Thursday 21st October 2010 - Chasewater

Sometimes in birding you are unlucky, and other times you are lucky. Well this morning, I did Westport as per usual and then did one or two jobs around the house. I'd finished tidying up and had just sat down at my computer when the pager beeped. My reward for my mornings efforts was a LEACH'S PETREL at Chasewater. Even time for me to get back for the school run at 4pm. For the first time this week a twitch was on. Gear grabbed, coats on and hurtled down to GAS's house. A bit sticky on the M6 but not too bad and we arrived at Chasewater at 13-30hrs. There had been no updates on the pager since the first news, but as we walked out from the visitors centre, I could see a small crowd standing on the shoreline. After a 3 mile walk, we arrived at the waters edge. The Leach's was that close it was visible with the naked eye on approach. It didn't do much, just sat and floated, but it did fly twice when a Coot came up behind it. Seven records for Chasewater and first live one there since 1987.