Yesterday afternoon news broke of a River Warbler somewhere near Norwich. Naturally as I am now a local I was eagerly waiting for news of the exact site. After waiting what seemed like ages I decided to go get a healthy dinner. One leisurely bag of chips and curry sauce later, enjoyed next to the bridge at Potter Heigham, I returned home and checked Birdguides. Access was sorted and details published so I quickly got out my trusty Satnav 'Betty' to see if I could get there in time. Great it was only half an hour away.
I grabbed scope bins and the £2 fee to get into the private field and headed off with 'Betty' to grab a tick. Feeling very smug I sped along country lanes directed by Betty thinking to myself that this twitching lark was a breeze and what did I used to think was so stressful about it. Until that was Betty announced 'In half a mile board ferry' WHAT???? Screech to a halt. What bloomin' ferry? Oh God the Reedham River ferry. Oops, here I was ten minutes away from the twitch and on the wrong side of the river with no money apart from my gate money. I had a look at my A-Z and could not see another crossing apart from Great Yarmouth which would basically mean me going home and starting again. I drove down to the ferry point hoping to find someone to give me advice and spotted a pub. You can't beat a good pub I always say.
I dashed panting into the main bar and announced 'Is anyone here local and can help me with some directions' Luckily two guys volunteered to assist. I was almost tearing my hair out when they told me I would have to do a 45 minute diversion to get accross the river. I could have screamed! One of them even reprogrammed Betty not to take me over ferrys again. A bit like closing the stable door etc but it was kind of him. Their faces were a picture when I told them what I was going to Thorpe for. Then one of them said the immortal words 'Hold on love, let me see who is on the ferry tonight'. Talk about cross everything and pray to the god of birding. He came back 5 mins later with a smile and said 'Drive onto the ferry and tell them you are a friend of Mark's'. I could have kissed him. But I didn't!
So I blagged my way onto the ferry for free. The guy running it gave me a strange knowing look. He must have been thinking 'bloody lunatic twitchers' I have always wanted to go over the Reedham Ferry but never quite thought it would be under those circumstances! I was whooping with joy when I drove off. With hindsight I really should have closed the car window, they could probably hear me in the pub!
I got the the twitch site at about 7.45. There were several hundred people there already. I paid my £2 fee to the sweet little girl holding a bucket, thinking that her Mummy and Daddy were going to become rich that night. Maybe they are giving it all to charity, I did not stop to ask to be honest. I quickly parked up and joined the throng to find that not only was the bird not showing but views were very limited by bushes but mostly by very tall men with very tall scopes. Maybe I should have worn my 6" heels, at least if they did not help me see over heads I could have stamped on a few people to get closer! No, not really, I could never turn up to a twitch in heels, it would ruin what little credibility I gain as a lady birder by having decent bins and scope.
I desperately scanned the crowd for an even vaguely familiar face but drew a blank. I really hate being totally alone in a huge crowd of twitchers, it is not only boring but so much harder to see the bird when you are alone. More pairs of eyes are always better. I also feel that as a woman I stick out like a sore thumb when I am alone. I managed to get talking to a couple of local birders so that helped a bit. I am not totally sure they really wanted to talk to me but it was better than the alternative! It did prove to me that there are Norfolk birders out there, you just have to go on a twitch to find them because they are never in evidence any other time. All I ever find when I am out in the field are Yorkshiremen on holiday.
At 8.50, almost at the time predicted by my new best friends for the evening, the bird started to sing. The tall men at the front could all see it in their scopes. I could not even see the bush. After about 10 mins of cursing and muttering to myself, while standing on tiptoes with my scope as high as I could get it, a very nice man in front of me took pity on me and offered to let me see in his scope. Result! I love that feeling of relief when you finally see the bird. It makes all the drama worth it. They were not stunning views, the bird was inside the bush but I saw the supercillium and most other body parts although not all at once.
It became apparent that even if the bird came out in plain view there was no way I was going to see it over all the shoulders and baseball caps so I decided to head for home. As I walked away there was a fantastic sunset which was a great way to top off the adventure. I was quite glad I left when I did because the roads home were mostly unlit so it was better to have a little daylight. Plus I got home before 10pm thus not pushing my strained luck too far.
Looking back I can't beleive how much I pushed my luck, bursting into the pub, blagging the ferry and then attaching myself to some poor unsuspecting locals. I should really be blushing with shame. But I'm not...I am writing the tick in my book and grinning from ear to ear!
Ps if I can find a picture of the bird I will post it here but I will be amazed if anyone got one!
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