Rufous-tailed Robin. One of this almost mythical birds that only found its way into the British list in 2004 courtesy of a bird trapped and ringed on Fair Isle. It was first thought to be a Hermit Thrush and many Shetland birders missed it as they couldn’t get across when its true identity was confirmed. When they made it across the next day it had gone. In 2010 a bird was found dead on North Ronaldsey, Orkney with its skin being preserved in the National Museum Scotland. The third bird, found at Warehans Green in Norfolk in 2011 was also a one day bird. I had the opportunity to go for this one but the thought of probably 500 people trying to look into a restricted area for a bird that’s notoriously hard to see even in their usual range, put me off. As it happened I made the right decision. There was a big crowd and the bird had done an overnight bunk. In 2019 there was a single observer bird in the Feal plantation, Houbie on Fetlar which, once again, did an overnight disappearing act.
They’re a real “sibe’ breeding in taiga habitats in N E Asia and wintering in S E Asia. The 2004 Fair Isle birders missed was actually a first for Western Europe followed by another bird in Poland in 2006. To put this bird into context they're notoriously skulky on their wintering grounds and many world birders have never seen one.
When news broke on 20th October 5hat Zac Spaull had found a Rufous-tailed Robin at South Landing, Flamborough my 1st reaction was it probably wouldn’t be seen the next day. But, unbelievably it was. Very elusive but occasionally showing well in the gulley of a small stream surrounded by thick brambles and fallen branches. A typical wintering habitat for Rufous-tailed Robin. I guess this bird will stick around until the first (if we have any) frost as it thinks it's completed its migration to suitable wintering habitat.
Unfortunately a combination of various eye checks as I’m having replacement lenses fitted in a few days and my car being off the road, with a leaking fuel tank, meant I had to sit and wait whilst the bird unbelievably stayed for a third and then fourth day. Luckily Malc, although he’d seen the bird on Wednesday, wanted to see it again and offered to drive me & Mark P. I’m very grateful to Fred who advised us to get there earlier than we’d planned as viewing was limited and if you weren’t in the first line against the fence you stood very little chance of seeing it! He also recommended taking a small set of step ladders just in case it showed and I couldn’t see over peoples heads.
Ayer very little sleep Friday night I was awake at 2 am Saturday morning waiting for Mark to pick me up before meeting up with Malc on the M56. A good journey saw us arriving in the pay and display car park at 5.45 where, after paying for the parking, we donned warm weather gear and set off in the dark to the site where we got a site against the fence but perhaps not really in an ideal position.
As it got lighter the message filtered down the line that someone had seen the bird briefly fly out of a bramble bush and into the stream which, after torrential overnight rain, was flowing much faster than it had done earlier in the week. The description given wasn’t very convincing and most people assumed it was either one of the several Blackcaps or Dunnock’s knocking around. Chinese whispers always entertain in these situations but the gist of the sighting was it didn’t have a red breast so wasn’t a Robin.
The hours passed with some people opting to give it up as a bad job. By this time I’d climbed my step ladder allowing someone else a view From the fence. Suddenly a ripple of excitement travelled the line of expectant birders as Dawn Balmer picked it up, around 10.40, flying in to the stream bed before having a splash and wash. We couldn’t see it from our position but I quickly grabbed my ladders and moved right to a point where it was visible. Firstly the tail as it splashed beneath a branch and then the whole bird as it moved around a bit. I guess it was on show for a total of around 2 minutes to the delight of those who saw it. A lot of relieved birders all breathed a collective sigh of relief. It was surprising how well the white throat showed in the gloomy understorey. We’d been on site for nearly 5 hours. Tony Barter was next to me but, tall as he is, he couldn’t see it so I told him to get on the ladder alongside me. It must have been a comical site with two of us balanced precariously on a small step ladder with arms round each other for balance and using binoculars with our free hands. Absolutely no chance or room to get the camera out for a photo but we’d seen the bird. Luckily Neill Hunt got an excellent photo the previous day and has allowed me to use it. Thanks Neill!
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| Copyright Neill Hunt |
Unfortunately by the time I’d got Mark & Malc’s attention to take my lofty perch the bird had moved off. Agonisingly I saw it again briefly as it moved through the stream side brambles and occasionally crossed a small open patch but my two mates again were in the wrong place.
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By now it had started raining and even though he hadn’t seen it Mark was happy to leave as he was cold so we departed around 13.30 after 7 1/2 hours on site during which time I was the only one of us who saw it. |
It was great to see so many birding mates there that I hadn’t seen in awhile - even though I was so focused on seeing the bird I didn’t realise some of them were there until we came to leave. The journey home provided an unmissable photo opportunity as ‘Bagpuss’ Payne gonked out on the front seat Malc’s car. Revenge is sweet after some of the unflattering photos he's taken of me over the years!
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