As you'll know if you've read previous posts I have a soft two hour twitch rule that keeps both the travel time and costs down and helps me keep a lid on this crazy hobby. Well this week saw me driving up to Coniston for a work "team building exercise" so being only half an hour from the Yellow-rumped Warbler I couldn't resist carrying on up the A1 for it on Wednesday. I left home at 5.15am and parked up in High Shincliffe at 9am covering the 250 miles in good time without a stop. (Technically only an hours drive for the bird) The roads were snow covered and I took note of the request to park at the end of the village and walked about half a mile down the road to find a small group of birders enjoying the bird as it moved along the hedge row feeding on fat filled coconuts when the local Robin allowed it to. A Willow Tit was called by other birders and eventually also came in to feed with the Warbler. I duly dropped a couple of coins in the collection bucket and got on my way again. Several Red Kites were seen over the moors as I cut back across country to my hotel satisfied with the mornings trip and 2014's second lifer in the bag.
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler (best I could get) |
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| Snow in Durham (the warbler flits about in those bushes) |
The Coniston hotel was really smart too sitting right on the edge of Coniston Lake with great views from the bedroom. They have a large clay pigeon shoot which I enjoyed along with Archery and Golf. Food was very good and I'd recommend a visit if you're ever up that way.
The hotel has a Range Rover experience and Falconry centre in it's grounds if that's more your thing.
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| The Coniston Hotel |
Along the way I passed Grassington Moor which I think holds the record for a days Grouse shoot but I failed to see a single bird on this short trip.
Year list now at 136
Life list now at 337
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