Yet another dip of the year candidate

I have amassed a good collection of candidates for the much sought after dip of the year award so far this year and this new one is definitely right up there!

Since we arrived home from Kenya some 10 days ago there has not been much in twitching range to get me interested in making a trip. A report of a very rare lesser kestrel in Yorkshire 2 days ago did, however, grab my attention. When it was reported as showing well yesterday the game was on! I booked the cheapest local room I could find and embarked on the 3-hour evening drive to Yorkshire. After checking in I settled down in the bar for a nightcap before bed and checked RBA to find that at least some of the viewings yesterday were a common rather than the rare lesser kestrel.

In the morning things took a decided turn for the worse when RBA reported that the bird had been re-identified as a common kestrel. One of the defining characteristics of the lesser kestrel is that it has pale claws while those of its common cousin are black. Unfortunately, detailed examination of the wing feathers from in flight photos had shown the bird to be a very unusual common kestrel with pale claws.

Now while you might technically argue this was not a dip as the bird was not there in the first place, I think that’s splitting hairs or even feathers perhaps!

A quick consolation visit to a damp and dreary spurn turned up nothing of great interest. I did look for but could not find a little bunting that was said to be in the warren area. So I cut my losses and headed home with my tail firmly between my legs.

Oh well, as D:Ream said, “ things can only get better”, although, hang on, they didn’t did they!

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