Cattle Regret

Hi all,

Its been a bloody long time! Apologies for my apathy and I shall endeavour to rectify my indolence.

On the 26th of June I picked up a year tick in the form of another (three in a row) small, nondescript, brown bird - one of many immortalised under the horrific sobriquet 'LBJ'. I was visiting Boldermere for the first time in god knows how long, buoyant after a sighting, my second of the year, of a Woodlark, perched on a trees tump before being frightened by dog walkers (grrr...). The lake was quiet (Common Tern, GCG, Pochard etc.) so I decided to check the far side of the lake (something I rarely do). I enjoyed a friendly Chiffy before seeing the aforementioned LBJ very briefly flitting between the reeds. I waded through the bog (shallow water and litter) and listened out. Unfortunately I could hear nothing but the near-deafening A3. Eventually it stayed still long enough for me to see it, a Reed Warbler. A pleasing tick. There was a singing male last year but this is the first of 2011.

This brings me to Friday. Friday. Oh, Friday. The day that would host the rarest bird ever to grace WALBOC. Only the second record of this bird - arguably the most successful on Earth - in Surrey (if accepted). The time? 11:25 The place? School. Aaron calls me, there is no answer. I would later check my phone and see a missed call from Aaron which would be greeted by anticipation and deflation (certainly a good bird but I'd most likely missed it). I called back, no answer. Three times more before I got through. 'Hi mate, I've had what I think is a Little Egret'. 'That's good' I thought 'that'll probably still be there, nice year and patch tick for me.' I replied: 'Oh right, nice one, whereabouts was that then?' 'School Farm'. Pause. Alarm bells started ringing. I was increasingly intrigued. For you see, there is no water near School Farm. 'School Farm, whereabouts?', 'In the field up the top with the Cattle.' 'Oh.'

A Little Egret. In a Cattle field far from water. 'What did it look like?' The description came.

'Very small, wouldn't get near your knee; it had a bright orange/yellow beak; yellowy legs; orange/brown on its crown, back and front; but was otherwise all white. It was happily amongst the Cattle.' To me, this was far from pleasing. Dipping a Little Egret was little problem, more would appear. OK, it might take a while but still, they would surely come. Dipping a Cattle Egret however, represented something much worse. Events continued to conspire until I found myself in the Cattle Egret field staring helplessly at a place that was clearly devoid of any sort of white heron. Aaron and four other observers had enjoyed views at down to ten feet. I showed each observer individually a picture of Cattle Egret from the field guide I carry around and each confirmed that it was '100%' the bird they had seen.

How could I miss it? It just didn't seem possible that I could miss a bird so magnificently, fantastically, supremely rare at the very patch I love and care for so deeply. The greatest gem it has ever unearthed and I was not there to see it. Few can tell you how completely devastating that is. It is not a feeling I would wish on any birder.

I searched for two further hours, before making matters worse by dipping the Unstead Red-rumped Swallow. I dipped it again on Saturday and had another monumental search but it had become clear this proverbial ship had sailed. To further augment my agony, I heard two Common Crossbills but could not pick them up. On Sunday I went to Stodmarsh with 'Devil Birder' where I enjoyed a Wood Sandpiper and great views of the two juvenile Night Herons.

Today, for the second time this summer I heard a Turtle Dove purring along he footpath behind School Farm's farmhouse. I just could not find it despite plentiful searching however. Should pick one up eventually (fingers crossed).

So to conclude, a period of highs and very deep lows, I have owed you a post - not an essay as I have delivered, but a post - and I hope it makes up for lost time. Over the long Summer I will hopefully split patching and birding further afield equally and get back to regular posting.

Cattle regret does not do my disgust justice.

WALBOC Patchlist: 105
WALBOC Yearlist: 103