Blast from the past....

Just going through a few old slides that I had copied on to digital format some years back, and thought them worth a view.  Brings back some fond memories from the early 1980's.

Parrot Crossbill, Holkham woods, Norfolk

This was a mega weekend spent in Norfolk over the New Year, with Somerset birders Dave Paull, the late Alan Bundy and I cannot remember who the 4th person was.  I do vaguely recall that it was an extremely boozy weekend, and recollections are rather hazy, but I think we saw Red-breasted Goose and Parrot Crossbill, which at least I could prove with the photo.....

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Cheddar Reservoir

This Buff-breast was one I found on my local patch at Cheddar Reservoir, and one of a good number of waders I found there over the years.  These included Marsh Sandpiper, two Wilson's Phalaropes, at least six Pec Sands, Temminck's Stint, Red-necked Phalarope, American Golden Plover...those were the days.

Ipswich Sparrow, Portland

This was the one at Portland, which did not seem to provoke much interest for several days, but I did manage to see it, and get reasonable views.  Still a good bird to have seen...

Wilson's Phalarope, West Huntspill, Somerset

This was one found on a tiny sludge pit on the Huntspill river by Brian Rabbitts, giving great views in such an unsavoury place.

Terek Sandpiper, Ladies Mile, Limassol, Cyprus, April 1983.

It was my dear old Dad who actually found this one.  My good mate Andy Pay and I was scorching the area looking for raptors, and Dad mentioned several times that there was a wader with an upturned bill among all those 'Dunlin' .... every time we looked all we saw were the flock of Marsh Sandpipers, and presumed he must have seen a Greenshank.  After another foray on to the sand-flats, he insisted he had seen it again, and then we spotted it...a Terek Sandpiper among the Marsh Sandpipers!   Turned out to be about the 6th record for Cyprus, and one that Dad never let me forget.