Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (sounds better)

To go on news? no, he who dares paid off on Saturday morning.  We had a good trip, we were in the services just the other side of the seven bridge in a couple of hours but were still waiting on the first news of the day from Pwll-Du.

Luckily, my insistence to the other two paid off re cracking on regardless, and the pager beeped away.

So rather than a slow breakfast, food was taken to go and we headed to the valleys.

After a fair old walk we found the 150 odd birders already on the scene who had located the bird for us.

I must admit to getting a little agitated at this point, Martin had ticked, Dan had ticked, all be it briefly but i was still faffing about trying to get a vantage point. Everyone was moaning about others coming along and standing in front of them, i could see naff all apart from a rock.

I backed up and scanned, there was a hole in the crowd, nobody else seemed to have noticed or more than likely i was the only one there who could see bugger all. After a commando style maneuver followed by by a triple back flip i made a perfect landing. Strangely nobody commented, if i had just witnessed such a sight; over weight birder, laden with binoculars, scope and camera; i would have at least clapped.

I now was not budging and i too would comment if somebody stood in front of me - i had made my home.

💥💥Tick Tick Boom - One Rock Thrush 💥💥

My new home was short lived, the bird took flight and moved around the hill side - here we go again, birders on the move, all wanting a better spot than the last.

Settle, brief look - up it goes again, further round said hill - birders on the move yet again.

Settle, back the other way, birders on the move again.

So this time, i decided against herd mentality. I sat down on the edge of the hillside and didn't move. camera was out - i was ready. The bird was going to land so close to me i could of patted it on the head. It didn't; but it did come relatively close. I was by no means the closest but this time i was happy.