 3 and 4. Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker. So, these guys aren't exactly falling out of the trees here. Do you know how limited their ranges are here in West Cornwall? There isn't a huge amount of mature trees and woodland down here. Well, there's enough, lets be honest ... and the day after the Big Day there was one drumming at Bussow... BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT - none of the little bastards were there on the Big Day.
Missing Bird Number 5. Common Gull. Blimey - there were 2 the day before and there was one the day after. But Hayle Estuary looked like the Gobi Desert when we were there. A blasting north east wind, whipping the sand off the banks and into our eyes, all the gulls were lined up against it - Herring Gulls. All of them.
Other Missing Birds That We Might Have Got If Only We'd Had A Bit Of Luck. Gadwall, Wigeon, Sandwich Tern ... and that's the thing of the day - luck - or rather the lack of it. We had no luck. We can't say we were unlucky but we certainly didn't catch a break all day with a "rare" or even rather uncommon.
The result was that in 16 hours of continuous birding - 33k steps - 25 eBird checklists - we recorded 92 species. If we'd had a bit of luck and the Missing Birds - we'd have hit 100 maybe a couple more. The weather was good - it didn't rain - but man alive! the easterly wind that got stronger and more northerly as the day progressed was a real killer for birding. It just kept everything down and hidden. An east wind is a good thing in many birding hotspots. Even in Cornwall it can do good things - especially with a bit of rain and grot in it which brings the birds down. But an east wind without a cloud in the sky doesn't give out many favours.
We did see some good birds - Garganey on Marazion, 3 Peregrines, 4 Cuckoos, 5 Wheatears, Sanderling and Dunlin and Fulmar (Bussow rocks!!) in unexpected places, and a solid list of "fillers" but nothing that would cause a sharp intake of breath or even a mild raise of the eyebrows. It was however great fun. And best of all - Be still, my beating heart! - we saw an effing Coot!
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