19th November 2008. Today we birded at a little lower altitude and gave the Cheer Pheasant site a miss. At dawn we were over looking some small fields with brambles – not the most impressive of sites but as the light came so did the birds. First up was a Dusky Warbler just feet away feeding in roadside bushes. Next a cracking Black-throated Accentor hopping about in a field while an Olive-backed Pipit preened in a tree above!
Minutes later a Rufous-breasted Accentor landed in the same tree where the pipit had been. Flocks of Slaty-headed Parakeets circled the area occasionally landing briefly in tree tops before screeching away again on mass. We had our breakfast in a lovely flower filled garden where we could watch Short-billed Minivet and Bay-banded Cuckoo. We continued to bird slowly losing altitude and picking up new birds at regular stops. At a roadside lake we took a walk into the forest and added some really great birds – India Scimitar-babbler, Striated and Rufous-chinned Laughing-thrushes, Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher and Golden Bush-robin.
We made our way back up towards Jungle Lore and we neared the lodge a body came tumbling out of the forest onto the track in front of us! It was one of the guys from the lodge who excitedly told us he had just found a Tawny-wood Owl right above the track, right now! How jammy just as we were passing! We climbed up the steep bank into the forest and sure enough there was a huge owl peering down at us. We were just about to leave when a movement in the undergrowth just a few yards in front of us. At first we could see nothing but then suddenly we realised we were looking at a pair of Hill Partridges frozen in the leaf litter relying on their excellent camouflage for protection despite us being so close! What beautiful birds and so so close just amazing! Having feasted our eyes we crept away leaving them in peace.
18 new birds
Bird species total 4057 No such sightings this year with a gale force wind and heavy rain here in North Wales!We will be at the RSPB Conwy Christmas Fair on Sunday 29 November where we will be chatting to visitors about The Biggest Twitch and will have our 2010 Calendars for sale, be great to see you there.Then we have another talk at RSPB Conwy on Friday 11th December at 7pm this will be a new talk with lots of new images and stories from The Biggest Twitch.Posted 191109